Writing Isn’t Always a Solitary Business… And Sometimes It's Better That Way
By Maryann Miller

I can’t think of anything other than parenting that is more difficult for two people to share than one writing project.  But when it’s done right, when everything works, the results are amazing.

When I first met Margaret Sutton and we decided to write a book together, all I could think of was “The Odd Couple.” Not that either of us matched the personality types of Felix and Oscar, but we certainly were as opposite as opposite could get. How could a humor columnist who was known as the Erma Bombeck of Plano, Texas and an entrepreneur whose writing credentials included invoices, business letters, and a single sale to Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine turn out anything even remotely appealing to fans of hard-boiled crime fiction?

Finding our way from that brash beginning to the publication of Doubletake, a police procedural featuring a female homicide detective, was a most interesting journey. I juggled five young children and a weekly deadline at the newspaper, while Margaret juggled a manufacturing business and an offbeat social life, but somehow we made it.

Research was first. Collectively, we knew zip about law enforcement--  speeding tickets notwithstanding-- and we had no clue how the criminal mind worked. Honest, we didn’t.

I happened to mention this “need to know” at a social function and someone suggested I talk to one of their friends. He was a forensic psychiatrist and had a wealth of information about criminals, especially the really psychotic ones that so fascinated Margaret and me. We interviewed him over several sessions, using a tape recorder and taking copious notes. It was really helpful to do that together as we often ended up doing a lot of character development as we went along. While one of us was writing, the other would ask more questions and keep the momentum going.

To give us an overview of how the police handled a crime scene, Margaret called on a friend in the local sheriff’s department. After a few sessions with him, we had a good sense of how things worked, enough at least to start the first draft. He assured us that he was willing to read scenes for professional accuracy any time we needed more help.

After that initial period of research and outlining the story, we each chose sections to write. Usually, that was determined by who came up with the original idea for that part, and I was sometimes amazed at how effortless that process could be. Our plan was to meet once a week and trade chapters. We each would then add our touch to the other’s work, hoping the end result would be a smooth blend.

Margaret was the epitome of tact when she read my first attempt to get into the killer’s mind. It was-- well, how should I put this?-- so nice. But what did she expect from a mom? She put the pages down and suggested that perhaps the killer wouldn’t be thinking in terms of, “Gosh, golly, gee.” Maybe he’d go for something with a little harder edge. When I told her I didn’t know about harder edges, she took me out back and made me use words I’d never even heard before. She made me say them over and over until they could come out without making me stammer or blush. Then maybe I could type them without breaking into a sweat.

I must be honest and admit that the collaboration wasn’t always smooth sailing. Any time you get more than one creative person in a room, there’s bound to be a bit of tension over which scenes get to stay and which should be cut. Egos can get a bit twisted and someone may get mad and want to take her bat and go home. Problem is, the bat belonged to both of us. At times like that, we took a little breather until we could be calm and work out a compromise. More and more we discovered that the book became bigger than our individual egos and we could go with what was best for the story.

It also helped to have a sense of humor. We found laughing beat arguing and Margaret took that to heart. It became a personal challenge for her to come up with a bigger and better practical joke to play on me each time I came to her office to work. (Don’t even ask me about the fake puke on the stack of manuscript pages I’d spent weeks typing.)

A writing partnership that is a complement of talents is a real gift. In the two years we worked on Doubletake, I noticed that Margaret’s strengths bolstered my weaknesses and my strengths bolstered hers. Each of us brought something unique and special to the author who became Sutton Miller, and now reading through the book, I’m never sure where one of us left off writing and the other began. I couldn’t look at a chapter and tell you specifically who wrote which section. I may know who started a chapter. Margaret does have a wonderful way of setting up memorable secondary characters-- the introduction of the irascible Dr. Davis is uniquely hers-- but beyond that, the lines blur; which is a very good thing. Even though quilts play a central part in the plot, I’d hate to think the book resembled one.

Tips For a Successful Collaboration:

1. Draw up a contract. Even a simple, but complete document will work if you don’t want to pay legal fees.

2. Respect each other’s creativity. If you think her scene should go, come up with an alternative.

3. Laugh a lot.

4. Take a break when things get tense.

5. Keep up your end of the agreement.

6. And did I mention laugh a lot?  

As a journalist and author, Maryann Miller has amassed credits for feature articles and short fiction in numerous national and regional publications. The Rosen Publishing Group in New York published nine of her non-fiction books, including the award winning, Coping With Weapons and Violence In School and on Your Streets, which is in its third printing. Doubletake, a mystery written as Sutton Miller, and Play It Again, Sam, a woman’s novel, are published by Clocktower Books.

She currently lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her husband and an assortment of critters. “This is as close to heaven as I’ll get in this life.”

You can visit the author on her website at www.maryannwrites.com.

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