Unit 1 - Lesson 1: Partnering Up
An Introduction
Craft:
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For this first part of the lesson, we'll be learning about Collaborative Writing, and how you can use it in your own process!
We'll be starting with this article written by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. You only need to read up to the section titled Suggestions for Efficient and Harmonious Collaborative Writing. This article does talk about Collaborative Writing academically, but you'll find that the process is much the same, if not more flexible when it comes to creative writing!
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The article is linked to the right of this text!
Connect:
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Now we'll be talking about what you just read!
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Knowing the process of collaboration by heart will help you choose the perfect writing partner for you!
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First up: Planning.
You and your partner will probably want to plan something before you start jumping into a project together! Maybe it's a simple summary of what you'll be writing, or how you plan to write the actual project itself. Take some time together to figure out how you'll be working together. Maybe you won't even be writing! Partners can mean critiques or comments, too.
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Then we have Drafting.
This means actually writing your project together. This could also mean editing a project together or helping one another edit pieces. Maybe you'll work at the same time or do a Zoom call. Or maybe you'll just communicate through comments left on your drafts. By working together, you'll create something entirely new and entirely you!
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Finally, we have Finishing Touches.
This is up to your interpretation. Maybe this means meeting up with a different group to discuss edits or sharing with people to get their feedback. Maybe it even means putting your piece into a drawer and saving it as a time capsule. Discuss with your partner and together decide what you'll do.
Create:
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This is the final step in this lesson. Now you get to put what you learned into practice!
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First, try your best to find a writer that writes opposite of you! You'll work well with someone who can give you feedback from a reader's perspective instead of a writer's perspective. Screenwriters and poets, for example. Or even different genres. A horror and a comedy writer can go better together than anyone expects!
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After that, take some time to write or work on a project together. This could mean sharing pieces with each other to get feedback, or it could mean writing something new to be aquainted with each other's style.
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Good luck and have fun writing!
More lessons here