Saturday, March 19, 2011

Writing Two Books Simultaneously

 For most of us, myself included, writing one book is a full-time project. Allen Wiener wrote two. You probably remember Wiener from when he and his writing partner, Jim Boylston, stopped by Straight From Hel to talk about co-authoring David Crockett in Congress. While they worked on that book, Wiener was also working on another book, Music of the Alamo.

After that post, I invited Wiener back, if he ever had the time, to come back and talk about writing two books at the same time. I was delighted to hear from him recently and to have him back on SFH to tell us about that crazy period of his life.

Welcome Allen Wiener.

Twofer
by Allen J. Wiener

Be careful what you wish for, especially if you are tempted to take on two book projects at once. Still, it can be done. Retirement and a lifelong interest in the Alamo got me started on the “fun” project of collecting all the music that had been written about the famous battle and publishing what I found. Countless trips to the Library of Congress and various websites gleaned piles of sheet music, fragile 78 RPM records, and tons of downloaded music. Soon, I joined forces with Bill Chemerka, a fellow “Alamo sufferer,” who had been doing similar work and we embarked on a two year quest for Alamo music -- and a publisher.

We scoured the Alamo’s Library in San Antonio and met friends who shared our Alamo addiction. While chatting over beers one night, Jim Boylston casually mentioned that he’d been collecting David (“Davy”) Crockett’s letters and asked if I’d like to join that search. It may have been the beer, but I readily accepted, as if I had nothing but time on my hands, and suddenly found myself working on two books at once. What was I thinking? Clearly, I wasn’t.

 The pace quickened when we signed with Bright Sky Press to publish Music of the Alamo and we were suddenly under a deadline. Days were filled with completing research, drafting chapters, and periodically being yanked over to the Crockett project. Since I was spending my days at the Library of Congress anyway, what better time to begin looking for all of those Crockett letters? As the music project wound down, the Crockett book grew far beyond our original concept.

Jim and I had been reading about Crockett since we were kids and we pored over every book ever published on the Tennessean. As we read and transcribed Crockett’s letters we became increasingly aware that the conventional wisdom about the frontiersman was completely wrong. Instead of a clueless bumpkin, we found a dedicated public servant, determined to give his poor constituents a voice in government. As our thinking evolved, our book grew into a new political biography based largely on Crockett’s own words and Bright Sky Press agreed to publish David Crockett in Congress: The Rise and Fall of the Poor Man’s Friend. At least I would have the benefit of dealing with only one publisher!

Still, much remained to be done on Music of the Alamo and I shifted between the two projects, perpetually bringing myself back up to speed on each. This literary schizophrenia finally came to a merciful end when Music of the Alamo went to press and, at long last, I had only one book to work on.

Finally, the day came when David Crockett in Congress also went to press and I could, at last, stand down. All that remained was the hectic promotional schedule for both books, which was mercifully staggered since the books were released nine months apart. Nonetheless, I found myself at the Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas, in 2009 giving presentations for, and signing copies of, both books.

Writing two books at once was a real test. I’m glad that I did it, and even happier that I survived to see both books published to excellent reviews. But, believe me when I say “don’t try this at home!”

Thank you Allen!

 I think if I did the kind of research Allen did, I’d either drive myself crazy (-ier) or I’d get so involved, it’d be difficult to stop. In addition to co-authoring Music of the Alamo and David Crockett in Congress: The Rise and Fall of the Poor Man’s Friend, Allen Wiener is also the author of The Beatles: The Ultimate Recording Guide and has written for The Washington Post, People, American History, The Alamo Journal, The Crockett Chronicle, Western Clippings, Goldmine and Discoveries.

Allen Wiener also has a blog, Allen’s Corner. If you’d like to hear more about David Crockett in Congress, you can see the talk Wiener and Boylston gave at the 2009 Texas Book Festival, which was taped and appeared on CSPAN Book TV.

Have any of you ever co-authored a book? How about two at the same time? How much research was involved? Feel free to ask Allen questions or to tell us about your experience.

35 comments:

  1. Hi Helen .. and Allen - that is some writing and researching .. but how wonderful you managed it and corroborated with other researchers .. sounds 'fun' - as you say don't try it at home.

    It's so interesting what's available if we get to research it ..

    one day I shall get to read them .. or perhaps listen ..

    Cheers - Hilary

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  2. I think it makes it so much more interesting to get someone else views on the same book or film etc. Sometime they pick up on something you may have missed or not thought about. It was great reading your views, thank you.

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  3. There's no way I could ever work on two books at the same time! My hat is off to you. :)

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  4. Heeding his advice - won't try this at home!

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  5. Oy! I have been working on two books at once for awhile now - three really but I won't go into that. It was OK for me as they were entirely different - one a mystery and one literary fiction so...the research was different and one could be a relief for the other by times.
    As to writing with someone - yes, wrote four or five plays with three friends - and they are all still friends. Malcolm Callaway and I wrote the scripts and two others wrote the music and lyrics. Crazy making but fun.
    Both of these books look fabulous -I still remember the Davy Crockett show from being a kid and as I love all things of a western bend - this appeals!
    Also, when I signed up with Columbia Records when I was in grade six - my first album was Johnny Horton's greatest hits which had an Alamo song on if I'm not mistaken.
    So thank you Allen and thank you Helen for this facinating post!

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  6. Music of the Alamo...I want the soundtrack! Fascinating, inspiring and a little scary.

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  7. I haven't written two books at once, but have worked on two books at once, both in completely different stages. Once the fiction was complete and undergoing revision, I began my memoir manuscript, switching back and forth between the two.

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  8. Sounds like some of you are good at multi-tasking. I would need for the projects to be very different.

    Allen, is there a soundtrack for the Music of the Alamo, in addition to your book? That would be fascinating.

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  10. Thanks to everyone for you thoughts! Had no idea there were more "two books" sufferers out there!

    YES - there IS a free CD of selected Alamo songs included with the book "Music of the Alamo." By the way, the book is not just a discography (although it has a very long one), but a history of how music has been used over the centuries to celebrate, reshape, and politicize the Alamo and its heroes. I hope some of you will get a chance to read and enjoy it.

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  11. Both your books sounds fascinating. I'm also working on two books simultaneously: the second in my children's mystery series and second historical western novel. I also need to get started on the third novel in my mystery/suspense series. I like being able to switch back and forth between projects. It keeps the creative juices flowing.

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  12. I wouldn't call it co-authoring so much as ghost writing with me writing, rewriting and rewriting again a book with a couple who knew what they wanted but not how to get it into print. I've "helped" a few authors get their books written and suggested different tracks that ultimately ended in book contracts and agents, but I'm not sure I could co-author a book with anyone, not to the extent of trading off writing chapters and pages. You'd have to be willing to put ego and style on hold and agree to a common style and goals.

    As for writing two books at the same time, I have a couple books going at any one time and switch back and forth as time and subject permit. It's the price of having a scatter gun mind.

    I did know that Davy Crockett was no bumpkin, but a very intelligent and canny man of intellect and compassion. He's been one of my favorites for a long time.

    J M Cornwell
    Among Women

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  13. J.M. -- He's long been a hero of mine and it has been a grand feeling to see that we have "rescued" the real guy from the myths. For me, he emerges a lot bigger hero than he was on TV. I would hope he'd become a hero to people today and a model for at least a few politicians.

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  14. Allen, we could use some model politicians right now!

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  15. Couldn't agree more, Helen. Unfortunately, square shooters like Crockett could not survive back then and it doesn't appear that he'd have much more luck today.

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  16. That's sad, Allen. I hoped that in the past politics was more civil.

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  17. Oh, not at all, Helen. If anything, it could get more vicious. On at least one 19th century occasion a member of Congress beat another one brutally with a cane on the floor of the House of Representatives. Sam Houston did the same to another member, but on the public streets of Washington. Crockett and another Tennessee congressmen came close to fighting a duel after feuding in the newspapers. Dueling, of course, was common and Andrew Jackson was noted for it. Even in "politics as usual," the Jackson forces spared no expense, nor any vitriol, in their efforts to defeat Crockett. They succeeded largely because they outspent him (sound familiar)?

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  18. Politics seems to provide a wide arena for jerks, past and present. I doubt that will ever change, but it would be nice to see more Davy Crocketts and fewer jerks.

    J M Cornwell
    Among Women

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  19. Yes, I wrote two books at the same time. Never again!

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  20. Really enjoyed the introduction to Allen's books. They sound like they would be very interesting. Enjoyed reading about the "juggling act" between two projects. I have done that with non-fiction before, but don't think I could ever do it with fiction. I know some authors who do, but I can't imagine being in two stories at the same time. It's different when dealing with non-fiction. Still a challenge in many ways as Allen shared, but I think it is easier to work on two stories at the same time when you are dealing more with facts than fiction. JMHO, of course. LOL

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  21. I did wonder if this kind of experience would be different in the fiction field, rather than doing non-fiction. I've never taken on fiction and would be lousy at it, but I somehow think it would be tougher. I see fiction as coming so much more from the imagination than dusty library shelves, microfilm, online data bases and interviews. I'd have my hands full thinking through a single story, shaping characters, keeping up the pace, etc. Not that this was any barrel of laughs!

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  22. Wouldn't you love to sit down and talk to David Crockett? Or, in my case, just listen to him.

    Maryann, I haven't done it even in nonfiction. I've always turned in one book before beginning the next.

    Allen, with all the research you've done, your fiction story would probably come to you.

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  23. I must also tip my hat to all fellow writers who juggle multiple writing assignments at once. You have to be just a little crazy - likely more - to love it. Excellent work!

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  24. Helen - that is something that came to mind many times over the course of doing the Crockett book. I thought I got to "know him" about as much as we can and it really made me wonder what he was like to meet and talk to; a far more interesting guy than history and myth has led us to believe.

    Thanks Amanda; reading many of the posts here I have a new respect for the many writers who do handle multiple projects or assignments simultaneously.

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  25. Wow, I could never do this. I get things mixed up when I'm working on only one at a time.

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  26. I can't even write one book ... but I think I see a point here. I've often worked on two or more projects at the same time when doing research (in geophysics). Then I can always make progress on one project even when I'm stuck on the other >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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  27. Great post. I tend to be working on two or three writing projects at the same time: a freelance contract, a ficton novel, and a nonfiction novel.

    I've found that the longer I do it, the less stressful and dramatic it is.

    Of course, the stress level increases dramatically as I approach deadlines!

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  28. I hear ya, Susan!

    Deadlines are pressure when you only have one. Can't imagine having more than one deadline close together!

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  29. Research is my least fav part, but necessary, and I learn so many things that way.

    great post.

    I woke up Sunday a.m. to find my blog, my 500 plus followers, my 100plus author interviews, and my 200 plus reviews gone. Blogger gave no explanation, but I think the account was hacked. Change your password often!

    I have reloaded the interviews and reviews, plus redesigned the blog. But if you could, please hit the "follow" button so I can reclaim the fellow bloggers I miss. I'm still following you, as my account remained--thank goodness!
    http://kellymoranauthor.blogspot.com

    Thank you!
    Kelly Moran
    XO

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  30. Good point Kelly. You think you're just doing research for the book, but you're also learning so much! So sorry about your blog being hacked. How awful!

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  31. I have sometimes as many as three WIP's, I find it beneficial to have more than one going so when my muse is unamused on one story I can bounce to another for amusement, lol - BUT - when the ZONE hits me on one book, I've never been able to really concentrate on anything but that ONE story until it's done, so - hats off to you - writing and completing twofers simultaneously is quite the remarkable feat!

    Marvin D Wilson

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  32. You've done very interesting projects. That's re "tire" ment. But you must be proud of your two books. Congratulations.

    Bargain with the Devil

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  33. You're right, Enid! I should have read the "fine print!" Yes - I am proud of them; all's well that ends well!

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  34. Old S. - Yes, in the early going I sometimes have more than one idea brewing, and even may do some research on them, but once you get going for real, it is difficult to shift back and forth. Then again, given the number of years in which I could not get a deal for ANY book, I can't really complain about suddenly finding contracts for two!

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  35. I admire you, Allen, and everyone else who's stopped by and said they work on multiple projects. Don't know if I could do that!

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