Why Collaborative Writing?
By Eleni S. Byrnes, Guild Vice President
When two or more authors work on a writing project, it is known as collaborative writing, which is a very good technique for: communicating ideas, dividing tasks, editing, goal setting, and finally the most fun of all – brainstorming and discussion! Also when two or more people are working together, one person may have more critical thinking, another may excel in organization, and so on.
The most important thing would be for all involved to start with an open mind and heart. We all have so much we can learn from another by sharing. Open lines of communication and discussion are essential, especially in the unforeseen event of a disagreement.
Meeting to plan and outline what to work on is a first step. The Guild President, Mela, and I are currently collaborating on a story. We have met in person and have had brainstorming sessions by phone. These are always great fun and extremely creative and stimulating. The old saying “two heads are better than one” comes to mind. We had fun with developing our characters and have even had discussions about them, such as what they would be doing in certain situations or storylines. To another person it would seem that we are discussing real people or family members! It has been a real joy to work with and share with a fellow writer, and I look forward to doing more of it in the future.