Because art is art and (in my view) meant to be shared. I feel an underlying sense of guilt in what I’m about to say. Yet, I feel even more strongly that it should be said.

Protect your process!

Meeting other Creatives (and to be clear: I think everyone is Creative in their own way, but here I mean specifically to give a title to those dedicated to the process of creating) is amongst one of the things that I love the most in the world. Seriously! Do not get me wrong, I will forever tout the value of engaging with a diverse group of people.

But there are days that we all need to be reminded that there are people like us in the world. People who remind us that there is space for us. People who understand you with little to no explanation. There’s a sense of kinship when you meet someone who shares your need to create.

But, of course, balance in all things!

So here I am saying that as a Creative seeking fellowship with other Creatives sometimes you must protect your own art. While bouncing ideas off one another, outlining future moves, and planning joint projects can seem fun at the time, there is always the risk that reciprocity is not honored. There is always the risk that your contributions aren’t acknowledged at all or in the way that you would like.

How often have we heard of creative projects that started off as a joint effort, but somehow turned into a solo success story?!

As a Creative, it is necessary to protect your process your art because it is our currency – our ideas, outlines, and drafts – these are the tools necessary to produce our finished pieces. These finished pieces create revenue and clout.

Therefore, when someone, most especially another Creative, attempts to steal, borrow, or co-opt our stuff, that shit sucks. Although it is impossible to do creative work without loving it, this does not mean that it is easy work. This work is time-consuming, and often must be juggled alongside more “practical” and/or “lucrative” pursuits. We deserve compensation, both monetary and recognition (often times, it seems that Creatives must choose one to the detriment of the other).

The other very real reason why we must protect our art is because as Creatives we often invest much of ourselves into our work.

Imagine how very heart-wrenching it can be to pour ourselves into a new project only to have that project, for lack of better phrasing, stolen from you. The bitterness that ensues can very often put you in a mental, emotional, and heck, maybe even physical state that leaves you unable, unwilling, and too resentful to create anything at all for however long you need to mourn what was lost or what could have been. And make no mistake, time is an important factor in the creative process.

The message is this: You have to be picky about whom you choose to share your creative time, space, and process with as some creatives are more invested in what they can take from you instead of how they can build something greater together. In essence, a creative partnership in much like any friendship or romantic relationship; vet your creative partners the way you would any other serious relationship.