How partnerships change over time (and why we've been thinking about them all wrong)

Why picking the right partners at the right time matters for career success

Hi,

When I first started my career, collaborating with like-minded creators on project like anthologies was one of the most effective ways to grow my audience. We’d pool our resources and audiences, share the spotlight, and get our work in front of readers who loved stories just like ours. Back then, it worked beautifully because no one in the niche really knew who I was and eagerly scooped up my books.

Fast forward a decade, and the dynamics have shifted. Many of the same readers and creators I partnered with in the early days already know my work. They’ve often made up their minds about it. More importantly, those who want my work already line up to buy it when something new comes out, which means that partnering with those same creators doesn’t work to bring in new people. Instead, we end up having the same level of success we could have gotten on our own, except we have to split the money into ever smaller pieces.

The strategies that once propelled me forward now produce diminishing…