Weaving Worlds on the Web with Kening Zhu

Kening Zhu is an artist, writer, teacher, and creator building worlds on the internet.

Her approach to business is a stunning integration of creative practice, intuition, and artistic clarity.

I’m thrilled to bring you this conversation where we talk about:

Minimalist business ecosystems

Websites as archives outside of time

Allowing ourselves to be multifaceted

How Kening runs her business without platforms

The pros & cons of paid newsletters

Seasonal memberships that support inner rhythms

The labyrinth as an artist’s path

How to quit compartmentalizing business and art

Letting your artist child grow up

Mentioned in the episode:

Creative Ideation Portal

Kening’s website

Kening’s newsletter

Kening’s podcast: Botanical Studies of Internet Magic

No offering is forever. But how do we sunset the ones that mean a lot to us and others?

In this episode, I share why I’ve decided to close my writing group Landscapes.

I talk through reorienting around sustainability, why my tech choices made this shift necessary, losing recurring income, and more.

Tune in for a pep talk to help you find your way toward what’s next. Then join me for Prompts, an analog writing newsletter that begins in 2026.

Mentioned in the episode:

* Creative Ideation Portal

* Prompts

Jamila Reddy is a writer, meditation guide, ex-entrepreneur, and dear friend.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What it means to be a writer
• The capacity it takes to self-publish
• Stepping away from entrepreneurship
• Self-promotion vs self-expression
• The marketing work required to keep a business afloat
• The joys (and horrors) of working for others
• Paywalls as a way of gathering community
• Healthy distraction and self-care that doesn’t feel like labor
• New definitions of success

Mentioned in the episode:

• Creative Ideation Portal
• Jamila’s website
• Jamila’s newsletter

Thanks to Softer Sounds, Saltbreaker, and Jess Herrera for their help making this podcast. If you'd like to support the show, please become a paying subscriber of my newsletter, Cody's World.

Today’s episode is about the long journey of cultivating consistency in our creative practices.

I talk about: the magic of giving up, how to find the right pace, minimum viable actions, tools for building momentum, and places to share your work.

This one’s for you if you’ve been circling something important that wants to be released into the world. Or if you’re excited about integrating daily or weekly practices, so they can support your long-term projects.

Tune in then get the Into the Broadcast Map, and join me in The Long Arc this weekend.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Into the Broadcast Map
• Creative Ideation Portal
• Sign up for The Long Arc on 10/4

Thanks to Softer Sounds, Saltbreaker, and Jess Herrera for their help making this podcast. If you'd like to support the show, please become a paying subscriber of my newsletter, Cody's World.

Let me take you behind the scenes of mapping fall in my business.

You’ll learn the three essential parts of a practice-based earning ecosystem. Plus, I share exactly how I plan my launch calendars to support my financial and energetic needs.

Tune in for clarity, camaraderie, and creative cartography.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Creative Ideation Portal
• Amelia Hruby & Nic Antoinette
• Sign up for The Long Arc on 10/4
• Join the joyful waitlists for: 
  • Pollinating Your Projects - happening in November
  • Offline Practice - happening in December
  • Landscapes - ongoing
  • Quilt Class - returning in November?
• Use my link for 50% off your first year of Flodesk

Thanks to Softer Sounds, Saltbreaker, and Jess Herrera for their help making this podcast. If you'd like to support the show, please become a paying subscriber of my newsletter, Cody's World.

Today we complete our mini series going over the free Creative Ideation Portal - a guide to help you vision your projects and share them with the world.

Tune in to days one and two first. Then join me for today’s conversation about why the world needs your art and how to share it (even if you feel scared).

If you’re listening when this comes out, join me and Amelia Hruby at the FREE COMMON SHAPES PARTY on Saturday, September 20th (aka tomorrow!). RSVP here.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Creative Ideation Portal
• Cody’s World
• Amelia Hruby

Thanks to Softer Sounds, Saltbreaker, and Jess Herrera for their help making this podcast. If you'd like to support the show, please become a paying subscriber of my newsletter, Cody's World.

Today we continue our mini series going over the free Creative Ideation Portal - a guide to help you vision your projects and share them with the world.

Tune in to ‘Day 1 : Our Many Visions’ first. Then join me for today’s exploration of how to make progress (even when you don’t want to work).

And if you’re listening when this comes out, join me and Amelia Hruby at the FREE COMMON SHAPES PARTY on Saturday, September 20th. RSVP here.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Creative Ideation Portal
• Cody’s World
• Amelia Hruby

Thanks to Softer Sounds, Saltbreaker, and Jess Herrera for their help making this podcast. If you'd like to support the show, please become a paying subscriber of my newsletter, Cody's World.

Welcome to a new season of Common Shapes!

We’re beginning with a mini series going over the free Creative Ideation Portal - a guide to help you vision your projects and share them with the world.

Tune in for daily episodes.

Day One : Our Many Visions 

Day Two : Moving the Needle Forward 

Day Three : Art as Service

Then join me and Amelia Hruby at the FREE COMMON SHAPES PARTY on Saturday, September 20th. RSVP here.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Creative Ideation Portal
• Cody’s World
• Off the Grid & Amelia’s book
• Jess Herrera
• Nicole Cloutier
• Laurel Schwulst

Thanks to Softer Sounds, Saltbreaker, and Jess Herrera for their help making this podcast. If you'd like to support the show, please become a paying subscriber of my newsletter, Cody's World.

Dear Listener 
Thank you for tuning into Common Shapes and my conversation with Amelia

Don't forget to grab the free Creative Ideation Portal : Your three day guide to visioning your projects

More from Amelia:
Amelia's Website
Softer Sounds Website
Off the Grid podcast on Apple + Spotify + everywhere else you listen
Download the free Leaving Social Media Toolkit  

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or a five star rating on Spotify 

Thank you to : 
Softer Sounds Studio for podcast editing 
Saltbreaker for our music 
Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo for our art 

Thanks to Softer Sounds, Saltbreaker, and Jess Herrera for their help making this podcast. If you'd like to support the show, please become a paying subscriber of my newsletter, Cody's World.

Dear Listener,

Thank you for tuning in to Common Shapes today

I am teaching Mapping Your Creative Business this weekend Saturday January 18 and Sunday January 19 (8 spots left at time of publishing episode)

You can become a free or paid subscriber to my weekly newsletter here - Also it now has a CLASSIFIEDS section where you can buy an ad :)
It has been so fun and beautiful to see people's businesses get little boosts

Grab the free Creative Ideation Portal to vision your projects and bring them into the world

I mention the artist Kening Zhu

Join Landscapes : A writing group for all genres

Book a 1:1 Creative Advising Session

Thank you for supporting the show by sharing this episode on social media, in your newsletter, or texting it to a friend. You can also leave a review on Apple Podcasts or give us five stars on Spotify 

Podcast editing : Softer Sounds Studio 
Music : Saltbreaker 
Art : Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo 

Thanks to Softer Sounds, Saltbreaker, and Jess Herrera for their help making this podcast. If you'd like to support the show, please become a paying subscriber of my newsletter, Cody's World.