Author: Dan Blank

I end each post here with the words, ‘Thank you for being here with me,’ and today that is especially true. I am deeply thankful to you reading my words, supporting my work, and sharing your own journey as a writer, artist, or creator.

Today I want to give you an inside look into how I help writers reach their readers. This post will talk more about the process, and why each step matters deeply. I will share my own journey to getting to this point — working nearly 15 years full-time offering this work, collaborating with thousands of writers, and 25 years of working with writers overall.

I also want to invite you to a free event I’m running in December: “The 10 Traits of Writers Who Reach Their Readers.” In this workshop, I’ll share key insights I have learned working directly with writers for all these years, focusing in on the differences between those who truly make progress in reaching their readers vs. those who seem to spin their wheels, stuck in the mud, never reaching their goals. The live Zoom event is Friday December 13th at 1pm ET. If you can’t make it live, a recording will be sent to all who register. You can register here!

Okay, let’s dig into today’s post…

My Story

I will soon be celebrating 15 years of my business, WeGrowMedia, spending my days with writers and creators. I can hardly believe that this is my actual life, that I get to always be in conversation with those who inspire me, and doing meaningful work to ensure their unique voices are heard. This is truly the work I love.

I work out of my private studio here in New Jersey, surrounded by books and typewriters:

Running a business is this fascinating blend of being exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. My days are filled with the craft I have dedicated myself to, and the opportunities that come with that. But they are also filled with risk.

I worked in a small gray cubicle for years at a large publishing company, always aware that at any moment I could be swept up in the next round of layoffs. For years, my boss would count how many of those cuts we “survived” inside the company, until the number got so big that it felt meaningless to keep counting.

My days are spent with creativity and connection, and for that I am grateful. But I’m also keenly aware that this is the work that supports my family. I started WeGrowMedia back in 2010 as my wife and I were expecting our first child. It was a big risk at the time, but I knew I wanted to be close to home as we welcomed a new phase of our lives. Now our kids are 7 and 14, and I’m rarely more than a mile away from every member of my family.

This studio is a special place for me, one where I immerse myself in the craft of how we communicate and share. I do this work because I believe:

• Everyone can be creative, and that your unique creative voice should be heard.
• When we share what we create, the world becomes a better place.
• How we share is a craft, one that can be filled with joy and deep purpose.

You can read more about my journey here.

Growing up as an artist and writer, I believe that the creative work comes first. We then explore the concepts of “marketing” or “reaching readers” as a way of fulfilling that intention of why we write. Our work is complete when it moves someone, inspires them, teaches them, helps them understand themselves or others better, or feel more connected with the world.

The Milestones Writers Hope to Reach

In working with writers for so long, something I am often helping them navigate is how to move from the place they are, to the experiences they hope to reach. Sometimes we define that via commonly used phrases:

• Build an author platform
• Launch a book
• Create a book marketing strategy
• Grow a newsletter list
• Gain followers on social media
• Get more podcast appearances

…and so much else.

People work with me because they are hoping to see that their work matters to readers, and that they have new opportunities each day to live as a writer, however they define that. This is an investment in not just their writing, but their identity, their daily experiences of what it means to be a writer, and their aspirations.

This may involve getting absolute clarity on where to focus their work, and how to develop an author platform. Or on doing the research to firmly identify who their ideal readers are, and where to find them. Or it could align to a book launch, knowing that they want to give their writing the best possible chance to reach readers.

So often our culture defines these things as numbers: sales, reviews, mentions, follows, subscribes, etc. Those metrics are useful and I help writers with them every day. But this is also about the feeling that each writer hopes to have. To wake up knowing what to create and how to share, having a keen sense of who you are as a writer and how to integrate that into your everyday life, and that our lives are filled with the moments and conversations around the themes that inspire you as a writer.

The Importance of Collaboration

Writers have incredible access to information that those in previous generations never could have dreamed of. But in some cases, they are drowning in information: endless articles, interviews, and advice. They find that each of those resources gives slightly different advice, saddling writers with a sense that no matter what they try, they must have just missed the mark.

This is why I believe in collaboration to cut through the noise. My days are spent in collaboration with writers because I feel that is a rare and special thing. To not just share information in a stark format, but to integrate that with the goals, style, and context of each writer’s life.

When I’m working with a writer, I focus on ensuring I am accessible. Beyond the long phone or Zoom calls we have, I try to respond to every email immediately, and will sometimes reply back with a video so they can see me walk through whatever strategy or idea we are working on.

Being a writer can feel so isolating at time. Yet, when I study how professional writers and creators manage their weeks, I often hear about the small — sometimes secret — collaborations they have. This is a critical difference in finding the right strategy, but also feeling truly supported as a writer.

My System for Reaching Readers

All of this has lead me to develop a system for how a writer can reach their readers. If you have followed my work for a while, you may have seen me mention the Creative Success Pyramid. This is meant to give you a clear structure to find a strategy that works for sharing your work, and how it can lead to being fulfilled as a writer.

Every now and again, someone will tell me that the pyramid feels too ominous. They feel crushed under the expectations that they have to do all these steps, and climb this big mountain. I have empathy for that.

So what I focus on is starting with the values of each person I work with — to start where they are. Then we customize how we move through this, and always do so in a clear step-by-step manner.

One of the tools I use is a 20-tab spreadsheet, where each tab tackles a critical element of what it means to develop your platform in a meaningful way, find your readers, and truly engage them.

If that sounds scary — SPREADSHEETS!!!! — it isn’t meant to. I want each writer I work with to have a clear and concise plan, not a laundry list of unending ideas with no path to follow. So the spreadsheet generally follows the steps of the pyramid, filled with instructions and videos — but more importantly — a straightforward process do the work from, and turn it into a cohesive strategy. Over time, this becomes a living document, one that is refined and grows over time, as you as a writer grow.

Not all writers love spreadsheets, so there are plenty of times that we instead focus on other ways of collaborating.

There is no one-size-fits all plan for an author to reach their readers. So here is where we look for specific interests that a writer has, opportunities that are buried just beneath the surface, and ways to infuse this process with a deep sense of joy and fulfillment.

Week by week, we identify specific tasks that move things forward, but are also small enough to actually get done amidst their otherwise busy lives.

I love this work, and appreciate all of the support you have given me. Thank you!

Please let me know in the comments: What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2024? What are your goals as a writer in 2025?

Reminder to register for my free workshop on Friday December 13th: The 10 Traits of Writers Who Reach Their Readers — register here!

And if you are looking to reach your readers in 2025, learn more about working with me here. That page shares not only more details about my process, but also case studies of my work with writers.

Thank you for being here with me.
-Dan

Every day, I work with writers to help them share their work and reach their readers. In the past year or two, Substack has become a very popular place for writers to launch or move their newsletters to. Is Substack a trend? One where a rush of people join in a short period of time, and everyone seems to be talking about it? Yes. But I think it is more than that, and it will be important to writers long after the newness of the trend wears off.

Let’s consider goals that a writer may have:

1. To write! (To have more opportunities to write, and write what you want.)
2. Grow an audience of actual readers of your writing.
3. Sell books.
4. Get reviews for your books (or other writing.)
5. Give people ways to recommend your writing to others.
6. Build meaningful connections to influencers in the literary space or your niche.
7. Hear from readers and be able to speak with them.
8. Get paid for your writing if you want to, and not have to become a tech wizard or financial guru to manage it all.
9. Have a sandbox to explore creatively (I listen to tons of interviews each week from creators in different creative fields, and many of them talk about how they get locked into producing only a certain kind of creative work because their field doesn’t allow exploration.)
10. Have agency that you can do what you want, when you want, and not lose access to your readers.
11. Feel safe in the process.

One of the most effective tools that I have found for reaching these milestones for a writer is through an email newsletter. Today I want to explore this topic with fresh eyes at the end of 2024, as you consider how you want to grow as a writer, and where you put your time and energy in 2025.

In case you missed it, earlier this week I shared an exclusive video for my paid subscribers: To Attract Readers, Focus on the Emotions They Want to Experience. Get access to this and all of my posts here.

Let’s dig in to today’s topic…

The Business Case for a Newsletter for Writers

I want to start off in a somewhat nonintuitive place here, and make a business case for the value of writers using Substack.

I can’t express to you how powerful of a thing it is to be able to reach your supporters in the moment you need them most. Over the years, many writers have said things to me like, “Oh I have a newsletter, but it’s so sad. There are only 60 people on the list.” My response is always the same: “That’s amazing! Congratulations!”

And I’m serious.

I am 51 years old, and was active in the arts and writing scenes before the internet took hold of our culture. I remember scheduling events at a bookstore cafe I managed in the 1990s. So if we ran a poetry night, this is how the numbers would work out:

• If we had 10 people there, that was: “Good! People showed up. A nice evening.”
• 20 people was a full room, but you could move around if you needed. The poets would be thrilled.
• 40 was overflowing, every seat taken and people standing in the doorway.
• 60 would have been the talk of the town: people in the streets!

So if you can immediately reach the 60 biggest supporters of your writing, I don’t take that for granted. Let’s stick with these same numbers for another example…

Let’s say you just published your first book. You may have the expectation that it could take time to sell a lot of copies, so at first you are focused on creating social proof and getting reviews on Amazon, so that people see these reviews at the point of sale. So many books that are published end their first month with zero reviews, and you are hoping to avoid that.

But what if you had that email list of 60 people who know you, like you, and are either open to reading your work, or open to supporting you regardless if whether your book is in the typical genre/topic they read. That list is the difference between ending the first month of publication with zero reviews vs. ending it with 30 reviews. I can tell you, the latter feels amazing. To know that potential readers are hearing the words of other readers who enjoyed the book in that delicate moment when they are considering if they want to spend 8+ hours reading your book. These reviews gives potential readers a lot more data to work from in deciding to buy it.

There are lots of ways to think about this, but let’s go back to the poetry night example. Let’s say a couple is considering going to poetry night, so they slowly drive by the cafe to see what is like. Here are two scenarios:

• “Yikes, it looks like there is maybe 1 person in there. Let’s skip it.”
• Or, “Wow — I think there are 20 or 30 people in there, looks like fun! Let’s go!”

Again and again over the years, I have heard successful writers say this: “What would I do differently? I would have started my newsletter earlier.” Why? Because it gives them a consistent way to collect their readers (who choose to opt-in), to reach them, and when needed: to call them to action.

Even forgetting about this feeling good, purely from a business standpoint, this is huge. We don’t talk about the business of writing as much as we should, and I love viewing it from the standpoint of sustainability. That your writing gets support in ways that are meaningful to you. And if you have career goals, that those are supported as well.

That doesn’t always have to be about earning money. For instance, perhaps you get a book deal, and you want to sell enough books to have your publisher release your next book. So you aren’t counting on profit, just on having the opportunity to publish your books. In any of these cases, a newsletter is a critical way to support those goals.

But perhaps you are reading this and thinking, “Dan, I am a writer, but I have no interest in publishing a book.” Or, “Dan, my books don’t earn money, and there are fewer journals and magazines who can publish me. Plus, freelance has dried up.”

Well, again, this is where Substack comes in. Not only does it offer you the benefits of a newsletter, but they have done something that I have watched countless companies fail to do over the course of decades: normalize the idea of writers asking for payment, and for people actively choosing to pay those writers.

Huge media brands have tried this through paywalls or pay-per-article. Other startups have made big bets on this, but often with mixed results at best. But because of Substack, it is not only common for a writer to ask for payment for their writing, but for people to gladly pay them. To me, this isn’t just a tech marvel, it is a cultural shift.

Ten years ago, one could have made a convincing argument that “There are too many newsletters, too many blogs and podcasts, thousands of books published each day, plus social media and online video. Why on earth would someone pay for a newsletter?”

Substack has proven why. Because every single writer has a unique voice. And readers may enjoy paying those writers.

I began sending my own newsletter in 2005, and have sent one every single week since then. My newsletter is celebrating its 20th anniversary next year, and I will have sent more than 1,000 editions in that time.

I have also trained thousands of people to start their own newsletters. At first, I did this with journalists I worked with in a publishing company. These were people who for years wrote for print, and were just becoming comfortable with the idea of a newsletter being central to their business. Even today, 20 years later, we see journalists leaving traditional media to establish their own voice and business on Substack.

Then of course, in my daily work here at WeGrowMedia, I have run dozens and dozens of workshops and classes, and helped my clients establish or grow their newsletters. This is the work I do every day, along with helping writers establish their platforms, find their readers, launch their books, and launch marketing campaigns.

The Creative Case for Newsletters

I mean, this one seems so simple: a thriving online community that focuses exclusively on WRITING and READING. Where it rewards good writing, even if it is long, instead of dances, videos, and memes.

One way I have always described the experience of getting consistent with a newsletter is this: you begin to see ideas all around you. And that is what many writers seem to have found with their Substacks, and what many readers are experiencing. That is certainly what I feel when I log in to Substack each day.

You can express yourself how you like, when you like, in whatever manner you like. I mean, how cool is that? You can live each day, each week, each month, as a writer.

Some of this is about having agency to write and publish, but also to see yourself and live as a writer. I think about this interview from Humans of New York in a similar regard:

Photo by Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York
The couple says: “We’ve been dealing with invisibility. We started realizing we’re kind of fading. So many of our friends say that: that they’re becoming invisible. Everybody needs a welcome from somebody else so that they can feel useful. It’s a real source of energy. And when you realize you’re not getting that as much—what happens is you get scared. And you also say: maybe we could do something a little different. So at some point we came up with the idea of the cute older couple. We were hoping to find some younger friends. We’ve always been attracted to younger people. You know, young people struggle. So we like to support them and wish them well and give them a lot of approval. And young people need cute old couples. They love cute old couples. So we decided to play it up a little bit. That’s what it is: ‘play.’ It’s really play. Have you ever seen two dogs greet each other? One dog will drop down, and bam, suddenly they’re playing. I think that’s what we’re doing. We’re inviting a play response.”

I appreciate Substack not because of it being a trend, but because it encourages people to write and publish, and for people to read and support. This is the world I want to live in.

Substack and Growth of Readers

By the time we reach the end of December, I will have doubled my newsletter subscribers his year:

But more than that is the engagement I get on each post: dozens and dozens of comments from readers.

For many writers I work with, they have their own stories of growth and engagement on Substack. Does everyone grow? Nope. Substack isn’t an “instant results pill” that you swallow and it magically just gives you positive results. This is work, but it is meaningful and rewarding work.

I really like Substack and I teach the nuances of it to writers all the time. But my interest in it is not because I’m blinded by a trend. I started this post talking about goals writers might have in general — outside of Substack. That is always my focus — to support writers in whatever their goals are, not convince them that one single tool should be the center of their lives. I look holistically at how you reach readers as a writer. This is part of why I surround myself with typewriters, to appreciate the tools we use as writers, and the distinction between the tool and the goal. This week I added a new typewriter to my collection (the Smith Corona on the lower left):

How to Get Started with Substack or Double Down if You are Already There

If you are looking for a simple guide to get started on Substack, here is what I encourage:

1. Have a specific focus in how you describe your Substack. No, this isn’t meant to box you in. But you should consider the moment someone is weighing whether to subscribe to you, and if they read your title and description as something vague and not exactly aligned to their goals or needs. Where you can, be specific, as opposed to something that may be very vague or even confusing, such as: “Dan’s Substack! Musings and thoughts on life, writing, movies, LEGO, and my dog Harold!
2. Publish frequently. Not as a punishment, but an opportunity.
3. Use Notes. That is basically Substack’s version of a social network. Not only will it increase the likelihood of getting new subscribers, it gives you a chance to engage with the very positive Substack community.
4. Recommend others! Be generous and participate in the ecosystem of celebrating good writing and writers you like.
5. Get good at headlines, subheads, and first paragraphs.
6. Tell a human story in your About page.
7. Share photos so we can connect with you as a person.

I have also taught a series of workshops on Substack, and you will of course find many resources on Substack itself. I encourage you to treat it like a craft, but not fall down the rabbit hole. Always consider your writing first, then the experiences you hope to have with readers.

But What About Social Media?

The question of Substack and social media (like Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok) is not an either or scenario.

One important distinction between Substack and social media is that on Substack you can export your email list to back it up, and move it to any other newsletter service. However, on a social network, your followers are largely locked into that network. This month I have seen plenty of writers say, “Well, I guess I’m starting fresh on Bluesky, come join me there!” They are leaving thousands of followers behind on one network, and trying to rebuild it from scratch on a new one.

I recently wrote about The State of Social Media for Writers here, and shared a video for my paid subscribers on How to Feel Good About Using Social Media as a Writer here. To get access to all of my posts, join me here.

Please let me know in the comments: how do you feel about Substack, email newsletters, and social media at the moment? Where are you finding joy? Where are you apprehensive?

Thank you for being here with me.
-Dan

I believe that how we communicate is a craft. I devote my life to supporting writers and helping them best share their work. Sometimes I encounter a writer who expresses frustration that it feels like no one is listening, that their efforts aren’t paying off, and they are considering sharing less — quieting their voice.

Each of us has a unique voice. In sharing your voice, you are bringing joy, a respite, validation, ideas, inspiration, or connection to the lives of others.

Today I want to focus on a topic that may sound simple, but is incredibly important: how to be kind online. This has multiple purposes:

1. To improve communication skills.
2. To improve connection with others.
3. To improve chances that your work is seen and appreciated.

If you are a writer hoping to develop your platform, grow your audience, or prepare to launch your book, this is a huge opportunity. To not just have a strategy for connection, but to feel good about it in the process.

All this month, I’m sharing about how to connect with your ideal readers. Each Tuesday I share an exclusive video and post for my paid subscribers, and this week I focused on: How to feel good about using social media as a writer. Join me and the other paid subscribers.

How you share doesn’t have to feel icky. In fact, it can be filled with deep meaning and moments that inspire you. Let’s dig in…

Set the Tone

If you worry that social media is toxic, that norms are not what you like online, or that you don’t feel you fit in, I encourage you remember that you — and only you — set the tone for how you engage with others.

This can apply to two common situations:

• How you show up.
  How you react.
• So often, we worry about fitting in at the expense of hiding our own unique voices, hiding our passions and perspectives. Instead, I encourage you to show up as the person you are. I’m going to use a bunch of celebrity examples in this post because they are frequently on film, and give me accessible examples that you can see and hear.

So to start, here is a 1982 interview with Fred Rogers on the David Letterman show. On his TV show, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Fred had a slow and clear demeanor, taking his time. It is always fascinating to see how he would show up to a context that is the opposite — a late night comedy show — and how he reacts to sometimes challenging questions. As always, Fred sets the tone in how he shows up, and how he reacts:

Whether it is on social media or in-person, you get to set the tone for how you engage with others, and how you communicate. Too often, we feel pressure to bend to the expectations or demeanor of others. But this is a choice you get to make.

In this process, you can infuse a sense of kindness, however you define that term. To show up in a way that feels whole, meaningful, and with the best intentions.

Truly See Others

The nature of how we see content online is that we are usually seeing just a tiny moment of what someone shares, thinks, or does. We see the tiniest sliver of who they are, and often without any additional context.

I encourage you to truly see others holistically. As a human-being that exists outside of a tiny social media update, or a 60 second video clip.

In the work I do with writers, we focus on how to connect with readers and those who celebrate books. What I find again and again is the value of keeping things simple: showing up as a human being, and starting with empathy.

Sometimes we may think it is impossible to stand out — that there are too many newsletters already, too many podcasts, too many social media updates, too many online events. Maybe you even think to yourself: “Besides, aren’t there so many other people who are more well established than I am? How can we hope to get attention for me or my writing.”

If you want to connect your creative vision to others, I encourage you to do this:

Be someone who truly sees the other person.

That’s it. If you do that, you are giving people what they dream of: for someone else to recognize us, to check in on us, to care about what we care about. So often in our daily lives, this rare.

I remember hearing an interview with Brandon Stanton, who created Humans of New York. The interviewer wanted to understand how Brandon got people to share these powerful stories with a stranger in a short conversation. This was his reply:

“It’s not the questions. I have about three or four entry questions that I use… But really, the planned questions are just springboards into a conversation. And how you get to that deep place with a person is absolute presence. It’s being 100 percent there… You’re not thinking about how this person fits into your idea of them and what you know about them. You’re 100 percent there, and you’re 100 percent listening to them, and your questions are 100 percent coming based on curiosity about what they are telling you and nothing else.”

“People just feel alone. Period… There is this appreciation of being heard that even though I don’t know this guy, this is the first person who has taken such a focused and detailed interest in my problems. And the feeling of having somebody focus so intensely not on the sports teams you like or the music you like or any of the other trivial things that we get asked on a daily basis, but these real things that you’re struggling with and maybe not even on the top of your mind but in the back of your mind that you’re not even really bringing to the surface, being heard like that is such a validating thing that that’s why people always share.”

“It really works because the people on the street that I meet are so thankful to have somebody really listen to them that in that bubble, in an hour and a half where I’m sitting with a stranger on the street, this magic happens where they’re willing to let me in to a space in their mind or their soul or whatever it is that they don’t really let other people into. And it’s that place that I think connects with so many people.”

Truly seeing others you engage with is a gift you can bring to someone’s day. Why not take that risk?

Use People’s Names

This one is so simple, yet so powerful. When addressing someone, use their name. That’s it. Whether connecting with others online or in-person, we are often in crowded situations, stealing a moment in an otherwise busy day. Adding someone’s name to a reply makes it clear that you are clearly seeing them.

I have seen this done in interviews, with the interviewee saying things such as, “Wow, that is a great question Brenda…” I try to do it when I reply to comments here on Substack, always using the person’s name when I say thank you. Which leads me to…

Add Courtesies (Like ‘Thank You’ and ‘Please’)

Maybe this is uncool. But I have made a concerted effort the past few years to say ‘thank you’ more often, and to end interactions by wishing someone a good rest of their day. I have been surprised at the results.

First, this feels really good to do. It forces me to slow down, and consider each individual as a whole person. It fills my day with mindfulness that I am truly thankful for them and this interaction.

The other thing I have noticed is that lots of people really appreciate these kind words! I’ve had so many people say how much a genuine ‘thank you’ really meant to them. This likely goes back to the earlier point at how often we don’t feel seen.

In doing so, you can also set the tone for others. In some cases, you can be more direct, like Taylor Swift in this moment encouraging security to say “please” when addressing a crowd of fans.

I don’t know what Taylor was considering in this moment, but I imagine that the security guard yelling “stay back” was trying to protect her from a crowd of fans he could barely control. But what she sees may be something completely different: people who appreciate her music, who have spent hours and hours waiting, and who may be trying to move closer because this moment truly means so much to them.

I am not encouraging you to use courtesies so that your days are filled with rote niceties that mask who we really are. Instead, I’m simply reflecting on the value of how we express to each other that we appreciate that they are here with us.

That is how I end each of my newsletters, with the phrase “Thank you for being here with me.” I know that you are busy, and I have lived long enough to have people I admire pass away. Our time here is precious, and when you spend a moment with me or my writing, that truly means the world to me. Saying ‘thank you,’ is not a hollow affectation, it is instead a deep appreciation that by reading something I wrote, a special connection is made. Genuinely: thank you.

Validate and Give People Hope

One way to get the attention of others? Consider what they care about most, and help give that experience to them. If someone has published a book, post a positive review, or rave about it on social media. If someone just started a Substack, subscribe and post about how great it is.

This not only validates their work, but it gives them a sense of hope. A reminder that they aren’t sharing into a void, and that their unique voice does matter.

Be a Bright Spot in Someone’s Day

You can also do this in how you share, becoming a bright spot in someone’s day. One example is the frequent photos and haiku and Susan J Tweit shares in her feeds.

While this can sometimes be situational, you can also create a routine to reach out to others and bring a moment of joy. Check in on friends. Reach out randomly and ask people how they are doing. Post something meant to make someone smile.

When Paul Reubens passed away, I began hearing celebrities talk about how seriously he took birthdays, filling their phones with personal messages and frequent smiles throughout the entire day. I mean, imagine receiving this video on your birthday from a friend.

This is a Craft: Focus on 10% Better

How you communicate and show kindness is a craft. If any of this resonates with you, I would encourage you to focus on tiny improvements. I know you are busy and your days are filled with loads of serious responsibilities. As you try to connect with readers and those who inspire you, look for tiny improvements. How to communicate 10% better.

Beyond this just making our days brighter, this work also gives people a way in to who you are, and what you write. These simple generosities do take effort, and that’s okay. The energy you give often comes back to you in appreciation from others.

Delight People with Generosity

I want to share two examples of how generosity can truly make someone’s day. The first is a story from Conan O’Brien. At a time when he as going through a career implosion, he was lying on the floor of his living room. The phone range, and it was Robin Williams. Conan wasn’t sure how he even got his number. Robin encouraged him to get outside because it would be healthy for him. Then he did something generous and unexpected: he bought Conan a custom painted bike, and told him that it was waiting for him down at the local bike shop.

And finally, one of my favorite videos of all time. In 2004, a group of performers were paying tribute to George Harrison at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. It’s an all-star lineup, including George’s son Dhani Harrison.

The song plays for a while, and the entire time there is a figure in the shadows off to the right. Then after three minutes, you see a smile come across Dhani’s face and Prince steps into the spotlight. He then plays the most amazing guitar solo — showcasing so many aspects of his genius.

Unlike the other performers on the stage, Prince is constantly looking over at the others playing, smiling and giving knowing looks. He’s truly playing with them. At one point, he bends back into the crowd, one of his security people holding him up as he continues playing. Dhani is smiling with total elation at seeing this. Then, at the end, Prince does something that only he could do: he quickly removes his guitar, throws it high up into the air, turns and walks away.

What happened to the guitar?!?!

It turns out, he had carefully practiced this, and a member of his team was waiting up front to catch it. In some edits of the video, you can see this, in others you can’t. But it looks like magic either way.

Would it have been enough for Prince to have gone up on that stage and played a good guitar solo? Yep. But he went way over the top, and infused every moment with extraordinary joy in his tribute. He didn’t just wait for a special moment to happen, he prepared and orchestrated it with incredible finesse and diligence.

On a practical level, how can you find simple ways to infuse kindness in how you connect with others and are public as a writer? Let me give a really simple prompt as an example: how can you even connect with another writer who publishes in the same genre/topic as you? Some ideas:

• Go to the bakery section of the foodstore and have them print a cake with an image of the book cover from an author whose book you are excited about or loved. This can be a brand new book, or it can be a book that came out years ago. Post a photo of it and tag them on social media. Every author wants to see their book cover on a cake.
• Spend a week on social media celebrating someone’s book. Again, this doesn’t have to be a brand new book. What author wouldn’t want to see a reader celebrating their book two years after release date?
• Buy 5 copies of someone’s book and give them away. Or create a video of you walking into a big bookstore, and turning that person’s book cover facing out on the shelf.
• Send a gratitude email or direct message, telling someone how much their book meant to you.
• Share a photo of you with someone’s book that you liked.

If you are thinking, “But Dan, I don’t want to do this for another author, I want readers to do these things for me!” Then I want to encourage you to learn by doing. If you want readers to celebrate your books in these ways, then model that behavior first. It also allows you to learn what it feels like to do these things. Awhile back I wrote a blog post about the 10+ steps it takes to post a book review online.

A lot of writers told me that it really opened their eyes — they had always thought of asking someone to post a book review as this super easy task. But it’s not, it takes 10+ steps to do so. If you want others to post reviews for your books, then get really good at the process yourself, because that will help you help them.

Please let me know in the comments: what is an example of kindness that inspired you and you always remembered?

Thank you for being here with me.
-Dan

If you are a writer, artist, or creator who hopes that your work is seen and embraced by others, I want to encourage you to intentionally develop colleagues and friendships. To know how to start conversations with readers, and turn those moments into professional relationships that sustain you (and them!) over time.

I don’t mean, sign up for a conference and hope you meet someone you like. But to reach out to someone you admire, are inspired by, or feel aligned with, then take a meaningful and intentional step to forge a professional connection.

To me, this is critical to not only your success as a writer, but to supporting your mental health along the way. To not be alone as a writer.

I want to be clear, I am not talking about transactional relationships, where you befriend someone because you expect something in return, or because they are an influencer. I mean seeking out a professional relationship, one that takes time to develop, and rests on connection, support, and generosity.

What’s more, connecting with others just feels good. It is the difference between feeling isolated in your craft vs. having your weeks filled with conversation and experiences with people that inspire you. This not only makes your creative work more likely to find an audience, but it will feel more fulfilling along the way.

Below I will share a specific process that you can use to develop professional connections. In the past I have I it “The Four S Process,” but now I have added a fifth step. I’m thinking of calling this the Colleagues in Craft Method instead (feedback welcome!) Here is what it looks like:

• Seek out others
• Signal that you are like them
• Share things that inspire you/them
• Shape conversations
• Sustain these relationships

I provide context and examples below.

All this month I’m talking about what it means to engage your ideal readers. You can get access to my exclusive series that I share each Tuesday by becoming a paid subscriber:

Okay, let’s dig in…

Step #1: Seek Out Others

Seek out others who care about books/writing/art/themes similar to what you create. These can be fans of like work, other writers in the same space, or those who are advocates for it. Sometimes this means searching on certain keywords or hashtags on social media, finding where communities of readers hang out, showing up to events online or off, or reaching out to someone directly who is known in that space.

Their connection to similar work doesn’t have to be incredibly specific. E.G.:

• Not this: “I only want to talk to writers of hard sci-fi with a theme focusing on climate, and also a soft romance plot, but in an epic scale, because that is what I write. Those are the only people worth talking to.”
• But instead, this: “Who loves science fiction? Who loved ____ book? Where does ____ writer show up? Where do these conversations happen online or off?”

Put yourself into situations where you could discover/meet these people. Can you seek out people in other ways? Sure. Be someone who always has a book on them. If you see someone reading a book, ask about it. Where a t-shirt that says “I love books.” Show up at bookstores, libraries, literary festivals, and conventions in real life. Or follow writers in your space online.

Seeking out others is a skill that you can develop. Look beyond your existing circle of friends when needed. Do more than silently “following” someone online, or at most, clicking “like” on a post they share that resonates with you.

Others who write in the same space as you are not competitors or competition, they are colleagues. Support them, and do so with vigor. You will not only increase the chance of developing colleagues, but you will truly be bringing more joy to their lives.

It is a social risk to show up in a new place and start a conversation. I am a huge introvert who barely ever leaves my 4 square mile town, and spends 99% of my time at my private studio or at home with my family. Yet, I seek out others through online means, and work to develop professional relationships and friendships. This is possible, and the process can be deeply meaningful.

Step #2: Signal that you are like them

When you consider approaching someone, don’t make it immediately about you and your needs. Instead, focus on shared interests, or your delight in what you see the other person already celebrating.

How did producer Jack Antonoff (from New Jersey!) and Taylor Swift first meet and establish a friendship? They met an awards show and had a conversation about their shared love for the 1980s band Yazoo. He has since produced several of Taylor’s albums.

Don’t start conversations making it immediately about your writing. E.G.: “Oh I see you like that super popular book! Well, I wrote a book of my own that you will LOVE, let me tell you about it.” Instead, focus on shared connections that the other person can relate to before you venture into your own work.

Sometimes this signaling can be active, but other times it can be passive. For instance, if post on a social media channel such as Instagram, does it immediately signal to people that you are a writer, and the themes you love writing about? Or is it 1,000 photos of your (adorable) dog. If you desperately want to be known as a writer who focuses on _____ themes, how are you signaling that to others? Can you also share about your dog? Of course! But consider: “If someone looks at what I share, would they immediately know that I’m a writer, and the themes or kinds of ideas that I love exploring?”

Or let’s say you work at an office, and a coworker enters the break room the same time as you and says, “How was your weekend?” Do you say, “Pretty good, caught the game.” Or do you say, “Pretty good, worked on a chapter of my novel?”

These signals matter, and they add up.

Likewise, you can focus on signaling the emotions you hope your writing encourages in people, not just the topics you write about. Maybe you write poetry and worry that it is difficult to find people who read poetry. But what if you determine that the overarching theme of your poems is hope. Could you not make everything you share about hope? When you see someone express hope, could you not signal to them that you are alike? That would be a wonderful way in to forge a connection with people.

Step #3: Share things that inspire you/them

Having a conversation in this context is about sharing a moment together. This is how we build bonds and establish trust. Take the risk to share your enthusiasm about something. Validate others when they express enthusiasm. Not just clicking “like” online, but maybe a private message telling them that they truly made your day, and explain why.

Here is an example: In 2014 Bill Murray was asked if there was a moment in his life when art truly mattered to him and made a difference for him. Bill’s reply:

“I think it would be back when I started acting in Chicago. I remember my first experience on the stage, I was so bad and I just walked out. I walked for a couple of hours, and I realized I’d walked the wrong direction. Not just the wrong direction in terms of where I live, but in terms of a desire to stay alive. I ended up in front of the Art Institute in Chicago. I walked in and there’s a painting there, I think it’s called “The Song of the Lark.” It’s a woman working in a field and there’s a sunrise behind her. I’ve always loved this painting. I saw it that day, and just thought, well look, there’s a girl who doesn’t have a whole lot of prospects. But the sun is coming up anyway, and she has got another chance at it. That gave me a feeling that I too am a person, and get another chance every day the sun comes up.”

Can you give this same gift to someone today. To let them know in a meaningful way that their work matters to you. Sure, it can be a book or painting. But it can also be something simpler such as something they shared on social media made you feel good.

This is about seeing and celebrating someone when they create, and for who they are. Share a supportive word, letting them know that their work matters to you.

Step #4: Shape conversations

Here you can begin moving conversations to places that you hope to find a deeper alignment. When you hope to make a meaningful connection with someone, be intentional in this work.

I love this conversation between Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno about being intentional about friendships.

Jane Fonda: “What you have to do is be intentional. I never used to be intentional, I would meet Sally Field, for example, but not pursue her. (she pauses) Well, I did pursue you…”

Sally Field: “Oh for goodness sakes, I couldn’t make you stop. I’m very reclusive, I mean, I’m a notorious hermit.”

Lily Tomlin: “I don’t really like people that much.”

Sally Field: “No I really don’t either.”

Lily Tomlin: “I try to avoid them.”

Sally Field: “Me too.”

Lily Tomlin: “But those who are intentional (pointing to Jane Fonda)…”

Lily and Sally in unison: “You just you just can’t get away from them, they won’t go away.”

Of course, critical here is to be respectful of people’s boundaries, and to always ask permission when trying to create a connection. But this conversation illustrates that this is work, it takes effort. And that this effort can be worth it.

Step #5: Sustain These Relationships

Keeping relationships is work as well, and I encourage you to attend this. Maintain the relationships you establish. We can view this from a number of angles. The first is that it helps others feel appreciated and cared for. It also can help sustain your own mental health by filling your life with people who care about you and your work.

Some writers are fine with sharing when there is a specific reason to, such as a book launch, but then get sheepish in sustaining those connections. They justify, “Oh, I was so active engaging with people during my last book launch, I don’t want to bug them. I’ll reach out again in a year or two when I have more info about my next book.”

The problem here? Only showing up in someone’s life when they need something, or have “big news.” I encourage you to focus on sustaining the relationships that matter to you.

Get busy attending to your friendships. How can you do that? Take one tiny action: a text message, email, phone call, or a letter.

But if that feels too ordinary, why not randomly send a friend a vintage Beanie Baby? Who would not want to get Twitterbug in the mail? Or Wise the owl, or Hoppity the rabbit? eBay has thousands of options:

(I worked at a toy store in New York City at the height of the Beanie Baby craze, and it clearly left an impact on me!)

One of the most precious aspects of our lives and your career as a writer is the relationships you form. Don’t put this on autopilot, don’t wait for a chance encounter when you bump into someone, and don’t make others do the work. Be intentional about creating and maintaining professional relationships and friendships.

Please let me know in the comments: what are the challenges you face in seeking out and maintaining connections with others? What has worked for you in the past?

Reminder: get my exclusive posts each Tuesday for paid subscribers.

Thank you for being here with me.
-Dan

Continuing with my “Joy & Connection Marketing Plan” series this fall, my posts this month are all about connecting with your ideal reader. So often, when we talk about the concept of having a platform as a writer, people default to the concept of:

1. Platform equals being present on social media, exclusively.
2. You measure your platform by how many followers you have. Period.

Neither of these things are true, yet social media often does play some role in how one connects with their ideal readers. So today let’s talk head-on about the state of social media for writers.

Each Tuesday this month I’m sharing an exclusive post on this topic for my paid subscribers. To receive this and gain access to my private community here on Substack, join us here.

Let’s dig in!

As a Writer, Do You Need to Use Social Media? Nope.

A question I commonly see revisited online is whether a writer needs to develop an online platform. Sometimes this is framed around certain contexts, such as “Do you need an online platform as a NOVELIST?” or “Do you need an online platform as a DEBUT AUTHOR?” or “Do you need an online platform as a YA AUTHOR?”

I want to reframe this question with some that I feel addresses practical aspects that relate to one’s goal as a writer, such as:

• “How will people know about me and my book?” Of course, change this as needed: how will people know about your Substack, or art opening, or prints for sale, etc.
• “When someone becomes aware of my work and is a little bit interested, wanting to dig deeper, how will they do that? What will they find?” This has us considering if they will type your name into Google, and what comes up in those search results. Or what questions a mildly interested reader may have, what objections they have to pursuing your work further, and what would get them even more interested. Personally, I like when I can find a long bio about a writer or creator I’m curious about, or see photos or videos they share. It gives me a lot of context about not just what they create, but why. Is that a requirement? Of course not, but these are the things that tend to increase my engagement with a creator I just discovered.
• “How can someone stay connected with my work if they are interested?” So let’s say a potential reader see someone mention your book, but they aren’t ready to buy it yet. How can they stay connected with your work, remember it, and perhaps even grow more interested in it? This is indeed where following you on social media or subscribing to your newsletter becomes a way that they can stay in your orbit.
• “I hope to have a sustainable career as a writer over time. My first book comes out next year, and my follow-up two years after that. How can I build upon success, and not lose the readers I gain in the time in between?” This question is related to someone who works across genres or creative work, such as a writer who is also a painter, or a poet who also has a memoir. It’s difficult to gain readers and forge a community around your creative work. To help support what you create in the future, you may want to maintain these connections in some way, and yes, that may include social media.
• “I’m not an insider, and have no access to influencers. I plan to self-publish. How can I possibly begin growing a readership all on my own?” Again, this is where being active on social media provides opportunities to reach and engage people with the themes you love writing about.

These questions then help answer the question, “Do I need an online platform as a writer or creator?” Because it has us considering if you can give readers a way into your work without it. Do you need to be on social media? No. Could it possibly help you reach your goals? Yes.

Can You Promote Your Work Without Social Media? Yes!

Likewise, can we flip this question: “What would my potential and options look like as a writer without using social media or having an online platform?” Here, I always like to go back to a story that author Thomas Greanias told me years ago when he described becoming a bestseller earlier in his career. This story is from 2005, before social media was really a thing in our culture. An ebook he had published was coming out as a physical book for the first time (2 years after the ebook), and he was waiting for publication day. He decided to stop by a local bookstore just to see where the book would appear on the shelf:

“I’m looking in the stacks there and I’m thinking, oh, it’s gonna be… oh, it’s here near Grisham, that’s good. People will look for Grisham, maybe they’ll find me. I was just scanning, saying my book will end up right around here [on the shelf], and there it was a single copy [of my book] spine out!”

Exciting, right? Well, this was Tom’s next thought:

“I thought, nobody on the planet is ever going to find this book.”

What he did next was to take a step to be social, and gain some valuable information in the process:

“I took [my book] to the front [and asked] the manager… do you have any in the back? She said, ‘No, but if you buy this copy, I’ll have to reorder.’ I asked how many will you have to reorder? She said, ‘Oh, about five.’”

Of course, he bought it. Then he signed it and gave it to her as a gift. This is when the big discovery happened:

“That’s when she said, ‘If you come back, you can you sign those five, and we can put them up front.’ Suddenly, I’m looking for every bookstore in California and I’m thinking, I have to go here, sign copies so they put them up front.”

“I started drawing the maps and thankfully the freeway system in California is such that you could hit all these big box stores, just doing a huge loop around the state. I literally went from San Diego to San Francisco and around the Bay Area back down, and I had to wait till they had some copies, but I would sign them.”

“The book was then taking off and I actually ended up getting a call for my agent saying, ‘What do what are you doing?’ I said, what do you mean? He said, “The velocity of sales is really incredible. And the sales team wants to know what you’re doing. Are you buying big blocks of books?’ I said, no, I’m just going to stores and signing them. They’re letting me sign them and then they put them up front and they’re selling. If you put it in front of their face, they’re gonna buy it.”

Tom and I talked a lot about the importance of being ‘on the ground’ in his words, of really being present in the places where books are sold in order to understand the nuances of the process.

Will that same strategy work today? Probably not, a lot has changed, which Tom admitted when we spoke. But the story is meant to illustrate that there is so much information and opportunity out there, but it takes effort to find it.

Do You Need 10,000 Followers?

This comes up often, writers hearing that agents or publishers requires them to have 10,000 followers on social media before they will sign with them. But I don’t think that number is really useful. Instead I consider what any partner in the publishing process might be interested in:

Knowing that the author will be a good partner in trying to bring this book to market.
Knowing the author has developed meaningful connections with those who may appreciate the book.
Knowing the author is finding opportunities to put this book in front of buyers in a meaningful way.
You may be thinking, “But the author writers the book! Isn’t that enough?” And the honest answer is: sure. However, there is a business side to all of this that is filled with risk. Agents and publishers aren’t just magical fairies selecting the cutest mushrooms in the forest. They are business partners who truly love books, but also want to ensure their work is sustainable. So they hope to ensure that the books they select will sell, will reach readers, will have a positive impact on the world. Their resources of time, energy, money, and access are finite. So if you come to the table with additional ways to help this book reach readers, that might be interesting to them.

Your platform could be part of a much more complicated calculation for each agent or publisher. It’s reasonable to think that it could matter to them. Again, your platform is not how many followers you have, but instead illustrating that you can clearly communicate with your ideal readers, and develop a meaningful sense of trust with them to where they may support your book and spread the word.

Choosing Which Social Media to Be Active On

Which social media should you invest your time in? That is more difficult to say today than it used to be, because they each keep changing so much. Sometimes what I consider is not the importance of where you show up, but why and how.

Where might your ideal readers be? Where are other writers or creators in your field showing up? Have you spoken to them about their recent experiences with social media? You may want to ask, I’ll bet they have valuable advice to share. Where are the communities of people who care and share about the kinds of themes you write about, or genres/topics you publish in?

It’s also important to consider what each network is today, rather than our perception of what they used to be. For instance, there are plenty of people who view Instagram from a 2018 lens: occasionally posting a photo to the primary feed of square images, ignoring how much Reels have overtaken the platform, and not venturing into Stories either. Ignoring Reels and Stories is ignoring most of what Instagram is today.

This is why I focus on the word craft so much, and on the idea of human connection. Let’s review some of the more prominent social channels at the moment:

• Instagram: I still like Instagram because it encourages you to share images & videos from your real life. However, many who successfully developed a platform there feel burned by it. What was once a feed of square images now prefers you share vertical videos. They have also tweaked their algorithm again and again to the point where many creators feel that their actual followers rarely see what they post. Has Instagram changed? Yep. To me though, it encourages a conversation of what we can realistically expect from a social network.
• TikTok: Is it a weird algorithmic, potentially toxic social network? Maybe. Is also there a thriving community of readers who love talking about books here? Yep. If you are apprehensive about video, unfamiliar with how TikTok works, you may learn a lot simply by observing it for a few months. Download the app, do some basic searches about books, follow a few people, then just observe. Take notes on what you learn.
• Facebook: There is nowhere else that I connect with the kid I sat next to in 3rd grade, a cousin I haven’t spoken with in awhile, that colleague from a job 16 years ago, my favorite writers today, and where I discover new people with similar hobbies as me. Because of this, and its powerful advertising engine, it remains a social network where people stay connected.
• LinkedIn: is a surprisingly durable social network. Many people forget about it, and perhaps even find it a bit dull. But, it is a thriving network, and can help you reach others in truly meaningful ways. Don’t overlook it.
• X/Twitter: no comment.
• Threads: I still see people trying to make this a viable alternative to Twitter, Instagram, and other social networks that they feel disenfranchised with. Its integration with the Facebook and Instagram network is a bonus because it can extend the reach of Threads posts.
• Bluesky, Mastodon, and a bunch of other newer networks I signed up for, but now forget the names of: I genuinely hope they succeed. I’m glad people are building them and users are there. But I haven’t seen any of them reach critical mass yet. That could work in your favor, because some of these may help you reach your exact readers. This is why it is important to talk to your ideal readers, other authors, and influences in the communities your work will resonate with.
• Substack: You know I’m a fan, I’ll talk more about Substack later this month.

Do you have to be on any of these platforms, actively posting? No. However, there is value in being literate about the marketplace around books, writing, and ideas, and how that happens on different social media.

Algorithms Are Changing Social Media

Algorithms seem to play a bigger and more nuanced role in what we see on social media. Sometimes writers find this to be negative, because it is harder to have their posts seen by followers. Other times this may be positive, surfacing the kinds of content and people that you deeply resonate with.

What I tend to look for is how emotions play a big role here. So much of what is recommended to me on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, etc — tend to have an emotional thrust to them. It focuses on someone’s backstory, or the importance of a topic. For instance, I’ll see something in my feed such as:

“I’m crying. I started here a week ago with 6 people reading my work. Now there are 100 of you. Thank you, you have made my childhood dreams come true. I write about _______, and it fills my heart with joy that 100 of you out there care about this too.”

As writers and creators, this can benefit you — sharing your posts with those who you don’t know, but are passionate about the same things you are. How can you encourage this to happen? It’s the same stuff I always talk about: clear communication and shared trust:

Clear Communication: Not doing vague posts. Instead consistently give people a way in to your work as if they just discovered you. Be clear about not just what themes you explore, but why.
Shared Trust: make your backstory and process feel personal. A real person showing up because they deeply care. When others engage with you, reciprocate. That doesn’t mean you have to follow them — instead, simply say ‘thank you’ when they comment.

Focus on Skills Not Channels

How do you approach this? Skills and relationships are transferable across channels, so focus on developing those. What might this include? A partial list:

• How to be nice online. (Yes, this is a skill to develop.)
• As I’ve already mentioned: clear communication about what you create and why. This takes time!
• How to share frequently in a way that feels meaningful and fulfilling.
• How to use video, images, and text. These are formats that aren’t going away anytime soon, why not get better at using each?
• Reach out and forge 1:1 professional connections to people who inspire you. Learning how to do that well is a craft.
• Dig deeper: look beyond doing the absolute minimum. Consider how to fully show up in whatever channel you choose to participate in. The other day I was reading an article about a PhD student who discovered a lost Mayan city in Mexico, simply by using online maps. When asked how he did this, he said: “I was on something like page 16 of Google search and found a laser survey done by a Mexican organisation for environmental monitoring.” What made me smile is how being on “page 16 of Google search” was meant to sound as if he had entered a a level of research that few dare to venture to.

Please let me know in the comments: how do you feel about social media at the moment?

Thank you for being here with me.
-Dan