Stronger Together: When Collaboration Outshines Competition

Written by Brigitte Cutshall, Communication Lead at Compassiviste Publishing, and originally published by Compassiviste.

The traditional road to success is paved with competition, but we’re here to tell you a better story.

At Compassiviste Publishing, we’ve had the privilege of working closely with Tadpole Press ~ especially around their writing contests and the launch of their new literary magazine. What we’ve learned: when two organizations decide to support one another rather than view each other as rivals, something remarkable happens. Ideas expand, creative energy multiplies, and everyone benefits.

This is compassion in action.

A Collaboration Worth Celebrating

Tadpole Press’s latest issue—the April 2025 Contest Issue—is a collection featuring writers whose work radiates with precision and heart. Inside, you’ll find brief, powerful pieces that are:

• “savoring the punch of yellow sunshine”

• “laughing through rain-ruined makeup”

• “wrangling a spaceship”

• reminding us that “the sun believes in your strength”

The magazine represents the best of what happens when writers are given a supportive and collaborative environment to create.

Compassiviste Publishing is actively helping to promote the lit mag—not to claim credit, but because we believe in the value of their mission and their talent. This is a lived example of two publishers aligning to amplify voices, share resources, and open doors together.

Explore the magazine here.

Why Collaboration Matters

Drawn from our experience with Tadpole Press, here are some reflections on what choosing collaboration over competition can achieve:

1. It Broadens Reach and Impact. When we pool our networks, we create far more visibility for each other’s work. Contributors, readers, and art all benefit from two platforms instead of one. What might reach a hundred people through a single channel can reach thousands when organizations share their audiences generously. This approach helps connect the right work with the right readers across diverse communities.

   
   

2. It Enriches Ideas and Creativity. When two teams bring different strengths, that fusion creates something neither could achieve alone. The partnership with Tadpole Press has pushed us both to think more creatively about how we serve writers and readers. Different perspectives challenge assumptions and open new possibilities.

   
   

3. It Shifts Culture. Most importantly, collaboration can change the culture of the literary community. It demonstrates that the publishing world isn’t a zero-sum game, operating instead on the principle: “Your success is my success.” This mindset encourages others to think beyond competition and consider how they can support each other. Working together breeds mutual respect and shared credibility.

Some Thoughts

If you’re thinking about collaborating in your own work, here’s what we’ve learned from our experience:

Start by looking outward rather than inward. Identify other organizations whose values align with yours, then reach out to share a project, cross-promote, or co-host an event.

The key is leading with generosity. Offer help or visibility without expecting something immediate in return. That mindset flips the dynamic from transactional to community-oriented.

Don’t underestimate the power of small gestures. Highlight each other’s launches, contests, or platforms. Newsletter mentions, social media shares, or guest posts may feel modest, but they compound over time into genuine relationships and mutual support.

Be sure to document the process. Reflect on what works and what doesn’t. In our work with Tadpole Press, we’ve learned practical lessons around communication, timing, and messaging that have made each collaboration smoother than the last.

Invite your audience into the story. Share the collaboration itself, not just the final output. Narratives of cooperation help shift the culture at large, showing others what’s possible when we choose partnership over rivalry.

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate the launch of the Tadpole Press Literary Magazine, we’re also thinking about what’s next. What other collaborations are in front of us? What joint projects can further elevate voices across geography, genre, and identity?

If you’re a writer, poet, or short-form creator, know that you are part of a wider ecosystem. The more organizations connect and support each other, the more pathways open for your work. Stay tuned because this partnership is not the end, but one powerful inflection point among many.

We invite you to ask yourself: Who in my network could I collaborate with rather than compete against?

Consider how the spirit of “What can we build together?” can elevate your next endeavor.

Here’s to more bridges built, more ideas shared, more voices uplifted together.

With Compassion,

The Compassiviste Team

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