On Collaboration, Harmonious & Otherwise

Years ago when I lived in Los Angeles, I had an old watch that occasionally needed repair. The only place around that could fix it was a small, family-owned business. As soon as you walked in, it was clear these people should not be working together. They were unpleasant, sarcastic and just plain nasty, screaming at each other from across the room. And this was with a customer in the shop. I can only imagine what it was like when they were alone.

Collaboration is challenging, whether it’s watch repair or—in our case—picture books.  And maybe even more so when the collaborators are friends, relatives or spouses. What if you don’t see eye to eye on the story line, word choice or art? What if one is an early bird and the other a night owl? What if one needs the pressure of a deadline to focus on the work, and the other likes to have everything completed well before then? What if you work in the same space, and one of you is neat and the other messy? Or one likes listening to Mozart and the other Metallica? Or NPR and Rush Limbaugh? (Okay, you’ve probably got more serious problems if that’s the case.)

There’s a lot to consider before diving into a collaborative relationship. But when it works well, it’s a beautiful thing. Take, for example, Jessixa and Aaron Bagley, partners and collaborators in life and art. I had the pleasure of chatting with them recently over at PictureBookBuilders. Stop by for some inspiration and a glimpse of their workspace. And be sure to leave a comment over there by October 16^th for a chance to win their beautiful new book, Vincent Comes Home.