The Magic of Collaboration

Feb 07, 2025

This month, we’re celebrating the power of collaborations. Collaboration is more than just working together or teamwork—it’s connection. Whether in families, friendships or creative projects, it shapes who we are.

Family, in many ways, is our first and most important collaboration. They’ve been around since the beginning of time. It’s where we learn, grow, give love and receive love. Ideally, it’s a safe place to explore and become our best selves. We weren’t designed to be alone. Even a Super Bowl team never won a championship based on one player alone. We all need collaboration!

After years in education, after I retired, my love for young children never diminished. While it’s been a journey of trial and error, the two things that shaped me the most has been, learning from mistakes, and finding support in a creative community.

Both my writing group and my illustrating, Illoguild collaborations have been invaluable. It’s essential to find a creative space outside our families where we can share our work without fear—where honest critique, revision and growth are encouraged and strengthens each project. In any field there will be those eager to capitalize on their “expertise” or take advantage of newcomers, so it’s important to ask the right questions and beware! Not every critique group or vender selling their goods will have your best interests in mind and many will try and take advantage of your naivety—so trend carefully and trust your instincts.

Since I wrote and illustrated my picture book, CECELIA SAYS NO when friendship and boundaries collide, I’ve been focused on expanding my marketing efforts. As a self-published author, I’m responsible for generating interest in my books and getting them out there on the bookshelves. This past week, I have targeted a few of the Painted Tree Boutiques in Scottsdale and Chandler, Arizona. If you are in those areas, I highly recommend stopping by! These boutiques are filled with lots of trendy treasures, chic clothes, gifts, books, floral arrangements and much more. I haven’t committed to leasing space yet, but I had insightful conversations with vendors who shared positive experiences selling their products through these consignment-style shops. (I posted a few shelves and spaces below.) Basically, venders rent a bookshelf or boutique space, pay a monthly fee and the store handles all the sales transactions. Open seven days a week, Painted Tree provides a built-in customer base, allowing vendors to sell their work without being physically present. Think about that! They provide the cashier and check out system so you do not have to be there to “sell,” but you will receive a check each month for all the sales over your agreed upon rent. Definitely, the rental amount agreed must make sense but it can be a definite perk for indie authors and illustrators.

In addition to marketing my books, I’m also launching a 3-week Creative Writing workshop in my community. While the workshop is designed for middle grade and high school students looking to elevate their writing. I’ve been thrilled to see interest from older community members as well. Writing is for everyone, and I love helping others discover the joy of experimenting with style, voice and genre. Whether playing with poetic license, crafting lyrical imagery or developing a distinct storytelling approach, this workshop is about taking creative risks and embracing the art of words.

Check out the boutiques at The Painted Tree in Scottsdale and Chandler, AZ!

Another fantastic collaboration this month has been with the IAPC book publishing company, that assisted in the bulk printing and shipping. Here’s what 300 books look like! I’ve started autographing each one individually and placing the International Impact Winner Award seal on the dust jacket. These books were printed overseas but I’ve been thrilled with the quality of paper, binding, dust cover and color with the bulk printing.

Collaboration is at the heart of every great book and I’m thrilled to be working with an amazing illustrator for the second book in the series, CECELIA TAKES FLIGHT from the drawing board to the sky! I’ll post more about that next month. I’ve also been fortunate to work with the same book designer who shares a similar vision for the series. There is so much to be thankful for these collaborations.

Stories connect us in the most wonderful ways and thank you dear reader for being a part of this one. I wish you well on your journey with the adventure each day brings.

The Creative Canvas by Noreen Anne

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