Whether you have been working with the person over the course of several years, or this is a one-time project partnership, it is vital that you formalize your relationship and be clear on what you are looking for out of the relationship. As with any business partnership, writing with someone else can get sticky and result in negative responses if the needs and goals of each person is not properly established. Below are some issues to keep in mind when entering into a writing partnership:

• Making Decisions - One of the biggest hurdles in a writing relationship is deciding on which opinion is more valid. Before you begin the process, it's a good idea to make sure the decision-making process is discussed and agreed upon. This will help pre-dissolve ill feelings that may arise during the process.
  
• Fees and Income Splits - It may not come until you are finished with the first draft of the screenplay, but be sure to write out a one-page agreement between the partners outlining how all income from the sale, option, or licensing of the property will be split. Then, when you enter into negotiations with third parties, you already know where you stand internally.
  
• Work Distribution - Often times, in a writing partnership, one individual may feel like they are carrying the load for the whole team. Rather than spending months harboring anger from the other artist, you may want to think about developing the treatment together and then define the individual sections each person is responsible for. Work this into your agreement - and if they are not completed under the established time - there is a monetary shift in the ultimate deal. You may feel nervous about this at first, but if you're writing with someone responsible, they will gladly accept these terms - it's good for them, as well.
  
• Exit Strategies - Sometimes relationships, for whatever reason, just don't work out. Early in your relationship you can define points in which a partner can easily exit the relationship and still retain all ownership of the properties they worked on. For instance, after a script or even a draft is finished, one person may be allowed to exit the relationship. However, you may want to make it clear that exiting in the middle of a draft can result in less ownership of the property.
  
• Credit Placement - It may sound funny, but early on in your partnership, you should decide how the names will list on the title page. This can help prevent a struggle later in the process. Think about whether this should be determined by alphabet, the person responsible for generating the idea, or a flip of the coin.