What I Learned about Collaboration in 2024
Reflections from my collaboration efforts this year
As we close out 2024, I want to share what I’ve learned so far about collaboration on Substack. These are from my own experience, as well as what I’ve learned from speaking with all of you and hearing your experiences with collaboration.
If you’re looking to collaborate more in 2025, I hope these learnings will help you find the right partners and projects from the start.
I invite you all to share in the comments any collaborations you did this year and anything you’ve learned from the experience. The more knowledge we share, the easier it will be for all of us to create and collaborate.
Here are 7 insights I gained from my collaboration efforts in 2024:
Collaboration doesn’t need to be complicated.
I spoke with many people over the last few months who weren’t sure how to get started and/or were overwhelmed by the possibilities of collaboration.At first, it can seem like a lot of work to figure this out. I found it easier to start by doing small things in the spirit of collaboration. Not every collaboration needs to be a big project that involves multiple meetings and drafts.
Looking for an easy way to start? One simple thing we can all do is tag someone when their work inspires us. I read an article from a content expert that suggested creating your own Notes based on thoughtful replies you make on another creator’s Note or post. I think that’s a great idea, but one thing we could all benefit from is citing people when they inspire us. Tag them, quote them, or link to/restack their post with your reflection. I can’t think of any creator on here who wouldn’t appreciate that shoutout!The key to making quick connections with the right collaborators is having a clear proposal.
To streamline the collaboration process on my main publication, Soul Journaling Sessions, I created a post that outlined how writers could be featured, and I linked to a Google Form to submit ideas. (The Google Form is immensely helpful for collecting submissions.)The first time I put out the request, I was too broad and only received one submission. Then I gave people three prompts to work with (something that
had suggested I do). I quickly received multiple submissions. As I receive more submissions, I continue to refine the process.
Anyone who submitted through my formal process received a much quicker response from me. Others did reach out to say, “Hey, I want to collaborate.” Most didn’t have a pitch or idea yet, so our conversations fizzled out. This isn’t because I don’t want to collaborate with them but simply because others had already come to me with ideas. So, if there is a writer you really want to connect with, approach them with an idea or two.Know what you have room for and set boundaries.
If keeping up with your own writing is challenging, pick paths to collaboration that work with your schedule and goals.
For example, with two little ones, it is challenging for me to do calls or live events right now. I only connect live with people when my schedule allows. I focus on having guests on my publication, rather than seeking opportunities to be a guest on someone else’s.
You can pick and choose, too. Not ready to have other people write for your publication? Seek opportunities to be a guest on someone else’s. No extra time to write a full post for someone else? Find opportunities to be a guest on a podcast or to be profiled/interviewed.Strike the right balance between flexibility and structure.
While it is important to have a process and have boundaries, it also helps to be open to different ideas.
I’ve been so thrilled with the ideas that others have come to me with, and even though sometimes they aren’t what I initially thought of, if I have the space for them, I do them anyway. It’s made things a lot more interesting, and it hasn’t hurt my growth at all—so far, it has led to more subscribers.
This is easier for me to do as I still have a smaller audience and am in an experimental phase. If you have more of a set audience that expects only one type of content, this might not be as feasible. Still, I encourage you to be open. It can be interesting to add in a new angle that helps your readers think of something in a new way—and it could help you find new people, too!Be patient as you find your way.
I’ve been refining how I collaborate all along the way. It’s okay if your early ideas don’t work perfectly, or if the process is bumpy. You’ll learn from each effort, and it will lead to greater clarity in the future.
If you’re expecting to grow your Substack through these collaborations, be patient with the results. Growth may not be instant and will more likely happen over time. As you refine who to collaborate with and how, things will pick up speed.Make collaboration mutually beneficial.
I feel like this is an obvious one, but even I forgot it in the beginning—collaborative efforts work best if both parties promote the collaboration. Encourage anyone who guest posts for you to share their post or article on their publication and/or via Notes. Do the same if you are a guest on someone else’s publication.
If your publication is still on the smaller side, you can offer a little something extra for anyone who writes a guest post for you. I offer anyone who guest hosts my podcast a free month of my paid subscription.Collaboration leads to increased clarity on your intentions for your own work.
I am honestly surprised by how much clarity collaboration has brought to me. The more collaborations I do, the clearer I get on who I’m talking to and what I want to share on my publication.
I was interviewed for another publication, and the comments on that article helped me realize why I care so much about what I write about, and why I might not be connecting with the people who could benefit most from what I have to offer. I’m in the process of rewriting my About page and publication description, and I feel stronger than ever about what I want to share.
Those were all my big learnings from collaboration in 2024! If you’re still working through how you want to collaborate, check out the questions I offered at the end of this post about the CollabStack Directory:
Share Your Insights
Now I want to hear all about the collaborations you did in 2024 and what you learned from them! Head into the comments and share:
Links to any collaborations you did this year that you’re proud of
Anything you learned from collaborating with Substack writers in 2024
Collaboration Examples
If you’re in need of some examples for inspiration, check out what people share in the comments below, and I am also sharing links to all the collaborations I did in 2024. Of course, there are many ways to collaborate and there is no right way, so stay open to various possibilities.
Reflecting on the Community Soul Journaling Workshop (Live Event Recap)
Thank you for reading, and I look forward to reconnecting with you in 2025!
Love CollabStack? Please share and restack this post. The more who know about our community, the more robust it will become—and the more opportunities there will be for everyone.
Thank you so much for your support!
I really enjoyed our collaboration. You made it so easy and were supportive. Our work felt aligned and it was a pleasure to work with you Marcy. 🙏✨💕
I'd had three collaborations this year (not bad for starting in May). Collaborations must start with trust. There is a huge potential for a communication disaster if trust has not been built first. I vetted each person I worked with to ensure a successful collaboration. Close relationships were also developed so it's important you like the person you're working with.