Author: Dan Blank

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? Many writers have good reasons not to:

“I want people to notice my writing, not me.”

“Social media doesn’t sell books.”

“I want to spend my time writing, not marketing.”

Even beyond these reasons, we can add to that list: sharing is a risk. There are concrete risks, that maybe you’ve read about: a newspaper article about someone who shared something online and got fired from their job, or who were shamed by others. Then there are the other risks: loss of privacy, managing distraction, how it may affect your mental health, and so much else.

None of these arguments to not share are wrong. They are all logical, and often backed up by with compelling statistical and/or anecdotal evidence.

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.

I grew up as an artist and writer, and in some ways, my whole life has been about exploring the question of how we connect what we create to the people who will appreciate it. And how doing so makes our lives better. Today, I want to share some examples of that. Let’s dig in…

When We Share Our Lives, We Impact Others

I went to YouTube earlier this week and saw a video headline and thumbnail that stopped me in my tracks:

This is Hank Green. He is a bestselling author, who does so much else that it’s hard to even describe succinctly. Here is his Wikipedia page. His brother, bestselling author John Green, and he have shared videos back and forth to each other on YouTube since 2007. Their channel has 3.64 million subscribers. Over the years they have shared more than 2,000 videos, accumulating a total of… okay this is a big number… 940,608,988 views. Yep, that is nearly a billion views.

Hank and John are always very positive, and have developed an amazing community. I don’t just mean “followers,” I mean community.

What Hank and John share is sometimes — oftentimes — personal. John has always been incredibly open about his mental health journey, and here Hank is sharing his news of his recent cancer diagnosis and treatment. It would be reasonable for them to not share at all. Or to only share about specific topics, without inserting their own personal experiences into the narrative.

Yet…

I’ve been thinking about Hank all week. Of course, first and foremost I’m starting with empathy for what he and his family and friends are going through. But I’m also considering how Hank has impacted my life. How what he shares has made my life better in so many ways. I’m reading some of the 56,000 comments his video received and considering the myriad of ways he has impacted the lives of so many others. I’m considering how sharing his journey with cancer could possibly help others who are dealing with it, how it could help raise money for cancer research, and so much else. Hank and John have previously raised millions of dollars for charity (full details here), including more than 3 million dollars raised already in 2023.

It’s overwhelming to consider how much Hank has created and shared. But to me, it is a reminder that too often, I don’t share enough. There is more that I could share that would help others. More that I could share that would make someone feel seen, or validated, or provide a solution, or even simply create a meaningful moment in an otherwise stressful day.

If you are a writer, of course, I want you to share so that others can experience what you create. But I think there is more opportunity that that. Not just career or business opportunity, but opportunity for your life to positively affect the life of someone else.

People Resonate With the Person Behind Creative Work

If you have followed my work for awhile, you may know that I have a book called Be the Gateway, that helps you frame what you create as a gateway to ideas and stories that resonate with people. Or maybe you have heard me use the phrase “Human-Centered Marketing” to describe my methodology for helping writers reach their readers.

I know that many writers and creators want their work to speak for itself. They want the entire focus of people’s attention to be on what you create, and never on them. Of course, I respect that, and am a huge believer in having firm boundaries (more on that below.)

But I have always said that one’s platform is about communication and trust. This is different from how many view it, which is often more focused on one’s “Unique value proposition” or their “personal brand.” Bleh.

You are a gateway. And once you consider that, the question becomes… “a gateway to what?” You get to define that.

For years I have followed Nuseir Yassin and Alyne Tamir, two video creators who share on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Nuseir has 21 million followers on Facebook, and Alyne has 2.8 million followers there. They share videos on travel and culture and so much else. For the past 6 years, they have been a couple. Then this week, they announced that they are breaking up. They shared a video explaining it:

This of course, is incredibly personal, yet in the video they share the reasons they are splitting, and even address each other directly in the video. They have been clear about remaining friends, and about supporting each other. But of course, it is clearly a very difficult time for both of them. They didn’t have to share any of this.

Yet, they did.

What you see above is not people oversharing. It is them honoring the level of trust and connection that others feel with them. If you have followed Nuseir or Alyne over the years, chanced are you resonate deeply with them. Not just what they say, but with them as human beings. Them choosing to share in this manner is, to a degree, similar to how one would share with a friend.

They are honoring the communication and trust they have spent years developing.

I am not suggesting that you need to be sharing publicly about your relationships, about your physical health, about your mental health or anything else. I am sharing the stories of Hank, Nuseir, and Alyne because too often we see sharing only as a risk. And while it is, I think it can be more than that.

We resonate with the human-side of what it means to create. The journey, the voice, the thing that makes you unique in all the universe. When you share that story, you are giving people so many more ways to discover and connect with what you create.

Establish Clear Boundaries in What You Share

I am a huge believer in establishing boundaries for what you share. When I’m working with writers, this is always something we discuss and get very specific about. Too many writers and creators feel that if they are going to share on social media, that they have to share about family, or how they spent there day, etc. You don’t.

Establishing boundaries for what you share and how you engage are critical for physical safety, mental, and psychological safety. Be proactive in determining what you will share and why, and then what you won’t share and why.

Having boundaries is the first step. Communicating them is the next. You don’t always have to do this, but I think that there are times it can be very useful and respectful to those you connect with.

For instance, I remember years ago reading about how Neil Gaiman would sometimes go to a cafe to write. But then he said he has this rule: if anyone did anything to acknowledge him, even in a subtle and positive way, he would never return to write at that cafe again. I don’t think he was trying to punish that person or the cafe, but rather, his goal seemed to be to set a boundary to protect himself. Perhaps he knew that if he was acknowledged, that fans would begin camping out there waiting for him to return. Or perhaps this was just his way of trying to have a “normal” existence in public.

If you share, be clear about your boundaries. When possible, communicate them to others.

Why Take the Risk to Share?

When I was active in writing and arts communities back in the 1990s, I noticed that those who showed up and shared their work, tended to be the ones whose work spread. They understood how to talk about their work, because they were often in conversation. That opened up new ways for people to find a connection to it. Even when one piece of work didn’t resonate, oftentimes people supported the writing and art anyway, because they were supporting the writer/artist themselves. Can the art stand alone. Yes! Does it always need to? Maybe not.

But more than that, these writers and artists lived in active creative communities where conversations around, and appreciation of, the arts was a constant in their lives.

And to me, that is a wonderful vibrant way to not only live a good life as a writer, but to develop a career or hobby in the arts.

Why take the risk of sharing? Because so much more is at stake if you don’t share what you create.

Thanks.

-Dan

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.

Is a 1970s rock album the perfect guide for selling a bestselling book today? Maybe, maybe not. But I feel there are important lessons here that absolutely apply to the journey that authors take in creating, publishing, and sharing their books.

It’s worth noting that I’m not particularly a fan of this album or artist. I respect them, I can appreciate their music, but I don’t think I’ve ever knowingly played their music on purpose. I share this story because it holds some deep truths about creative success. Okay, let’s dig in…

Step #1: Totally Commit To Your Idea

The album was a concept put together largely by writer/composer Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf as the singer, and Todd Rundgren as producer. The idea came from Steinman and was big and bold. It didn’t fit within the market. It would be expensive to create. It was just… different. But Jim, Meat, and Todd all believed in it completely, and spent years making it become reality, even as the rest of the world ignored them. At times, laughed at them. Worth noting here is that they weren’t chasing trends. They didn’t envision how this work would be so easy to fit into what everyone was already talking about. They were reminded again and again that they should abandon this work because it simply doesn’t fit in. When you choose the book you want to write, I encourage you to commit to it completely. What you are capable of creating is unique to who you are. Believing in that is a gift you can give yourself, and the world.

Step #2: Collaborate

The most certain path to failure is to try to do everything on your own. Now, I completely understand that writing a book is often a largely solitary endeavor, at least until you get to the editing phase. Of course, create in a manner that feels right to you. But collaborators are a critical way to ensure your work gets finished, gets published, gets shared. So many doors open when you collaborate. In the case of this album, Jim found his muse in Meat Loaf. Then they found unwavering support (financial, musical, and otherwise) in Todd Rundgren. I encourage you to have colleagues: others who create work similar to yours that you can at least talk to. As you move down the path to publishing and sharing your work, consider the kind of help you may need along the way. This is important regardless of the publishing path you take: indie, hybrid, traditional, etc. These are relationships that will open up opportunities in ways you least expect, and most need. They also become the foundation for your support system as a writer.

Step #3: Be Persistent and Get Used to Rejection

I know, I know, this one is so difficult. In the past, I’ve written about successful authors who found their agent only after a long search. This was the case for Janae Marks. Today, she is a New York Times bestselling author. Back when I interviewed her, she told me how she had to query 70+ agents before she got one. Imagine that: you create your list of “top 10 agents” to query. Then have to research 10 more. Then 10 more. Then 10 more. Then 10 more. Then 10 more. Etc. You would feel reasonable at query number 35 to conclude: “Why am I wasting my time? The world is giving me a clear message to stop.” But 35 rejections was only the half-way mark to success! And thank goodness Janae kept querying! Her writing is making so many readers happy today.

For Meat Loaf’s album, every record label heard it, and every one of them rejected it. Sometimes in an offensive manner. There is a famous story of one of the biggest record industry hitmakers of all time telling Jim and Meat that they don’t even understand how to write music. They tried to get someone to make this record for years, and people kept rejecting them.

How did the album eventually get made and released? It was because of two people: Todd Rundgren heard it and decided to pay for producing it. But even though he tried, he couldn’t get it released. After rejection after rejection, finally record executive Steve Popovich decided to publish it after hearing only part of one song.

If you are struggling with your work, remember it only takes one person to change your life and get behind your work.

Step #4: Don’t Compromise in Order to “Fit In”

Every record label and producer who this album was presented to wanted to change it. Jim and Meat didn’t even consider the changes. Once the album was released, it didn’t really fit in to the marketplace. The songs were incredibly long. In an age of the 3 minute pop song, the songs that became hits for this album were 5 minutes, 8 minutes, and 9 minutes each. Even edited down for radio, they were much longer than other songs the stations would play.

Likewise, the album never cracked the Top 10 in album sales, and none of their singles did either. As measured by big short-term metrics, this album didn’t “make it.” But, it sold, and it kept selling for years. This album didn’t “fit in,” yet, it somehow worked. For writers, there are countless examples of this. It is absolutely fine if you want your work to fit in. But don’t worry if it doesn’t.

Step #5: Give People Something to Talk About

When listening people describe the album, you often hear words like: cheesy, theatrical, over the top, a guilty pleasure, and so on. This album succeeded because of these things, not in spite of them.

Meat Loaf as a performer didn’t fit into norms at the time. The music was theatrical, and Meat Loaf’s performance took that to an entirely new level.

Meat was an actor, and if you watch a performance of him from 1978, the parts he isn’t singing are just as engaging as the parts he is. He is embodying the characters in the songs completely. (Go ahead, watch some of this 1 hour and 45 minute concert to see for yourself.)

The album didn’t do well at first when it was released in October 1977. When did it take off? After the world saw Meat Loaf perform on Saturday Night Live in March of 1978. To me, this is a reminder that we want creative work to stand on it’s own, but sometimes it needs help to get noticed. Give people something to talk about.

Step #6: Bring Your Creative Work to the People

Producer Todd Rundgren has said that a surefire way to sell records is to play live shows at towns again and again and again. This has been a standard part of how the music industry has operated for decades: get in a van and play small shows to 20 people. Then return to those towns a few months later and play to 40 people. And so on…

For writers nowadays, you have more opportunities than ever to bring your writing to the people. We have Substack newsletters, Instagram Reels, online webinars, in-person events, conversation series, collaborations, and so much more. Do you have to use any of these? Nope. But I find that sharing your work regularly, connecting with real people, sometimes create wonderful moments that build awareness of your writing.

To me, all of this is an important reminder to follow your own path, and to remember that if success isn’t happening at the moment, that it doesn’t mean that you are failing. Keep going.

Thanks.

-Dan

I’ve worked with writers and creators full-time for the past 13 years. It is a joy and privilege to spend my time with those who create. The work we do focuses on practical outcomes: establishing and growing a writer’s platform, creating marketing campaigns, launching books, and more.

But I find this work also goes very deep. It’s common for a writer I’m working with to say, “this is like therapy.” Now, of course, it is not therapy, I have no credentials in that field. But I think I hear this so often because it is inherently difficult to put one’s creative work out there. To know how to talk about what you create and why, and to ensure it truly connects with others, goes to the depths of what it means to be human.

The benefits, of course, are huge. It opens up possibilities such as:

• Knowing exactly how to describe your creative work
• Having a clear sense of your ideal audience is and how to engage them
• Feeling total clarity on how to launch your book from start to finish

For those I work with, I bring a comprehensive system that we work through together step-by-step. Sometimes that has us ideating big bold ideas to engage readers. Other times, I am deep in the weeds of technical assistance.

The results? Here are what some writers have said recently about our work together:

“I began working with Dan almost two years after publishing my memoir. Working with him opened my eyes – and my curiosity – to all of the possible avenues to reaching my potential readers. He encouraged me to constantly think outside of the box by broadening the scope of the key messages in my story.” – Rachel Michelberg

“Dan was a beacon of kindness in an industry which is so often tough. His wealth of knowledge is exemplary, and he has a way of encouraging you to put yourself out there whilst holding your hand in his very own gentle, supportive way. It was such a comfort to have someone to brainstorm with and bounce ideas off, someone who was really, genuinely rooting for me and was in my corner. Dan truly cares. It’s like your book is his book, he’s truly invested, and he’s constantly working away for you behind the scenes.” – Ingrid J. Adams

“When I started working with Dan, I felt overwhelmed by all of the things I thought I should be doing to market my books. Dan helped me focus my energy and pinpoint what strategies would work best for me. He also gave me the confidence to pitch myself and my work in ways I might not have before. I now have tools I know I’ll use throughout my career.” – Kathryn Holmes Marshall

“Dan gave me a plan, helped me develop the key messages I wanted to share, and showed me all the aspects of marketing I needed to consider. Now I have a handle on what I’m doing and my confidence is soaring. I feel like I’m presenting my authentic self to my readers.” – Josephine DeFalco

“Dan provided a framework that demystified platform and social media, and helped me navigate this unfamiliar landscape. More importantly, his guidance empowered me to clarify my priorities, both as a writer and a human being. That clarity is essential to developing sustainable and effective marketing strategies. What I viewed as obstacles, I now see as opportunities for meaningful engagement with potential readers.” – Margaret Whitford

“Dan works his magic by shifting your mindset. When I first came to him, I had rather shapeless ideas of how to reach my audience. Dan was a wonderful teacher, not only guiding me on how to share my work with readers but, most importantly, encouraging me to home in on who my readers are and why I want to share my work. His patience, insights, kindness, and great sense of humor made our sessions a delight. Dan helped me understand the many tools to building a platform and taught me to approach each with focus and intention.” – Leah Redmond Chang

“Dan is an anchor in the sea of social media and marketing. He helped me change what I saw as tasks into the pleasure of sharing things that mean something to me. Working with Dan keeps me focused on connecting with others rather than checking boxes, which makes me feel grounded and keeps me calm. And, bonus, he loves what he does.” – Cynthia Newberry Martin

“Working with Dan provided a strategic point of view that goes beyond the obvious. By turning themes in my work into messaging, I’ve been able to connect with readers more organically. His approach really is a new and different way of facing the dreaded tasks of promoting and selling.” – Michael Mullin

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Of course, every engagement is unique and personalized to the goals, challenges, and styles of each individual writer. Let me take you behind the scenes in how this all works…

Who I Work With

It’s most common for someone to reach out to me when:

• They want to ensure they give their book the best possible chance to reach readers.
• They don’t want to struggle alone through a hodge-podge list of ideas on how to share their writing. They want a strategy and a collaborator.
• They want their writing to truly connect with readers, and have a positive impact on their lives. They aren’t looking for hollow vanity metrics.

I work with a wide range of writers. Each week I’m working with those who are pursing various publishing paths: traditional, hybrid, indie, and those who are not yet sure. I work with writers who are at different points on that path: still writing the book, looking for an agent, looking for a publisher, pre-book launch, book launch, and months/years after book launch. These people write fiction, memoir, nonfiction, poetry, essays, and so much else. I’ve worked with authors in seemingly every genre.

Does this sound too broad? Well, I grew up as the art kid. My life has been surrounded by creators. Even at home, my wife is an amazing artist. I believe that working across all areas of writing makes me better at helping each individual writer. There are ideas I will see in one area that can be applied to another. What I care most about is that the writer strongly believes in what they write. That is what lights me up, and why I love — LOVE — working with writers.

I tend to work with people as early as possible in their process. Why? Because to establish your platform, find your ideal readers, and ensure your work reaches them takes time. What we work on can deliver better results if you set the foundation right, then focus on effective communication, and developing trusting relationships around your creative work.

What I Do

I help writers develop their author platforms, launch their books, and create marketing strategies that work. I work collaboratively with writers, meaning that I’m in there doing the work with them. We work through my system together, and customize the strategy for each individual author.

So on a day to day basis, that can have me:

• Doing research to identify comparable authors
• Identifying which podcasts that author can pitch to become a guest
• Editing the author’s bio
• Developing the marketing section for a book proposal
• Creating a content strategy for a newsletter
• Digging into the backend of WordPress or Substack or Instagram ads a wide array of tools for the writer

… and so much else.

Having worked with thousands of writers, I specialize in developing clear strategies and giving writers a step-by-step process.

How I Work

So how do I collaborate with a writer to make it all happen? Several ways:

The first is that they receive access to my 15+ tab spreadsheet that outlines key aspects of my system. This is a shared document that we will be working in together. Step-by-step, we move through it, with clear instructions that lead to a solid game plan. This is a key deliverable that the writer gets to keep and use long after we stop working together. It is a living document that will comprise their messaging, audience research, marketing plans, book launch timeline, and so much else. By the time we are done, this document is packed with total clarity about how to reach their audience, and also streamlined so they know exactly what to work on, and when.

We have phone calls every other week, which are usually an hour long. I come in with an agenda, but we also talk about any questions or topics the author wants to dig into. So, even if we are working on podcast pitching and newsletters, if they have a question about TikTok or their book proposal or social media ads or anything — we dive into it.

Each call ends with a clear set of tasks that we will be working on. Sometimes they are shared tasks, other times tasks for just the author, other times tasks for me. The writer is never guessing what to be working on or where we are in the process.

Between calls, we are checking in via email. Writers have unlimited access to me via email. This is where we can share progress, get direction, ask for help, or explore new areas.

I will often reply back to an email with a video. Here the writer can see me work through problems, learn exactly how to do things by seeing and hearing me do it, and experience the collaboration in a new way.

I have honed this system over the course of 13 years. What it is optimized for is getting the work done, and feeling a sense of calm and clarity along the way. This, as opposed to what I want to avoid: just dumping information on a writer as many courses do, leaving them drowning in ideas that they don’t know how to execute. In working together, we get the work done and level up their career.

My Studio

I work out of a private studio here in New Jersey. I’ve ensured the place is two things: incredibly practical, and filled with beautiful things. Namely: books and typewriters. Here I am in the studio:

I have a pretty advanced technical setup so that I can easily create videos for the writers I work with, showing them exactly how to create marketing campaigns, newsletters, use social media, and so much else. They can see me, my screen, and anything else that is needed to illustrate how to get it done. Here is a behind the scenes photo you don’t often see:

What is in the photo:

1. Computer with multiple redundant backups. If the computer suddenly dies, I’ll be back up and running within minutes. If a tornado destroys the studio, I’ll be back up and running in 15 minutes.
2. Coffee. I mean, is there a more essential ingredient to creativity?
3. Video and audio controller.
4. Teleprompter with monitor.
5. Sony camera with ultra wide angle lens.
6. Overhead camera setup with a Canon camera and wide angle lens.
7. Microphone.
8. Compressor for audio.
9. Large display so I can monitor all video and audio feeds at once.
10. Studio lights.
11. Locked door. Every creator needs one of these!
12. Guitar amplifier so I can practice during my lunch break. (guitar is placed just behind my chair, out of frame)
13. I have redundant backups for everything. This is my backup mouse. If my mouse battery dies midway through a workshop, the backup is just inches away.
14. Sunscreen. SPF every day.
15. Vintage electronics remind me that all of these things are mere tools for creativity. The point is human connection. Here I have a 1972 Sony TV, an Atari 2600 videogame system I had when I was a kid, and a 1990’s component stereo system.
16. A chair to rest, read, and nap. Creative breaks are important.

My System

I have a system that I developed to help writers get clarity, identify their ideal audience, build their author platform, create compelling marketing campaigns, and launch their books. It’s called the Creative Success Pyramid. It is having a plan for what you will do, and when. It connects all of your actions to a cohesive whole. It also helps you determine what you won’t waste your time doing, thereby conserving your energy to just what matters to you.

See below, and click here to see this full-sized in a PDF:

It’s composed of seven basic parts, you start at the bottom and work your way to the top:

1. Define your identity for what you create and why.
2. Find your ideal audience.
3. Develop your channels, building the platform that opens pathways to your work.
4. Connect with your ideal audience.
5. Launch and market your work.
6. Establish systems to find more time and focus.
7. Find fulfillment and growth in your creative work.

How to Work With Me

You can learn more about working with me here.

Ready to take action? Questions? Email me directly at dan@wegrowmedia.com and let me know what you are working on, the big challenge you are facing, and how you hope I can help.

(Bonus points if you add the subject line: “Dan, I’m ready to get it done.”)

I will send you a 12 page PDF that outlines my consulting process.

If you are interested, we will schedule time to talk via phone and explore a customized plan for you.

I only work with a very limited number of clients per quarter. This is your chance to take meaningful action.

And of course, if working directly with me isn’t the right fit for you, I try to share free resources every week in the following places:

• My Substack newsletter
• My podcast, The Creative Shift
• My daily videos on Instagram
• Plus: 13 years of blog archives

Thanks!

-Dan