Writing partners

[wishfulthinking]

Polite Succubus got me thinking. Who has a writing partner? Obviously there is a big difference from an editor. How do you meld ideas and writing styles? Is there a dominant and submissive? Is there a bigger picture person and details person?

 

[LadynStFreknBed]

When I had a writing partner, we discussed several ideas and brainstormed over the phone first. When we agreed on a premise, we met and developed an outline for the novel. We wrote scenes, not whole chapters, separately. Then, we would get together again and edit the scenes into chapters.

To me, having a writing partner is definitely not a fast way to completing a novel. Having a writing partner held me accountable to keep writing everyday, which I do now without a partner. The chance to brainstorm with another writer and create something together was wonderful. Unfortunately, my writing partner turned out to be somewhat of a slacker in the end, so I abandoned the project. She and I are friends, and I did not my frustration over the project to damage our friendship.

Now, I think I would only work with a motivated writer, but not a friend.