The Creative Shift with Dan Blank

Dan Blank interviews writers and artists who have taken the leap from merely dabbling with their creative vision, to becoming successful doers whose work has a positive impact on others.

Launching Two Books in Six Months, a Case Study 02/09/2024

Launching Two Books in Six Months, a Case Study In the past year, I have worked with author Mary Carroll Mooreto help her release two novels within six months of each other. There is so much to learn from this experience, I wanted to share it in a mega case study today. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/29875643

Moving Beyond 'Likes' to Real Connections with Readers 01/26/2024

Moving Beyond 'Likes' to Real Connections with Readers Today I want to share a case study on how to engage your readers by focusing on story and emotions. As a writer, you share in your newsletter or social media because you hope it connects with people in a meaningful way. What do we all feel before clicking “publish?” Crickets — no one engaging, no one seeming to care. If you want people to feel connected with what you are sharing, focus on the emotions you hope they feel. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/29665638

Celebrate What You Create 12/18/2023

Celebrate What You Create It is so tempting for each of us to just focus on the items that are still undone on our to-do lists. To constantly be focused on tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. But when we pause, even for a moment, to recognize what we have created and learned, I feel that is where transformation happens. When we are reminded what we did, not just what we hope to do. Where we recognize our capabilities, not just our hang-ups. Where we can celebrate the risks taken along the way that remind us: you are alive and vital, you have something to say, and your work matters. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/29126518

Take the Creative Risk 07/25/2023

Take the Creative Risk Today I want to remind you of something incredibly important: you get to choose. You get to choose if and how you create. You get to choose if and how you publish. You get to choose if and how you share. I want to share two stories of people taking a bold creative risk, and why these risks are so important. One story is from Dawn Downey (who you can find at dawndowneyblog.com), and the other is from the 1985 Live Aid concert. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/27562773

Feeling stuck? Define your values. 07/05/2023

Feeling stuck? Define your values. Recently, I was speaking with a writer who described feeling stuck. They were in a rut, believing in the work they do, but just demotivated on a day-to-day basis. This conversation resonated with me for many reasons. If you are a writer or creator who sometimes wonders if you are in burnout, if you are in a rut, if you need a radical pivot, or how to chart the path forward, then please listen to today's episode. I will share a simple but deep exercise for how I have tried to navigate these questions myself, and with many writers I’ve worked with over the years. It’s this: define your values. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/27371583

Art lasts... 06/20/2023

Art lasts... Today I want to talk about why we create and share. This is something I meditate on all the time, and it is why I work with writers. This week in particular I’ve been thinking about it a lot because I heard of the death of one of my favorite musicians. As I considered his legacy, I was reminded of something: Art lasts. By “art,” I mean anything we create: your writing, your illustrations, your music, your sculpture, your performance, anything creative. After we are gone, art lasts. When we leave the room, art lasts. When someone finishes your book, art lasts. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/27205284

Will 10,000 followers get you a book deal? 06/06/2023

Will 10,000 followers get you a book deal? I have heard versions of this from many writers over the years: “An agent told me that if I had 10,000 followers, they would sign me.” Is that true? I don’t think so. Largely, I think this number is entirely made up. What agents and publishers may instead be seeking is a writer's ability to illustrate that they can reach readers. And sometimes “followers” is simply a convenient metric to represent that. Today, I explore this topic in-depth. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/27059073

Why take the risk of sharing? 05/29/2023

Why take the risk of sharing? If you are a writer, why bother sharing? Why spend your time and energy sharing on social media, starting a newsletter, or vying for attention at all? Sharing is a risk. Yet, I find that sharing what we create and why opens up the possibility for so many good things. I believe that sharing deeply matters. Not just for marketing what you create, but for filling your life with moments and experiences with inspiring people, and for ensuring your work has a meaningful impact in the lives of others. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/26978574

A 6-Step Guide to Publishing a Bestselling Book 05/19/2023

A 6-Step Guide to Publishing a Bestselling Book Today I want to share a step-by-step guide to publishing a bestselling book. There are just 6 steps, and I will be clear about each one. As a model for this guide, I am going to use one of all-time favorite stories of creative success. Please bear with me here… I want to use the story of Meat Loaf’s 1977 album “Bat Out of Hell” as a guide. Why? Because this story is one of my all-time favorite stories of a creator who persisted through rejection to find massive success on their own terms. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/26893452

How Writers, Artists, and Creators Can Thrive in an AI World 05/12/2023

How Writers, Artists, and Creators Can Thrive in an AI World The more I see of it, the more I am understanding how AI (artificial intelligence) will change the fields of writing, art, and all creative fields in a profound way. Today I’ll share examples of what I’ve been seeing, but my first goal today is to make this episode useful to you. If you are a writer or creator who already felt that it was difficult to thrive with your creative work, I want to share specific ways that I feel you can find success and connection with your audience, even as AI reshapes your field. Let’s dig into 8 steps to do so. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/26820972

How you share is a craft 05/03/2023

How you share is a craft If you are reading this, chances are you are a writer, illustrator, artist, or creator of some sort. You have embraced your creative craft, and work to develop it year after year. I’ve always considered how we share to be a craft as well. How we show up. How we listen. How we connect. How we engage. How we celebrate others. How we communicate what drives us. How these things blend together to form aspects of our identity. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/26734800

Why I moved my newsletter of 18 years to Substack 04/28/2023

Why I moved my newsletter of 18 years to Substack I've sent a weekly email newsletter for 18 years. Recently, I moved it to Substack. In today's episode I want to share the story of my newsletter, and why I am finding Substack to be interesting for writers. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/26683341

Handcrafted vs AI writing and art 04/11/2023

Handcrafted vs AI writing and art Last episode I talked about the potential impact that artificial intelligence will have on writing, art, and creative work. Today, I want to focus on the opposite: the value of handcrafted creative work (writing, art, etc.), that by their nature are limited edition and deeply personal. What I will cover today: 1.) Why one writer and artist is investing in handcrafted work (this is a super inspiring story) 2.) How handcrafted is a power you have that is very accessible to you (if you dare) 3.) Handcrafted vs AI (who will win?! Sentient robots or funky writers and artists? Listen on to find out!) /episode/index/show/danblank/id/26508462

How AI may change writing and creating 04/05/2023

How AI may change writing and creating Maybe you may have seen a lot of headlines recently about artificial intelligence (AI) writing or art. Recently, I’ve seen things with both that are giving me pause. Today I want to share three things: 1.) Why artificial intelligence in creative work is compelling. 2.) Why AI is likely to create a crisis in creative fields, and how it may affect you. 3.) How to consider ways to thrive as a creator as these changes happen. If you are feeling you don’t understand or care for AI, I want to encourage you to listen to this podcast anyway. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/26457549

Case study: Book sales, audience growth, and earnings from an email newsletter 03/16/2023

Case study: Book sales, audience growth, and earnings from an email newsletter Today I want to share details on how one writer I’m working with is selling more books, getting rapid growth in her audience, and increasing the revenue she earns from her writing. Melinda Wenner Moyer is a science journalist and author of the book How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes. She and I began working together more than two years ago, first preparing for the launch of her book. So often, writers consider that opportunities around their book happen only at launch, but what I’m going to share below illustrates that this is just the beginning. Your book can have an amazing life and impact well after launch. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/26250759

Simple Ways to Connect with Others 02/27/2023

Simple Ways to Connect with Others In the work I do in helping writers connect with readers and grow their platforms, I find that there is often this pressure to “go viral.” To identify a tactic that reaches the most people with the minimum effort. And sure, that’s definitely useful. But that can also be elusive. Today I want to talk about simple ways to engage those who you hope to connect with: readers, writers, booksellers, podcasters, librarians, teachers, literary festival organizers, and so many others. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/26057865

Doing stuff works 02/13/2023

Doing stuff works Every week, my friend Jennie Nash and I have a mini-mastermind call. On it, we discuss business challenges, creative goals, new ideas, and so much else. Today, I want to share two of the biggest and most consistent insights we have had, and how they relate to how you can approach sharing your work and developing your platform as a writer. The main phrase Jennie and I come back to again and again is this: "We don’t know what works, but doing stuff works." Today, I talk about why that is, and how you can use it. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/25911348

Find your readers with intention 01/24/2023

Find your readers with intention I want to encourage you to do is be intentional about connecting with potential readers. No, I am not saying that you have to embrace networking. Instead, consider how you can regularly create moments and experiences around the kind of books or themes that inspire you. Joy should be infused in the process. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/25710381

Are newsletters, podcasts, and social media too crowded? 12/23/2022

Are newsletters, podcasts, and social media too crowded? It’s common for me to read a headline or social media post from someone who shares a story or statistics that illustrate that a specific channel is "too crowded" and not worth pursuing. That may include email newsletters, podcasts, social media, or Zoom events. Yet if you are someone who writes or creates, without these channels, how will your work reach people? Today I want to explore that question and offer my advice. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/25418790

You are not a brand 12/16/2022

You are not a brand Recently I have seen people begin using the word “brand” a lot more. The context being that you have to “define your author brand” or “establish yourself as a brand” if you want to get the attention of readers. But you are not a brand. You are a person. Who you are and what you create is multifaceted. It will evolve and grow. At times, it may even seem like two opposite things at once. And that is okay. Today I want to talk about why I think that is, and what I do feel is important in establishing your work in a manner that truly speaks to your ideal reader or audience. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/25347705

What is the value of having social media followers? 12/02/2022

What is the value of having social media followers? In recent episodes of this podcast, I've encouraged you to stop thinking about social media as being just about growing how many followers you have. But today I want to talk about the opposite: why having followers on social media can matter to your goals as a writer. The context I’m talking about here is why could it possibly matter that you have 100, or 1,000, or 10,000 followers on a specific social media channel? What is the actual value in doing so, beyond just “big numbers are impressive?” /episode/index/show/danblank/id/25200345

Honor your connection to readers 11/16/2022

Honor your connection to readers I have seen so much discussion recently about social media and email newsletters. Today, I want to encourage something critical: Focus on your goals as a writer and the experiences you want to have with readers. I worry that focusing too much on what each social network provides (the trends, the algorithms, etc.), has us ignoring our own creative vision. And in the process, ignoring the moments that truly matter in living your life as someone who writes, who reads, and who is in conversation with others who write and read. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/25039752

Typewriters, and social media 11/01/2022

Typewriters, and social media I am often in conversation with writers and creators about their mixed feelings about social media, or their downright dislike of it. In some ways, it feels like we are at a crossroads with social media. Relying on it for some important things, constantly distracted by it, and repulsed by it for different reasons. Today, I want to talk about social media as a tool, and how you can consider if and how you use it. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/24868254

Why your book isn’t getting reviews 10/28/2022

Why your book isn’t getting reviews Many writers I speak with are surprised at how difficult it can be to get reviews for their books — even from friends, family, or colleagues. Today I want to talk about some reasons why that might be, and I’ll share advice on how you can get more reviews. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/24832401

Do your friends & family support your writing goals? 10/19/2022

Do your friends & family support your writing goals? I was speaking with a writer recently who shared a question someone asked them. You see, this writer is embarking on a new phase of her life where she wants to write fiction and creative nonfiction. Her friend asked: “If you were going to do something with your writing, wouldn’t you have done it already?” Of course, this kind of question can be deflating for a writer or creator. Today I want to explore why those close to you may not support your creative goals, and how I would respond to that question. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/24737760

A Window or a Gateway 10/13/2022

A Window or a Gateway I recently rewatched the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock movie, Rear Window. I can’t help but feel as though it is a lens into the challenges that writers face in navigating social media. Today I want to talk about how the movie is a metaphor for these challenges. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/24674184

What does “just be authentic” on social media mean? 10/07/2022

What does “just be authentic” on social media mean? As a writer or creator, I’m sure you have read that you should connect directly with your potential readers on social media, a newsletter, and elsewhere online. And when you ask “Um, what exactly do I share? How — specifically — do I do this?” You may have heard the advice of: “Just be authentic!” But that isn’t as easy as it sounds. So today I want to talk about what it means to share your work, how “authenticity” works, when it becomes ridiculously complicated, and how you can approach all of this as a craft that feels safe and meaningful. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/24621282

Great marketing is giving people something they WANT to share 09/28/2022

Great marketing is giving people something they WANT to share There are many writers and creators who think that marketing is the act of getting in someone’s way. Of tricking someone to subscribe to a newsletter by giving them a freebie; using a hashtag to game the social media algorithm to share your work; or posting a random meme to social media to get any kind of attention for your book. But the opposite is what is true. Great marketing is giving people something that they want to be a part of, and that they want to share with others. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/24514401

Why should writers worry about marketing at all? 09/20/2022

Why should writers worry about marketing at all? Isn’t it enough just to create a great book or work of art? Why would a writer ever have to feel responsible for marketing their own book? Shouldn’t that be the job of the publisher? Let’s dig into this topic. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/24430521

Prepare your author platform earlier than you think 09/13/2022

Prepare your author platform earlier than you think Regardless of the publishing path you choose, I encourage you to prepare your author platform for sharing your writing or publishing a book way before you think you need it. Like, years before. Today I want to talk about why that is. /episode/index/show/danblank/id/24360555

The Creative Shift with Dan Blank

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