19. ✍🏼 A Together Kind of Thing: Writing, Wanderlust & Radical Creative Freedom with Dani Kreeft
Creativity is both an act of expression and an act of courage. It’s putting something into the world with no guarantee of recognition, applause, or financial return. In this episode of The Workwomb Podcast, I sat down with writer, author, and creative nomad Dani Kreeft to talk about the real creative journey — the one that happens before the sales, the book deals, the social media buzz. The journey of making art for the love of it, trusting your own rhythm, and giving yourself permission to create on your terms.
If you’ve ever struggled with the tension between creativity and commerce, if you’ve felt the pull between making what feels right and making what sells, this one’s for you.
The Art Before the Applause
As artists, entrepreneurs, and creatives, we often get caught up in the idea of success—the external proof that our work matters. We want the book sales, the client bookings, the viral posts, the full rosters. But Dani reminds us that before any of that, there’s just you and the work. The process. The part no one sees.
"If I wasn’t thoroughly in love with the process of creating, then a book, any attention on it, any sales, everything, would be a moot point."
In other words? The work itself has to be enough. Because if it’s not, no amount of recognition will ever fill the gap.
Trusting Your Creative Impulse
Dani’s creative path has never been linear. She’s moved between writing, photography, community building, and copywriting. She’s navigated W-2 jobs, freelance gigs, and full creative self-employment. She’s lived nomadically, chasing her intuition from city to city, country to country, all while learning to trust the one home that never changes ⎯ herself.
Her story is a reminder that creativity isn’t about following a set path. It’s about trusting your own rhythm. Whether you’re working a 9-to-5 while writing on the side, or fully immersed in the self-employed life, there is no right way ⎯ only your way.
The Balance Between Passion & Profit
Let’s be real: we all have bills to pay. And while making art purely for the love of it is beautiful, we also live in a capitalistic world. The question is ⎯ how do you balance creative integrity with financial sustainability?
Dani’s answer? You don’t force them to be the same thing.
"I don’t worry about my book doing well, because I already feel like a success. Me, as a woman, I’ve arrived. I stand wholeheartedly within my creativity. I wear that crown. I wear that cloak."
Her mindset shift is powerful. Instead of tying her personal success to how well her book sells, she separates the two. She knows who she is, she trusts her work, and she allows financial success to be a bonus ⎯ not the sole measurement of her worth.
Permission to Create & Sell ⎯ Separately
This is where so many creatives get stuck. We put immense pressure on our art to perform. To bring in clients, land deals, attract engagement. And yes—sometimes it does. But art doesn’t have to be a business. And not all business has to be art.
Some things can be just for you. Some things can be just for money.
And if we stop forcing them to be the same thing? We unlock so much freedom.
Creative Discipline: The Ritual of Showing Up
Dani’s approach to writing is simple but powerful: she writes every single morning.
Before the emails. Before social media. Before the demands of clients or the outside world. She starts her day with herself and her words.
"The morning is my creative sunrise. It’s when I give myself the best slice of the pizza before sharing the rest."
Why Ritual Matters for Creativity
The myth of the muse ⎯ this idea that we must wait for inspiration to strike ⎯ is one of the biggest creative blocks out there. In reality, inspiration doesn’t come before action. It comes from action.
Dani swears by:
✅ A set creative space – Writing in a coffee shop every morning
✅ Making creativity a non-negotiable – Doing it whether or not she feels like it
This kind of discipline isn’t about restriction ⎯ it’s about freedom. When we show up consistently, we remove the pressure to be perfect. The work becomes part of our day, rather than some high-stakes event.
Releasing Comparison & Owning Your Style
One of the hardest parts of being a creative is fighting off the comparison trap. Looking at how other people do it and wondering if we should be doing the same.
Dani had to work through this too.
"You can wish all you want that you were Dr. Seuss, but you’re not. You have to become your own author."
Stop Apologizing for Your Natural Style
Dani’s book, Waves Come in Sets, is structured in small, poetic vignettes—each piece a standalone thought. At first, she worried it wasn’t a “real” book. That it didn’t follow the traditional linear format.
Then she realized: this is how I write. This is what makes sense for me. And because it’s fully me, it works.
Your way is the right way. But you have to trust it.
Creating on Your Own Terms
At the heart of this conversation is a powerful truth:
✨ Your creativity is yours first.
✨ Your worth isn’t measured by sales, followers, or outside success.
✨ You get to do things your way.
Whether you’re a writer, a business owner, an artist, or any kind of creative, this is your permission slip to trust your rhythm, honor your process, and create because you love it. Everything else is just extra.
Connect with Dani
Instagram: @danikreeftwrites
Website: danikreeftwrites.com
Substack: substack.com/@danikreeftwrites
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Waves Come in Sets – Dani Kreeft’s book
The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
The Creative Habit – Twyla Tharp
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