Collaborating on “The Warden Anthology” has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, but a project with 12 creators involved means a lot of gears are turning at once. Here’s a few of the standards my team tries to follow to make sure those gears don’t get stuck.
Leave your ego at the door.
Never go into a meeting believing that you’re the only creative genius in the world. In a perfect world, everyone wants what is best for the story. Keep that mindset as you collaborate. Sometimes you have a vision that just won’t work out. Other times, you don’t agree with someone else’s opinion. But it is your job to figure out which road will create the strongest story. Even if that means your idea takes the backseat.
Reply to e-mails.
When someone sends an attachment, always reply. Even a one-word e-mail saying “Received” is better than not replying. Make sure you reply within 48 hours. Don’t make the sender follow up to check if you received the message. We all know life gets in the way, but it is very unprofessional to go a week without responding after someone sends an e-mail.
Criticize the work, not the person
It is ok not to like someone’s work. That’s your right. But it isn’t ok to criticize the person because of the work. I’m a fan of the “firm but fair” philosophy- don’t pull punches about the work. Just make sure you don’t cross the line and attack the creator. Keep it civil and productive.
Don’t criticize without offering a solution.
The worst advice you can give someone is “I don’t like it, but I’m not sure why.” Always give actionable advice when you’re criticizing. If not, you’ll only be causing frustration as someone tries to fix a problem they can’t see.
Meet your deadlines
Don’t take a job if you won’t be able to meet the deadline. All you are doing is making life more difficult for your collaborators. If you know ahead of time that a deadline is impossible, say so and bow out of the project. Its hard to turn down work, but it is better than leading on your collaborators.
Be honest
Be honest both about your abilities and your deadlines. Be realistic about your skill level because it will only cause problems after you do the work and it isn’t the quality you described. You’ll be leaving your collaborators with unusable work, lots of wasted time, and possibly wasted money. Be honest about when you’ll finish the work. The moment that you realize you’re going to be late, tell your collaborators! Don’t wait for the deadline to pass with no word from you.
Listen to feedback
After you write a script, or illustrate a page, your team will normally have suggestions to make it better. Listen to them! Not every suggestion can be achieved, but it is almost always worth the effort to make small changes for the good of the story.
Communicate effectively.
Be clear and concise in your notes and e-mails. Even when you are good friends with your collaborators, for the most part you should be polite and formal. This allows a more productive work environment and makes it easier to search through notes later on.
Say “Thank You”
This is the easiest tip on the list, but can also be the most effective. Openly appreciating someone else’s time and work builds respect and trust in a creative team. You should not only say “thank you” directly, but also when you give an interview about the work. It only takes a moment, but it means a lot.
Accept responsibility for your mistakes.
Everyone makes mistakes, but it is how we handle the situation after that shows our true character. Accepting responsibility doesn’t only mean apologizing. It also means taking steps to fix the mistake.
Steven Hudkins is an indie comics writer (despite his wallet’s objections). He was raised in the corn fields of Indiana, but is currently enjoying the sun and sand of California. Right now, he is hard at work on a supernatural adventure anthology called “The Warden”. You can read the first story “Swamp Magic” in its entirety here. If you enjoy pulps and folklore, follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
Leave your ego at the door.
Never go into a meeting believing that you’re the only creative genius in the world. In a perfect world, everyone wants what is best for the story. Keep that mindset as you collaborate. Sometimes you have a vision that just won’t work out. Other times, you don’t agree with someone else’s opinion. But it is your job to figure out which road will create the strongest story. Even if that means your idea takes the backseat.
Reply to e-mails.
When someone sends an attachment, always reply. Even a one-word e-mail saying “Received” is better than not replying. Make sure you reply within 48 hours. Don’t make the sender follow up to check if you received the message. We all know life gets in the way, but it is very unprofessional to go a week without responding after someone sends an e-mail.
Criticize the work, not the person
It is ok not to like someone’s work. That’s your right. But it isn’t ok to criticize the person because of the work. I’m a fan of the “firm but fair” philosophy- don’t pull punches about the work. Just make sure you don’t cross the line and attack the creator. Keep it civil and productive.
Don’t criticize without offering a solution.
The worst advice you can give someone is “I don’t like it, but I’m not sure why.” Always give actionable advice when you’re criticizing. If not, you’ll only be causing frustration as someone tries to fix a problem they can’t see.
Meet your deadlines
Don’t take a job if you won’t be able to meet the deadline. All you are doing is making life more difficult for your collaborators. If you know ahead of time that a deadline is impossible, say so and bow out of the project. Its hard to turn down work, but it is better than leading on your collaborators.
Be honest
Be honest both about your abilities and your deadlines. Be realistic about your skill level because it will only cause problems after you do the work and it isn’t the quality you described. You’ll be leaving your collaborators with unusable work, lots of wasted time, and possibly wasted money. Be honest about when you’ll finish the work. The moment that you realize you’re going to be late, tell your collaborators! Don’t wait for the deadline to pass with no word from you.
Listen to feedback
After you write a script, or illustrate a page, your team will normally have suggestions to make it better. Listen to them! Not every suggestion can be achieved, but it is almost always worth the effort to make small changes for the good of the story.
Communicate effectively.
Be clear and concise in your notes and e-mails. Even when you are good friends with your collaborators, for the most part you should be polite and formal. This allows a more productive work environment and makes it easier to search through notes later on.
Say “Thank You”
This is the easiest tip on the list, but can also be the most effective. Openly appreciating someone else’s time and work builds respect and trust in a creative team. You should not only say “thank you” directly, but also when you give an interview about the work. It only takes a moment, but it means a lot.
Accept responsibility for your mistakes.
Everyone makes mistakes, but it is how we handle the situation after that shows our true character. Accepting responsibility doesn’t only mean apologizing. It also means taking steps to fix the mistake.
Steven Hudkins is an indie comics writer (despite his wallet’s objections). He was raised in the corn fields of Indiana, but is currently enjoying the sun and sand of California. Right now, he is hard at work on a supernatural adventure anthology called “The Warden”. You can read the first story “Swamp Magic” in its entirety here. If you enjoy pulps and folklore, follow him on Twitter and Facebook.