So I’m co-writing a book. It’s not my first book. I’ve got a few manuscripts collecting digital dust (for now;). This IS my first time partnering with someone to write. I’m totally excited about working with her, though I know it will come with its share of challenges. Most partnerships do. Two visions must become one. You have to learn how to compromise. You sometimes have to wait on the other person to be ready even though you are ready NOW. This was just to name a few.
I thought about these challenges today as I watched my partner slowly type the beginning of our manuscript into the computer. By slowly I mean searching for one letter, finding that letter, tapping that letter with one finger and then searching for the next letter…
I had to exercise my patience and as I did, I realized the benefits of partnership outweigh the potential challenges. In fact there is power in partnership:
Partnership is first and foremost an opportunity to bond with your partner. You are two souls coming together for a like cause. Working toward your goal is bound to bring you closer.
Secondly, If the partner is right for you, it is a relationship that has built in motivation. On the days you decide you are ready to quit (and you probably will have those days) the other person’s excitement, vision or optimism can keep you going and vice versa. In other words you don’t have to rely solely on your own strength when you partner.
In many cases partnership is an opportunity to get something done faster. You can divide up responsibilities according to each partner’s strength and weakness. I am working to do this with my partner, but I am realizing that this particular partnership is less about speed and more about learning and growing together. So I let her type, even though I can type faster. I let her get her ideas out, even though I have more confidence and clarity when it comes to expressing my ideas. I let her take breaks even when I want to “get something finished already.”
Who is my fabulous partner you ask? It’s this cutie pie.
My little co-author in action. Looks like she is enjoying it!
She is my 9 year old daughter, who earlier this spring started creating a story around a song I’d made up while trying down to calm down her little sister. We started taking notes about the story and both did a happy dance when I mentioned the idea of working on a book together. So now a few months later we are finally focusing on this project.
Since neither of us have published a book before, I signed us up for this class on Craftsy called the Art of The Picture Book. It’s taught by Shadra Strickland and I can already tell she knows her stuff. She is an accomplished illustrator and we are learning at our own pace.
Typing up a draft of our script is our first assignment. I look forward to seeing where this journey takes me and my little partner.
Wonderful and wise assessment, James. Fear is just a thought. Turning it to dust and blowing it away is the hard part.