Episode 358 - Building Connection Through Long-Form Content with Dan Blank
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How can authors create content that feels more genuine, builds trust, and gives readers a reason to stay? Matty Dalrymple talks with author-platform expert Dan Blank about why long-form content is gaining momentum and how depth can create stronger connections than a constant stream of polished, bite-sized posts.
Dan explains how practice helps creators become comfortable on camera, why live interaction is only one way to build community, and how authors can turn their interests, research, and creative process into compelling material. They explore formats for fiction, memoir, and nonfiction authors, along with practical ways to choose platforms and develop ideas that serve both the creator and the audience.
The conversation also examines the difference between authenticity and oversharing, how personal boundaries can strengthen rather than weaken a creator’s presence, and why distinctive interests and “weird niches” can attract the readers most likely to care deeply about an author’s work.
Dan Blank is the founder of WeGrowMedia, where he helps writers develop their author platforms, connect with readers, and launch their books. He is the author of the book BE THE GATEWAY: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SHARING YOUR CREATIVE WORK AND ENGAGING AN AUDIENCE. He has worked with thousands of writers and organizations who support creative people such as Penguin Random House, Sesame Workshop, Hachette Book Group, Writer’s Digest, and Library Journal.
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