As we close out this year, I want to encourage you to spend 2019 having meaningful conversations with those who inspire you. If you are a writer, that may be readers, other writers, booksellers, librarians, and those who support and celebrate books.
For the past three years I have lead a small group mastermind for writers and artists. This group is the support system, brainstorming partners, and the team of collaborators for the people who join.
Instead of worrying about marketing trends, and “going viral,” we focused on the work that professionals do: finding more time to create, defining your creative identity, and developing a plan to reach your audience.
The deadline for my upcoming Creative Shift Mastermind is Friday December 28th. This is a 3-month program where you work directly with me, and a group of 10 other writers and creators just like you. Full details are here, and if you are interested, I encourage you to register as soon as possible.
What I have found is that when you collaborate with others, momentum begins to take hold with your creative goals. That is the message I hear again and again from the inspiring writers I talk to in my weekly podcast. Here are four recent conversations:
- “I trained myself to write anytime, anywhere, in a split second.” My Interview With Author Elizabeth Spann Craig
- “I rewrote that book for six years, and it never sold.” My Interview with Author Jessica Strawser
- “If you are not making things, you are not impacting people.” My Interview with Jennie Nash
- The Essential Ingredients of a Writing Career: Hope and Perseverance, My Interview With Author Therese Walsh
Each conversation is nearly an hour long, and filled with insights and wisdom about what it truly takes to succeed as a writer. If you feel that you haven’t reached the place you hope to be with your writing, I would encourage you to take two actions:
Listen to the stories of other writers and creators.
Engage writers in conversation and collaboration.
Thank you for being a part of my creative community.
-Dan