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Fri Jul 10, 2015 4:26 pm
raevynstar says...



I'm writing a fanfiction/crossover novel with my almost-twelve-year-old sister.
Here's the problem: I've only ever written things on my own.
1. How do I motivate her to write "her chapters" (every other chapter) without forcing her into it?
2. What if I don't like something she wants to include? Do I let her write it and then change it in the revision stage? Do I refuse to let her put it in the story at all?
Thanks in advance. :)
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Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:39 pm
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Tenyo says...



Motivating someone else to write their chapters can be hard, especially when you're all fired up and raring to go. You could plan the next few chapters ahead; that way you could always scribble out your ideas, or edit what you already have. The alternative method is to keep a single copy (not including the backup) so that even if one person has only written a paragraph, you can pass it over and the other person carry on writing from there.

It's always worth keeping a note in your head of how long the other person has had their chapter. The worst thing is when you feel like you've been waiting forever because you've asked twenty times over the past two days if they're done. Set a reasonable expectation of how much time you give each other.

If you don't like something she includes, go with it anyway. This is a great exercise in learning not to dismiss ideas. Let her play with your characters and carry your plot in strange places, and whatever she does, work with it. Just remember to really encourage the ideas you do like.

Another important thing is writing style. You may have different ideas of what counts as quality, so discuss in the beginning if it's okay to freely edit each others work or if you'll edit only your own.

Most important: remember she's your sister =] Be humble and encouraging, and flexible. If it gets too tough or you find either of you getting discouraged by the other then take it easy. Treading on each others creative space means you'll bump heads once in a while and occasionally cause offence. Your relationship must always come first and if that means you have to accept a sucky idea just so that you can encourage her and build on that relationship, then do it.

I hope this helps. Good luck to you both!
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Tue Jul 14, 2015 5:39 pm
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Rosendorn says...



My advice is going to be a little different:

Remember this isn't about you, as an individual. It's about you, together.

Your second question is about "what if she includes something I don't like"— but you don't allow for the reverse. What if she doesn't like what you put in? What are you going to do then? Collabing is not one sided and if you take too much ownership of the story, especially without permission, then it'll cause resentment and the story will go nowhere.

I co-write a lot. I've made some of my best friends that way. It's a totally different process from writing on your own. You have to take yourself out of the process and actively include the other person, because both your names should be equal on the story (unless you agree one side takes more of the lead).

1- Communicate, communicate, communicate. If you're unsure about something, talk about it until you're both sure. If you think of something to add, bring it up. Don't keep surprises from each other, even if you think it'd be so much fun to spring a plot twist on them unsuspectingly. Sure it'll cause a genuine reaction and there won't be foreshadowing on their point of view, but you're also going behind your partner's back. That can cause anger and really damage trust.

2- Never directly tear down an idea, and especially don't replace it with one of your own. If somebody brings up something you're unsure about, ask how they think it works, how they want to incorporate it, and their goal for the idea. Then you can talk it out knowing all the information. Either you'll end up convinced, or you come up with something different— but your partner won't feel ignored.

3- Respect them. This means respecting their style, their time, their interest, and their ideas. You are choosing to collab with this person because their writing is valuable to you, and you think you'll produce something better together. If they aren't interested that week, they aren't interested that week and you back off. If you find their writing bad— why in the world are you writing with them in the first place? If you don't want to hear anything they have to say then you're not collaborating; you're being an annoying director.

You might not understand where your partner is coming from, but you have to talk it out. You likely will come up with something better if you do so, and you have to give the other side to have as much freedom as you do.

4- Remember the goal is for both of you to be happy with the end result. Don't force either of yourself to write things you aren't happy with. Repeat point 1 until you are both happy with what's going on— and if you can't both be happy with the direction of the story, then it might be best to break off the collab and take the project in the directions you respectively want to take them in. If that is the case, it could be fun to see just how different the stories end up!
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