Creative Differences

by Marinka on June 7, 2011

My daughter and I have been working on a joint writing project for the past few months and we are having creative differences to the Nth degree.

I am going to assume that in this case N is a very high number, like so high that if you have a disagreement with someone to the Nth degree, stealing their creative idea and running with it is completely acceptable and even encouraged.

Our joint writing project is super secret for now, but what’s important for you to understand is that she is being really unreasonable. I’m this close to cutting her out of the whole thing, except she’s the only one who knows how the computer works.

And I love her.

And I’m a little scared that she’ll cut me out of the project first.

And the whole thing was her idea.

But I was the one who had the creative spark and said “let’s do it together!” which she likes to remind me isn’t synonymous with “let me be the boss of this whole thing!”

Freaking native English speakers. Think they know everything.

Working together has its definite benefits– like we are spending time together discussing and planning and talking about things other than fashion.

But it also has some drawbacks, like her insistence that she can’t commit to working on it more than a few morsels of time here and there until school’s over because she has “homework” and “tests”.

“You don’t have to do a lot,” I tell her. “Just get me the fifth chapter after the weekend.” And she says that she can’t commit because she has a friend sleeping over on Saturday and she just wants to relax on Sunday, with some time set aside for whining about not getting Abercrombie & Fitch shorts.

And I pout a little and then I re-work chapters 1 through 4, and leap ahead to six. But chapter 5 is all hers.

It’s going to be worth the wait.

One year ago ...

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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

sue {laundry for six}
Twitter:
June 7, 2011 at 4:05 pm

Awesome. I tried writing with my daughter and I fired her almost immediately. And then I took her salary for myself.

Reply

Peajaye
Twitter:
June 7, 2011 at 5:36 pm

Why not trick your son into writing a book about the Mets with you? (Marinka, Ladrinka, and Day at Shea)

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Stasha
Twitter:
June 7, 2011 at 7:40 pm

Good thing I am not a cat, because curiosity would kill me. Have fun!

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the mama bird diaries
Twitter:
June 7, 2011 at 10:09 pm

B/c your daughter is the only reason I know how to do several things on my mac, I’m taking her side.

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tracy
Twitter:
June 7, 2011 at 10:16 pm

This sounds wonderful. But really, she didn’t get the shorts? Hug her from me. I know her pain.

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Alison@Mama Wants This
Twitter:
June 8, 2011 at 12:33 am

I am properly intrigued as to what this project is. When is the big reveal?

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Alexandra
Twitter:
June 8, 2011 at 1:10 am

Will we see it?

I’d love to

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Ilana
Twitter:
June 8, 2011 at 2:54 am

Damn kids with their relaxation priorities! What is wrong with kids today? (I type at almost 3am instead of sleeping.)

Project will no doubt be fantastic. Can’t wait to hear more about it.

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Penbleth
Twitter:
June 8, 2011 at 5:07 am

Your daughter sounds fabulous but I know the pain of trying to work with kids when both of you think you’re the boss. I look forward to chapter 5, and all the other chapters. Of course your daughter has to get to work now because you’ve dropped to your readers you’re working on something and we will be clamouring to read it and she should be kinder to someone who has just had major surgery. Don’t let that one drop, play on the guilt.

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Elise
Twitter:
June 8, 2011 at 8:23 am

I’m very intrigued. Please tell your daughter there is a rather fanatical following of yours that demands consistent work on top-secret project in order to be unveiled immediately after her relaxing, socializing and test-taking are complete. That should light a spark to her writing.

Reply

michelle June 8, 2011 at 9:56 am

bribe her with AF shorts. that may motivate her. maybe take up donations from your readers to pay for the shorts. she will have to produce in order to get them.

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Becky Rice
Twitter:
June 8, 2011 at 10:15 am

Just let me know when advance orders are being accepted on Amazon. I’m in.

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Miss Britt
Twitter:
June 8, 2011 at 10:59 am

Tease.

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dusty earth mother June 8, 2011 at 12:17 pm

My daughter is only 6, but she’s so bossy that I’m deciding ahead of time to only be a minor contributor to her future projects. Which will all be about kittens, so I don’t have that much to say anyway. They’re… furry.

Reply

annie June 8, 2011 at 12:40 pm

could you trade chapter 5 for the cool shorts? as opposed to the dorky ones you picked out.

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