Co-writing A Novel - Imaginary Friends
I've almost finished co-writing my first novel with Alix Parker. I'm not sure if I've put any more or any less work in to it than I would have if I'd been writing it on my own. I've never tried writing a novel before!
Along the way, we've had the support of the SCBWI (Society Of Children's Book Writers And Illustrators) and helpful comments from agents and publishers but we couldn't have written this novel without each other's support.
Our writing process has been a bit like a drama exercise. To keep the creative flow, an idea either one of us has must be followed by the word 'Yes!' Accepting each other's ideas has been the most important part of developing the story. What follows is the confidence to write everything down, knowing that it is contributing to the ongoing creative process, even when it's embarrassingly bad!
Speaking at a SCBWI meeting last night, novelist and teacher, Pamela Johnson confirmed that our way of working is the way she encourages novelists to approach their work. We've had to write storyboards and character studies, make a map of the location, take photos, read and research, draft and revise and question everything! We have had to share this process with each other because we are writing the same story. The astonishing thing is, I don't know if I'd have worked this way if I'd been writing it on my own. If I ever I do write a novel on my own, a co-writer would be my imaginary friend.
