By When I was young and capable of physical exercise, a friend of mine and I decided we would start to run together. Our first time out, we did just that. We ran… and nearly died! We quickly realized a slow steady pace with the goal of covering distance was the way to go. Wind Sprints are for short distances and didn’t support the goal we had in mind.
M and I are new to collaborative writing, so some of this may turn out to be unproductive Wind Sprints. When we figure that out, we’ll stop doing it. Other pieces may be the keys to sustained endurance and covering distance.
Brain Storming:
Two heads are definitely better than one. We’ve already found multiple examples where one of us is stuck on where to go next with a story arc or how to develop a necessary character, and the other person steps into the gap with an inspirational idea both can embrace.
Motivation:
By having set times to work together, we motivate each other and hold each other accountable. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve left work totally drained and without any inclination to do a blasted thing once I get home other than eat and apply mental bubble gum – you know, play a computer game or watch a show, read or even better, go to sleep! But without fail, if I know M and I are planning to collaborate, I manage to put those temptations aside – well I do eat, no reason to skip that, right? And before I know it, I’m feeling engaged and revitalized. Why? Because we’re doing something we enjoy and we’re doing it together.
Productivity:
Did I mention, two heads are definitely better than one? It’s true for productivity too. First, we can each write separately for the same project, cover more ground, then get together to review and revise our individual efforts. Second, there’s that brain storming thing. When I have no earthy idea where to go next with the plot or a character, M knows, and vice versa.
Quality:
I have been amazed how much our writing improves from the first draft when M and I sit together and hammer through what we wrote, paragraph by paragraph, line by line. M brings to our efforts a doggedness to continue refining until we’re both satisfied. Alone, I know I’d ‘settle for less’.
