Screenwriting : Screenwriting with friends by Stephanie McNutt

I write with my two brothers. We make it work. We discuss the storyline and get a good log line first.

Eric Sollars Do you designate certain parts, or write together all the way through.

We write together all the way through. I'm sure it's not for everyone. It works for us because we're brothers and I'm the youngest. I'm retired, but my two brothers are not.

I always looked up to my older brothers growing up. My oldest brother taught me how to study. My middle brother taught me hard work. One of our screenplays is BROTHER PROOF. They are my inspiration.

I've co-authored a feature with a writer/director, who's now a great friend.

We break the story together and outline it together. If there are conflicting ideas, be it character, story direction, or an individual scene, our way to resolve it is simple, the idea goes on trial. If it doesn't hold up to a series of challenges, it goes.

I am doing that now except the person is not so much a co-screenwriter but more a sounding board (albeit hi IQ.) Am still making progress so it must be working...

Eoin that trial idea is awesome! Can I ask what types of challenges you give it?

I have co-written and there were pros & cons. I'd suggest to draw a real contract agreement before outline/first draft. Even if you and co-writer are best friends/married. From experience, ppl's views of what they did change when there is real money payments. Real stakes, pressure within your circle of producers, development ppl, reps, and the stress of surviving to first day of production, so you can get paid all the guaranteed money. (Good luck chasing $$ from indie prod companies after movie release). And unfortunately, employers dont pay double if you are a writing duo. They pay one fee for both writers.

The great novelist Donald Westlake once said of co-writing a novel something like "It's three times the work and a third of the fun for half the money." And yet he cowrote many novels. Of course he had Larry Block as a partner sometimes. I once cowrote a novel too. My impression is that how it will go will depend much upon the two people and their personalities and working processes. I'd only cowrite with someone I genuinely like.

I've had a lot of great experiences writing with other writers, Stephanie McNutt. One tip: If you're going to have a co-writer, make sure you and the writer are on the same page going into the project (and throughout the project).

My experience has been OK. Make sure they dedicated to the task, the actual learning, this never stops so if they are not willing to read books or script, to take additional courses - to build their skill then it is an iffy proposition. One where the more dedicated will be the worked bee..

Great screenplay title, Eric Sollars.

One key to writing with partners is to have respect for the other writer and try to include their ideas in the story. Make their ideas work.

This is all really helpful. Thank you all. I am looking at helping someone get started, kind of internship with a script and co-writing to help them get started. I am hoping to free up time for my other projects. Yet, I wondered if it could work. Luck for me, I am not possessive when it comes to writing a story. This is partly because I have so many ideas and not enough time anyway.

"... I have so many ideas and not enough time anyway." Same here, Stephanie McNutt. :) Hope the internship-type-of-thing goes great for you and the writer.

@maurice I hope so too. :)

Stephanie same here as far as not being possessive. I was looking to mentor an emerging writer in 2020 when pitching seemed futile , and found a newbie with a great story idea. He knew his characters and where it was going but not how to start. I came onboard to consult and after 1/3 he lost his vision. We entered into a collaboration agreement and found a working rhythm that included revisions written in a different software to keep track of writing contribution. We had an amazing experience because he's humble about his lack of experience and I only wanted to see this story get written. Neither of us were chasing the spotlight...now we're on our 2nd script together. Best of luck to you!

@JenniferStrome That is encouraging. Because I am planning a series, there's room to work on other episodes, and my friend is searching for that thing he wants to do next. He has a strong visual storytelling, and he's literary. he has the components to do it, but the form isn't something he's ever studied. When you see potential in someone... Anyways, your example gives me hope. Cheers!

I only co-wrote with two different people. One was a successful producer who thought he was a great screenwriter but he was just average. I did probably 80% of the work. The other one I co-wrote two screenplays was with Judy Norton who is an Actress, Writer, and Director. She has over a hundred IMDb credits and 4,815 Starmeter rating on the IMDb and was a pleasure to write with. So I guess a lot depends on whom you are co-writing with and how much they can bring to the table. I wish you success with your project.

The book "Writing Movies for Fun and Profit" by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon has an action plan for collabowriting. I’ve followed these rules to a T with a partner and it worked.

@DanGuardino It's helpful to know the pitfalls too. I am trying understand what might work for me, and what wouldn't. So thanks for sharing this.

@FredGooltz, Very helpful. Having a guidelines in the process would help manage expectations. And, also I like the title. It's funny, but I am more stressed writing a novel than a screenplay. Not sure why. I think the screenplay is more difficult to get into the right hands. Maybe this book will help with that too. :)