In this episode Aleen talks to Rosemary Orchard and we discuss getting over barriers to creativity, not holding yourself to impossible standards, and establishing a writing ritual that works for you. Also: do you trust strangers to watch your stuff in coffee shops? (I totally do…)

You can listen to the podcast below or on the episode page where you can see the show notes and also subscribe.

In this episode we talk about the F word: failure. Bob Ross didn’t want you to be afraid to fail, and neither do we. So we discuss mistakes and how to frame those experiences to be productive instead of destructive. It’s not as woo-woo as it sounds, I promise.

You can listen to the podcast below or on the episode page where you can see the show notes and also subscribe.

In this episode Aleen and I talk about the line between inspiration and appropriation. We get into the value of learning by copying and also what questions to ask yourself to ensure that your final product isn’t still a copy. We also dip into the nuances of drawing from different cultures, how to interrogate what really interests you about that culture, and what to do when you mess up.

You can listen to the podcast below or on the episode page where you can see the show notes and also subscribe.

In this episode we talk about habits and how and why they don’t work for everyone. We start with routines and how they often help prepare your brain can help you reach a more creative place (though not for everyone). Then we discuss how we use bite-sized goals and rewards to keep working, why “grit” is super annoying, and the importance of taking time to step back, look at the big picture, and be kind to yourself.

You can listen to the podcast below or on the episode page where you can see the show notes and also subscribe.

In this episode Aleen and I discuss bring creative while under the mental toll of life in America in 2019. There are many potential ways to deal with this, including gathering up friends, family, and community who sustain your creativity, using data to figure out what works for you, when you should or shouldn’t listen to “experts” about how to create better, and why it’s good to ask for help when you need it.

You can listen to the podcast below or on the episode page where you can see the show notes and pictures of cats and also subscribe.

Get your shovels, because in this episode Aleen and I discuss the dreaded “shoulds” and how to bury them so you can focus instead on what you want to be doing. We also talk about the importance of saying “no” to things, the powerful motivation of avoiding a 9-to-5 job, and how to find a word count goal that works for you.

You can listen to the podcast below or on the episode page where you can see the show notes and also subscribe.