A Pro Speaks: Adam Beechen on co-writing Teen Titans

I've always been interested in how writers share writing duties. A good number of my favorite comic books have been written by two people. David Goyer and Geoff Johns on JSA, Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker on Iron Fist, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (or as I knew them on their Legion of Super Heroes run, DnA) on just about everything they write and Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti on just about everything they write.

Heck, DC's 52 has four writers (Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Mark Waid and Greg Rucka) and they have Keith Giffen to, as I understand it, handle the panel breakdowns.

Currently DC also has at least two books (Atom and Freedom Fighters) being written off of Grant Morrison's notes for new(ish) characters.

But how does one collaborate with someone else on writing? Adam Beechen gives a clue in an interview with Newsarama(don't you love them?).

Actually, I come in on the second part of the arc. Issue #43 is all Geoff. He had #44 mostly plotted, and then I came in and we finished the plotting together and split up the pages for scripting. He had a pretty good idea of what he wanted for #45, we plotted it together, and then I handled the script. On #46, I’m plotting and scripting from his general story idea. He had the overarching idea for the story arc that was to follow “Titans East,” and I’m going to be writing that as well, but because of other considerations, that’s been pushed back a few issues. So Geoff will continue to be a presence, as far as the book goes, for a while yet. After that, I’ll be on my own for real.

Interesting. But it's a good idea, I think, for a new writer taking over an ongoing book to have some time with the resident writer as it were. It can't hurt to have another writer that you trust (I'm looking at you DnA and Palmiotti & Gray) to build on your excitement and to double check your ideas. Two heads can certainly be better than the one.