The situation: being faced with the question, “Do you think your detective would look better with fangs?”
You feel: embarrassment.
You’ve written four bestselling crime thrillers praised for their realism and factual accuracy. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a friendly acquaintance has a “crazy idea” – “Let’s co-write your next book!” Your acquaintance is talented, popular and very amenable, but her forte is vampire romances for young teenagers.
You try to explain, politely, that you don’t think your styles will successfully mesh, but she tells you that the only thing holding your series back is the absence of fangs. Of course, you know that the introduction of a mythical creature will destroy your career, but what can you do to decline gracefully without offending your peer?
No matter how much you care about offending others do not, whatever you do, agree to co-write the book. The clash of styles will be a total disaster. Co-writing the book and watching your career go up in smoke will do more damage to your relationship than telling it straight.
Suggest, instead, contributing work to the same anthology. Opportunities to submit to anthologies are plentiful if you join popular writing forums. This will allow your acquaintance the chance to feel that you have co-written a book, without actually having to work together on anything other than promotion. You are both doing what you do best, and nobody gets hurt.
You feel: embarrassment.
You’ve written four bestselling crime thrillers praised for their realism and factual accuracy. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a friendly acquaintance has a “crazy idea” – “Let’s co-write your next book!” Your acquaintance is talented, popular and very amenable, but her forte is vampire romances for young teenagers.
You try to explain, politely, that you don’t think your styles will successfully mesh, but she tells you that the only thing holding your series back is the absence of fangs. Of course, you know that the introduction of a mythical creature will destroy your career, but what can you do to decline gracefully without offending your peer?
No matter how much you care about offending others do not, whatever you do, agree to co-write the book. The clash of styles will be a total disaster. Co-writing the book and watching your career go up in smoke will do more damage to your relationship than telling it straight.
Suggest, instead, contributing work to the same anthology. Opportunities to submit to anthologies are plentiful if you join popular writing forums. This will allow your acquaintance the chance to feel that you have co-written a book, without actually having to work together on anything other than promotion. You are both doing what you do best, and nobody gets hurt.
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