Creating Solo or as Part of a Team?
Share Your Thoughts!
This article is interactive. Share your thoughts in the polls below and leave a comment.
When it comes to designing a game, playing music, building a world, or writing a book or screenplay, do you prefer creating solo or being part of a team?
There are pros and cons to each option, and the answer to the question is conditional upon the exact circumstances.
With any creative partnership, there’s a number of factors that need to mesh.
General creative vision
Aligned goal for the team — just having fun or commercializing a product?
Communication and working styles — meeting deadlines, etc.
Time investment and availability
Agreement on decision making, creative control, and money
What other elements would you add to the list that are essential to keep in mind when considering a creative partnership?
It’s great to have a group of friends or writer’s group with whom you can share ideas and get feedback, but moving from informal chatting to a formal partnership requires some forethought and honest discussion.
Making sure everyone is on the same page or identifying where people have different thoughts or priorities can avoid future frustration and disappointment, especially if there are friendships that could be impacted.
When it comes to writing the Ardalencor series, I enjoy being the sole author. It’s my independent creation. It would not have developed in the same way if it was written by committee.
In general, with writing a story, I think having to crosscheck or get agreement on every detail of character development, plot points, or worldbuilding elements would be very tedious and take a lot of the fun out of the process. For any new story idea, finding a partner with near-identical creative vision would be a must-have first step for me or there would be a perpetual debate about the direction of the story.
How about a new project other than a book? I’m not actively looking for a collaborative partnership, but conceptually, working on a new project — a board game, for example — and working with someone who is an expert in graphic design and product manufacturing would be intriguing. A way to combine complementary skills to create a strong team.
What’s been your experience in considering, forging, and sustaining creative teams? Or, has working independently always been your preferred way?
What do you find most enjoyable about being part of a creative team?
What is the biggest challenge you’ve experienced in working on a collaborative creative endeavor?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article and trust that it provided some food for thought. Share your thoughts in the comments.
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