I would never say this to your face but know this: If someone's produced your work they notice how your do or don't promote.

A past winner of the Hear Me Out Monologue Competition recently sent me an invite to an upcoming production of their work and I immediately went to the theater's website to check it out because once I'm struck by an artist's talent, I'm interested for the long haul.

I was delighted to find that in the brief bio paragraph for the writer, the Hear Me Out prize history was included prominently.

But this is not always the case. And of course, I would like to think that I'm a big enough person that such things wouldn't matter to me but I'd be lying if I said that when the opposite happens--if, for example, I find myself seated in the audience waiting for a new play to begin by an author I've worked with and my theater date informs me that we're nowhere to be found in the bio--it does bother me. 

I still stay for the play. But I can't help but feel a little stung.

So... take it from me. Everyone cares whether you remember to acknowledge collaborations from your past and it matters that you use the most complete language.

If you co-wrote a musical with two other people, make sure you always remember to mention them both when you list the work in your press materials.

 

Forgetting these details is an easy mistake to make. But it's almost just as easy NOT to make this mistake. And avoiding it will help your career in ways no one (including me) can possibly imagine. 

Kindness, generosity and respect go a long way in a business which encourages ego and selfishness.