on collaboration

Having read Twyla Tharp's book on creativity, I thought I'd take a look at her newer one on collaboration. Most of it consists of descriptions of various collaborations she's been involved with but she also includes a number of aphorisms about collaboration, two or three per chapter. Here are a few I enjoyed:

• Uncredited collaborators are often key to successful outcomes.
• A willingness to try for the unknown can be a strong bond.
• Collaboration can be internal - an act of listening to others and then having a silent, private conversation with yourself.
• Letting an audience in on the joke creates a community of collaborators.