The Creative Shift with Dan Blank

I sat down with book coach Jennie Nash to run a Q&A session with writers. Jennie has many super powers, and on this call we discussed aspects of how to write a better book, how to manage your creative time, and the connection between audience engagement and writing. Jennie gives brutally honest answers about what … Continue reading "Book Coach Q&A with Jennie Nash"

Often, writers and artists talk about how to get better at their craft, publish their work, and engage an audience. They look for tricks and trends and shortcuts and “best practices.”  Yet, in working with creative professionals over the years, I have found that there is a topic which can undermine all of their other … Continue reading "Becoming a Healthy Writer: My Interview With Joanna Penn"

This podcast episode digs into why I feel you should join or create a mastermind group, and my tips on how to get the most value out of it. I review different types of mastermind groups, how they can help you find more success as a creative professional, and best practices for collaborating with others. … Continue reading "How to Mastermind"

If you wondered about the reality of what it takes to find true success with your craft, I beg of you to listen to my interview with children’s book author Stacy McAnulty. She published 6 books this year, and 6 books in 2016. The road to that success? Dramatically longer and more involved that even I … Continue reading "“I gave myself permission” – an interview with children’s book author Stacy McAnulty"

I want you to imagine something. That you take the unique creative vision that is inside of you, and you pursue it. You obsessively go “all in” with it. You stop following the advice of the gurus out there, and you double down on honing your craft and sharing it with others. After awhile, people … Continue reading "Stop Following Others. Be More Like Yourself. An Interview With Will Ackerman"

This week I asked a group of writers and artists about their biggest distractions — the thing keeping them from working on their craft. I called these distractions “cave trolls” because they stand between the artist and their creative vision. Again and again, I heard about the distraction of the internet, and of how hard … Continue reading "Distracted by Art"

Last week, without warning, I lost a client. It seems they had a surprise medical bill, and just like that, I was down a client. It’s scary. It means that part-way into the month, I just lost a big chunk of revenue that can’t be replaced. That revenue is all that supports my family. It … Continue reading "My Creative Shift"

Something happened this week that stunned me. On a whim, I decided to reach out to an old friend, and invite him as a guest on my podcast. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect from this. When I met him nearly 10 years ago, he was young, in his early 20s, and we met … Continue reading "From Working at Outback Steakhouse to Acting With Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – an Interview with Jason Liles"

There has been a quote ringing in my head for awhile now: “Not only does it not get any easier, it actually gets harder.” That is from Dani Shapiro, reflecting on on the desire that nearly every writer and artist has. When you are working so hard to try to create work you can be … Continue reading "“Not only does it not get any easier, it actually gets harder.” My Interview with Author Dani Shapiro"

Samantha Hahn is a Brooklyn-based illustrator, creative director, and author. If you are someone who wants to pursue your creative vision, while also earning a living and raising a family, then you have to listen to what Samantha shares. I was blown away by how she balanced so many practical aspects of developing her career … Continue reading "Nurture the artist inside you – an interview with Samantha Hahn"