Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Novel Writing Dream Teams


I’m in the throes of a new novel idea—actually, a series of novels. But the idea wasn’t mine. It’s the idea of a friend of mine, who is a licensed professional counselor who works with traumatized kids.

She has the brains, I have the brawn (writing brawn, that is; kind of like writing about the archaeological discovery of Sodom.)

Her job in the collaboration is cool: calling on bits and pieces from the times she has testified as an expert witness, from heartbreaking counseling sessions, from case files and a lifetime of research into the depths of the human condition, remembering the ways people find their sanity and hope for the future in situations that would bring you and me to despair.

 Many people combine their expertise with the writing talents of others. I’m thinking of Tom Clancy’s novels co-written with others. In the Christian fiction realm, we’ve seen that recently with the collaboration of Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee.

What is your favorite novel-writing collaborative team? Or, if you don’t have one, what would be your dream team? Whose technical or experiential expertise, and whose writing skills? 

11 comments:

Marian said...

Bonnie Grove with Stephen Harper. It would be a hilarious look inside the game of politics and the business of governing. Of course Ottawa would have to become her part-time residence for a few years. She could claim expenses for travelling back and forth to Saskatoon three times a week. I'm sure the government would pay for this worthwhile endeavour.

Cherry Odelberg said...

Lerner and Lowe
Rogers and Hammerstein
Oh wait, that's music.
Gah! That's what I am missing - a dream partner for writing.

Latayne C Scott said...

Marian, I think Bonnie is hiding out and trying to give us the message that she is wanted by the government and can't be that visible.

Cherry, I would like a dream partner for my writing. I'm pretty sure I myself am not such a partner.

Jennifer Major said...

Marian? Brilliant idea!!! Although, after a day or two, Harper would have to call in back-up. Our Bonnie, she's no push-over. Sweet, but NO WAY would anyone dare to brush her off.

Latayne C Scott said...

I think Bonnie might actually differ with the word sweet. We NovelMatters gals think she is but are careful not to provoke her with such compliments.

Jennifer Major said...

Riiiiiiiight. Good advice, Latayne. It's the verbal equivalent of poking her with a stick, I guess, huh?

Dream time? Moi and Laura Frantz.
Hey, go big or go home!

Bonnie Grove said...

When I was having breakfast with Stephen Harper and we were discussing the idea of a book, he got big and hairy about the 100 books mailed to him Yann Martel over the course of several years (I asked if he'd read any of them, but he got cagy) and said no way would he want to ink a book unless his name appeared over mine on the cover.
Sheesh.
I think I would make a good literary spy on the Hill. Cloak and dagger stuff, running up and down the halls, dashing behind marble pillars when anyone approached.
Might do it just for fun.

Sweet.

Uh.

Probably no.

When Novel Matters first formed back in 2008/09, Katy Popa was quoted as saying, "If we ever get into real trouble, it will be Bonnie's fault. But Latayne is smart enough to get us out of it."

Who would I want to team up with? If Marilynne Robinson called and wanted to bounce a few ideas off me I wouldn't hang up the phone.

Oh. Phones ringing! Maybe that's her now!

Megan Sayer said...

Bonnie that quote swims up into my consciousness from time to time. Katy was half right. Usually though she's also the one who fixes it : P

Latayne C Scott said...

Yes. Katy does fix things. Like hearts. Love her.

Henrietta Frankensee said...

So if we have Stephen Harper covered which of our American contributors is going to tackle Obama?
I am currently involved in a group thing writing at speculativefaith.com. The lead writer is Christopher Miller of whom I know nothing at all except he writes 'steam punk'....(?)(!) It is very exciting to mix our ideas together and see what comes out.

Latayne C Scott said...

Bonnie, you crack me up.

Henrietta, I think it's wonderful that you are interacting with such a diverse group!