They say collaborating on a piece of
written work is like three people getting together to have a baby—one of them
is unnecessary. And, really, how many
brilliant novels or plays can you think of that were co-written? Yes, there are composers and lyricists who
work together. And goodness knows the
Sistine Chapel had numerous assistants (though the design and bulk of the
execution were Michelangelo’s). But
sheer writing is tough to do with a partner.
I had a great experience
collaborating, once. I was a struggling
screenwriter in Los Angeles, and my agent paired me up with Joan Scott, widow
of Adrian Scott (one of the Hollywood Ten for you history buffs). Joan had written a script that needed to be
punched up with humor and turned into a comedy, and our agent put us together. The result was a hilarious script that never
sold, but which made us both proud. And
we formed a wonderful friendship in the process. I’d tell Joan the changes I had in mind, we’d
laugh ourselves silly, and then I’d send her a new version. We’d meet again, share more ideas, and
continue to tweak it until we found ourselves in several discussions with
interested studios. Thankfully, neither
of us had an oversized ego and both of us just wanted the best final product,
regardless of who wrote which parts. We
were extremely lucky to get along so well; it doesn’t always work that way.
So, despite having genuinely enjoyed
my one foray into collaboration, I’d advise writers to go it alone if they can. Most of the stories I’ve heard about joining
creative efforts are horror stories, even if that’s not the genre they were going
for.
Should you find you do need to
collaborate, here’s my best advice:
1. Set aside your egos and commit to the
best outcome without worrying who gets what credit.
2. Try to be the hardest working member
of the duo, so your partner never feels trapped with a slacker.
3. Be open to completely different ideas
than your own, and respect the other guy’s thoughts.
4. Be organized. Take turns writing drafts and never miss a
deadline.
5. Be honest about your strengths and
weaknesses, and try to pair up with someone who needs your strengths, and whose
abilities fill in some of your blanks.
Last, I hope you’re fortunate to meet a talented, engaging
friend in the process, someone as remarkable as the great Joan Scott
(1921-2012). To read more about Joan, click
here: http://bit.ly/17GZ464
