I’m a firm believer in co-authoring. I’ve done it several times and have encouraged other authors to do it.
But like anything else that’s worthwhile, co-authoring has its challenges. It also has its dark side.
In this post, I’d like to give a brief survey of the benefits (the good), the challenges (the bad), and the frustrations (the ugly) of sharing a writing project with another mortal.
My hope is that what I will sketch out below will encourage all authors – actual and aspiring – to consider co-writing. And at the same time, help them navigate through some of the thorny patches associated with it.
The Good
I don’t know about you, but I’m wired for networking and co-laboring. I love team-work and prefer joint projects over flying solo. So co-writing suits my personality.
But even if you’re not wired like I am, here are some of the benefits I’ve discovered in co-writing:
*You get to share the workload. If the project is large or daunting, this is a relief.
*Your partner gets to enhance your writing and you get to do the same for them. The synergy in co-writing can be awesome. I love it when my co-author improves upon what I’ve written and I enjoy returning the favor. I’ve also discovered that there’s such a thing as “writing chemistry.” If you and your co-author possess it, co-writing can become electric.
*You get to cross-promote the finished product. When the writing project releases (book, article, or blog post), you and your co-author are able to introduce it to your respective audiences. This gives the project a double punch on release date.
*You get to share the rewards and the criticisms. If your project helps people, it’s a pleasure to share the joy of blessing others with someone else. If it’s criticized, you have someone else to process the value of the critiques. If it’s attacked, your co-author helps absorb the blows.
The Bad
While co-authoring has its benefits, it also has its challenges. Three chief ones come to mind:
*Wrongly assuming that you have the same idea as your co-author on the writing approach.
*Waiting on your co-author to send you his or her chapters.
*Sorting out areas of disagreement in content and/or word-choice.
To help with this, it’s vital that you communicate with your co-author about four things before you put your hand to the plow.
1. Discuss the subject you’re going to write about and the specific approach you’re going to take. Don’t assume that your co-author understands this the way you do. I suggest putting it in writing so there’s a clear “meeting of the minds.”
2. Discuss any potential areas of disagreement in content and how you want to handle them when they arise. This is huge and it’s one you want set in place before you roll the ball on your project.
3. Find out who is going to be responsible for drafting which chapters. I advise writing out a tentative Table of Contents, discuss and decide who will write which chapters and put their name next to their chapters.
4. Discuss your respective writing paces. One of my coauthors has a PhD in Parkinson’s Law. He waits until the last minute to write his part. I’m the opposite. I’m a plodder. Like John Steinbeck, I prefer biting off a little chunk of writing each day until the deadline arrives. So when it comes to writing, there are bingers and chippers. Bingers wait until the last minute and go on a writing frenzy. Chippers chip away at the project over the long haul. Don’t assume that your writing pace is the same as your partner’s. Talk it over beforehand so you’re not surprised or frustrated.
The Ugly
The dark side of co-writing can be juiced down to miscommunication. When miscommunication occurs, enthusiasm can quickly degrade into bruised feelings. Here are a few things that can spare you the turmoil:
1. Be careful not to cross the line from co-writing to editing. Enhancing someone’s work by adding a word here or there is one thing. But striking out entire sentences and slashing and burning whole phrases can cause your partner to get so upset that they can’t see straight. Always make suggestions and never line edit your co-author’s contribution.
2. Be flexible. You may have one idea when you begin the project, but as you and your partner begin writing, the project may take a different shape. Learn to adjust.
3. Communicate as much as possible. It’s important that you keep the dialogue going while you co-write. Use both phone and email to dialogue, ask questions, and make suggestions.
In conclusion, I’ve done three co-authoring book projects and I look forward to more. For me, the good far outweighs the bad and the ugly can be avoided.
Just remember: when it comes to co-authoring, assume nothing. Discuss all the details before you begin and keep talking through the project. If you do, I expect you’ll find it to be as worthwhile as I’ve found it to be.
I would like to see you co-author with someone fromt the prophetic movement we see going on now (past 15-20 years). The broader the base of believers the better. Unity, real unity is the key to making a real impact on our world. I would suggest a particular person, but you know who they are. I would hope that the organic church idea would not just become another “movement” that sits on the shelf with others, but become the basis for which all other ideas in the christian community are fleshed out. I believe that there is an openess in this movement and even a move toward more of a relational aspect and a reliance on the Holy Spirit’s guidance in what is carried out as far as ministry is concerned along with the emphasis on the individual believer’s importance in the kingdom. At least the desire for it seems to be there. Bill Johnson. Two guys with a firm grasp on thier core passion. Interested in building up the body more than building up a ministry. What a way to get conversation going among believers and empower the body. Dovetailing at its best. Not a pick for the money the book could generate, but a pick for the good of the body.
Mike: Thx. for your comment. A few things since you appear new to the blog.
1. there is no “organic church movement” – see http://frankviola.org/2010/01/14/why-organic-church-is-not-exactly-a-movement-christianity-today-article/
2. I’ve not been focused on organic church for sometime now – see http://frankviola.org/2012/03/05/seasonsofministry/
3. the “prophetic movement” in the charismatic world has been around much longer than 20 years. And it’s certainly a “movement” in every respect.
So far, the top picks from readers – see here – http://frankviola.org/2012/11/29/coauthor/ – have been Francis Chan, N.T. Wright, and Greg Boyd. There’s a lot of common ground with these 3 so I understand why they were selected so often. I’m not opposed to Bill Johnson, but he seems to strictly move in charismatic circles only. Most people outside those circles have never heard him. If he contacts me, I’ll let you know.
Hi Frank,
I can work in a team if I have to but I am at my best when I work alone, so to me it has always been absolutely inconceivable how two people could coauthor a book – it absolutely boggles my mind how two people could together have coauthored such a brilliant book as “Jesus – a Theography”!!
Your blog has given some insight to it but I can still only understand it intellectually. When I write anything I am always open to constructive criticism but I still can’t even begin to imagine coauthoring anything…
Please tell me this blog entry was cowritten as well…:)
Lol. I wish I had a co-writer for the blog.
Thank you Frank for the valuable insights you dealt.
In my study of the causes for the differences between older versions of the Bible and modern versions, I by chance incorporated a few professors busy with translating the Bible at present. I found their comments absolutely valuable and altered my posts to my blog quite often. The problem with a blog is timing. I try to post on at least two different times per month. There just is not enough time to wait for reaction and input on a specific post, considering their busy schedules! Any suggestions on bridging this problem?
God bless, Herman
See my post “Advice for Bloggers” in the Archives. http://frankviola.org/archives
So the dark side can be avoided by 1) being sensitive, 2) allowing the relationship to shape your ideas, and 3) openly sharing (often divergent thoughts) with the expectation of discovering something better. Sounds like an amazing way to develop maturity — an opportunity to become a better man!
Thanks Frank!
This post strikes me as a valid insight into any form of human partnership from marriage to running a business and all the in-betweens.
Only one thing I think was not mentioned. While communication is key, sometimes there is a hidden agenda, often hidden even from the person that has it: power.
Whether by temperatment or from former experiences of abuse, some people just need to have control over others in order to remain in their psychological comfort zones. We all need to be in our psychological comfort zones to function optimally, so the more control we need over life’s circumstances, the less practical collaborative cooperation becomes. No amount of complementary talents or communication will make the relationship work if there are underlying power issues.
I’ve never come across this element in co-writing, hence why I didn’t mention it. There are no doubt other problematic ingredients to co-writing, but I was writing from my experience and from my observations with other co-writing projects from friends.
Great Insight, Frank. Hopefully one day I will make a connection with a like-minded Christian writer. Do you perceive a sustained growing independent Christian movement that will challenge some of the traditional mainline denominational teachings, yet remain true to the original meaning of the scriptures in proper context? Thanks for sharing
It’s been going on quite strongly since 2005. See http://frankviola.org/books