The Creative Shift with Dan Blank

Today I want to share 11 habits I have been working on, meant to improve not only my creative work, but my life in general. Many of these are daily habits, and I discuss not only how I’m pursuing each, but why they matter to me. You can listen to the podcast by clicking ‘play’ … Continue reading "Healthy Creative Habits"

Zibby Owens has skyrocketed to becoming one of the biggest influencers in the book world in just a few years. How did she do it? What can we learn from her to establish our own platforms as writers and creators? Today, we dig into her story and specific lessons. This episode is a bit of … Continue reading "What Zibby Owens Can Teach Us About Establishing Your Platform"

There is an article that I have seen a lot of people share recently, where they talk about how Billie Eilish (97 million followers) “only” sold 64,000 copies of her book. The implication many readers walked away with: social media doesn’t sell books. Today, I unpack this conversation. It’s worth noting that social media itself … Continue reading "Does Social Media Sell Books? (Podcast)"

I recently watched a 7+ hour documentary on The Beatles, and kept finding little lessons for writers and artists on the creative process and marketing. In this episode are 23 lessons that I think will address a lot of common challenges that people face when not only creating, but considering how to balance marketing into … Continue reading "23 Lessons from The Beatles on the Creative Process (Podcast)"

I talk to a lot of writers and artists who want to grow their platform, effectively sharing what they create, and reaching their ideal audience in a meaningful way. Yet, they are overwhelmed with all they feel they have to do in order to market their work. But I have found that doing less can … Continue reading "Want to grow your platform? Do less. (Podcast)"

Today I want to share my 5-part system for how you can conduct marketplace research, learning how readers share and talk about books online. This framework can be applied to any kind of creative work. This is a critical process for understanding word-of-mouth marketing, which drives book sales. We will use TikTok as an example, … Continue reading "My 5-part System for Conducting Marketplace Research (Podcast)"

I spend the last few months of every year reassessing what I create, and how I can better serve writers and creators. Every single year, I go back to the well to reconnect with my deeper purpose for this work. My goal is to help people share their creative work in a meaningful way, one … Continue reading "My Process for Intentional Creative Growth"

I’ve been thinking a lot about what singer/songwriter Mike Mattison told me in our recent interview, about what it means to become a professional in your craft. Some of his advice can be challenging to those who go into the arts for the love of it. If you are a writer looking to get to … Continue reading "5 Powerful Lessons on How to Connect With Your Audience (Podcast)"

I’m excited to share my conversation with singer/songwriter Mike Mattison. He dives deep into what it means to find fulfillment in what you create, as well as navigating the professional side of your work. He discusses balancing audience expectations with your own creative vision, and so much else. He has played with the Derek Trucks … Continue reading "“You have to be fanatically in it.” Finding creative fulfillment with singer/songwriter Mike Mattison"

Today I reflect on how success in what we create and share can be dependent on the decisions we make. That it is our choice for where we put our attention, the creative risks we take, and how hard we work to create more and ensure that work connects with others. Of course, so much … Continue reading "When Success as a Creator is Not an Accident"