Collaborationsthe unequal contribution that each makes. (And believe me, it is not
always the experienced one who works the hardest.)
I mentioned exceptions to this rule. One is the "master/slave"
collaboration, which is now common in the science fiction field. In
this arrangement an established pro either outlines a story or
defines the premise and parameters of a series. The less experi-
enced writer, the slave, then executes the outlined novel or writes a
novel that he himself has outlined (with the pro's approval). Pros
can thus milk their past success without troubling to write whole
new novels of their own.
Such novels, however, are usually work-for-hire projects set up by
a packager. Thus, they are not true collaborations even though the
pro may approve or even polish the completed manuscript. The
slave is a hired hand, paid for her time and rewarded with an inferi-
or share of the profits. (Who gets the biggest cut? The packager.)
I recommend such collaborations only for new writers who want
to learn on the job, or who are devotees of the "master" in question.
Perhaps the most reliable indicators of success are three of the
simplest:
First, a willingness by both collaborators to work hard. In no case
should you assume that a joint effort will involve less time and
effort than a novel of your own. The workload is the same.
Second, a lack of ego. A successful collaborator always sees
problems as his own; after all, that is how it is with his own fiction.
He also will not collaborate on a story that he feels he could write
by himself. (Why should he? A partner would just get in the way.)
Third, a shared passion; that is, a strong agreement on what makes
a good story and what the partners want to say in their work. Without
that, believe me, any collaboration is doomed from the start.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Suppose you have got all that. You have found a collaborator at
your level, you are buddies unto death, you are in complete sync on
style, and you have got a hot story mapped out and ready to go.
Should you start word processing? Not just yet.
There are a number of practical considerations to deal with
before beginning. It may save trouble and heartache later to clear