The Stories Between Us

Maile reflects on how a recently-watched episode of the Berenstain Bears on envy reflected some of her feelings of jealousy towards Shawn and where he is in his writing journey. Shawn admits his cluelessness about various aspects of their marriage. It's also an episode where they talk about important questions that have come up in their lives.

There is the difficult conversation. And the even more difficult conversation. All in one episode.

Maile hears back from an agent and the interaction doesn't lead to tears. But there are tears later when Shawn and Maile go out to eat so that Maile can talk about her struggles with motherhood and creativity.

How do we hold the good and the hard together?

How can we help each other lift the burdens that we bear so that we have more space for creativity?

As an added bonus, one of the Smucker children unexpectedly interrupts the podcast to let his parents know he's going to poop.

All in all, a good episode.

Maile hears back from an agent and the interaction doesn't lead to tears. But there are tears later when Shawn and Maile go out to eat so that Maile can talk about her struggles with motherhood and creativity.

How can we help each other lift the burdens that we bear so that we have more space for creativity?

As an added bonus, one of the Smucker children unexpectedly interrupts the podcast to let his parents know he's going to poop.

All in all, a good episode.

Maile happens to sit down at a writing award banquet beside the very person she needed to be beside. We remember why we write, we talk about closed-door and open-door writing, and Shawn talks about how social media is robbing us of writing without an audience. He's such an old curmudgeon. And they emotionally prepare each other for an upcoming episode in which they will talk about jealousy among writing spouses.

Books mentioned:

Stephen King's On Writing

Stephen King's 11/22/63

John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany

Maile happens to sit down at a writing award banquet beside the very person she needed to. We remember why we write, we talk about closed-door and open-door writing, and Shawn talks about how social media is robbing us of writing without an audience. And they emotionally prepare each other for an upcoming episode in which they will talk about jealousy among writing spouses.

Books mentioned:

Stephen King's On Writing

Stephen King's 11/22/63

John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany

Maile and Shawn talk about the question, "Where are you going?" in regards to writing. What's the end game, and by what standards should we be content or anxious about our creative lives? Maile also admits that she has at times been a menace to society when she's not creating, referencing Maria Semple's book, Where'd You Go, Bernadette.

Maile and Shawn talk about the question, "Where are you going?" in regards to writing. What's the end game, and by what standards should we be content or anxious about our creative lives?

Maile also admits that she has at times been a menace to society when she's not creating, referencing Maria Semple's book, Where'd You Go, Bernadette.

Maile Silva and Shawn Smucker give their backgrounds as writers, how they've gotten to this place, and what their current writing schedules are like. Maile also shares the meanest rejection she's ever received, and where she was when she read the email.

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Maile Silva and Shawn Smucker give their backgrounds as writers, how they've gotten to this place, and what their current writing schedules are like. Maile also shares the meanest rejection she's ever received, and where she was when she read the email.