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Chasing Creative episodes
- Episode 5: Writing Creatively with Callie Feyen
We couldn’t wait to chat with Callie Feyen for the Chasing Creative podcast! If you’ve ever read her blog, you know why: her essays are stunning glimpses into a life lived with eyes wide open, taking in the world and finding the beauty in the everyday. Callie is a writer, a teacher, and a mom to two awesome daughters. In this episode, she discusses how balancing the three of those callings has looked differently in each season of life, how she learned to bring her writing into her daily life, and adds a half a dozen more books to everyone’s TBR list.
Here’s where to find Callie:
Her essays on her blog are fabulous.You can also find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Here’s where to find Ashley:
Website: www.BrooksEditorial.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brookseditorial
Instagram: http://instagram.com/brookseditorial
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial
Here’s where to find Abbigail:
Website: www.InkwellsandImages.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbigailekriebs/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkwellsandimages/
Mini Book Club
Tell It Slant by Brenda Miller & Suzanne Paolo
Rumors of Water by L.L. Barkat
Handling the Truth by Beth Kephart
Girl Meets God by Lauren Winner
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
The Memoir Project by Marion Roach Smith
Great with Child: Letters to a Young Mother by Beth Ann Fennelly
Quotes from this Episode:
"I threw away everything. I was just going to be a mom. That was what I
was going to do." -- Callie"I had always written. Even before I was seriously writing, I was writing." -- Callie
"What I loved about writing even as a little girl was that I loved to go back and look at something
again and again." -- Callie"It’s always been a balm for me to revisit something." -- Callie
"I remember thinking: that is exactly what I love to do." -- Callie
"I basically DIY-d my own career. I teach part time. I write part time. I am a mom all the time." -- Callie
"I had six hours a week to write. I would get any textbook I could find and I would go to a
coffeeshop and I would just write for three hours." -- Callie"It’s really good to hear from someone who has done that and made it work and says it was worth it. It’s encouraging". -- Ashley
"I felt so much better after having been away. Sometimes motherhood is
like looking at a crossword puzzle - you have to step away a bit toget the answers." -- Callie"It was nice to say 'hi' to myself again." -- Callie
"My goal is to write. When I sit down, my goal is to keep writing." --
Callie"I always have a list of things I want to write about." -- Callie
"Every single gig I have is because I was already writing." -- Callie
"When I am try to change my voice to fit in, I get rejected." -- Callie
"When you first hear that voice that says you should never write about
this, I think you should." -- Callie"I learned how to write dialogue by studying my daughters." -- Callie
"I was reading Virginia Woolf 48 hours ago and now I’m folding socks." --
Callie"If writing is going to be a part of you, you have to fit it into your
day." -- Callie"Before I had kids, I decided I was going to write. I had all day! I
didn’t write. I did not have the discipline to do it all day." -- Callie"It would make me really sad if somebody said 'I would love to be a
mother but I’m a writer so I can’t do that.' ” -- Callie"It’s my story. Nobody is going to write it except for me." -- Callie
"That really stings. Maybe you’re no good. Do you want to keep writing
anyway? The answer is always yes." -- Callie
"You may have this negative emotion. But what else do you feel?" --
Callie"The three of us combined could probably talk about books for 3 or 4
hours straight." -- Abbigail"You can’t be a good writer if you aren’t a good reader." -- Callie
1 hr 1 min - Episode 4: Consistency and Creativity with Leah Van Ert
Leah Van Ert is a church secretary by day and a writer, illustrator, and creator by night. Most often, she writes at her blog, My Favorite Adventure, about book recommendations, weekend getaways, daily life, and everything in between. Listen in as we chat with Leah about scheduling time for creativity, the key to being a consistent blogger, and when you’re “allowed” to think of yourself as a creative person.
Here's where to find LeahWebsite: www.myfavoriteadventure.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/leahvanert
Twitter: www.twitter.com/leahvanert
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/leahvanert
Here's where to find AshleyWebsite: www.brookseditorial.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brookseditorial
Instagram: http://instagram.com/brookseditorial
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial
Here's where to find AbbigailWebsite: www.InkwellsandImages.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbigailekriebs/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkwellsandimages/
Mini Book ClubThe Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well by Deborah Needleman
The Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Quotes from the episode“I schedule a good portion of my day, so I literally will write in my
planner an hour set aside for writing on my blog, or an hour set asidefor doing illustration.” Leah“I try to do something creative every day, otherwise I start to feel
drained from my day job.” LeahOn blogging consistently: “Being organized helps me out a lot. I find
that when I get in a groove of getting things done ahead of time, thatis definitely helpful with staying consistent.” Leah“I had people all around me pushing me on, otherwise I probably
would’ve quit [Blogtember] four or five times.” Leah“I think I don’t feel creative because I don’t want to have to live up
that idea people have of somebody who is creative.” Leah“There’s this broad spectrum of creativity where some people show
their creativity through problem solving or through improving ideasthat already exist, and some people create from writing on a blankpage or creating something from scratch.” Ashley“I remember reading once that creativity is just connecting the dots
in a way that they’ve not been connected before. Taking other ideasand pulling them into your own world and adding to them, I definitelythink that’s a creative way of looking at things.” Abbigail“Acknowledging that you are a creative person doesn’t necessarily mean
that you need to live up to that standard that everybody else has foryou.” Ashley“The source of all creativity is the inspiration that’s led us to this
point.” Abbigail56 min - Episode 3: Building Creative Community with Kayla Hollatz
Join us for this episode of Chasing Creative as we talk with creative community builder Kayla Hollatz! Kayla is a PR and social media professional by day and a creative coach, community builder, short-form poet, and host of the Twitter chat #createlounge by night. Listen in as we talk about investing in your audience to build an authentic community, finding the courage to launch your creative projects, and fighting off online overconsumption.
Here’s where to find KaylaWebsite: www.kaylahollatz.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kayla_hollatz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylahollatz/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kaylahollatz/
Periscope: https://www.periscope.tv/kayla_hollatz
Grab Kayla’s poetry collection, Brave Little Bones!
Don’t forget to stop in at #CreateLounge on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. CT!
Here’s where to find AshleyWebsite: www.BrooksEditorial.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brookseditorial
Instagram: http://instagram.com/brookseditorial
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial
Here’s where to find AbbigailWebsite: www.InkwellsandImages.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbigailekriebs/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkwellsandimages/
Quotes“Remember how important it is to keep chasing that creative work,
because we need it.” Kayla“The people I’m investing in are going to come along with me because I
care about them.” Kayla“The only way that you’re going to build loyalty is by building trust,
and the only way that you’re going to build trust is by giving value.That value is going to show that you’re really keeping your communityin mind and you’re creating content for them.” Kayla“Everybody has something that they can bring to the table that no one
else can. Nobody else is going to be able to do exactly what you doand bring your perspective and experience to your creative work.”KaylaOn silencing that critical voice that says you have nothing to offer:
“The best way to silence that is by not only creating what you do butlaunching that creative work.”“What you do and what you launch is going to inspire other people.”
KaylaOn passion projects: “Just get started on it, fall in love with it,
and launch it.” Kayla“There’s room to have passion projects that you hold dear to you that
nobody else necessarily has to see, but it can still have value toyou, and that makes it still valuable of your time and effort.” Kayla“Just because you’re not putting something out there for likes or
tweets or to sell doesn’t mean that it’s not worth going after in yourown time.” Ashley“It’s just so important to keep going after what you’re passionate
about. Even if it’s something different from what you doprofessionally, I really believe it will still help you professionallybecause it’s going to flex those creative muscles and make sure you’realways looking at things in a different way.” Kayla“I think everything you do influences the other parts of your life. I
don’t think you can separate your creative self from your ‘real life’self.” Abbigail“Part of what we have to do as creative people is make time to honor
that little part of the self that wants to create, that wants to dosomething just for the sake of doing something.” Abbigail“It’s worth fighting the feeling that creative work isn’t worth your
time because what you’re doing is really worthwhile, even if you can’tsee it or measure it.” Ashley“The numbers may feel good and make you feel warm and fuzzy for a
little bit, but what’s going to make you feel so, so fulfilled onlineis having a group of people that are likeminded who are rallyingaround you and who support just about everything you do.” Kayla“When you’re investing your time in your people, they’re going to
invest back in you.” Kayla“As much as we can talk about connection, there’s also the sad reality
that we all do, in some way shape or form, have to makemoney---hopefully doing what we love. Having a community that’s set upto respond well to your product is going to have those people becomenot only loyal community members but also loyal community members thatconvert when you do offer new products or launch something new.”Abbigail“Give yourself the excuse to play around, have some conversations, and
see where you enjoy being and where your audience enjoys being. That’swhen you can start to make those one-on-one connections and have themgo from just an audience member to a community member.” Kayla“I think when overconsumption happens, that’s our cue to shift
ourselves from consuming a lot of content to creating more content.”Kayla“You can’t invest well into your community if you’re not investing in
yourself as well.” Kayla“Anytime we start to second-guess something, we want to take some time
to make sure we’re moving in the right direction.” Kayla“None of us can be at 110% at all times. It can feel like everyone
else online has it all figured out, but none of us really do. We’reall just trying to do the best we can with the energy we have.” Kayla“Make awesome things.” Kayla
“As long as we make sure that we’re always making room for creativity,
that’s going to make room for everything else that we hold really dearto us.” Kayla“Writing short-form can help anyone who wants to improve their
long-form writing.” AshleyMini Book ClubThe Anatomy of Being by Shinji Moon
Spoken word poetry by Sierra DeMulder: http://www.sierrademulder.com/
Reading Novalis in Montana by Melissa Kwasny
Online poet John Blase: www.thebeautifuldue.com
57 min - Episode 2: Journaling, Making, and Motherhood with Kenzie SwansonSummary
For our first interview on Chasing Creative, we chatted with Kenzie Swanson from Hello Neverland. Kenzie is a writer, a photographer, an Etsy shop maker, and a mom to an 18-month-old. In the episode we chat about how her blogging strategy has changed over the last several years and how she’s tried out different creative outlets in a very public space. She gets real about going back to work after having her daughter - and then deciding that it wasn’t working and making the change to stay home. We chat about her love for journaling, how she manages her time, and what she’s been reading lately. Oh---and young, creative yuppies.
Where to find KenzieHer blog used to be Chasing Happy. Now it’s Hello Neverland.
Her Etsy shop rocks.
You can also find Kenzie on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Or, if you are in the Lincoln, Nebraska area, you can hire her as a photographer (she’s awesome!).
Where to find AshleyWebsite: www.brookseditorial.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brookseditorial
Instagram: http://instagram.com/brookseditorial
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial
Where to find AbbigailWebsite: www.InkwellsandImages.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbigailekriebs/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkwellsandimages/
Articles mentioned in this episodeTwo articles on hipsters/yuppies/yuccies:
http://mashable.com/2015/06/09/post-hipster-yuccie/#rv.XtYj7fOqE
http://www.complex.com/style/2015/06/yuccie-explanation
Mini book clubThe Homemade Kitchen: Recipes for Cooking with Pleasure by Alana Chernila
An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler
Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table by Shauna Niequist
Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them by J.K. Rowling
Quotes from the Episode“Having a blog that you update regularly is a great way to push
yourself.” --- Kenzie"When you pick a niche topic, you are naturally going to be challenged to find different ways to write about that
thing.” --- Kenzie“In every creative endeavor, you are going to have ebbs and flows, and
it goes in a cycle for everybody.” --- Kenzie“The ebbs and flows don’t make you a bad or good journaler, just that
journaling is always there for you when you need it.” --- Abbigail“We don’t have to go to all these extra lengths to make the perfect
photo album or perfect journal.” --- Ashley“When it comes to art or business or anything, you have to experiment
and see what works and think on your feet and let it change and let itevolve.” --- Kenzie“So often when we get old, we get stuck in deadlines and routines and
schedules and we let go of creativity. We are wired to be creative.” ---Kenzie“You can’t see everything that is in front of you, but you can see
what you need to do next.” --- Kenzie“If it is not right, let go of it.” --- Kenzie
“We get so caught up in not failing that we’re not willing to take the
risk to make something better for ourselves.” --- Abbigail“What’s creative for me is going to be different than what’s creative
for someone else.” --- Kenzie“Give yourself the freedom to experiment with creative processes.” ---
Ashley“Nobody cares what you’re doing as much as you think they do.” ---
Ashley“Time limits are a huge blessing in disguise.” --- Kenzie
On being a work-at-home mom: “I get more done in a two-hour nap window than I do
when I have a full day.” --- Ashley“You have to take the time to invest in yourself, too. You have to
sometimes choose yourself.” --- Kenzie“Schedule breaks before you need them.” --- Kenzie
“If you are an ambitious young woman in today’s world, you are a
little worried that you are going to be left behind if you take timeoff.” --- Abbigail“We think that there is this one thing we are meant to do with our
lives. There is something we are meant to do in each season of ourlife. It’s going to change every time we enter a new season and we aremeant to do something else. Don’t be so afraid to miss that one thing.If we are meant to do it, we can do it at any point.” --- Kenzie“We expect genius to come so early in life. You keep living until you
are done living.” --- Abbigail“Keep your eyes on your own paper. Look at far you’ve come.” --- Kenzie
58 min - Episode 1: Start Here
Welcome to the first episode of the Chasing Creative podcast! In this short intro episode we’re giving you the rundown on what Chasing Creative is all about. We’re sharing where we’re at in our own lives, including our constant struggle against creative burnout. We chat about not having enough energy for creative projects at the end of the day, the ways we (kind of) prioritize our creativity, why we have a love/hate relationship with Twitter, and what you can expect from the Chasing Creative podcast going forward.
Here’s where to find Ashley:Website: www.BrooksEditorial.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brookseditorial
Instagram: http://instagram.com/brookseditorial
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial
Here’s where to find Abbigail:Website: www.InkwellsandImages.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbigailekriebs/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkwellsandimages/
Mini Book ClubEssentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente
Quotes from the Episode“You can spend your time creating things, or you can spend your time
marketing things.” -- Abbigail“I had this realization that all the podcasts I listen to have all
these famous people they interview. And they have really greatinsights to share, but they don’t have action steps that someone likeme---a regular person with a toddler---can take right now.” --- Ashley“It’s a difficult balance between ‘We make money and we’re surviving’
and ‘But we also want to be creative.’” --- Ashley“Nobody in school told us how to get up every day and continue to be
creative.” --- Abbigail“Our society tells us that creativity is a nonessential. It’s a hobby
you squeeze in when you have time or at the end of the day or maybewhen you’re retired. The message of Essentialism tells creatives thatif creativity is something that’s important to you, you need to makeit an essential thing in your life. Make it a priority.” --- Ashley“We’re following through on an idea. This is good for us!” --- Ashley
22 min
About Chasing Creative
From the publisher's feed
Chasing Creative is all about how everyday people can make creativity a priority in their daily lives. We're talking to regular people who have insights and action steps you can take TODAY to make…
your creative plans happen. Whether you’re squeezing creative pursuits into your kids' naptimes or in the evening after working a 9-5, we're here to give you the inside scoop on how regular people are chasing creative.