Blog - WeGrowMedia

Writing and sharing is a risk worth taking (1/24/2020) - “My whole life is hanging on the tiniest spider web of one email.” That is what a writer said to me recently who was waiting to hear back from a literary agent. I thought that was an incredible way to describe the process of what it means to find success as a writer. To write. … Continue reading "Writing and sharing is a risk worth taking"
You Have to Risk it All: Inside the Harrowing Creative Shift of Jennie Nash (1/21/2020) - One of my favorite quotes is from Bono reflecting on the transition U2 made in their music from the 1980s to 1990s: “You have to reject one expression of the band first, before you get to the next expression. And in between you have nothing. You have to risk it all.” Today I share an … Continue reading "You Have to Risk it All: Inside the Harrowing Creative Shift of Jennie Nash"
No one knows what will work (1/17/2020) - How many times have you heard someone pitch you on a “can’t fail method to systematize your book sales.” Or your newsletter subscribers, social media followers, or something else. The components are always the same: “I’ve done it again and again.” “It’s a system that you follow step by step.” “The steps are surprisingly easy.” … Continue reading "No one knows what will work"
Social Media for Writers (1/14/2020) - Writers have felt an intense pressure over the past decade to jump into social media. I’ve worked with thousands of writers on this, so I understand why many are for it, many are against it, and most are stuck somewhere between the two. They are interested, but apprehensive. They ask, “Will it actually lead to … Continue reading "Social Media for Writers"
Social media doesn’t sell books, but… (1/10/2020) - Writers have felt an intense pressure over the past decade to jump into social media. I’ve worked with thousands of writers on this, so I understand why many are for it, many are against it, and most are stuck somewhere between the two. They are interested, but apprehensive of the time it will take, how … Continue reading "Social media doesn’t sell books, but…"
How a Major Career Shift Led to 8 Book Deals. My Interview with Illustrator & Author Aura Lewis (1/9/2020) - Today I’m excited to share my podcast interview with illustrator and author Aura Lewis. She shares her story of making a huge career shift to focus on the arts, how she developed her first book, got a book deal, and then in the last year signed deals for 6 additional books! You can listen to … Continue reading "How a Major Career Shift Led to 8 Book Deals. My Interview with Illustrator & Author Aura Lewis"
I’m making big changes this year (1/3/2020) - This year I am celebrating 10 years of running WeGrowMedia. Starting this company was a huge risk for me and my family. It was founded just as our first son was born, and I had left a corporate job that had a good salary and benefits. In many ways, it felt like a leap into … Continue reading "I’m making big changes this year"
Lessons From 10-Years of Running a Full-Time Creative Business (1/1/2020) - I’m celebrating 10 years of running my business, WeGrowMedia, full-time. In that decade, I have worked with thousands of writers and made space for creativity in my daily life. Today I want to reflect on what that decade has taught me, and how I am using that to set my goals for this year, and … Continue reading "Lessons From 10-Years of Running a Full-Time Creative Business"
Finding more time to write next year (12/27/2019) - Today I want to discuss how you can find more time to write and create next year. This is a topic I obsess about, so I want to dig right in… Challenge Your Own Assumptions I spend the last quarter of every “year going back to the well” — reconnecting with my creative vision and … Continue reading "Finding more time to write next year"
Why you should join a mastermind group (12/24/2019) - Today I review what I have learned in running a mastermind group for writers and artists for the past four years, and why you should consider joining one yourself. I also mention my Creative Shift Mastermind: https://wegrowmedia.com/mm. You can listen to the podcast by clicking ‘play’ below, or in the following places: iTunes Google Play … Continue reading "Why you should join a mastermind group"
Growing a Readership Without an “Online Author Platform” (12/20/2019) - A couple months back, I took this photo of myself here in the studio: I collect vintage things, and it was fun to setup my desk without a computer at the center of it. Present in the photo are many of the communication tools that someone would use to before the internet. It reminds me … Continue reading "Growing a Readership Without an “Online Author Platform”"
Going back to the well (12/16/2019) - I spend the last quarter of every year going back to the well. Back to my source of creative inspiration in order to find ways to better live my mission as a writer and creator. Today I take you inside my process for how I create specific plans for the next year. You can listen … Continue reading "Going back to the well"
Someone you should know: Jennie Nash (12/13/2019) - In my work with writers, I talk a lot about the power of focusing on one person. Why? Because the best marketing in sharing your writing and books is when you truly make a human-connection with someone. It has meaning, impact, and lasts beyond a transaction of a follow, subscribe, or purchase This is why … Continue reading "Someone you should know: Jennie Nash"
I don’t want to scale up, I want to scale down (12/6/2019) - Many writers feel lost in an ocean of resources that are meant to help them write more, and ensure their writing reaches readers. They are drowning in an endless amount of courses, webinars, podcasts, blog posts, books, and other resources that are meant to tell them what works. But I find that the one thing … Continue reading "I don’t want to scale up, I want to scale down"
How I found an extra hour a day to create (11/29/2019) - Today I want to share what I have learned from two years of spending every day investing in craft — a creative practice. I know that most of the people reading this are writers, so I will frame the lessons so they benefit you most! Show Up to Your Craft I always feel that good … Continue reading "How I found an extra hour a day to create"
What Makes a Great Author Website (11/22/2019) - Today I want to share five tips on what makes a great author website. My advice applies to both first-time authors on the road to publishing their first book, as well as seasoned pros who have multiple books already in readers’ hands. Let’s dig in… Own Your Platform Why even create your own website? To … Continue reading "What Makes a Great Author Website"
Truly seeing writers (and readers) (11/15/2019) - Heads up: My 4-week program (with a break for holidays!) Launch (or Improve) Your Author Website begins November 25th. Start the new year with a website you love! Details and registration here. Writer Teri Case sent me this photo recently: She said this: “I had my first book event in Washington DC and guess who … Continue reading "Truly seeing writers (and readers)"
How I’m redesigning my website (11/8/2019) - The last quarter of the year is an introspective time for me. From October 1 through January 1 I go through a deep dive into honing my mission, spending more time creating, and developing a strategy for 2020. I’ve done this for years, it is actually the entire reason I started my Creative Shift Mastermind, … Continue reading "How I’m redesigning my website"
Is blogging dead? (11/1/2019) - Earlier this year Elise Blaha Cripe was asked on Instagram: “Is blogging dead? I want to start blogging again, but keep being told blogging is dead.” Her reply: “100% no. In fact, I think the more Instagram screws with the algorithm, the more ALIVE blogging will become. So expect it to be very alive in … Continue reading "Is blogging dead?"
How sending a newsletter to 9 people launched my career (10/25/2019) - So many writers and artists I speak to strive to do their work full-time — to be able to spend their days on their craft and developing an audience around it. I was considering the moment when everything changed for me… when it became possible for me to work full-time on my own, to spend … Continue reading "How sending a newsletter to 9 people launched my career"
The most effective marketing is old-fashioned (10/18/2019) - I’ve been thinking a lot about the tools that writers have to connect with readers. On any given day, how are you able to connect with people who may love your books and writing? This past weekend I picked up a vintage radio. It was made in 1931 and is powered by vacuum tubes. In … Continue reading "The most effective marketing is old-fashioned"
The Introvert’s Guide to Book Marketing and Author Platform (10/15/2019) - Today I reflect on marketing practices that I feel are not only highly effective, but well suited to introverts. With so much of the work I do with writers, I find that people are apprehensive to “put themselves out there.” Today I try to make the entire process more approachable, and dare I say, fulfilling. … Continue reading "The Introvert’s Guide to Book Marketing and Author Platform"
Your Writing is a Gift (10/11/2019) - I recently traveled into New York City to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They had an exhibit of famous rock guitars and instruments that I was excited to see. Something about the experience was surprising to me. It was a great reminder that your writing and art is a gift to the world. Let me … Continue reading "Your Writing is a Gift"
Why Human-Centered Marketing Works (10/4/2019) - I’ve used this phrase a lot in the past year: “human-centered marketing.” To me, this is the type of marketing that truly works. The kind that moves books. That creates a career for a writer. That develops a sense of fulfillment in the process. Today I want to talk about what human-centered marketing is, and … Continue reading "Why Human-Centered Marketing Works"
Quitting Your Day Job for Your Creative Work, with Brian Sherrill (10/2/2019) - Brian Sherrill was miserable in his day job, and one day, he sat down and listed out all of the things he enjoyed in life. On that list was his love of playing guitar and mandolin, and of social media and the internet. In this conversation, Brian and I talk about how he got from … Continue reading "Quitting Your Day Job for Your Creative Work, with Brian Sherrill"
Good marketing starts with empathy (9/27/2019) - All good marketing starts with empathy. Empathy for the individual people you hope to reach, what they struggle with, what they hope for. But I think there is also an internal empathy that is needed, which we talk about much less. An understanding of why you create. And what gets in the way. Too many … Continue reading "Good marketing starts with empathy"
“Writing a book seems magical.” My Interview with Elise Blaha Cripe (9/26/2019) - Two years ago, I first interviewed Elise Blaha Cripe about how she developed her career as a creative professional. Someone who spends every day creating, shares her process with her tens of thousands of followers, and who has developed her own products. Her new book is about to be published, Big Dreams, Daily Joys: A … Continue reading "“Writing a book seems magical.” My Interview with Elise Blaha Cripe"
“This book launch, I’m going out there as my full self.” My interview with Kelly McGonigal (9/19/2019) - Today, psychologist and author Kelly McGonigal is going to share with you a radically different vision of what it means for an author to connect with readers and prepare for a book launch. Her new book, The Joy of Movement, comes out in December, and she shares specifics on what she is doing and why. … Continue reading "“This book launch, I’m going out there as my full self.” My interview with Kelly McGonigal"
Getting unstuck in your writing habits (9/13/2019) - Today I want to talk about what it really takes to get unstuck with your writing. I’ll dig into the reality of what you need to do in order to establish a writing habit that doesn’t only get words on the page, but provides a creative transformation in your life. If that sounds big, that’s … Continue reading "Getting unstuck in your writing habits"
Choosing Your Own Path as a Writer, My Interview with Jennifer Louden (9/12/2019) - Bestselling author Jennifer Louden is about to upend your idea of what success as a writer looks like. She’s been a bestseller, she’s been on Oprah, and she’s been a successful author for more than 25 years. But the wisdom she picked up along the way will surprise you. We dig into topics of book … Continue reading "Choosing Your Own Path as a Writer, My Interview with Jennifer Louden"
Let’s Talk About Creative Clarity (9/5/2019) - All I do all day is talk to writers and creators about what to create, how to get it done, and how to connect it with people who care. Today I want to discuss the essential first ingredient: creative clarity. I’ll share some resources for how to instill your process with radical clarity. You can … Continue reading "Let’s Talk About Creative Clarity"
Creative renewal (8/30/2019) - For many people, this is the last week of summer before school begins. I always find that this is a quiet week, one where I consider the idea of creative renewal. When you are a kid, September is the “start again” period. As an adult it is just another month of routines. Today I want … Continue reading "Creative renewal"
The best marketing begins with creating (8/23/2019) - I was watching a guitar tutorial on YouTube the other day and saw this comment: Too often, people dream of creating, but don’t. When I hear of someone picking up a new craft at age 74, I feel inspired. It is a reminder that every day, we each have the choice to create. Last week … Continue reading "The best marketing begins with creating"
Human-Centered Book Marketing Strategies & Tactics: My Interview With Jessica Lahey (8/15/2019) - What happens when a celebrity with 11 million followers tells them all that she loves your book? Today, author Jessica Lahey and I discuss that exact situation, and dig deep into the tactics and strategies of book marketing. Some highlights of our conversation: The specific things Jess did (and didn’t) do in the days after … Continue reading "Human-Centered Book Marketing Strategies & Tactics: My Interview With Jessica Lahey"
We Are Stories (8/9/2019) - Today I want to talk about the small moments of our lives, and how these moments add up to the stories of who we are, what we create, and the impact we have on others. In the work I do, I speak to writers all the time about how they can share their writing, and … Continue reading "We Are Stories"
Craft, and the promise of what we can create (8/2/2019) - This past week, my family and I vacationed in Mystic, Connecticut. Like so many old adorable towns throughout the US, Mystic embodies a sense of history that allows us to appreciate older crafts that have since succumbed to technology. Literally across the street from the house we rented was a full-scale replica of the Mayflower … Continue reading "Craft, and the promise of what we can create"
Take back your creative attention (7/26/2019) - Recently I was talking with a writing client about how a specific feature of Facebook works. At one point I said, “I don’t have Facebook on my phone, I’ll look at it when I get back in front of a computer.” She stopped and deadpanned, “You are a media specialist, and you don’t have Facebook … Continue reading "Take back your creative attention"
Case Study: How One Writer Grew an Engaged Social Media Following (7/19/2019) - Writer Alison Taylor-Brown just reached the milestone of having 6,000 followers on Facebook. This, in and of itself is not a big deal though. I have seen many people amass a big following, but one that is not engaged. Again and again I will see someone with 10,000 followers or 20,000 followers on Facebook, but … Continue reading "Case Study: How One Writer Grew an Engaged Social Media Following"
How Boston’s GrubStreet Went From Teaching 8 Writers Per Year, to 6,000+, with Eve Bridburg (7/17/2019) - Each year, Boston’s GrubStreet offers more than 600 courses and programs for writers. They began in 1997 with 8 students, and today, they serve more than 6,000 writers per year. In this episode, I talk to GrubStreet Founder and Executive Director Eve Bridburg. We dig into how she and the GrubStreet team make decisions, take risks, … Continue reading "How Boston’s GrubStreet Went From Teaching 8 Writers Per Year, to 6,000+, with Eve Bridburg"
The Truth About Book Launches (7/12/2019) - I’ve been a part of hundreds of book launches with authors over the past decade. Today I want to talk about some of the things that are rarely discussed publicly about about the reality of book launches. These are the uncomfortable truths that many writers are surprised to discover when they are going through their … Continue reading "The Truth About Book Launches"
A Book Launch Case Study, with Author Audrey Monke (7/10/2019) - Earlier this year, author Audrey Monke and I talked about her plans for her upcoming book launch. I knew that she had been preparing for it for months — even years — ahead of time. But I waited to have her on the podcast, because I didn’t just want to discuss what she was planning, … Continue reading "A Book Launch Case Study, with Author Audrey Monke"
Taking creative risks (7/5/2019) - Nine years ago, I took a huge creative risk. The corporate job I had for a decade ended, and I didn’t look for another one. Instead, I started my own company. The only problem? I wasn’t quite sure what it would be. What I would do. How I would really earn a living with it. … Continue reading "Taking creative risks"
How to make serious progress on your creative goals (6/28/2019) - Yesterday I received a surprising email. It was from someone who I worked with in my mastermind group earlier this year, Karen Lock Kolp. We hadn’t spoken in a couple months, and she wanted to give me an update on the progress she has been making on her creative goals. But it wasn’t just an … Continue reading "How to make serious progress on your creative goals"
“You have to be willing to begin again”, My Interview with Literary Agent Lori Kilkelly (6/25/2019) - In this episode of The Creative Shift Podcast, I talk with literary agent Lori Kilkelly about two creative shifts that she made in her career. The first is when she left a successful career in advertising and sales pursue a career in publishing, starting as an intern. The next one is more recent, the launch of … Continue reading "“You have to be willing to begin again”, My Interview with Literary Agent Lori Kilkelly"
Give yourself permission to create (6/21/2019) - All day I talk to writers and creators, digging into how they can create the work they love, share it in a meaningful way, and truly reach people and have an impact on them. Today, I want to share three core skills that I encourage writers to consider to reach these goals: Give yourself permission … Continue reading "Give yourself permission to create"
Getting Out of a Creative Rut (6/19/2019) - Today I want to share my process for getting out of a creative rut. So many writers and creators I speak with struggle to develop the habits they need to feel fulfilled in what they create, I wanted to share my way of staying on track. In this episode I also mention my next Creative … Continue reading "Getting Out of a Creative Rut"
A 90-Day Plan to Reach Your Creative Goals (6/14/2019) - Heads up: I’m hiring! If you know of anyone who likes graphic design and social media, please have them check out this part-time position. They can work from wherever they live. Details here. This week, two different writers told me that they wish they had found me 10 years ago. They have been digging into … Continue reading "A 90-Day Plan to Reach Your Creative Goals"
I Opened the Doors to the Next Session of The Creative Shift Mastermind (6/11/2019) - For the past three years, I have woken up every day and engaged directly with a small group of writers and creators in my private mastermind group. We dig deep into establishing rock-solid creative habits, defining our creative identity, and getting radically clear on creative priorities. These are some of the amazing people I have … Continue reading "I Opened the Doors to the Next Session of The Creative Shift Mastermind"
I’m hiring! Come work with me. (6/9/2019) - All day every day for the past 9 years, I have been working with writers and artists to grow their platforms and ensure that their creative work has an impact. If you are inspired by writers and artists, if you have a graphic design background, if you love social media and content strategy, then I … Continue reading "I’m hiring! Come work with me."
I Helped a Writer Create Her Podcast (with a 30-Episode First Season) (5/31/2019) - One of my clients just wrapped up the first season of her podcast that I helped her launch. She’s a psychologist who tends to specialize in helping people through trauma, and she is writing a book about how to overcome whatever holds you back. Her work is inspiring. The first season of her podcast, called … Continue reading "I Helped a Writer Create Her Podcast (with a 30-Episode First Season)"