THE LIAR SOCIETY BLOG TOUR OF AWESOME - How to write as a team!

Take it way L&L...
THERE IS NO 'I' IN TEAM
One of the most common writing-related questions we get is "How do you possibly write together and not want to kill each other?" Because we all have nightmares of group writing projects where you're assigned with the kid who can barely spell or the girl who writes nothing but run-ons. Writing is usually a solitary sport, typically works best when done independently. So how is it possible to write an entire book together?
When we first started out, we weren't sure how it would work. We just thought it might be fun. Turns out, it was fun and, shockingly, it seemed to work. But, not right away. Our first manuscript was full of little quirks that tipped agents and editors off that there were indeed two hacks writing--that and pages full of telling, one dimensional characters and head hopping, but that's another post for another day.
Our first order of business (aside from actually learning the difference between showing and telling) was to learn how to create a unified voice for our work. Our biggest tool in developing our voice was our blog. It's amazing how writing one blog post a day about completely random topics forces you to figure out a way to make it work. By the time we completed our second manuscript we had the process down pat. We knew how to edit each other to create that elusive cohesion. The highest praise we've ever received from our agent was, "Holy crap, I had no idea two people wrote this manuscript." Ok, fine, maybe she didn't actually say "holy crap," but something along those lines.
Of course for all of its challenges, writing as a team has some distinct advantages as well. First and foremost, writer's block is practically nonexistent because you always have someone reading over your shoulder with fresh eyes and new ideas. And when you get rejected (and there was A LOT of rejection on our bumpy road to publication) you've got another person who really understands what you're going through. Someone who cries with you and isn't afraid to tell you when it's time to stop crying and start writing. Honestly, we can't imagine ever going it alone. We're having way too much fun as a team.
If you want to enter The Liar Society Blog Tour of Awesome contest, and really, who wouldn't want to enter!?! There's a $100 Amazon gift card up for grabs! Just click here and enter the super secret password, SLAMBOOK, for an entry. Remember you can enter one time for each stop on our blog tour, so be sure to click here and see where else we're visiting this month to maximize your chances of winning.
Audi, Vide, Tace,
L&L
Published on March 17, 2011 06:12
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