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Strangers in the Write
By Neil Marr
Tim Field lives in Oxford, England. My home base is more than a
thousand miles away close to Monaco on the French Riviera. We
have never met. Yet our first co-authored book is released in
January 2001!
Tim and I reckon we are pioneers -- probably even the first -
to employ a new technique -- e-co-authorship!
We're both widely published writers in our own right, but a
chance meeting on the Internet early in 2000 spawned an idea
which has resulted in a hard-hitting book of which we are both
proud.
No guidelines existed for such e-cooperation so we learned the
hard way by trial and error. We'd like to share the experience
with others who might benefit from this tremendous form of
literary co-operation.
The tips you'll find listed later in this article comprise
the first published guide as to how you can succeed using the
system we've painstakingly developed over the past twelve months.
I've been an international journalist for 35 years and freelance
editor for the past five. Tim is an academic with more letters
for degrees and honourary doctorates after his name than I have
in the spelling of my own. Another first! Never before have a
hard-bitten hack and a boffin of such international reputation
worked so closely to produce a complex, multi-levelled work
like this.
Back in the late sixties I came across my first case of
bully-related child suicide. The story haunted me and, three
years ago, I began intensive and expensive research into the
subject. I couldn't find a publisher for the finished book.
Par for the course ... but I wasn't for giving up just yet.
In the opening days of the new millennium, I decided to make
one last ditch bid before scrapping the 80,000-word piece and
hit the Net. Within minutes, I had an email from Tim, who's
considered a world expert on bullying (his honourary doctorates
were awarded in recognition of his anti-bullying work,
lecturing and writing in the field. His earlier book Bully
in Sight is already regarded as a textbook).
By email, we agreed the book should be co-authored with Tim's
expert opinion and experience enhancing the investigative
journalism on which my original MSS was based.
The result is Bullycide - Death at Playtime.
(© Neil Marr & Tim Field 2001) The work reveals the
first true statistics
on the sheer secret scale of this spiralling epidemic. It is
crammed with harrowing case histories from hundreds of
interviews, backup and comment from police, educationalists,
child care charities, government bodies and even a whole bunch
of major stars who survived bullying and even childhood suicide
bids. A famous celebrity wrote our introduction (also via email)
and we carry a photo-file of 30 pictures also supplied by
photographers working on line. Tim's invaluable input added
the necessary qualified weight to make the book a world-changer.
A complex book, as you can imagine, but made much less complex
through our revolutionary e-team system than had we been working
face to face across the same desk.
The system saved massive costs, reduced to almost zero the
possibility of flashes of egoism or dispute so common in a
face-to-face writing environment and made all communication
between us clear and to the point. No time -- not a word -- has
been wasted along the way.
And there's a side benefit. We've become close pals as well
as colleagues. So much so that our follow up book is already
in the pipeline.
Don't forget, we've never met and have spoken by telephone only
twice ... to exchange birthday greetings!
Already, some of you might be saying: "What a lonely way to
work ... not for me!" You'd be wrong. In thirty five years as a
pro writer, I've never felt so closely connected to a co-worker.
Tim feels the same way.
So, let's get down to the nitty gritty and explain the system and
the pitfalls to avoid.
- Have your MSS draft or at least the bones of your project in
mind. If you have tried and failed to find a traditional publisher,
hit the Web and search every site germane to your subject (fiction
or non fiction).
- Put out a proposal by direct email to ALL these sites, then
sit back and wait. If you're as lucky as I was you won't have
to wait long.
- Screen replies for those who you feel can complement your work
and whose enthusiasm shines through. If you're a professional
writer, look for professional success in your potential partner.
Respond immediately, asking what your maybe-co-author feels he
has to offer, what work time he's willing to dedicate to meeting
your deadlines and how adaptable he would be to an adjustment of
writing style on each side to ensure a book which is a smooth
read rather than a bitty piece where each author can be easily
identified by a reader.
- Exchange detailed email proposals on structure and content at
this stage BEFORE reaching a final decision.
- Make a deal early on to apportion research costs and other
sundry expenses and agree to a royalties split. Then, don't
mention them again!
When you've found your partner, it's time to submit to him
everything you have. He'll reply with his views and anything
ready-written. Experiment with the creative marriage at this
stage. Once everything's decided in principle, it's time to
fairly divide the workload.
- Cross-edit each other's input and never be afraid of
disagreeing with or opening discussion on ANY point.
- Whoever instigated the project, always treat the other guy
as though he were boss. Take all suggestions seriously. Two
minds on the same job can be tremendously effective.
- Don't forget that, although you might be half a world
apart geographically, you have the closest relationship any
writer can hope for. Make sure your professional mails are
tempered by personal notes so that you learn about each other
as human beings ... this not only cements a friendship, it helps
in discovering your partner's strengths, interests and special
skills. Also how each of you expect to be treated -- with
formality or, in our case, friendly, jokey informality whenever
the subject in question allows it. Even your wives and kids
become tied up in the e-magic of the partnership. (My wife,
Skovia, and Tim exchange greetings in French!)
- Should a disagreement arise over any point in the book, put
it aside until there's another point on which you are so in tune
it is safe to bring up the earlier disagreement in an atmosphere
of mutual respect and excitement.
- Keep in e-touch regularly -- daily if possible -- it keeps up
the momentum and denies the possibility of laziness or falling
behind. On difficult passages, Tim and I have often exchanged a
dozen emails a day.
- When the book is complete, use (by email) impartial
professional proof readers who are not part of the authorship
team and personally proof read, proof read and proof read again
until you go to the publisher and tell him to get cracking.
- At no stage of the process should any one partner forcefully
take the upper hand, although it will quickly become apparent
that each has special skills in particular areas, which should
be recognised, appreciated and exploited to mutual benefit.
- Make no move -- media interviews or even a short informal
article like this one -- without the full agreement of your
partner. Tim's made several subtle changes in this piece for
instance.
A FEW TIPS:
- Wherever possible, reply to emails by return and by inserting
your comments throughout the originals. This makes for foolproof
feedback.
- Save ALL emails for reference.
- Occasionally send updated versions of the MSS with latest
page numbering. Wipe or store elsewhere older versions. This
system makes for easy reference without the risk of confusion
(i.e.: UPDATE C PAGE 44 LINE 6 - "MR GREEN"
SHOULD READ "MR
GREENE" (FINAL E).
- Never allow yourself to be angry or express disagreement in
salty terms. Your partner will have off-days, too. All writers
are egoists. Keep those emails on hold, sleep on them. You'll
often find that your teammate was spot on after all.
- Trust your partner implicitly but never feel shy about
double checking a statistic, historical fact, spelling etc.
We can all be guilty of slips and typos. A good partner will
never object to a failsafe.
- When you're tired, sick or blocked, don't try to hide it.
Tell your partner. He'll understand and he'll help. Likewise,
if your partner's taking his kids fishing for the week (you
know their names and birthdays by now), don't bother him with
ANY contact. Slog away solo and have some worthwhile material
ready for him when he's back at his desk.
- On the day your book goes to print, send each other an
online e-drink ... and already be working on your second project!
Hopefully, Tim and I will meet up sometime in the New Year.
But just as pals. E-teaming has worked so well for us that we
don't need face-to-face contact to produce another excellent
co-authored work. We'll use the unique and foolproof system
we've pioneered.
One tiny problem we thought we might have was signings. Not a
bit of it! We've had stickers printed for the inside front cover,
I sign mine with a message and send them back to Tim who adds
his signature and greetings and the printer slips them into
place. In UK bookstores, Tim will add his signature to my
pre-signed label and I'll add mine to his for signings in
other European countries.
This is just a simple guide to painless and successful
e-co-authorship. If anyone out there has worked this way and
would like to add their own tips or let us know of any snags
they've come across, we'd be glad to hear from you.
Bullycide -
Death at Playtime, can be ordered through
www.successunlimited.co.uk or
www.bullycide.com.
**
Neil Marr is based near Monaco on the French Riviera. A
professional international journalist for thirty five years (staff
and freelance on the biggest publications in the world), he became
a freelance book editor five years ago, has contributed to,
ghost-written and co-authored several novels and non-fiction
books. His major 300-page work, Bullycide - Death at Playtime
which will be released in January, 2001, combines his investigative
journalist and novelist skills. He's in his fifties and shares
four grown children and a granddaughter with his lady, Skovia.
Neil also runs a non-commercial website
(www.bewrite.net) freely
offering all editorial services and advice to aspiring authors.
Neil Marr can be reached by email at:
neilmarr@mcn.mc.
Co-author Tim Field lives near Oxford in England and provided
the academic input to Bullycide. He too is in his fifties and
is considered a world expert in the field of bullying. He's
founder of the UK National Workplace Bullying Advice Line and
author of the groundbreaking book, Bully in Sight. He's
webmaster of non-commercial
Bully Online and is in regular
demand for radio, TV and print media interviews and lectures
and publishes widely on his subject. He has been awarded two
honorary doctorates for his work in the field. Tim Field
can be reached by email at:
timfield@successunlimited.co.uk.
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