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Be the Gateway: A Practical Guide to Sharing Your Creative Work and Engaging an Audience Paperback – March 7, 2017

by Dan Blank (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 163 ratings
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Many people feel the drive to do creative work, but get overwhelmed by the process of connecting with an audience. They follow best practices in marketing that never seem to pan out, don t produce results, and make them feel lost and oftentimes, frustrated. Be the Gateway offers a powerful way to have an impact. If you want to share your voice and inspire people with your writing, art, craft, or creative idea, you have to be the gateway for them. Instead of throwing products out into the marketplace, you open them up to a new way of looking at the world, of knowing themselves, and connecting with others. You unlock new experiences for them -- not just through what you create, but through the unique way in which you share it with the world. Too often we think about the creative process as being separate from the marketing process. Instead, view them as the same. Replace the inclination to promote with the desire to share and engage. How and why you create is a story -- and is the best asset you can use to truly engage people. Be the Gateway shows you how to use that gift with joy and confidence.
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  1. Print length
    178 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    March 7, 2017
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.41 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0998645214
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0998645216
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dan Blank is the founder of WeGrowMedia, where he helps writers and creative professionals share their stories and grow their audience.

He has worked with hundreds of individuals and amazing organizations who support creative people, such as Random House, Hachette Book Group, Sesame Workshop, Workman Publishing, J. Walter Thompson, Abrams Books, Writers House, The Kenyon Review, Writer's Digest, Library Journal, and many others.

Dan's work has been featured by Poets & Writers magazine, the National Endowment for the Arts, Compose Journal, Professional Artist magazine, and 99u.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ WeGrowMedia (March 7, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 178 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0998645214
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0998645216
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.41 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 163 ratings

About the author

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Dan Blank

Dan Blank

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Dan Blank is the founder of WeGrowMedia, where he helps writers and creative professionals share their stories and grow their audience through Mastermind groups and private consulting.

He has worked with hundreds of individuals and amazing organizations who support creative people, such as Random House, Hachette Book Group, Sesame Workshop, Workman Publishing, J. Walter Thompson, Abrams Books, Writers House, The Kenyon Review, Writer's Digest, Library Journal, and many others.

Dan's work has been featured by Poets & Writers magazine, the National Endowment for the Arts, Professional Artist magazine, and 99u.You can find Dan on his blog at http://wegrowmedia.com or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DanBlank.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
163 global ratings
A New Way for Authors and Other Creatives to Think About Marketing
5 Stars
A New Way for Authors and Other Creatives to Think About Marketing
I've taken a few online classes with Dan Blank over the many years I've followed him. I've always appreciated his experience, advice, kindness, and generosity. My long-time dream—publishing a novel for middle grade readers—is coming true this Fall (2022). Books have been a lifeline for me, and my goal as a writer has always been to pay it forward and connect with young people. But how? It feels terrifying!Dan's book encouraged me to take a breath. This wasn't a surprise. I once took a class with him about setting creative priorities and managing feelings of overwhelm. I knew his book would offer a great starting point and help me approach this process in a way that's joyful and fulfilling or, at least, doesn't trigger a panic attack!This isn't a guide about going viral. Dan admits that up front. The secret he shares is that "marketing" isn't about the creator at all—it's about how the creative work you do can inspire and help one specific person.I appreciated Dan's specific advice for crafting a narrative about my work in a way that aligns with what might be most engaging and helpful to my potential readers. He offers excellent advice about how to conduct deep research so that you can learn more about your potential audience—who they are, what they want and need, and where to find them. He talks about the importance of getting support—I couldn't agree more—and how to build that critical piece. I agree with Dan that this isn't a "zero-sum" game; when we lift each other up, we all benefit. Dan's book is a refreshing take that focuses on creating experiences rather than "products," on connecting rather than selling.
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Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Such an insightful book!
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2024
Verified Purchase
I'm a big fan of Dan Blank's work--his writings on Substack, podcast, and now this book too. The advice in the book is so insightful, thoughtful, and it felt really manageable too. It's not your normal type of marketing book--it puts the emotions and your mental health above all else. I'm excited to start implementing a lot of the suggestions, but more than that his reframing of sharing your work as a craft and a way to connect with individuals.
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Kellye Crocker
5.0 out of 5 stars A New Way for Authors and Other Creatives to Think About Marketing
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2022
Verified Purchase
I've taken a few online classes with Dan Blank over the many years I've followed him. I've always appreciated his experience, advice, kindness, and generosity. My long-time dream—publishing a novel for middle grade readers—is coming true this Fall (2022). Books have been a lifeline for me, and my goal as a writer has always been to pay it forward and connect with young people. But how? It feels terrifying!

Dan's book encouraged me to take a breath. This wasn't a surprise. I once took a class with him about setting creative priorities and managing feelings of overwhelm. I knew his book would offer a great starting point and help me approach this process in a way that's joyful and fulfilling or, at least, doesn't trigger a panic attack!

This isn't a guide about going viral. Dan admits that up front. The secret he shares is that "marketing" isn't about the creator at all—it's about how the creative work you do can inspire and help one specific person.

I appreciated Dan's specific advice for crafting a narrative about my work in a way that aligns with what might be most engaging and helpful to my potential readers. He offers excellent advice about how to conduct deep research so that you can learn more about your potential audience—who they are, what they want and need, and where to find them. He talks about the importance of getting support—I couldn't agree more—and how to build that critical piece. I agree with Dan that this isn't a "zero-sum" game; when we lift each other up, we all benefit. Dan's book is a refreshing take that focuses on creating experiences rather than "products," on connecting rather than selling.
Customer image
Kellye Crocker
5.0 out of 5 stars A New Way for Authors and Other Creatives to Think About Marketing
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2022
I've taken a few online classes with Dan Blank over the many years I've followed him. I've always appreciated his experience, advice, kindness, and generosity. My long-time dream—publishing a novel for middle grade readers—is coming true this Fall (2022). Books have been a lifeline for me, and my goal as a writer has always been to pay it forward and connect with young people. But how? It feels terrifying!

Dan's book encouraged me to take a breath. This wasn't a surprise. I once took a class with him about setting creative priorities and managing feelings of overwhelm. I knew his book would offer a great starting point and help me approach this process in a way that's joyful and fulfilling or, at least, doesn't trigger a panic attack!

This isn't a guide about going viral. Dan admits that up front. The secret he shares is that "marketing" isn't about the creator at all—it's about how the creative work you do can inspire and help one specific person.

I appreciated Dan's specific advice for crafting a narrative about my work in a way that aligns with what might be most engaging and helpful to my potential readers. He offers excellent advice about how to conduct deep research so that you can learn more about your potential audience—who they are, what they want and need, and where to find them. He talks about the importance of getting support—I couldn't agree more—and how to build that critical piece. I agree with Dan that this isn't a "zero-sum" game; when we lift each other up, we all benefit. Dan's book is a refreshing take that focuses on creating experiences rather than "products," on connecting rather than selling.
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4 people found this helpful
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LeafRiverWriter
5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing approach, one I love!
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2017
Verified Purchase
If you are a writer, artist, musician, crafter, filmmaker or photographer, how do you define success? Books may sell but not be read, paintings bought but not hung, music downloaded but not played. Is it the numbers alone that will make you feel successful?

Dan suggests we reframe success away from how our work performs in the marketplace…toward how it inspires others.

According to Dan, the creative life is a journey, a way of connecting to an audience and creating an experience with them. “Regardless of your creative medium, you are a storyteller, right?”

Reading Dan’s words cuts out all the clutter from internet blogs, and from well-intentioned marketing experts at conferences and workshops. This book has reconnected me to my core belief—that my work has meaning.

Dan believes, “Your audience lives by narratives. This is how they express their identity. They want a narrative that makes sense of the world. It is not just a reflection on the world, but their place within it. It justifies their decisions. It allays their fears. It motivates their hopes.”

So, if you are still on board, dive in. Dan will take your through the steps of creating and becoming a Gateway. He helps you define “what matters most to you across your entire life, not just in your creative work.” He shares his own stories and those of others to illustrate his unique perspective, then lays out exercises in each chapter for building the foundation we need, helping us focus and reexamine our beliefs and processes.

I’ve read through the book and now I will read it again, taking whatever time I need to redefine my creative life and connect to my ideal audience. I am so excited about this approach to consolidating my many creative efforts, that I hope to enroll in Dan’s next online Gateway Mastermind session at WeGrowMedia.com.

This book has changed my life. I suggest you give it a try, especially if you are feeling stuck or frustrated with the marketing of your creative works. You’ll find “Be the Gateway” has many unexpected possibilities for getting you unstuck. Dan will help you put some fun back into the hard work of connecting to your ideal audience.
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Top reviews from other countries

antonella
5.0 out of 5 stars Life Changing Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
Normally, books such as "Be the Gateway" wouldn't necessarily be considered "life changing."
For me, it is.
I have read it in one day, as I just could not put it down. Dan's words were pointing me towards something I have strategically chose to ignore. Call it self preservation or fear, this was in the way of my creative process, causing much anxiety and distraction from what I wish to share through my work. I am very grateful for such an inspiring book, as it offers plenty of very valuable nuggets of gold without ever sounding clichéd or fake. Highly recommended if you are a creator feeling stuck, unseen, and drained.
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Richard
5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Book that Can Reorient Thinking about Creative Work and Getting an Audience for It.
Reviewed in Canada on June 9, 2017
Verified Purchase
The road to fulfilling creative plans is usually full of challenges. Dan Blank's "Be the Gateway" helps creative people in various fields meet these challenges and thrive. The key to his approach is to understand who we are and the creative process and how to get public recognition for our work.
He addresses topics such as how to understand our personal narrative or story, how to write a bio, how to create a mission statement that will continue to inspire us,, how to overcome negativity, both from people around us and from ourselves, how to stay motivated, how to cope with disappointment if response to our work is less than we expected.
He deals with the last issue by emphasizing that we get off track if we focus on numbers alone. He writes that our goal shouldn't be data but a demonstrable impact our work has had on someone's life. He develops this insight at length and offers countervailing ideas to the ones that marketers usually put before us.
Dan Blank advises us not to look for short cuts,, to stick with basics, for which he gives specifics, and cultivate relationships with like-minded people -- our target audience. He provides excellent suggestions as to how to go about building an audience.
I'm grateful for this book. I've read it 2 1/2 times because it fills a need for me and intend to use it as my guide to finding readers for my work.
One person found this helpful
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Valerie Andrews
5.0 out of 5 stars unique perspective on marketing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2022
Verified Purchase
Similar to the concept of 'conscious marketing' this book suggests that the best gateway to a new product or service is the provider themselves. By sharing themselves, authentically, they are more likely to attract clients who will value their work. Can be tough for shy, private or introverted creatives to do this, but an essential part of putting your work out into the world. Highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to make it as a solopreneur.
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Elinor Florence
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a game-changer
Reviewed in Canada on October 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
I love the basic premise of Dan Blank’s message, that marketing a book is so much more than media coverage or awards or even reviews. It is about connecting with readers on a personal level. He calls this “human-centered marketing.”

I have tried to follow his advice by conducting in-person book signings; appearing at every book club that invites me, no matter how small; asking my newsletter subscribers to email or call me (my phone number is on my website); and even inviting them for coffee if it can be arranged. As a result I have not only sold more books but established some very warm friendships, which have honestly turned out to be more important than the sales.

I purchased this book in January 2019 and have read it several times, but realized I had never written this long-overdue review. I recommend this book to every author, especially those who are shy or diffident about their work. It is a game-changer.
One person found this helpful
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Web1design
5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific read! I found Dan's approach in this very ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2018
Verified Purchase
A terrific read! I found Dan's approach in this very helpful book to be really encouraging. He takes it back to the fundamentals, to the heart of what it is to be creative. And it is the 'heart'. We can get so caught up in trying to get an audience for our work, that our passion gets blunted and tarnished. Dan makes a strong case for the principle that the very thing that fueled you in the first place - the passion you have for your creative work - is something to be cherised and shared. To like-minded people out there it is a powerful and personal bridgebuilder. (next in series: 'Be the Bridge'...you can have that for free, Dan :-) )
The author is a great advocate for a people-centric not product-centric approach. (am just making up words now, will take my leave.)
Loads more I could say, but you'll have to just get on and read it! You won't stop saying, "wow, yes, of course!"
2 people found this helpful
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