Tag! You’re It!

The Rune Skelley approach to collaboration is normally a very planned-out and measured type of experience. As we’ve said in earlier posts, we like to keep things structured.

Well, this week has been interesting, in that we’re operating in a decidedly more seat-of-the-pants mode. We do have an outline for what we’re doing, but as the words are falling out it’s become kind of a relay race. The chapter is a highly kinetic sequence made of short scenes and alternating points of view, so during a work session there has been a lot more “tag! you’re it!” than usual.

What it reminds me of is something I would normally not recommend as a way to write with a partner. We call them chain stories, and they’re a sort of game where the object is to build from where the other player just left off and throw the tale in an unexpected direction for the next player. As a game it’s a lot of fun, but the results are seldom coherent. So far though, we’re really getting good stuff and we’ve been very productive. It’s probably made easier because this is the last chapter of the third book in a series. We know these characters like they’re real people, and we know our target.

The lesson is, there’s no single correct way for writers to work together. If you get into a flow, if the “jazz” approach is working, then go with it!

Happy writing!