I met with some writer friends on Tuesday. Some of them haven't written anything--outside of the writing they do for their students--in years and years and years.
They're feeling mighty rusty.
One of the writers (Jen) brought a book along--A Death, Nine Stories by Aronson. She spoke of how distinctive each chapter was. It's written (I think) by two authors, but it seemed to Jen that nine different writers were responsible for it.
That got us talking. Some of us laughed like hyenas over the thought of doing NaNoWriMo. Some of us are going to be cleaning up a poopy NaNoWriMo project from many years ago. And some of us are nervous about even dipping our toes into writing--it's been that long.
But Aronson's book got us thinking of ways to collaborate... a collaboration that will help us brush off the dust.
When we meet next, we're going to bring some prompts. We're going to bring our laptops/our fancy journals/our tattered composition books and we're going to try finding some event or idea that we can write about... from four different perspectives. It's intriguing. And it is certainly something I've never done before.
Have you ever collaborated with another writer or artist? What was the experience like? And... would you ever do it again?
This is so interesting! Similar things run through my mind, even today, but no one I know interested--in any writing really. I have one painter friend but our work is so different. Keep us posted on how it goes!
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I talked of writing a book together, alternating chapters, but we never followed through. To be honest, I think I like the idea in theory more than I would in practice. I like being the boss of my own stuff. lol As to prompts, my daughter gave me a gift last year for Christmas that is basically a kit of writing prompts/games for writers, geared toward lighting the fuse on ideas. I can't remember what it's called now, but it's cool. I'll get the name of it and come back to let you know what it is. It's something that would be right in line with what your group is doing.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, anything that gets people writing is a good thing. :)
Nope, never collaborated, and based on my experience in elementary school re: group projects, don't think I would want to. But I'm with Lisa: if it gets your writing engine going, then it's a good thing for y'all. Can't wait to hear how it goes! (Or not goes :-)
ReplyDeleteI am too bossy to collaborate.
ReplyDeleteI could do alternate chapters, but don't want anyone shifting my POV or sentence arrangement, or pulling the chair out from under me. I'm a little like Val.
ReplyDeleteExcept that you HAVE had the chair pulled out from under you! No need to be polite. Don't hold back. I'll say it for you:
Deletehttp://siouxspage.blogspot.com/2011/08/linda-oconnell-assaulted.html
I have. It's hard, but interesting.
ReplyDeleteNot visiting me anymore, Missy? *hand on hip, eyebrows raised*
Shay--I plead semi-guilty... but only of reading and not commenting. Work has been crazy lately.
DeleteAnother friend and I were going to do a writing project together. We got chapters lined up, etc., and we never did continue. She ended up moving... I still like the idea but now I don't know if I can swoop it up and run with it (with possibly other writers) and if that would be fair to her... guess I could just ask her, huh?
ReplyDeleteLynn--If you're interested in doing it, asking her WOULD be a good idea.
Delete