Four ways to benefit from a creative network

An image of a shed door edited on a creative network call

I could not make the images I do without my creative network

Having the right people around me really helps. I am fortunate enough to know the right people who will help me when I lack inspiration. They are the ones who encourage me to achieve more. They give me honest feedback. My network helps rid me of the feeling that my work isn’t good enough, but tells me when I could do better. It inspires me and gives me new ideas.

All creatives should have their own network.

What is a creative network?

My network is a large group of all sorts of different people. It includes:

·      Tutors of workshops I have attended with whom I have kept in touch

·      Other photography artists

·      Artists from other media

·      People who inspire me (but may not be creative)

Bear in mind that not everyone is an abstract artist like me. One of the strengths of my network is that it combines many styles and media. I may have met these people on courses or on social media or been introduced to them. Combined, this results in a powerful force that helps me with my work.

How does my creative network help me?

There are a number of ways in which I gain value from my network. The simplest way is that I keep an eye on everyone’s social media. I see what they are up to and I understand the projects that they are working on. From this I often gain new ideas and inspiration.

Some of my network have formed discussion groups. These typically take place on Discord. We can have general creative chat and share work that we think is worth seeing. We also post images and request feedback from other members of the group. Sometimes we also set creative challenges. Lastly, some groups have live calls as well.

One of my network has also started a regular group call for creative work. The majority of the call time is actually spent working solo, progressing our projects. Committing to the call creates accountability and ensures that we get work done. In the past I have also been in a group that takes turns to sequence members’ work and compare results.

Finally, I have regular 1-2-1 calls with some individual members of my network. We share work, and know each other well enough to comment honestly on it. This level of feedback can be very useful.

How did I create my network?

Building a creative network takes time. The important thing is to reach out to people that inspire you and see if they are happy to talk or collaborate in this way. Not everyone will. For some, this level of feedback is something they charge for. Others prefer to work solo. But many people are delighted to talk and take things further.

Not everyone in a network has the same skills. Some are great sharers. Others are organisers. Some do less of these but are really good at giving considered feedback. The right network has many strengths from different people.

I encourage you to create your own network

Reach out to people whom you think might be interested. Set up a call or a Discord group. The power of working with others can be so much greater than creating solo.