In a world of "followers," I encourage you to collaborate

If you feel overwhelmed and lost as a writer, the answer is human connection

In 2010, I took a huge risk. Just as my wife and I were about to have our first child, I started this little company with the goal of working with writers. Here we were on the precipice of the unknown, kind of excited, kind of terrified. My job of 10 years was ending, and my wife was about to leave her tenured job as an art teacher. Everything we knew of “safe” and “stable” from a financial standpoint was being thrown into flux.

But it just felt right. To double down on what it means to be together, and to focus on what we love. I’m so thankful that we made that leap.

In 2012, I offered my first mastermind group for writers. I had been in private masterminds, and was amazed at how a collaboration with a small group of other creators made all of my goals feel more accessible. It’s the thing that can feel so rare in our lives: not just being a “follower,” but instead finding true collaboration. To find accountability and mentorship, to see behind-the-scenes of how others truly get things done, and to focus on specific goals that were meaningful.

This process addressed the strategies and tactics that work, but it also went deeper, highlighting the mental and emotional rollercoaster that is endemic to creative work. It helped manage decision-making and overwhelm, and taught me how to celebrate moments of success, as well as lessons learned.

Nowadays, my time is spent talking with writers and creators, and when they describe their process of learning the craft of sharing their work, and engaging their ideal readers, they describe challenges such as:

• Pressure to “keep up” with constantly changing trends, places, and expectations.

• A constant flip-flop between trying to fit in (so you get the validation that you are doing things right), while concurrently trying to stand out (,so that people see your work as unique and special.)

• Overwhelm at all the information, ideas, advice coming at you on a daily basis.

• Frustration that you are making an effort, but it doesn’t seem to pay off. You know you care, you know you are smart, but it often feels like you are coming up a day late and a penny short when it comes to reaching your readers.

• Exhaustion of walking the social media balance beam. You want to feel a part of things by being involved, but also terrified of saying the wrong thing and having everyone pounce on that. You may also be feeling that you “know” people, but don’t really know them. In the end, it feels isolating.

(Reading this list, it feels eerily similar to my high school experience in the late 1980s!)

So what is the missing piece here? In my opinion, it is establishing small, trusted collaborations. Where you have people you can ask honest questions to, who can help you stay accountable, who are open about how they navigate their own process, and who can be there to celebrate the little wins, and be there with you at the little losses.

To me, this changes everything, which is why it has always been central to how I work. Whenever I speak with an established writer, I nearly always hear about their own collaborations: the trusted partners they text with, the small groups they meet with, or the team they have developed around themselves. Do they write alone? Yep. Do they experience the rest of their lives as a writer alone? No way.

These kinds of collaborations are a skill that you develop. For years, I ran a mastermind group for writers and creators called the Creative Shift Mastermind. I took a hiatus from it in January 2020 and resurrected it this year. I brought two groups of writer through it recently — here is what some of them have said:

“Taking part in the Creative Shift Mastermind has been transformational in helping me understand the shape of my barriers to sharing my writing. I have taken several big steps forward with sharing my work.” – Dr. Paul Chadwick

“The Creative Shift Mastermind was one of the most exciting programs I have taken." – Judith Davidson, Ph.D.

"The Creative Shift Mastermind fundamentally shifted the way the way I see myself, my writing, and what it means live a creative life." – James Teitsworth

“Dan dispelled many myths about the creative process and practice. It was a mind and heart altering experience!" – Pavlina Gatikova

I’m excited to be opening the doors to the mastermind, inviting you in. Here are the basics:

What: Join the Creative Shift Mastermind! Finally feel good about sharing your writing, books, and creative work. Mentorship and accountability to help you reach your ideal readers in a way that feels authentic, meaningful, and effective.

When: We begin on September 2, 2025.

Where: In our private online community run on Mighty Networks. It is simple to participate, and you have 24/7 access. We also have weekly celebration calls each Friday at 1pm ET on Zoom to share what we have achieved, stay accountable, and celebrate what we have learned. If you can’t make these calls, don’t worry, they are recorded and made available for you to watch when you can.

Who: Me, you, and a small group of 20 (or so) writers and creators.

Price: $500 per month, with a minimum of a three month commitment.

Full details and registration here.

Running the sessions this year have had me considering how I can double down on the mastermind and have it offer even more. Of course the primary focus is to help you make big progress with your own goals. But I also want to encourage you to develop meaningful professional colleagues and connections, because I feel that is essential too. This means I will be putting a greater focus on helping you with goal setting and accountability each week. I’m also adding weekly calls via Zoom. These are a fun bonus, a way for us to informally come together and meet, celebrate wins, share lessons and progress.

I’m going to be really honest here: it always feels scary to offer something and hope people respond. Yes, I can look back on 15 years of doing this work full-time, of spending a quarter century working with writers, of helping thousands of writers learn the craft of sharing.

But in this moment is that gap between hope and reality. If you are curious, please check out how the Creative Shift Mastermind works and what it offers. If it feels right, consider joining! This is me, here in my studio, in that amazing (and terrifying) moment of anticipation:

As always, thank you for being here with me.
-Dan

Kids of the Week: summer fun (video):

Our 8 year old organized his room, and I love how much paper factors into his life: