Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much more.

New Comma was literally created as a result of frequent collaborations between the founders, and each time it's done right all parties can identify the benefits without question.

Collaborations are a great way to network and share resources, but too often in the creative industry it's treated as a medium for exploitation.

Enough is enough ✋🏾.

We’re here to ensure that you walk away from collaborations feeling valued, understood and fairly benefited.

Go about working together the ✨New Comma✨way to ensure mutually beneficial collaborations and nothing less ever again!

1. Reach Out To People You Have a Genuine Connection With ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

Forcing anything creative is not where it’s at and has never been where it’s at.

Trust us on this, if the energy is forced, it'll show.

Don’t let the hype of being seen or staying relevant cloud your better judgement. Reach out to those that you know speak to you, your craft and your audience.

Let the connections you make come from a genuine urge to bring something bigger to life, rather than a superficial attempt to be noticed.

One path will feed your art, whilst the other will only feed your ego 💀💀💀.

Choose wisely.

1. Ensure You Understand What Your Own Values Are 😇😇😇

Drake made an entire song about knowing yourself, but you’re prepared to walk into a collaboration without having scratched that off your checklist?!

Come on now Genius, you know better than that…

In knowing what your values are, you cement where you stand on issues, on navigating new relations, on the kind of impact you want your art to have and the audience you want it to speak to.

Someone who is clear on what path they’re on, and what they will and will not take, is not someone to be played with 🙈🙉🙊.

When you know yourself there’s a certain level of respect those who work with you will have for you and your work.

Be clear on who you are and what you stand for, so everything else will perfectly align with YOUR trajectory.

1. Identify Exactly What You'd Like To Collaborate On 🤝🤝🤝

Be CLEAR. Be CONCISE and be DIRECT.

Collaborating puts you in another league in the creative industry. It takes a lot of commitment to communicating, to being open-minded, and to stepping outside of your comfort zone.

Put simply, it asks a lot of you that working alone just wouldn’t.

So make it as easy as possible on both parties by quickly establishing where the connection can be made.

There's one thing in knowing you'd like to work with someone, and another in how that could come to life.

Practical Tips —

Just to give you that extra nudge, here are what the beginning stages of formulating a collaboration might sound like:

• I’d be open to working on […]
• I’ve noticed how strong you are with […]
• My strengths lie in […]so this is where I pictured my contributions. How does that sound to you?
• What did you imagine this collaboration looking like?
• The kind of impact I’d like to have with this collaboration is […]

1. Explicitly Outline The Benefits For All Parties ✅✅✅

Collaborations take at least two brains and two inputs of energy; therefore the benefits must go TWO ways.

It's not a collaboration if there isn't something in it for everyone.

Ensure that this serves your interests as well as the interest of whom you’re working with.

Come to a middle ground that feels fair and good.

In contrast to what the films say, business is not about just greedily getting yours.

Everyone can eat and everyone can walk away happy,

so what do you need to do to make it happen?

1. Do Your Part 🤓🤓🤓

The worst kind of person is one that says they’ll do something, and then they don’t 🙃.

Stick to your end of the bargain, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant a collaboration may appear to you.

Get used to standing behind your work and watch your reputation as a creative and person of business FLOURISH tenfold! 💐

Integrity is crucial in collaborations.

1. Vocalise Your Non-negotiables🎙🎙🎙

“No” and “This doesn’t work for me” can feel terrifying to say aloud 👹👹👹.

Concerns over whether they’ll want to work with you again and whether you’re too difficult to work with are very REAL.

But honestly, business and collaborating is about negotiating and finding a middle ground but, also being true to what you don’t feel comfortable with.

Sha,

if it doesn’t work, it just doesn’t work 🤷🏿‍♀️.

Opportunities to work with admired creatives will come again and again, don’t be afraid to scare any away just because you’re sticking to what feels right for you 🫶🏿.

Part of blossoming as a creative is going outside your comfort zone as an independent creator.

It is essential to try new things and work in different ways to fully test and expand the dimensions of your creativity 🌟.

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t feel safe and met in these experiences.

There are ways to ensure that your needs are still being met, and your art is still fulfilling even if you are working with others.

That’s why we’re here 😉.

This is your dream, we’re just here to help you get to where you want to go ☺️☺️☺️.

For more hard-hitting tips and posts tailored specifically for our Creative Geniuses be sure to head over to the New Comma page on Instagram @new.comma 🫶🏿🫶🏾🫶🏽

If you’ve come this far but have yet to sign up to New Comma what are you doing?🤯

Get into it and sign up over on the New Comma site to become the latest newcomer at New Comma

(See what we did there!😉😉😉)