Collaborative Writing: When Two Brains Are Better Than One
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Heather Hepler
Mar 23, 2013, 5:20:04 AM3/23/13
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Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Heather Hepler
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Article Title: Collaborative Writing: When Two Brains Are Better Than One
Author: Heather Hepler
Word Count: 837
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=149806&ca=Writing
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=149806
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I was so happy a few weeks ago when a boy in the third row of a freshman English class raised his hand and asked us, �Where do you come up with your characters? They are so�um� random.�
I think that�s partly what attracts both Brad and me to writing. In what other vocation or avocation is it okay to know a whole lot about bottle cap collecting, and anachronistic role-playing, and Bob�s Big Boy? Not to mention Brad�s extensive knowledge of all things related to 50�s television and my somewhat unfortunate obsession with apples and chocolate. I don�t think this obscure knowledge would even make us very good Trivial Pursuit partners for anyone. I mean, how often do you need to know that the first Ronald McDonald wore a food-tray hat, or that the Honey Crisp Apple is actually a cross between a Macoun and a Honeygold?
I was told something that I�m sure most writers are told when they are starting out. Write what you know.
The thing is no one told me that the things I know might not be the big ideas. I really don�t know how to stop global warming or how to heal a broken heart or how to get ahead in business. The things that I know are the smaller things that find their way into my everyday life. It�s in these obscure obsessions that I seem to find stories.
We set our first novel, Scrambled Eggs at Midnight (Dutton, 2006) in a Renaissance fair. And, not because we had all this extensive knowledge about them. (I�ve still never been to one.), but because the idea of adults pretending to be princesses and knights and queens and wenches seemed really intriguing.
Our second novel, Dream Factory (Dutton, May 2007) is set at Disney World. Again, not because either of us knew that much about it. Brad�s never been to Disney World and I�ve only been once when I was five. But we set it there because it was interesting.
Tattoo studios, mental health hospitals, pie eating contests. It is in these small places that maybe not many people know that much about that Brad and I find ourselves wandering.
People ask all the time how we decided to write together. I try to think up something smart to say. I�m sure I should say something about similar voices and matching literary sensibilities, but the truth is we chose to write together and continue to write together for the same reason we became friends. Both of us have an odd sense of what is interesting and probably more important, we both laugh at the same things. Well, to be honest I am the one doing all the laughing. Brad�s more of a smirker, but that�s just because he doesn�t like to let on that he�s as entertained as he really is.
The second thing everyone asks is whether we argue a lot. They want the dirt. Like I might tell them about the time I almost dumped a whole cup of coffee on Brad�s head or the time he threatened to leave me on the interstate somewhere in Connecticut. Okay, those things didn�t really happen. I always hate to break it to people because they always seem so bummed. We don�t really argue when we write. We argue about what�s better for dessert. (I�m for brownies. Brad�s vote is on cheesecake.) But, when it comes to writing, I think both of us have a sure sense of what we are each good at and where each of us could use some help.
I�m a starter. I can write enough first chapters to fill up the chest in my attic, but when it comes to final chapters Brad will tell you, I stink. Brad is great at details. I fear I�m way too distracted for that. I don�t really understand it all. Not even close. It�s probably part luck and part intuition. It�s probably the same thing that makes both Brad and I want to go see the World�s Largest Ball of String or eat garlic ice. It�s probably the same reason most everyone writes. It�s the desire to get inside someone or something that you know nothing about and for a while just live there. Just walk around and touch things and look at things and see what you can find out. It�s going to sound very pretentious, but here it is.
Paul Eluard, a French poet said it better than I could ever hope to. �There is another world and it is in this one.� I�m not sure if he meant that it could be found using the Park Hopper option at Disney World, but I�m going to try.
About The Author: Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler are the authors of the Young Adult Novels Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, and Dream Factory. Discover more about their amazing characters at http://bradheather.com where you can try your hand at creating your own word play.
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=149806
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
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Message delivered directly to members of the group:
publish-the...@googlegroups.com
*****************************************************************
Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Heather Hepler
*****************************
IMPORTANT - Publication/Reprint Terms
- You have permission to publish this article electronically in free-only publications such as a website or an ezine as long as the bylines are included.
- You are not allowed to use this article for commercial purposes. The article should only be reprinted in a publicly accessible website and not in a members-only commercial site.
- You are not allowed to post/reprint this article in any sites/publications that contains or supports hate, violence, porn and warez or any indecent and illegal sites/publications.
- You are not allowed to use this article in UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) or SPAM. This article MUST be distributed in an opt-in email list only.
- If you distribute this article in an ezine or newsletter, we ask that you send a copy of the newsletter or ezine that contains the article to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=149806
- If you post this article in a website/forum/blog, ALL links MUST be set to hyperlinks and we ask that you send a copy of the URL where the article is posted to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=149806
- We request that you ask permission from the author if you want to publish this article in print.
The role of iSnare.com is only to distribute this article as part of its Article Distribution feature ( http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php ). iSnare.com does NOT own this article, please respect the author's copyright and this publication/reprint terms. If you do not agree to any of these terms, please do not reprint or publish this article.
*****************************
Article Title: Collaborative Writing: When Two Brains Are Better Than One
Author: Heather Hepler
Word Count: 837
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=149806&ca=Writing
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=149806
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=149806
*********************** ARTICLE START ***********************
I was so happy a few weeks ago when a boy in the third row of a freshman English class raised his hand and asked us, �Where do you come up with your characters? They are so�um� random.�
I think that�s partly what attracts both Brad and me to writing. In what other vocation or avocation is it okay to know a whole lot about bottle cap collecting, and anachronistic role-playing, and Bob�s Big Boy? Not to mention Brad�s extensive knowledge of all things related to 50�s television and my somewhat unfortunate obsession with apples and chocolate. I don�t think this obscure knowledge would even make us very good Trivial Pursuit partners for anyone. I mean, how often do you need to know that the first Ronald McDonald wore a food-tray hat, or that the Honey Crisp Apple is actually a cross between a Macoun and a Honeygold?
I was told something that I�m sure most writers are told when they are starting out. Write what you know.
The thing is no one told me that the things I know might not be the big ideas. I really don�t know how to stop global warming or how to heal a broken heart or how to get ahead in business. The things that I know are the smaller things that find their way into my everyday life. It�s in these obscure obsessions that I seem to find stories.
We set our first novel, Scrambled Eggs at Midnight (Dutton, 2006) in a Renaissance fair. And, not because we had all this extensive knowledge about them. (I�ve still never been to one.), but because the idea of adults pretending to be princesses and knights and queens and wenches seemed really intriguing.
Our second novel, Dream Factory (Dutton, May 2007) is set at Disney World. Again, not because either of us knew that much about it. Brad�s never been to Disney World and I�ve only been once when I was five. But we set it there because it was interesting.
Tattoo studios, mental health hospitals, pie eating contests. It is in these small places that maybe not many people know that much about that Brad and I find ourselves wandering.
People ask all the time how we decided to write together. I try to think up something smart to say. I�m sure I should say something about similar voices and matching literary sensibilities, but the truth is we chose to write together and continue to write together for the same reason we became friends. Both of us have an odd sense of what is interesting and probably more important, we both laugh at the same things. Well, to be honest I am the one doing all the laughing. Brad�s more of a smirker, but that�s just because he doesn�t like to let on that he�s as entertained as he really is.
The second thing everyone asks is whether we argue a lot. They want the dirt. Like I might tell them about the time I almost dumped a whole cup of coffee on Brad�s head or the time he threatened to leave me on the interstate somewhere in Connecticut. Okay, those things didn�t really happen. I always hate to break it to people because they always seem so bummed. We don�t really argue when we write. We argue about what�s better for dessert. (I�m for brownies. Brad�s vote is on cheesecake.) But, when it comes to writing, I think both of us have a sure sense of what we are each good at and where each of us could use some help.
I�m a starter. I can write enough first chapters to fill up the chest in my attic, but when it comes to final chapters Brad will tell you, I stink. Brad is great at details. I fear I�m way too distracted for that. I don�t really understand it all. Not even close. It�s probably part luck and part intuition. It�s probably the same thing that makes both Brad and I want to go see the World�s Largest Ball of String or eat garlic ice. It�s probably the same reason most everyone writes. It�s the desire to get inside someone or something that you know nothing about and for a while just live there. Just walk around and touch things and look at things and see what you can find out. It�s going to sound very pretentious, but here it is.
Paul Eluard, a French poet said it better than I could ever hope to. �There is another world and it is in this one.� I�m not sure if he meant that it could be found using the Park Hopper option at Disney World, but I�m going to try.
About The Author: Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler are the authors of the Young Adult Novels Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, and Dream Factory. Discover more about their amazing characters at http://bradheather.com where you can try your hand at creating your own word play.
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=149806
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
- To distribute your articles go to http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php
- For more free-reprint articles go to http://www.isnare.com
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