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Stepping Away (And Not Apologizing for It)
Terry gets real about why the podcast has been quiet and why he's not sorry about it. For the past several months, he's been navigating his grandmother's medical crisis, the labyrinthine nightmare of American elder care, and the financial brutality of a system designed to strip elderly people of everything they've worked for. It's been a lot.
But this episode isn't just a personal update. It's a permission slip. If you're an indie creative who's been white-knuckling your posting schedule through a life emergency, Terry has something to say to you: the algorithm doesn't get to set the terms of your life. The real ones are the ones who keep coming back, not the ones who never stop.
Also: the Rae Shawn interview is out and it's incredible, the Starlight King Herald newsletter is live on Substack, and Terry will be on Greatest Movie of All Time next month watching The Princess Bride.
Timestamps
- 0:00 — Welcome & what's been going on
- 0:46 — On not apologizing for inconsistency
- 1:58 — What's actually been happening: grandma's medical journey
- 3:00 — The American elder care system is broken
- 4:35 — What it means to advocate for someone who still has their mind
- 6:01 — The past few months: mom's surgery, FMLA, trying to hold it together
- 6:31 — The Starlight King Herald newsletter (Substack)
- 6:56 — On banked interviews, the Rae Shawn episode, and releasing without promotion
- 9:12 — Why Terry is sharing this (and why you've probably been here too)
- 10:04 — The consistency gospel is bullshit for indie creatives
- 11:10 — The infrastructure problem: Starlight King Press is Terry and Dustin
- 13:18 — The book is happening. It's okay to pause.
- 15:13 — You have permission to take a break
- 15:55 — "The best work comes from pain" and why that's more complicated than it sounds
- 17:08 — The real ones keep coming back
- 17:21 — What's coming: edited episode in the queue, back by August
- 18:57 — Check out Kirsha Fox on YouTube
- 19:14 — Terry on Greatest Movie of All Time next month (The Princess Bride!)
- 19:56 — Sign off
Links
- Starlight King Herald on Substack
- Rae Shawn interview
- Kirsha Fox on YouTube: The Tell Not Show
- Greatest Movie of All Time podcast
View all episodes
By Terry BartleyTerry gets real about why the podcast has been quiet and why he's not sorry about it. For the past several months, he's been navigating his grandmother's medical crisis, the labyrinthine nightmare of American elder care, and the financial brutality of a system designed to strip elderly people of everything they've worked for. It's been a lot.
But this episode isn't just a personal update. It's a permission slip. If you're an indie creative who's been white-knuckling your posting schedule through a life emergency, Terry has something to say to you: the algorithm doesn't get to set the terms of your life. The real ones are the ones who keep coming back, not the ones who never stop.
Also: the Rae Shawn interview is out and it's incredible, the Starlight King Herald newsletter is live on Substack, and Terry will be on Greatest Movie of All Time next month watching The Princess Bride.
Timestamps
- 0:00 — Welcome & what's been going on
- 0:46 — On not apologizing for inconsistency
- 1:58 — What's actually been happening: grandma's medical journey
- 3:00 — The American elder care system is broken
- 4:35 — What it means to advocate for someone who still has their mind
- 6:01 — The past few months: mom's surgery, FMLA, trying to hold it together
- 6:31 — The Starlight King Herald newsletter (Substack)
- 6:56 — On banked interviews, the Rae Shawn episode, and releasing without promotion
- 9:12 — Why Terry is sharing this (and why you've probably been here too)
- 10:04 — The consistency gospel is bullshit for indie creatives
- 11:10 — The infrastructure problem: Starlight King Press is Terry and Dustin
- 13:18 — The book is happening. It's okay to pause.
- 15:13 — You have permission to take a break
- 15:55 — "The best work comes from pain" and why that's more complicated than it sounds
- 17:08 — The real ones keep coming back
- 17:21 — What's coming: edited episode in the queue, back by August
- 18:57 — Check out Kirsha Fox on YouTube
- 19:14 — Terry on Greatest Movie of All Time next month (The Princess Bride!)
- 19:56 — Sign off
Links
- Starlight King Herald on Substack
- Rae Shawn interview
- Kirsha Fox on YouTube: The Tell Not Show
- Greatest Movie of All Time podcast