Collaborating with others

Why collab with other creators?

[@lauriseirl]When two creators collaborate, you're really allowing yourself to grow your audience. Whether you're using that collaboration tool where it's a joint post that lives on both you and another creator's feed, or you're going live with two or three people at one time, that is exposing you and them to each other's audiences, opening up so many doors for you to find new people to love your stuff.

[@nicolemclaughlin] I think that if you want to be independent, collaboration is actually even more important because to be able to have that independence, you need to have the skillset to be independent. So, to be able to work with people and to be able to communicate your ideas to others is really valuable in what you do as a creator. That's a skillset in itself, to be able to work with other people.

[@newyorknico] The best part about collaborating with other people is sharing the success. Success isn't as gratifying if you're doing it alone; it's always way more fun to do it with somebody else.

What about creative differences?

[@plantkween] I see challenges as opportunities, and so even if, you know, I can imagine that, you know, maybe you have a vision and the other, you know, creator has a vision and then maybe it's not matching up. But I feel like that's an opportunity to come together and to create something new.

[@deepica] When you're collaborating with people, it can be beautiful and create real magic, but there's always going to be some conflicts and a little bit of tension, but that's a part of the process. You have to be open to creative decision-making across two different teams or two different people, and really try to come to a middle ground. Sometimes, you won't always win; you've got to put your ego aside, but just know that at the end of the day, as long as it goes back to the bigger goal that you're both trying to achieve, it's all good.

What makes a good collaboration?

[@nicolemclaughlin] Nowadays, so many people collaborate just to collaborate and there's actual, like there's no purpose behind it. But in actuality, a collaboration is when two people come together to create something that they couldn't do without one another.

[@newyorknico] The main thing that I would suggest if you're trying to create a successful collaboration is only do things that you really want to do. It should always be something that you're passionate about. Mostly everything that I do is a collaboration. You know, if you look at my Instagram page, it's mostly with another individual who I'm either spotlighting or creating a work of art with, or what have you. So, being able to share that success is extremely gratifying.

[@deepica] That tool I really love that Instagram has is… it's a tool actually called a "collab" tool. So, when you work on something together, you guys can post the same thing on both of your accounts and really celebrate that collaboration with the community together.

[@meganjaynecrabbe] The thing about being a creator is that it can be kind of isolating. You do spend a lot of time by yourself creating your own stuff. And if you get a chance to collaborate with another creator, not only do you feel like you are part of a big community, but you can end up coming up with something that's even better than either of you could have made by yourself.