Fic Talk > General Discussion

Your opinion on collaborations..

(1/3) > >>

Nijntje:
Do you like writing with others?
If so, what do you like about it most? And are there any problems you encounter? Or maybe any tips & tricks to prevent others from running into some of the collab-problems.

Is there a maximum amount of writers writing together that works? Or doesn't it really matter? (And I'm not talking about 300 writers or something rofl)

If you don't like it, tell us why. Did you have a bad experience with it? What went wrong?

Have you written any at all? If so, which ones (with link maybe?)? And tell us something about the fun you had while writing it. (Funny anecdotes or something).

RokofAges75:
I do like writing with other people, in general.  It just depends.  If everyone writing is equally motivated and on the same page with where the story is going, then it usually works out great!  I find that I am more creative when I'm writing with someone else, maybe because we kinda bounce off each other, and we both end up writing better than usual.  Plus, it's fun to share that experience with someone else!

I've done collaborations with one other person, two other people, or big groups (say, 7-9 writers).  Oddly enough, I've had the most success with the big groups!  Duos only work if both people are motivated; once one person slacks off, the whole thing can easily fall apart.  Also, it's hard when you don't see eye to eye on things because there's only two of you to talk things over, and if you each want something a different way and can't find a way to compromise, that's a problem.  I've never had success with groups of three - it's too easy for one person to feel ganged up on by the other two when they get overruled on something.

My first BIG collaboration that wasn't just a round robin was Code Blue, and it was my idea to try it with a "writing team," the way TV shows are written, after writing it in twos and threes didn't work - it was basically a last ditch effort on my part to keep the story going.  I just threw it out there that I was looking for people to help me write the story, and I basically took on everyone who volunteered and could string a coherent sentence together, and I ended up with a group of 7 people, some of which I didn't even really know.  I thought it would be a disaster LOL, but it actually worked out really well!  We plan the story through group chats, and when we all get together and discuss, we come up with the best ideas!  The only problem is getting everyone to get their parts written in a reasonable amount of time... we've been bad about that lately.  We need to be stricter about setting and enforcing deadlines for ourselves, or we'll never get episodes done.

00Carter has worked out much the same way, only even better!  That group is amazing!!  We can take the most random, stupid idea and turn it into something coherent and BRILLIANT!  I feel I can say this without sounding arrogant, because only a small fraction of the story is actually something I've written, but 00Carter is awesome so far!  Everyone should check it out!  http://www.dreamers-sanctuary.com/00carter

Okay, I think I covered most of the questions in that rambling blurb LOL.  Code Blue is posted under my name on AbsoluteChaos if anyone wants to read that.  My other collaborations are on my site.

mare:
I am one of those people who does not like working with other people. It's not something that's totally out of the question for me but I really really REALLY have to know you to write with you lol

The 3 Ms collaboration was one of those rare moments when we decided we'd give it a try and even at times that was a little hairy and we are three best friends. I just think when you write in smaller groups of two or three it's so important for you all to be on the same page. My biggest fear is always having the person i'm paired up with deciding not to pull their weight with the story. That's why if you ask me to write with you and I see you have a ton of unfinished stories I will decline. lol

I have worked on one huge group story and that was my idea believe it or not lmao I was relatively new to fanfic at the time and decided to be kind of aggresive and email all of my favorite authors and ask them to write on it. I was so excited when most of them said yes. Some never wrote back and some were already long gone from writing which I wasn't aware of lol

For that one, we all just did our own chapters. We didn't really chat about it in detail we just kind of had to pick up where the last person left off. The only time that a chat was necessary was the very last chapter because Eboni and I wrote that one together so through IM's we managed to work that through. I wouldn't mind collaborating on a story like that. I think it's actually energizing and a challenge to be able to pick up where someone else leaves off.

As to why I'm not a fan of collaborating, it's my obsessive need to be in control of the situation. I am one of those people who needs to have a deadline lmao once again ask Maria and Mersey about that! I don't like to leave things hanging for too long so if someone is especially lax it drives me all kinds of crazy.

I'm not even really that fond or reading collabs for that same reason. You never know if suddenly one of them is just going to up and quit! I do think it takes a special talent to be able to write as a team fluently and so many people have been able to pull it off. It's awesome but for me, i'm a solo girl lol

RokofAges75:
I always hated group work in school LOL, so I'm surprised that I would like collaborating.  I think for me, it just depends on the story.  If it's a story I can write myself, then I would rather write it myself because then I only have to depend on me and don't have to worry about getting bailed on.  Plus, I get my own way about everything LOL.  But for something like Code Blue or 00Carter, there's just NO WAY that one person could write it all, so it's fun to see the ideas materialize when written by a group.  Each person only has to write a little, but the story is so complex.  It's like putting together a puzzle.

mare:
^ I think school is where my hatred of collaborating comes from. I was the girl in the group that always ended up telling everyone what needed to be done and finishing it because other people didn't do what they were supposed to do. lol

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page