Vision, Goals, and Intentions

We’ll start our journey by defining your creative vision and setting clear, actionable goals. We'll explore your motivations, identify challenges, and craft a personal mission statement to guide you through the course.

Creative Blocks and Rituals

Moving on, we’ll focus on establishing daily habits and practices that help you connect deeply with your creative energy and sustain momentum. We’ll discuss overcoming common creative barriers like imposter syndrome and procrastination. 

Aligning Purpose with Action

Let’s dive into the deeper purpose behind your work, exploring your personal narrative and creative "why." You’ll focus on clarifying your message and creating work that is purpose-driven, authentic, and sets you apart in a crowded playing field.

BONUS CALL: Book proposals and the publishing journey

Unpack exactly what makes a book proposal sell to a top publisher, see a handful of book proposals that successfully sold, and take a guided journey into the often opaque world of book publishing. Get all of your questions answered: do you need a fully designed book proposal, what is the job of an agent, how do you find the right agent for your book concept, what is the role of an editor and publishing house, how important is platform and audience for a new author, and more.

Building Community and Collaborating

This month focuses on developing the skills and scaffolding to share your creative work with the world. Whether you’re hosting events, teaching workshops, or sharing content online, building authentic relationships is key to growing your platform. We’ll explore strategies for connecting with your audience in both virtual and physical spaces, from Instagram to in-person events. You’ll also learn the value of collaboration over competition, genuine networking, and how to find partners who share your vision.

Authentic Marketing: Telling Your Story with Impact

Marketing doesn’t have to feel forced or cringe. We’ll focus on authentic storytelling and how to communicate your work’s value in a way that resonates with your ideal audience. From developing your voice to creating content that engages your community, you’ll learn how to market yourself without losing the essence of your creativity.

Crafting Your Professional Identity

How do you craft a cohesive online presence through your website, branding and design? You'll learn when and where it’s worth investing in professional help and how to create a site that truly reflects your creative identity.

Pitch Perfect

This month focuses on developing the skills and strategies to share your creative work with the world. We’ll explore different avenues including the book publishing world, submitting to publications, and exhibiting in galleries. We’ll learn how to craft a compelling pitch, and see several examples of successful pitches and proposals. You will spend time crafting a query letter in alignment with a professional goal.  Each letter will receive feedback from the class.

BONUS CALL: Pitching and the world of freelance writing

Now that we understand how to write a pitch, I’ll share over a dozen examples of pitch letters that worked. These span pitches for travel and lifestyle writing, landing an agent, contacting a gallery to introduce your art, and more. We’ll also take a deep dive into the process of pitching an editor and landing a story in a top publication.

Guest Speakers

We’ll gain insight from luminaries in the art, publishing, writing and photography worlds. A top lifestyle agent will tell us what she looks for in a pitch, and the one thing every author must have to land a book deal. We’ll talk to artists and photographers that are working with dream clients and displaying their work in galleries. We’ll chat with a fiction writer who just landed a six-figure book deal about how she carved out time for a writing practice in her otherwise busy professional life. We’ll hear from a marketing expert about how you can use your unique perspective to gain an audience for your work. We’ll take lessons from each of their career paths and apply them to our own.

Sustaining Momentum: Turning Your Passion into a Lifelong Practice

Now that you’ve established your platform and started sharing your work, it’s time to focus on sustaining your creative momentum. This week covers essential strategies for building a sustainable, long-term creative practice. From managing finances to setting boundaries with clients, you’ll learn how to keep your creative business thriving without burning out.