"Here. Read this."
This phrase is usually accompanied by a laptop being shoved into my hands or a link popping up in my messages.
And that’s how our writing partnership works.
Jerilyn and I constantly swap scenes and chapters. Sometimes, we write as specific characters to keep their perspectives consistent—she often writes as David, while I take on Haley. But we’re always editing each other’s work, adding scenes when inspiration strikes.
When we swap, we focus on everything: the flow of the scene, the depth of inner monologue, the strength of descriptions, and the sharpness of dialogue. And we don’t hold back:
“I don’t like this.”
“This part drags.”
“Needs more description here.”
“This is hilarious—how did you think of that?”
“This is absolutely fantastic.”
Having a built-in beta reader? Invaluable. There’s nothing like getting immediate, honest feedback from someone who knows the story inside and out. We provide that support for each other.
We also bring different strengths to the table. Jerilyn has a talent for trimming unnecessary details and keeping the plot laser-focused. I, on the other hand, love writing vivid descriptions and witty one-liners. But we challenge each other and encourage one another to push past our weaknesses, step outside our comfort zones, and grow as writers.
Some writing duos divide tasks ahead of time, mapping out exactly who does what. But Jerilyn and I? We’re more “go with the flow” writers. We capitalize on when inspiration strikes. Since our books alternate between different points of view (POVs), we naturally split the work by character. Most of the time, I stick to one, she sticks to another, and together we ensure that each voice stays distinct and authentic.
This also means we can individually work at our own pace without stepping on each other’s toes—super important to avoid killing the creative process (and each other!).
Things get a bit trickier when our characters share the same scene. That’s when we coordinate more closely, mapping out where one chapter ends and the next begins. It gives us room to be creative individually while still staying aligned with the bigger picture. But this is a great starting place for a draft (when writing as a duo).
Polishing the manuscript is a whole different beast (one I’ll tackle in another post—it’s going to take all my brainpower). But for drafting and basic editing, this process works best for us.
And it all starts with: "Here. Read this."
So, keep reading. And keep writing!
—Jenette
