Collaboration in Fiction

By New York Times and USA Today bestselling writer Dean Wesley Smith

I get questions all the times about what is needed to collaborate with another writer on a story. And how to do it.

There are as many ways to collaborate on a story as there are writers, but the methods tend to break down into four major ways and working methods.

And I have used all four of the major methods in the almost 100 collaborations I have done over the decades. And so has Kris, and for the first time, we're going to detail out those methods in this short, four week special workshop.

And in this workshop we will give the first fifteen writers to sign up and want to try an opportunity to collaborate with a New York Times bestseller on a short story for a special Collaboration Issue of Pulphouse Fiction Magazine.

That's right, for one week sometime during June, July, August, or September, I will work with a writer for one week to collaborate on a story.

We will have a collaboration agreement between us that you will learn about in the workshop.

And we will agree on a week to work on the story. And the method we will collaborate.

Then, in the fall, WMG Publishing will offer us a contract to put the story in a featured Collaboration Issue of Pulphouse, and we will get paid the standard word rate for the story.

You do not have to collaborate with me on a story to take this workshop, but please tell me you will not be doing so, so I can let in another writer as well. The first 15 writers signed up will be in. After that, I will shut this workshop down.

But I need 15 stories for the collaboration special issue.

And the first writer signed up will have first choice of weeks to work with me. Second, second choice, and so on.

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PLEASE NOTE: Sorry, I can not take credit for this and it will not be on the Lifetime Subscription. Sorry. This is a very special, one-time thing.

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After the story appears in the special issue of Pulphouse Fiction Magazine in the spring of 2021, you will be free, without asking my permission, to use the story on your web site or in a collection of your stories without paying me. I will be allowed the same (we will have that in our agreement.)

If the story sells independently, we split all money evenly. (Pulphouse Magazine money will be split as well.)

DETAILS...

-- First 15 writers signed up are in. No need to ask me if it is full, just sign up. I will shut it off when it fills. Please, however, tell me if you do not want to write with me (my feelings will not be hurt) so I can get the 15 stories needed for the special issue.

-- Workshop is four weeks long and will be offered to the 15 writers who sign up first. The fifteen writers have the option to take the four weeks in April or in May so it fits with your schedule. There will be three assignments in the four weeks, and the last assignment will be the collaboration for a week with me in the summer.

-- Stories will be written over the four months of the summer, starting in June. One week per story. No longer. First writer signed up will get first pick of the week (assuming my schedule is open that week as well.)

-- I will discuss with each writer the method of the collaboration and there will be a signed collaboration agreement between us detailing out money and control of the IP and so on. Basically even control.

To say that I am excited about this would be a giant understatement. I am back writing solidly and I think writing with 15 writers in 15 different Pulphouse stories will be a blast. And trust me, I can keep you from making this "important" and get you through it just fine.

So if this is still open, jump in and learn how to collaborate with another writer. When are you ever going to get the chance to collaborate on a short story and share the byline with a major bestseller again?