Ask Rebecca Cantrell discussion

Hi Rebecca,
An unpublished friend and I have complimentary writing styles and are working on the bones of a thriller. How did you and James Rollins hook up and what is the share of writing between you two. Or does one write and one edit or switch chapters?

I met Jim at the Maui Writers Retreat. I was in his class, workshopping a thriller. We stayed in touch over the following years and one day he called me out of the blue asking if I'd like to work with him on a project.

The share of writing is tough to quantify. We both write stuff and edit each other's stuff. We turn in work on Fridays, then Skype on Monday to go over it. We're trying to make it read as if it were written by one writer, not two, so we don't alternate chapters or characters (although that's probably a lot easier to do).

How are you and your writing partner handling the collaboration?

First, we came up with a basic outline. I feel he is much better at description, but he tends to go overboard, which is better than not enough, so I'm a pretty good editor and he loves the way I can widdle down his sentences and make them less "flowery". So, even though we both write, in the end, i handle editing and pacing and also plausibility because he's more of fantasy writer and instead of accepting things, I like to have them explained.

What's great is he lives near me here in Chicago and we go out for beers. I met him at a Backspace conference in NY a few years back.

By the way, are you going to Thrillerfest? I am!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like you guys have a great system!

Jim lives in California and I live in Berlin, so we only get to go out for beers when we tour. Probably makes us get more work done, even if it's less fun.

I'm thinking about Thrillerfest. I'm still not sure. Maybe/probably.

It's a great event though, and I highly recommend it! I have a blast every time--meeting amazing writers and lots of terrific fans. Highly recommended.

Maybe we should co-write Rebecca, then i can ride your coat tails haha