Inspiration and Instruction for Writers |
|
Are You Ready to Collaborate? |
|
“Hey, you should write my story.” Has anyone said these words to you upon discovering that you’re a writer? Or maybe you’ve heard, “I have a great story. Would you help me write it?” Collaborative writing, when done well, can yield incredible results. But it’s not a process everyone understands, and it isn’t as easy as one might assume. It takes a special touch to write with someone or to take someone else’s story—a season of the life they’ve lived—and write it in a way that not only honors that life but also relays the details authentically. It takes knowing the right questions to ask, listening well and even intuiting what’s beneath the responses, and then asking further questions that arise. Collaborative writing requires sifting through a store of gathered information and choosing the right pieces to include in your project. If you’re considering a collaborative writing venture, I’d like to introduce you to the work of New York Times bestselling author Susy Flory. I don’t know anyone who has better mastered the art of collaborative writing. Here are Susy’s top tips for consideration when embarking on a collaborative writing partnership: - There are different levels of collaboration, ranging from two people sharing the writing 50/50 to one person doing all the writing while interviewing the other. So be sure to have plenty of conversations in advance to work out the details of each person’s responsibilities, then include the specifics in a written agreement.
- Once you have a written agreement and are clear on who is doing what, create a deadline schedule that includes plenty of time for brainstorming, development, outlining, and writing. Creating a clear schedule facilitates collaboration between a writer who tends to finish work early or on time and one who takes longer or may procrastinate.
- One person needs to have the final say regarding the actual writing. In my experience, it’s very difficult to share the decision-making equally. There will be times when there’s a disagreement about the content, the form, or the style, and if discussion doesn’t lead to a compromise, one person will need to overrule the other. This aspect of collaboration is a little bit tricky, so talk this out beforehand and make sure that both parties agree on who will cast the deciding vote.
|
|
If you’re looking ahead to self-publication, the way you’ll format the interior of your print books and format your ebooks is a decision you’ll have to make. One of the self-publishing tools I use, love, and consistently recommend is Vellum. Vellum’s software makes formatting a snap, and the finished products are both professional and beautiful in appearance. The software may seem expensive at first glance. Vellum Ebooks is priced at $199 for unlimited ebook creation. Vellum Press comes in at $249 for unlimited print and ebook creation. But when you consider what you’d pay someone to format your books or the time you’d spend doing the formatting yourself, it’s easy to see that Vellum quickly pays for itself if you plan to publish more than one title. Vellum’s process is straightforward and simple to use, even for those who typically shy away from technology. - Upload your Word doc
- Add your book details
- Choose one of the styles offered
- Review each page
- Make adjustments if necessary
- Export your files—print, MOBI, or EPUB
It’s just about that easy. Once you’ve exported your files, you will have files to use as advanced reader copies (ARCS) to send to beta readers or reviewers, and you’ll have the files you’ll upload to retailers. The drawback? At this point, Vellum is only available to Mac users. There are workarounds for PC users who want to use Vellum, and searching for tips via Google will provide resources if you’re interested. Another interesting option for both writing and formatting is Atticus, which has received mixed reviews from writers. I’ll offer some details about Atticus next month. |
|
This email may include affiliate links. |
|
|
