How to Choose a Writing Partner
You might be wondering how to choose a writing partner. Think of it like forming a rock band. It’s not just raw talent you want; the group must work seamlessly if they are to make beautiful music together. So it is with storytelling, too. Sam Keith, the original artist on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman comic, said he felt like “Jimi Hendrix playing with the Beatles,” and bowed out. The partnership wasn’t working, despite the enormous levels of ability on both sides.
You and your writing partner must have at least some of these for the partnership to be successful:
- overlapping interests
- overlapping tastes
- compatible work habits
- compatible attitudes
Without some overlap of interests and tastes, you’ll never find a project that you’re both passionate about. A really good way to measure your common ground is to compare favorite authors or favorite books. If you don’t have favorites in common, it might mean you’re looking for different things as writers. But it might just mean you need to lend each other a few books and see what happens.
Divergence in your backgrounds and styles is crucial too. You each know things the other does not, which broadens the range of ideas you can work with together. You should encourage each other to play to your individual strengths, and learn from each other. A good partner will want to learn, and want to teach, and you’ll want to reciprocate.
Like any relationship, a writing partnership will evolve and grow over time. Don’t strive for perfect harmony; don’t think of conflict as failure. Your partner is helping you the most when she disagrees with you. Your partner will be your first reader, and you hers, which is your opportunity to smooth out some of the first-draftiness. That won’t work if you’re defensive or tentative. A good partner must be someone with whom you can argue and still remain friends.
We’ll talk about the importance of compatible work habits and attitudes next time.