Ceylan Gunduz (Editor-in-Chief at One Brilliant Arc) sits down with (Creative on Purpose) to reframe marketing for writers and difference-makers—without the slime, performance, or algorithm chasing. This is a first-principles conversation about storytelling, professionalism, and how to connect your work with the people it’s actually for.

In this episode, we cover:

* Why marketing feels “icky” for creatives—and why it doesn’t have to

* A clean definition of marketing: telling true stories to the right people

* What marketing is not (ads, hacks, funnels, countdown timers, “be everywhere” pressure)

* The “authenticity” trap (and why “be professional” can become a trap too)

* A better foundation: know yourself (values, principles, non-negotiables) to find the right audience

* Formula vs vibes: why you need both instincts and a reliable system

* A simple creator system: work + audience + a way to reach them + feedback to iterate

* The biggest pitfall: chasing algorithms/virality instead of craft and conversations

* Seth Godin’s “Marketing Trifecta”:

* What change are you trying to make?

* Who are you trying to change?

* What promise are you making?

* Why “avatars” and “niching” can be traps—and why worldview/positioning matters more

* How making and keeping small promises replaces hard selling

* Closing advice for creators: trust yourself, trust the process, and show up with what you have

Subscribe to the Creative on Purpose Substack for more principle-based frameworks, tools, and conversations for purpose-driven creators.

Thank you Kato McNickle, Claire Machado, Kyra Faison-Gardner, Judith Röhrle, and many others for tuning into my live video with One Brilliant Arc (OBA)! Join me for my next live video in the app.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit creativeonpurpose.substack.com/subscribe