Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Sister vs. Sister

OK, so you might have noticed that we've been a little crabby lately. (Sorry, Joe Jonas.) And the truth is we're fighting. That's right. We fight sometimes (fine, we fight a LOT of the time) and it's almost always about the writing.

Here's a little snippet of what's been going on in LiLa land:

Lisa: So, I think that twist with the Diet Coke [editorial note: I'm definitely not making this up. There really is a twist in our WIP that involves Diet Coke. And it's AWESOME.] really works.

Laura: I don't know. I'm still not sure why she would drink it. I mean, what's her motivation?

Lisa: *too pissed off to type*

Laura: We just need to make sure that everything makes sense.

Lisa: Yeah, well I still think the first four chapters SUCK. There's just something a little off. They're not working.

Laura: You're being too hard on them.

Lisa: Whatever.

Laura: Fine, I'll fix them, but what's wrong?

Lisa: I don't know. They're just not right. I'll do it.

Laura: No, I'll do it and I'll fix that stupid Diet Coke crap while I'm at it.

Lisa: Fine.

Laura: Fine.

Um, yeah, so apparently writing as a team is all fun and games until someone thinks up a plot twist involving diet soda.

60 comments:

Melissa (i swim for oceans) said...

haha see, this is much more natural! It's inevitable for sisters to fight. I like to the the little squabbles bring us closer together...much later :)

Stephanie Damore said...

My sis and I have tried to write together, but it NEVER works. I'm way too much of a control freak to be a team player. You're lucky you're only fighting over a diet coke scene :)

Natalie said...

I think it would make me crazy to have to share a manuscript with someone else (even my sister, who I love). I'm just impressed that you can make it work (and work well) most of the time.

Unknown said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who involves foodstuffs in plot twists. LOL!

Seriously, I couldn't imagine the stress of co-writing a book, and all the give and take involved in it. Kudos to you both. You'll get through the quibble, and your work will be stronger for it.

Tana said...

I think her motivation should be to wash down that twizzler she's eating. Don't forget me in the acknowledgments.

Mariah Irvin said...

If I wrote with my sister, she would try to convince me that every scene needs a few adorable puppies.

Carolyn V. said...
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Carolyn V. said...
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Carolyn V. said...

Okay LiLa, I totally can't type right this early in the morning. Sorry.

I took a class where the professor said, "Everyone fights and argues from time to time. Believe it or not, it can I took a class where the professor said, "Everyone fights and argues from time to time. Believe it or not, it can strengthen the relationship. As long as the problem is resolved in a positive manner."

She was so smart!

So see? It's okay to fight over diet soda. Or better yet, a slice of chocolate cake. ummm....

Roxy said...

I can relate to a conversation like this. You two are actually very civil with each other. I argue with myself all the time about my WIP and although I have not as yet tried a plot twist with a Diet Coke, I do drink said cola with a twist of lime. This is a bad habit of mine while writing which probably accounts for my irritability due to caffeine overload.

Frankie Diane Mallis said...

OMG Diet Coke plot twists? I have to read your books!

Christina Lee said...

LOL--The good news is, you're stuck with each other.;) That's what my sis and I say to each other when we make up.
Besides this is better than arguing with yourself about your WIP, right?

Unknown said...

Diet Coke is in my ms too though not as a plot twist. You don't need motivation as to why someone would drink it -- it's awesome. Seriously, Diet Coke is my crack. Also, I have two sisters and love them to death but could not write with them. You have a good thing going -- fights and all! :)

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Well, what good is having a sister if you can't have a good knock-down drag-out over Diet Coke?! I mean, really. :-)

Patti said...

I admire the fact that you can write together at all. I think I would be too controlling.

Elana Johnson said...

ROTFL! And I'm laughing because in my WiP, my two characters say "fine" all the time when things are definitely NOT fine and reading this so reminded me of them! :)

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I was wondering how two people write a book together, LOL! BTW, I can totally see an argument stemming from a Diet Coke plot twist. Because Pepsi's better. *wink* :)-

Write on, ladies!!!

Stephanie Thornton said...

Hmmm... I was wondering if fights every cropped up with two people writing a book. Maybe you could change the Diet Coke to chocolate covered Twizzlers?

Tere Kirkland said...

Ha! I knew it wasn't all Twizzlers and Prosecco when y'all are writing! ;)

Seriously, Diet Coke twist? All I can picture is a can of Diet Coke with lemon.

Anonymous said...

Ladies, ladies... All this can be solved with a bottle of Prosecco and some twizzlers. What? It's only just after breakfast? What's that got to do with anything?

See, I think the problem is that it's Diet Coke. If you'd gone for Diet Mountain Dew, things would have been so much easier. Or cream soda. Yes, cream soda. That'd do the trick.

Lori W. said...

I don't know how you do it. At least you laugh about it later. Are you laughing about it? I was because I can totally relate (to the sister squabble not the sisterly writing which I don't think my sis and I could ever do).

T. Anne's comment killed me! I think you should work a twizzler into the scene.

Unknown said...

I'm still mesmerized by the fact that you are able to write together. My sisters and I would be ripping bits of each other's hair out by now.

Anissa said...

I cannot even imagine trying to write a manuscript with another person, let alone my sister. My hat's off to you ladies, even when you're fighting.

Now go share a Diet Coke and make up!

Corey Schwartz said...

Ah, Diet Coke. I can no longer drink it because my four-year-old always begs me for some and starts crying if I say "no." So, it's causing fights in our house too! Who knew it was breaking up so many families?

Dara said...

It happens. I'm sure my sis and I would fight ALL THE TIME if we wrote something together. We may be best friends, but I think we'd clash way too often in our story ideas and our writing styles to ever get anything accomplished :P

Marsha Sigman said...

The problem is obviously that they are not drinking Dr. Pepper.

These comments are beginning to seriously resemble a soda commercial.

I have said it before and I'll say it again, my sister and I would never be able to do this together. It would NOT be normal if you didn't fight every once in a while.

Unknown said...

You guys are hilarious!!

That's awesome you've got such a great second opinion. I usually have this conversation with my husband, and it turns out very differently! Never with him fixing parts for me. :(

Cole Gibsen said...

Haha! Too funny. My brother is a screen play writer and I can only imagine what would happen if we worked on a project together. Probably the same conversation only take out the Diet Coke and insert *farts*

Rebecca Knight said...

This never would have happened if it were Coke Zero. Just so you guys know.

Aspertame ruins everything.

Hardygirl said...

Too funny!!! Maybe you should switch to Red Bull?

sf

Kimberly Franklin said...

haha, sisters fight. That's just what we do.

And Diet Coke plot twists??? Now that's hilarious. I vote to keep it! : )

Christine Danek said...

I admire that you can write with your sister. I only have a brother and I know we would not be that civil. Diet Coke? Interesting...

Krispy said...

Hey, if you two never fought, I'd have to nominate you for sainthood or something. ;) My sister and I often have entire conversations (if they can be called that) that consist of insulting each other in an incredibly juvenile matter. Haha.

I love that you have a soda-related plot twist!

Sherrie Petersen said...

Why does fighting even sound fun in your house :)

Katie Anderson said...

y'all are too cute :)

So there!

Kelly H-Y said...

Too funny! I admire you two ... I think it would be really tough to write as a team. Really great at times ... but really tough too! :-) Good luck getting through the Diet Coke Dilemma!

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

sounds like my house - only I dont have a sister - oh yeah - and hubby is out of town. Ok fine I admit it - I just argue with myself.;)

Anonymous said...

Ahhh, nothing like a sister fight.....

Danyelle L. said...

*hugs*

Have you considered changing over to Sprite. :p

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

Twists of brilliance and literary angst go well together. I hope that not only will it be figured out soon but that it'll be better than you ever expected.

Donna Gambale said...

Whew! And here I thought you guys were sunshine and snark -- but not towards each other. I'm honestly a little relieved to know that you guys bicker like normal sisters. And you're still way ahead of my sister and I -- if we ever tried to write a book, one of us would already be dead.

But hey, you guys find a way to make it work! Keep it up!

Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...

aw. But it's only natural to bicker every now and then.

Plus I'm totally intrigued by how you make a diet coke a twist! cooooool :-)

Hilary Wagner said...

Oh my gosh! L&L sister cage match! Okay, maybe not a street fight, because I have a feeling someone would get hurt, but how about a rumble of some sort. I think you two should have a Bobby Flay style throw down!

Either way, you two would not argue if the the book wasn't everything to you--as it should be...

xoxo -- Hilary

erica m. chapman said...

Well I was wondering if you guys were perfect writing cyborgs, glad to see you're not - totally natural. My sis and I argue all the time - but she's kinda annoying, so it happens - LOL ;o)

Unknown said...

You two always crack me up, a nice way to start the day.

Jemi Fraser said...

Can't wait to read the Diet Coke twist!

I have the same kind of argument - but I don't have a writing partner. Probably not a good sign...

Gail said...

Yeah, my sister and I have had an occasional fight but having 10 years between us and living in different cities, can REALLY help! Beside, I dropped everything and came in for 2 weeks to be the caregiver for my mom while sister and family went on a ski vaca. Right now, I'm golden :-)

storyqueen said...

I've been waiting for this moment!!! (I always knew you girls had secret wars....)

Now, the question is...which L is going to get her way....


Hmmmm.



Shelley

Amy Lukavics said...

Now, now, I know all of us here may not know details...but dude....a plot twist that involves Diet Coke sounds supreme. Gaze into the LiLa crystal ball of awesomeness and foresee a random genius reason why she would drink it.

Alissa Grosso said...

Incredibly curious about the plot twist involving Diet Coke, and is this in here because someone is a huge Diet Coke fan and is expecting Coca-Cola to send a few cases in appreciation for the product placement?

JESSJORDAN said...

Alright, girls. Do I need to put you in your separate corners and take your Twizzlers from you?

No. Didn't think so. So place nice.

Unknown said...

and it was all over a diet coke...the plot thickens.

Shannon Messenger said...

Aw, I REALLY don't know how you guys do it. The writing process makes me hate myself, I think I'd want to murder a co writer.

But I think I know what the problem is. I mean, diet COKE? Um...Pepsi is WAY better. Do a find and replace and problem solved. You're welcome! ;)

Sarah Wylie said...

You guys! I think I've solved your problems. Instead of Diet Coke, how about Diet PEPSI. Or SPRITE! Genius, right? I thought so.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Umm Coke Zero is way cooler than diet coke....I don't know if that helps, but I'm sure you don't want to be out of touch with the most current sodas....LOL

Conda Douglas said...

Ah, the great diet coke wars of 2010...funny!

Ryan S. Kinsgrove said...

I would probably be murdered in my sleep if I tried writing with someone else. I'd get their chapter, and be like, well this doesn't work lets change it too this, and oh lets forget to tell them about the changes and just go on and write the next two chapters of the manuscript instead of just the one I'm supposed to write. And, who needs the outline (pitches out window) I know where I want the story to go, and once they read the changes I made without their permission they'll know where I want the story to go too.

...

Yeah, would definitely be murdered in my sleep.

GhostFolk.com said...

I've had this exact same conversation and I'm only one person.

Jeannie Lin said...

If you take away the tags, that could be a conversation I have with myself while I'm editing. I'm sure the growling leads to a better book in the end and then you can be best friends again.

Cornish Dreamer said...

I don't think I could work with my sister, writing or with anything. We couldn't even play chess together without one or the other stomping out of the room. :-)

lovin' your blog, btw.

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