1. When did you both start writing? Aside from writing together as a team, do you do any individual writing?
I’ve been a storyteller for as long as I can remember—Teachers complained to my parents that I daydreamed too much in elementary school—In eighth grade, Sister M Richard assigned a three page autobiography, and I wrote fifty pages all made up. I’ve written plays, short stories, poems, had an arts column for a small town publication, was a food critic for The Cincinnati Enquirer, and now do free lance writing for local magazines – Diane
Being a good Southerner, I also have been a storyteller but until I began writing with Diane, it was more spoken than actually placed on a page. I’ve written for some local newsletters and artifact magazines but nothing to the extent I do now, which seems to be nonstop – Mike
2. How did you meet? When did you decide to write together?
It’s a long story. Mike and I taught at the same high school, but didn’t know each other until a friend introduced us on a dive trip in 1997. Soon after the trip, we became good friends and that’s when I discovered Mike’s love of literature and the arts. And of writing. Two summers after we met, I talked Mike into going to the Iowa’s Writer’s Conference with me and a friend, and it was there we decided to write together. He helped me with a scene in Micah’s Child, and I thought his writing was very metaphorical, and after some discussion and a few beers, we decided to collaborate – Diane
I have to admit that I almost didn’t go to the writer’s conference because I had Jimmy Buffet tickets. But something (not just Diane) told me I should go and it has changed my life, for the best, that is – Mike
3. Where did the idea for Micah’s Child come from?
The idea came from many sources—many from our teaching backgrounds and interactions with troubled teens. Many of the neighborhood scenes came from real life. Cat is a culmination of many real women—their affairs, childhoods, and tragedies. Micah has a lot of Mike in him—they both dive in rivers and like to hunt for fossils. I guess we threw Micah right in the middle of a romance that Mike would like to have someday – Diane
4. How difficult was it to write together when you live in different cities? Were you able to meet in person during the writing of Micah’s Child?
The Internet made it easy. Even if we had lived in the same city, we would have spent the same amount of time on the Internet. We called each other so much, it felt like we were living next door. We met in person about once every three months. We’d go to each other’s cities and meet up so we could coordinate our writing. It actually worked out well. Living in different cities gave us more focus. Mike has always lived in Atlanta, but I’ve moved around a lot. Now I live in Richmond, so it’s a day’s drive from Atlanta – Diane
For me, having Diane move about every two years has helped me see more of the US. It has also increased the stock value of Southern Bell. With technology today, distance is relative. And even with a co-author, writing is still very solitary. We just have the advantage of someone to bounce ideas off and our own editor. The result is something that neither of us could have imagined alone – Mike
5. What were your writing schedules like? Did you take turn writing chapters?
I divide my writing time into segments: an hour in the morning, a few hours in the afternoon, and three or four hours at night. Some days I do more; other days, I do less. I take time on the weekends for a social life, but I still take time to write. I’m always writing.
I had the structure of the novel set before Mike became part of the project. But his first job was to write the ending. That helped tremendously with our focus. Once we started writing together, we changed the story around quite a bit, and brought in more school and diving scenes. We divided the chapters, then edited each other’s, sent them back, then edited them again. It was very intense – Diane
I still teach school so it has been tough having two activities that demand time and focus. Sometimes I have to push to get started writing in the evening but once I do, the time zips by. Also, quite often I will get up early and edit or write in the local coffee shop – Mike
6. What is the best part of writing as a team? Was there any part of writing as a team that you found frustrating?
It’s great to have a shoulder to lean on. Writing can be a very vulnerable and lonely endeavor, so a partner is an automatic support system. You tend to take more risks with writing, because you have someone with whom to share your ideas.
The frustrating part is for two people to keep all the ideas straight, especially on the computer. We would edit the wrong chapters, lose chapters, or put in a scene and forget to tell the other person, so he would put in the same scene in a later place. We really had to pay attention to repetition, consistency and time. I think it’s easier for one person to keep track of a 500-page novel than two – Diane
For me, to have someone so knowledgeable about structure, grammar and the woman’s point of view has been invaluable. I have learned so much in writing with Diane. How can you interact with someone on the level writing takes us to and not be better off.
I agree with Diane that keeping up with all our versions of the novel almost drove us crazy. We have since learned how to organize. Buying a nice laptop helped greatly. Sometimes, it can be difficult when each of us thinks we know the correct path but it all gets worked out with patience and good listening skills – Mike
7. Micah’s Child was released this year and received wonderful reviews and praise. Since you live far apart, was it difficult to do book signings together?
Not at all. When our publicist arranges book signings, she knows that one of us will be there. If we can both make it, that’s a big plus. We both try to make as many as possible. Planning ahead really helps. I guess we’ve both made it to half of our scheduled signings. Mike and I love to travel and explore new cities, so we look at the signings as more of an adventure than a job – Diane and Mike
8. How do you balance personal obligations with your writing commitment to each other?
Again, organization and planning is a necessity. I make sure I schedule time to write every day. I work around my family’s schedule when I plan book signings, and often I bring them along. Whenever I can, I like to turn my books signings into a family vacation – Diane
It has gotten to the point in our collaboration that there’s no difference between personal obligation and commitment to our co-author. With that said, one thing that has been difficult is that some people don’t understand how writing gripped me and changed my priorities. They might want to go to a game or fishing or whatever but I am driven to get some writing accomplished each day. I tend to think that people who don’t have a passion for creativity might never understand – Mike
9. What are you working on now?
A variety of things. Please Don’t Read This Page: The Fat Boy Chronicles, a story about an obese teenager; The Cry of the Quetzal, southern fiction; The Treasure of the Four Lions, a screenplay about Civil War treasure; and the sequel to Micah’s Child – Diane and Mike
10. What advice would you like to share with our readers about writing as a team?
Make sure you know who you’re working with. You need the same goals, attitude, emotional outlook, values and commitment. Both partners must be willing to do the same amount of work and commit to follow the project from start to finish. Flexible people make the best partners; control freaks make the worst. Is this a person with whom you want to spend years working? The same rules apply here as in a marriage. Only you can’t go running home to mom or your best friends when things don’t go right. You’re stuck with each other to work things out – Diane
Regardless of your backgrounds, each author must be passionate about the project. Certainly, you each will bring different strengths to the page but don’t be afraid to speak your mind and also learn when to listen. Each author will grow as a writer, a person and the result will be more complex, honest and special than either of you could do alone – Mike
To learn more about Diane Lang and Michael Buchanan, writing as, Lang Buchanan, please visit: http://www.langbuchanan.com or http://www.micahschild.com.
