Whatever the motivation, though, I'd recommend taking the following tips to heart before starting any kind of group writing endeavor. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
 |
| It isn't as easy as you might think. |
Before we get into it this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron!
Lastly, to be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree!
Tip #1: Establish A Shared Vision
This sounds obvious, but even if you think you're both on the same page, take some time to sit down and discuss your project in-depth with one another. Everything from what lines you do and don't want to cross, to what genre you want it to be, to what specific format you're looking for. Everything from what word count you're looking at for a novel, to what kind of time slot you want to fill for a screen or audio play, to whether you want the setting to be grim and gritty, darkly satirical, or if you want your characters to use curse words.
If there's more than two of you working on a project, you might want to consider a story or show bible, which has all the rules of your setting/world/project, and which ensures everyone is given the same set of guidelines to follow. Typically there will also be a timeline for writers to keep in mind so that they can ensure their contributions are staying in the lines set by previous canon, as well... in case you're working on something big.
Tip #2: Have Regular Check-Ins
As someone who's been part of several writing teams for tabletop RPGs, and who is collaborating on a project that I'm not at liberty to discuss right now, this is key for avoiding a lot of frustration and editing. Because it's one thing to have a similar vision in your mind, but it's another thing to go off and write up your episode, your chapter, your section, etc., and then to turn it in only to find out that it isn't going to mesh with the project as a whole. So you have to go back and re-write it, potentially more than once.
To prevent this from happening, communicate with one another, and make sure that you are all hitting the same wavelength when it comes to the project. Share samples of your writing to be sure they're fitting together with the project as a whole, and that the seams between who contributed what parts and pieces aren't going to be obvious to your audience. While this might take a little getting used to (especially if you're someone who likes to be left alone until the job is done), it's definitely worth the amount of saved frustration.
Tip #3: Agree on Power Dynamics
Everyone working on a collaboration should have the same goal; to finish the project, and to make it as good as possible. However, there can often be a lot of back and forth when it comes to artistic decisions, style choices, etc. when there isn't a clear, spoken (or even written) agreement as to who on this team has what authority when it comes to enacting their will on the project.
As an example, if you're an equal partner with someone, then both of you need to agree on any changes, choices, etc., so that the resulting project gets both your seals of approval. Alternatively, you might have someone who contributes their time, energy, and vision to a project, but another member of the team is the one with final approval on creative choices, layout, etc. If you have a large enough team, maybe you enact a democratic solution and bring issues to a vote if there's disagreements during development.
There's no wrong way to do this, as long as everyone is comfortable, and feels this arrangement works for them. But it's important to discuss it before you get too deep into the project, or you'll find someone who thought they were an equal partner finding out that someone else thought of themselves as the head designer with final say, and that can lead to rather serious problems.
Speaking of Writing as Part of a Team...
For folks who haven't heard the news, my RPG "Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic" is currently on Kickstarter! While I did the bulk of the writing, I've been working with the fine folks at High Level Games to try to make it a reality. So check out the promo video, and consider backing this RPG, or helping us reach our stretch goals so that I can keep expanding this world in the future!
Support The Literary Mercenary
For folks who just want to do their part to help keep me making more content, please subscribe/follow me in these locations:
- The Azukail Games YouTube Channel (where I contribute video content)
- My Daily Motion Channel (longer videos that won't show up on YouTube)
And if you happen to have some spare dosh lying around, and you want to be sure my supply doesn't run low, consider become a Patreon patron, or leaving a tip by Buying Me a Ko-Fi!
Like, Follow, and Come Back Again!
That's all for this week's Craft of Writing! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, or my most recent short story collection The Rejects!
And to stay on top of all my latest news and releases, collected once a week, make sure you subscribe to The Literary Mercenary's mailing list.
If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!
No comments:
Post a Comment