Thoughts on Co-Writing by Laura

The flippant answer to Heidi’s question - how to team write? -  is easy, especially in the midst of working on THESE ARE THE MEN. Instructions:

1. Know your writing partner for at least a decade.

They have known each other 4eva.

2. Collaborate often.

3. Develop similar aesthetics (thank you, Delores Ringer and Patti Ybarra)

4. Have the same heroes (looking at you Artaud, Foreman, Bogart, etc)

5. Trust implicitly.

6. Know your strengths and own them; know your partner’s strengths and rely on them.

7. Write with Blake Bolan specifically because she is giving, intelligent, witty, dreamy and makes me cut when I want to write hundreds of pages of dialogue. But actually, don’t write with her because I want to do that. All of the time.

The less tongue-in-cheek answer is less easy.

I wish I had better advice, here.

Co-writing is a very personal process for me, so the idea of giving someone else advice on how to do so feels inauthentic. For what it’s worth, here are some things I know about myself as maker:

1. I don’t think of myself as a playwright, even though I can’t seem to stop writing plays. I like to think of myself as a theatre maker (which is a real thing, dammit.)

2. There’s usually a source story, but it’s not an adaptation.

3. Co-writing takes a really, really long time. Like, really.

4. Co-writing makes me feel braver than alone-writing.

5. Having smart actors in the room makes my writing better, sharper, and more concise (thanks Mike, Foster, Nick, Dan, Alana, Siddeeqah, and all my SU lovelies). And also means I rewrite constantly during rehearsals. Though, to Jessica our inimitable stage manager, I promise, no rewrites during tech week. This time. Probably.

6. I’m fascinated by unusual structuring of stories.

7. I think every story is a love story (and I’ve never even seen Aida).

8. I’m unafraid of experimentation while simultaneously believing I can make the perfect play. Thus far this has resulted in failed experiments, but I want to keep trying.

Me co-writing is inevitable. Making (collaborating) is my very favorite way to work. It’s forever-taking and messy, but it’s our mess, and I love it. And I hope you will, too! We open THESE ARE THE MEN in a month. Get yr tix!