On Collaborating and Contributing

As a writer, one of the challenges that inevitably comes up at some point is whether and/or how to collaborate with others. I've recently had the opportunity to contribute to a few more books written and/or edited by others and it got me to thinking about the process involved. For the most part, it's not too complicated. It's about learning as much as you can about the other writer(s) and trusting them to produce good work.Often opportunities will come up to co-write articles or books, and it can be tricky to navigate. Choosing a writing partner you trust to carry their weight is crucial -- not just for the writing itself, but for the research and the editing phases of the project as well. And when you're asked to contribute to someone else's work, as in an essay or other content, you have to weigh your time and efforts against what you get out of participating.In my experience, most collaborations and contributions are worth the effort. I've been lucky to work with some brilliant people who work very hard to make their visions a reality. In most cases, I've been approached to contribute or collaborate. In one case in particular, I was asked to write a chapter on a topic that I felt would best be tackled with a colleague who could cover aspects of the topic that she was more knowledgeable about. That turned out to be a great decision as she not only handled the content like a pro, but she held her weight on the writing as well. Of course I've heard horror stories from other writers who have been left to do all of the work when their "partners" left them the lion's share, but I'm glad to say that hasn't happened to me.When it comes to smaller contributions to projects, the reality is that as a contributing writer, you often don't get much (if any) credit for your work beyond a small acknowledgment in a book or compilation. That never bothered me because I personally feel there's great value to be had in contributing to the work of others in my own words (rather than having them paraphrased). I've now contributed to multiple books and I'm proud of each of those contributions. The half and half collaborations have been less frequent, but my experiences have been positive enough that I would definitely undertake something like that again if the opportunity were to arise with the right co-author.So now I can sit back and relax and wait for the latest projects that I've participated in to be published. In the end, it's an experience similar to being published in a magazine -- you see your work alongside others and it's a great feeling to be a part of a group work of writing. For my part, I recommend giving it a shot.