Getting Started with Collaborative Writing

Imagine the isolated, solitary writer—tucked away in their cold-water garret, hunched over the desk, wrestling with big ideas and sticky typewriter keys in solitude. In novels and stories and films, we’ve seen this trope play out over and over again.

But here’s the truth: Writing is no longer a solitary pursuit. In fact, it never really was.

Like the communal creation of myths passed down through the ages, collaboration has always been at the heart of how we connect and share stories. From the most celebrated works of literature to the first fic, stories aren't told in a bubble—they're nurtured through the influence of friends and writing groups, the guidance of beta readers, the critical eye of editors—at all stages of the writing process.

And modern storytelling is more collaborative than ever. Writers are connecting in vast online communities, trading feedback and critiques, improving each other’s WIPs, sharing to audiences as wide as the internet. More and more, writers are coming together to create, shaped by collective narratives, to reach far beyond what we could ever achieve on our own, in dynamic and wildly liberating ways.

It’s a world full of supportive creative partnerships, where the solo struggle is replaced by the power of support. And many writers are producing some of their best work together, reaching more readers than they could ever imagine.

But, let's be real—writing together is hard. It's a complex, messy series of potential pitfalls and challenges, much like everything shared between two (or more) people.

Do writers collaborate?

When someone asks us—is writing actually collaborative?—we invite them to pick up a nearby book and flip to the acknowledgments. There you'll find—depending on how honest or gracious the writer is—something as short as a paragraph or as long as a chapter: the names of family members, authors, editors, copywriters, beta readers, sensitivity readers, research assistants, mentors, partners, pets (the best collaborators for emotional support), etc. You can read all the different ways the author says thank you and anecdotes of awkward or enlightened exchanges, but acknowledgments are a record of the rough task of getting a piece of writing out into the world. When was the last time you read a dedication "To myself"?

Cue the stats—we surveyed nearly 350 writers, and found that over 73% have engaged in some form of collaboration, and 22% are eager to try. Those numbers confirm what we already suspected: We crave community and thrive within it. Collaboration isn't just a preference; it’s becoming the norm.

From the first wind of a brainstorm to the final round of edits, we lean on a network of collaborators, critics, and supporters—and every work that came before the WIP. They might go unnoticed, but they play an incalculable role in bringing a story to life—when done right, collabing results in deeper, richer stories that can resonate in powerful and unexpected ways. In forums, fandoms, workshops, and shared docs, writers aren't creating in isolation—they’re working together to change how stories are told.

For us at Ellipsus, collaboration has always been our default mode (for better or worse). And over the years, after countless storytelling sessions, workshops, and a couple of manuscripts tucked away in drawers, we (Rex and John—hi!) thought we had finally nailed down our process. But last year, while workshopping a novel together, we discovered that even the short walk between our neighboring rooms and a decade of shared brainwaves couldn’t protect us from the chaos of beta reading.

Feedback got lost in the shuffle between disconnected drafts; valuable insights vanished with discarded versions. Moving chapters between Microsoft Word and Google Docs led to missing comments, and trying to reintegrate the scattered feedback felt like piecing together a puzzle with missing pieces. We ended up with a hot mess on our hands—and realized there had to be a better way. (This is the only As seen On TV reference you'll find in this series. Probably.)

Ellipsus was born out of a chaotic collaborative experience, a wake-up call that showed us how poorly designed most writing tools are for collaboration, especially when multiple people are working on the same document across different platforms. And we're not alone—collaborative writers aren’t just using one tool; they’re juggling many.

The ways we communicate have changed—gone are the days of snail-mail, email, and .PDF critiques that took weeks to arrive—so the ways we collaborate need to too. There are as many tools as there are collab styles, but one thing became clear from our survey: No single platform satisfies the needs of collaborative writers. That disorientation often results in a chaotic and disjointed workflow, with writers toggling between platforms to find what works for different stages of their process—various writing tools for a clean interface or enhanced organization, Google Docs for real-time writing and feedback, platforms like Discord for community and real-time communication, chat apps, etc. And that’s where the heart of the problem lies—collaboration becomes an exercise in managing tools, rather than focusing on the work and effective communication. Many collabs fall apart if the workflow doesn't flow. And while collaborative writers find ways to adapt—they deserve better.

In the past two years, deep tech has been rapidly colonizing our writing tools and publishing platforms, and some would like creatives to believe that "collaborating" with a chatbot is a quick path to success. But the one constant in collaboration is that connection—moments of insight, recognition, shared vision, empathy and support—is what elevates creative work. An LLM could, hypothetically, corral rogue plotbunnies or generate some words of support when writer's block strikes—but would it understand the emotional stakes of a pivotal scene?

The strength of collaboration is in the bonds formed between creatives— trust, mutual excitement, and an investment in each other’s words, with authenticity, depth, and connection.

… But know that they, authors and editors alike, will always have your interests at heart too. They want to see the story succeed, they treat this like their own baby, and they do not want to tear it apart. They will cry and laugh with you and care as much as you about it, and ultimately, they could become your bestest of friends. They will help you achieve what is essentially the best version of the story you all could've hoped for, but you can only experience all that if you are brave and face the challenges.

Anon

If you’re new to collaboration and don't know where to start, here are a few quick tips (or foreshadowing):

Find your community. A Discord group, a massive fandom, a local workshop—finding a crew of like-minded writers is the first step. Collaboration starts with communication, so read others' works, share your own, trade feedback, participate and contribute with positivity. (Check out the writer-finder channel in our Discord here!)

Start small. If co-authoring a full novel feels overwhelming, start with something smaller—share short stories for feedback or join a critique circle. Have a go at beta reading, or editing. You don’t have to jump straight into deep collaboration, but the experience you gain will carry you through bigger projects.

Embrace feedback. A story can't mature in isolation, and one of the best benefits of collaboration is feedback from different points of view. It might be hard to digest at first, but criticism is what pushes you to become a better writer. Just remember to keep it constructive, and give as good as you get.

Stay open-minded. Collaboration requires flexibility—be willing to listen, adapt, and compromise. You don’t have to agree with every suggestion, but keeping an open mind will help the work flow smoothly.

Choose the right tools. Fiddling with writing and communication tools can make or break the experience, so find ones that support real-time collaboration, clear communication, and balance simplicity with collaborative functionality (… we're not biased)!