In today’s episode, I’m joined by Kara Cutruzzula (rhymes with Methuselah).

Kara is a writer in New York who works across many different creative platforms. 

As a journalist, she's been a writer and editor for The Daily Beast, Newsweek, Billboard, Tasting Table, and MONEY magazine. Her writing about work, productivity, and creativity has been featured in the New York Times, TIME, Medium, and other publications. 

She also writes plays and lyrics for musical theater, and is currently a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. 

For the past three years, she's written a weekday newsletter called Brass Ring Daily, which exists to encourage people to work on their own creative projects.

And her motivational journal called Do It For Yourself, a collaboration with designer Tessa Forrest, will be published in September by Abrams Noterie and is available for pre-order now!

Today Kara and I talk about how to listen (and commit) to your creative urges and how creative constraints actually give us more freedom.

We talk about how she found her way to writing when she never considered that path as a kid and why she loves musical theater (as an audience member and a creator).

We also talk about:

• Why she started Brass Ring Daily, her newsletter that Lifehacker called “a life coach in your inbox” — and why she decided to send it out every single weekday
• The behind the scenes on how she finds and creates the content that helps her get newsletter out every day
• The linear but lengthy way she climbs the steps of the ladder toward a new creative pursuit
• What she does with all of her creative ideas to ensure they move beyond the idea stage (or make their way out of her head)
• . . . and so much more.

Kara’s writing and work has brought so much joy and inspiration to my creative life, and I’m really excited to share our conversation knowing it will likely bring the same to yours!

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Follow Kara:

• Website
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Brass Ring Daily Newsletter
• Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal

 

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Other Notable Links:

• Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams
• Open Book by Jessica Simpson
• Sunday Night Newsletter
• Brave Enough to Be Episode 5: Erin Claire Jones
• Evernote

 

 

CREDITS

Editing & Sound Engineering: Jordan Johansen

Music: “Kenton” by Dr Crosby (Licensed via Marmoset)