"Collaborative Writing

Collaborative Writing also known as workplace writing is often-working with other people on a team to produce a single document. Like any team project it requires the cooperation of people with different personalities and backgrounds working toward a common goal. I feel like that is what I am currently experincing in my online course right now. I have to communicate with all these different individuals via internet and try to come together to complete this project.

Achieving the goal can be stressful but rewarding
Collaborative writing is generally done for one of three reasons:
1. The project requires expertise or specialization in more than one subject area.
2. The project will benefit from merging different perspectives into a unified perspective.
3. The size of the project, time constraints, or the importance of the project to your organization requires a team effort.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Collaborative Writing
-Advantages:
1. Many minds are better than one.
2. Team members provide immediate feedback.
3. Team members play devils advocate for each other.
4. Team members help each other past the frustrations and stress of writing.
5. Team members write more comfortably.
6. Team members develop a greater tolerance of and respect for the opinions of others.
-Disadvantages:
1. Demand it can place on your time, energy, and ego as a writer.
2. Takes more time than writing alone.
3. Exposes your writing to critism.
Functions of a Collaborative Writing Team
Writing teams collaborate on every facet of the writing process:
1. Planning the document
2. Researching the subject and writing the draft
3. Reviewing the drafts of other team members
4. Revising the draft on the basis of comments from all team members

Following this easy steps will result in a successful creation of a document. I think that communication in this process is very important. If you don't communicate while trying to collaborate during a writing process it will never come together correctly (Oliu)."

Oliu , Walter E., Charles T. Brushaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing That Works. 9th ed.. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007.