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Hi! This is my first time writing in the forum, but I really enjoy reading the conversations others are having.
My cousin and I are writing a fantasy story together. We are alternating chapters and characters, but at the beginning a lot is happening with my character, but not much is happening on her side. Any tips on how to help this, or how to co-write in general?
@princessfoo Hiya! Welcome to the bestistest place on the internets!
Hmmm. Well, I’ve co-written some, though I haven’t done it in a bit. First thing I would ask is if your characters are going to cross paths at some point. I suggest discussing where each of you are going with your own plots, if you haven’t already. That way you can understand where each other is going and might help you have a general direction for each of them.
On the other hand, I’ll tag help because they are good at helping people. 😛
@daeus @kate-flournoy @ethryndal @hope @northerner @winter-rose @perfectfifths @leumeister @Audrey-caylin @anna-brie @graciegirl @r-j-wordsmith @I-j-Anderson @people who have done co-writing☀ ☀ ☀ ENFP ☀ ☀ ☀
@PrincessFoo welcome! And unfortunately I have no experience with co-writing. At all. :/ One possible option for your specific dilemma, however, may simply be to alternate chapters/scenes between what’s happening with your character and what’s happening with hers even before they meet, assuming the plot/structure works that way.
Hi @PrincessFoo I’ve never cowritten a book, though I think it’d be fun. I do know of a book on the subject though, but I’ve never read it. https://www.amazon.com/Co-writing-book-Collaboration-Co-creation-Authors-ebook/dp/B018GF66JE/
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Hello @PrincessFoo!
I’m sorry to say that I’ve never done any co-writing either. One idea might be agree on a certain number of scenes/chapters that each of you get to write. That way, even if you have to write a lot with your character in the start, you and your cousin can each end up writing the same amount of scenes/chapters.
I don’t know anything about the story, but if these two characters aren’t in the same scenes at the start of the novel, your cousin could go ahead and start his or her scenes, so you’re both writing at the same time, even though you’re at different points in the story.
I hope that helps! 🙂
@PrincessFoo I’d like to start this off by saying that you have a great name. Seriously. 🙂
And I’ll finish this by saying that unfortunately, I have never co-written anything, ever, and I’m extremely scared to do so because I’m a bit of a control freak. Soooo…just do what the others tell you and you ought to be fine. 🙂
INTJ ➸Your friendly neighborhood mastermind. ➸https://thesarcasticelf.wordpress.com/
Hello! I am her cousin. 🙂 Do you guys think it matters if she has the more exciting chapters in the beginning? We kind of ran into the problem of balancing. I will have more exciting stuff later, but she has the exciting stuff sooner in her plot, if that makes sense! She and I have talked about this before, but we can’t think of a way to fix it, or if it’s worth fixing.
@dragon-snapper Thanks for tagging! 🙂
@princessfoo Welcome to the Kingdom of Pen! I hope you find your experience enjoyable and encouraging!As for co-writing, a friend of mine and I (she lives in the States, I live in Australia) have also recently started co-writing a fantasy novel. We each have a character that is mainly our own, and we are also alternating chapters.
It started with us first figuring out, mostly, where we wanted to go in the story. The basic plot, a few scene ideas, and, of course, creating the characters.
Our two characters’ stories started out separate, so each chapter for the first 8 chapters (so 4 per character) was about the different characters alternately. Now our characters’ stories are about to connect, and this is what we have decided to do: we will continue to alternate chapters, but whenever one of us writes for the other character, the one who owns that character is going to read through what they have written for them to say and do and make suggestions to help keep them in character. Our characters haven’t actually met each other yet, but they will very soon 😀
It’s so exciting that you’re co-writing! It’s been really fun for me and my friend as well. I bet you guys will make a fantastic story together!
Currently reading Les Miserables
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