Christina Lauren

Christina Lauren books

To Coauthor or Not, aka Lo and Christina are Nuts

27 Comments

There’s one question we get waaaay more than any other: Why do you write together? Well of course there are the obvious benefits: two people to write, revise, research, blog, read, flail, post to tumblr, tweet etc etc. There’s the fact that writing is a stressful and lonely lonely business, and that going through it with someone else makes it not only easier, but fun. BUT it’s about way more than that. Lo and I aren’t just coauthors, we’re besties!


Having a coauthor you adore means you can say things like: HAY. I know that we talk on the phone, text, email, imessage, gdoc, skype, send videos almost every day, play words with friends, and twitter, but maybe you should get on my fitness pal too? KTHNXBYE.

You wake up to 3 a.m. texts that look like this:

You get to say things like: You know that scene we talked about today? Yeaaaaaah, that one. Well I don’t sleep and because we’re SOULMATES I know that you’re not sleeping either! So while I lay here trying to convince myself that 2 hours sleep is totally enough to get me through those meetings tomorrow, I spent some time cruising tumblr on my phone, as one does, and saw this! Exactly what we talked about, amirite??


Maybe your gchat pings on a random Tuesday afternoon with: THIS WHOLE CHAPTER FEELS SO PORNY. IS IT PORNY?? IDK IDK, I’M RUINED FOR POLITE SOCIETY AND CAN’T TELL  ANYMORE. *FLAILS*
To which of course you respond with: *tilts head* I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT LANGUAGE YOU’RE SPEAKING RIGHT NOW.

You get a series of these delivered to your phone when it’s been too long since you’ve replied to a text:

courtesy of our new fave iPhone app, DrawCast

where I reply with:

Now of course we don’t always agree. Lo is super (like with a cape and everything) organized and I’m … well, not. Lo is a worrier and I tend to not worry enough. We’re vastly different people who each bring very different life experiences to the table. But for us, it just works. Having a coauthor means having someone to lean on, depend on, fangirl with, listen to your flails, and crack you up when it all gets to be too much. And if you’re lucky like me, you get someone you love, and those 700 miles that separate you seem like nothing at all.

come watch Hunger Games with us, k?

But you know what? We love you guys, too! And because we want to share the love, we have presents. That’s right, tell us we’re not crazy you’re going to download DrawCast and send us pictures, tell us how you’re spending Hunger Games Eve (only 25 more days, people) or just say HI! and you could win the complete Hunger Games Trilogy.

Comments

  3. Mouse says

    The thing I love best about having a co-author is the surprise they bring to the table. When you’re writing a scene together and they take the conversation in an entirely different direction, it’s like …. WOW! I totally didn’t see that coming! That’s great! Fascinating. And what if the response was … THIS? T-A-D-A! Now you’re surprised, too! And it’s not just learning more about how your co-author thinks, but also how your characters think & react. They become real, living, breathing people right there on the page in front of you, and the dynamic literally explodes.

    Yeah… I miss that…

    any takers?? lol

    -mouse

  4. Michelle V. says

    You guys are so adorable. I love you two. From your first collaboration together, I knew it was a match made in heaven. I can’t wait for the many things you will be releasing in the future. *excitement bounce*

    <3<3Chelle

  5. Myg says

    You two have the sweet personalities for it, that’s for sure. If I had a co-author, I’d be all, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT LINE ISN’T PERFECT? ARE YOU CRAZY?” And then I’d have to be all, “Okay, okay, I’m sorry you’re right, that line isn’t perfect. It needs more THENS in it…”

  8. Christina says

    YES!! A lot of times we anticipate each others reaction, even finishing the others sentences. Lo will say something and I'll be like OMG YES GET OUT OF MY HEAD BRAINTWIN. And other times she'll come up with something so new and completely unexpected that I'm just blown away. I'm so glad I get to keep her.

  10. Christina says

    bahahaha. Oh we have those moments. Like, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PQ. NO MORE HAIR TOUCHING! And I say things like, YOU ARE NOT TAKING OUT THE TONGUE. VETO VETO VETO

  14. Justine says

    Awww, I'd be jealous of your friendship if you two weren't so darn cute! *hands Lo some more cookies*

  15. Claire Legrand says

    Y'all are so epic. I was like flailing throughout this entire post. Imma win the lottery, okay? And one of the first things I will do EVEN BEFORE PAYING OFF COLLEGE LOANS BUT NOT BEFORE DONATING TO WORLD PEACE OR SOMETHING is fly both of you to NYC so we can have a big huge sleepover weekend with lots of cookies and braiding of hair.

    ah smoosh yew. <3

    P.S. I want to read all y'all's (YES ALL Y'ALL'S) books right now pls.

  16. Stacee says

    OMG. YOU GUYS ARE ADORABLE.

    I'm downloading that app as we speak.

    Also, I really hope I can run into you at CC.

  20. Becca says

    This is exactly why I love writing with my Chelle. The companionship, the love, the kindness, and someone who completely understands my brand of batshitcrazy. It's nice when someone "gets" you, no?

    I don't get to go to HG because I'm in AZ no where near Chelle or any of my other book nerd friends, so my husband promises to go with me two weeks later when there won't be a crowd :/

    I hope you guys have a wonderful time. – Rain

  21. Christina says

    Yay! It's so much fun. And yep, we'll be there! I'll be the one with prom hair and a bottle of nail polish chasing a screaming Lo. #jokingbutnotreally

  22. Christina says

    omg it's so much fun. And yep, we'll be there! I'll be the one with prom hair and a bottle of nail polish chasing a screaming Lo. #kiddingbutnotreally

  23. Christina says

    yes exactly!! I love that at any moment I can call Lo about a scene and she knows EXACTLY what I mean. I always joke that it's like we have kids together, but it really feels so true.

  24. becwritesbooks says

    As you know, you and Lo are two of my favorites. You're cute and funny and sweet and you both makes me giggle. And while you obviously have different facets of your personalities, I think you are both the exact same shade of awesome <3

    I think it's wonderful that your work so well together. Having done it… err, written, that is… both alone and as part of a collab, I know they both have their highs and lows. But when you write with someone, and it just WORKS, that is such a kick ass feeling.

    Love you girls.

    <3 Bec

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