Explore the mysteries of creativity with Jon Tilton as he interviews a variety of artists, from writers and painters to musicians and filmmakers.
New challenges in your craft can show you both the highs and the lows of the creative process. This week I'm joined by Leila Srouji of Tierra Madera Ceramics. We talk about how to deal with burnout and how sometimes a bit of time away from our craft can create a real hunger to get back at it and try new things. We also discuss the process of creating ceramics, including how each piece turns out unique even while using the same techniques.Topics Covered:Tierra Madera CeramicsThe Process of Creating CeramicsGetting in the Creative MoodDealing with BurnoutVariety in Each PieceCreating a Hunger for Your CraftLinks:Leila's Website: www.tierramaderaceramics.comLeila's Instagram: @tierra.madera.ceramicsFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.jontilton.comwww.causeofcraft.com
Ever have a certain expectation about something, only to discover that you completely misunderstood an essential key element? Photographer Lauren Westra shares her unique journey of starting her career and why embracing the unexpected can be good for you.Topics DiscussedPhotography and Owning a Wedding VenueLauren's Australian Trial by FireTackling Uninvited ChallengesNo Easy Checklist for Hard WorkLoving the Challenge and ProcessThinking in the Long-termBalancing the Planned and UnplannedLinksLauren's Photography Website: www.laurenwestra.comInstagram: @laurenwestraWestwood Barns Wedding Venue Website: www.westwoodbarns.comWestwood Barns Instagram: @westwoodbarnsFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.causeofcraft.comwww.jontilton.com
Life is full of the unexpected. Sometimes life hands us lemons, and we're not always confident we can make lemonade out of them. But in taking things one step at a time, you might be surprised at the progress you can make. Artist Carly Van Eck joins the show to talk about how some of her life events have influenced her artwork, and why she transitioned from full time social work to full time artist.Topics Covered:Characteristics of Acrylic PaintMeaning Behind Abstract ArtUnexpected Life CircumstancesTurning Art into a BusinessImpostor SyndromeAdvice for New CreativesArt Brings Hope Into the WorldLinks:Carly's Website: www.carlyvaneckart.comInstagram: @carlyvaneckartFacebook Page: Carly Van Eck ArtFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.jontilton.comIf you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend—getting the word out to others is one of the best ways to help the show grow. Thank you so much to everyone who has done this, as well as left a review on apple podcasts and Spotify. I'm grateful for your support and I hope you continue to enjoy the show.
Lenord Robinson has had quite the career in the animation industry. He's worked on projects like the Lord of the Rings animated film, The Fox and the Hound, The Tigger Movie, The Simpsons, and more. He's even directed episodes of Animaniacs, Taz Mania, and The Proud Family.And while he's winding parts of his career down, he's still very active in teaching and his own personal animation projects. That got us talking about if creatives really ever truly retire. We also discussed what he loves about storyboarding, the leadership needed to be a good director, and advice for creatives.Topics Covered:StoryboardingBreaking into the IndustryLearning on the JobWorking on Legendary ProjectsThe Role of a DirectorLeadershipWhy Animation and Teaching is RewardingWhy Creatives Don't Truly RetireAdvice for CreativesLinks:Lenord's Wix Website: www.lenordrobinson.wixsite.com/robinsonanimationAdditional Website: www.robinsonanimation.comLenord's IMDb Page: www.imdb.com/name/nm0732846/Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.jontilton.comwww.causeofcraft.com
While we'd all love to make a million dollars on every passion projects that pops into our heads, it's just not the reality we can expect as creatives. So how do we find balance between doing what we love and crafting something that's marketable? Artist Joe Willey joins the show to share his thoughts on this topic. We also discuss connecting with clients, setting goals, and a big misconception about choosing a practical and safe career path.Topics Covered:Working with Various MediumsDrawing as a KidChoosing a SubjectBalancing Salable and Personal ArtSetting GoalsHow to Connect to ClientsPlan A and B are Both HardDeveloping Your VoiceImproving Your WorkWriting and Illustrated BookHow to Choose Your Next ProjectCreating Things is Hard WorkLinks:Joe's Website: www.joewilley.netInstagram: @joewilleycreativeFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.More information at www.causeofcraft.com
Have you ever wanted to try something but felt you didn't have the expertise to do it? Building a new skill is challenging, but with things like perseverance, community, and time, it can be done. On this episode, video game designer Chera Meredith shares her journey from googling how to make a video game to actually creating one. Her upcoming title is called Closer Than You Know — an adventure game for kids who play as Sam, a girl who goes on a quest to save her planet, where Hope has been outlawed.Our discussion covers a variety of topics from how to build on your experiences to finding similarities between stories and puzzles.Topics Covered:Staring With a SearchImplementing Improvements as You GrowFixing Things Versus Continuing ForwardGetting Feedback from Your Target DemoHow to Create a Good PuzzleFrom Dream to Professional ProductionCreative Connections Across DisciplinesShowing Not TellingHow Good Puzzles Mirror Good StoriesBuilding Experience with Smaller ProjectsLinks:So Peculiar Games Website: www.sopeculiar.comTwitter: @SoPeculiarGamesWander in the Dark: App StoreFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
While most novels are written by a single author, that doesn't mean the process is absent from other creative voices. Editors are one of the most important collaborators for authors. On this episode I talk with Elizabeth Schaefer, an editor at Penguin Random House.There she works on books for some of the world's biggest brands, including Star Wars and Minecraft. We discuss what it's like working with established franchises, the importance of building trust with an author, and why time is your most precious currency.Topics Covered:Editing for Licensed PublishingNatural Inclinations for Best PracticesTricks of the Writing and Editing TradesBuilding Trust with a WriterHow to Get the Most Out of Working with EditorsThe Benefit to Having Multiple Projects at OnceWorking with Famous FranchisesThe Process of Publishers Finding a ManuscriptGrowing in Your CareerCreative CollaborationAdvice for New CreativesFrom A Certain Point of ViewLinks:Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View: Amazon
Sometimes our best ideas can stem from combining two of our favorite passions. Haleigh DeRocher took her love for reading and her love of art and combined them to create something new and unique. She sells beautiful artwork on her website in a variety of different forms, including prints, t-shirts, and even blankets. She has also illustrated a number of classic novels, bringing her own unique style and voice to some of the world's most famous books like The Great Gatsby and Pride and Prejudice.She shares her journey to starting her own business, how to represent a novel through illustration, what makes a classic enduring, and more.Topics Covered:Reading from a Young AgeStarting a Business after CollegeCreating Illustrated Versions of Classic NovelsWhat Makes Certain Works Enduring?How to Represent a NovelMaking Fabric Books for BabiesWhy Haleigh CreatesComing Up with New ProductsLinks:Haleigh's Shop, Sweet Sequels: www.sweetsequels.comHaleigh's Instagram: @sweetsequelsHaleigh's Etsy Shop: Etsy
On this week's episode I talk with Jenna Terese, author of Ignite, a novel about a girl with superpowers in a world where superhumans aren't considered the heroes.Topics Covered:Writing About SuperheroesGrowing in Your CraftWorking with an EditorGrowing as an ArtistBuilding CharactersMusic and WritingProject Inspire and Artistic VarietyTalking About Far Off ProjectsLinks:Jenna's Website: www.jennaterese.comJenna's Instagram: @jenna.tereseProject Inspire: BlogProject Inspire Instagram: @project_.inspireIgnite: AmazonAres Short Story: Amazon
On this week's episode, sculptor Bonnie Brushwood shares her artistic process with us, from having a conversation with her work to taking advantage of happy accidents. We also discuss the importance of finding beauty in the world, how much an artist should say about their work, and how sculpture can be a therapeutic experience.Topics Covered:Form and TextureListening to the PieceWhy Sculpture is Time-SensitiveStudying Art in High SchoolExpressing the Beauty in the WorldHow Much Should an Artist Say About a Work?Sculpture-Making ProcessSculpture as a Grounding ExperienceUpcoming Show at Doughtery Art CenterLinks:Bonnie's Website: www.bonniebrushwood.comBonnie's Instagram: @bonniebrushwoodStop-Motion Music Video: YouTubeUpcoming Exhibit at Dougherty Art Center:March 17 from 7pm-9pm1110 Barton Springs Rd.Austin, TX 78704Dougherty's Website: https://www.austintexas.gov/department/dougherty-arts-center
Can working on films still be your dream job after the director throws a chair at you? Does that one guy everyone talks bad about deserve a second chance? Production Designer Courtney Johnson joins the show to share her experiences in the film industry. We also talk about why so many people aspire to work in movies and how what you value in life can change as you grow.Topics Covered:What Production Design IsAn Invisible ArtMaking Things Stand OutBringing the Director's Vision to ScreenWhat Makes for Good Collaborative EnvironmentsWhy Courtney Pursued FilmWhat Keeps Her Going Even When It's ToughEco-Friendly DesignLinks:Courtney's Website: www.courtneyvjohnson.comCourtney's Instagram: @alotofalittleLucid Object Instagram: @lucid.objectCourtney's Etsy: Lucid ObjectFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
Figuring Skating isn't just a sport, but also a skill that carries with it a unique blend of athletics, beauty, and creativity. My guest Tiffanie Lovett discusses starting to skate at a young age, what keeps her going after years of competition and practice, and how watching her favorite actors inspires her technique.Full podcast transcriptTopics Covered:Figure Skating From A Young AgeFinding Music to Skate ToPushing Yourself Through New RoutinesHow To Score Athletic ArtistryWhat Keeps Tiffanie GoingWhat Elements Make Up a Good SkaterStaying Focused in the MomentProgression of LearningInspiration from ActingFigure Skating as an OutletAdvice for Athletes and CreativesStar Trek and Figure SkatingLinks:Tiffanie's Instagram: @tiffanieloveitFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
Food production has changed drastically over the years, and not always for the better. But is there any hope for returning to the old ways of doing things?This week's guest, Miller Mark Fischer runs Castle Valley Mill — a stone ground mill where he uses machines that are hundreds of years old to produce quality flour, cornmeal, and more. By using age-old techniques on local grain, Castle Valley is able to produce a product that's not only better for you, but tastes better too.Mark shares how it all works in our conversation, and I'm excited to share this episode with you. I think it's both incredibly interesting and incredibly important. These things not only impact our health, but also our local economies and the environment. So if you enjoy this episode, please consider sharing with a friend, because the more people who understand the value of how our food is made and where it comes from, the healthier we'll all be in the future.Pictured below is Mark with his wife, Fran, who has played a huge role in making Castle Valley Mill what it is today.Full transcriptTopics Covered:The Story Behind Castle Valley MillWhy Modern Flour isn't GreatGerm, Bran, and Starch: The Proper Components of FlourThe Process of MillingUsing 150 Year Old Milling EquipmentDiscovering the Demand for Stone Ground Wheat1800's Stone Milling as an Achievement of American IngenuityScalability and LegacyThe American DietCovid Flour ShortageHow to Buy Castle Valley Mill's ProductLinks:Castle Valley Mill Website and Store: www.castlevalleymill.comInstagram: @cvmllcFacebook: @CastleValleyMillNo Kneed Overnight Bread Recipe: No Kneed Bread
It's everyone's dream to have a job that doesn't feel like work. But sometimes there are hidden pitfalls that come with that.Our guest Rob Krekel shares with us his love for sound design and talks about how overextending ourselves can take a toll over time. We also discuss his creative process, how Ben Burtt inspired him as a kid, and advice for new creatives.Full transcriptTopics Covered:Drawn to SoundComing from a Creative FamilyTinkering with CreativityThe Sound Design ProcessWhat Makes Sound Design FunCreative Burnout and Taking a Step BackAdvice for New CreativesLinks:Rob's Twitter: @robkrekelFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.causeofcraft.comwww.jontilton.com
New Years — a time where we put together our next set of goals, and… all too often promptly forget to make them happen. It can be tough creating new routines to accomplish what we want, but thankfully there are a variety of resources to help us get to where we want to go.On this episode I talk to Author Lia Murati about one of these methods. She's a firm believer in writing down your goals and focusing on what you want — so much so that she's created her own book called The Manifestation Journal. We discuss this, as well as how creativity helps you understand yourself and how life can often imitate fiction.Full Podcast TranscriptTopics Covered:What is a Manifestation Journal?The Power of Writing Things DownMoving to A Different CountryDiffering Views on ManifestationFocusing On What You Actually Care AboutDisciplined FocusBeing Aware of How to Get Where You Want to GoCreativity Helps You Understand SelfFiction Coming True in RealityLinks:Lia's Instagram: @liamuratiBuy Lia's Book: AmazonFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.causeofcraft.comwww.jontilton.com
Are patterns in story connected with patterns in music? Is something Plato said relevant to cautioning us about the metaverse?On this episode I chat with Pianist Jeff Dershin about how proper listening can create opportunity to connect with your audience and add extra meaning to your art. We also discuss audience participation, The Hero's Journey, and why it's important to choose a path in life that has heart.Full TranscriptTopics Covered:Performing for Older AudiencesWhy Digital Instruments Haven't Replaced AcousticalStudying MusicThe Hero's JourneyChoosing a Path With HeartAudience Participation and ConnectionHow Others Inspire Our Thinking and ArtCycles of LifePlato and Thích Nhất HạnhInstilling a Sense of WonderLinks:Music with Jeff DershinA Century of Jewish Music with Jeff DershinFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.causeofcraft.comwww.jontilton.com
What is the secret to staying relevant in a world that's always changing?This is one of the many things I had the chance to discuss with Rudy Manning, the Chief Creative Officer at Pastilla. Rudy shares tips for creatives through his personal journey, from studying graphic design to creating campaigns for a wide variety of clients, including LA Parks, The Golden Globes, and Microsoft.Full TranscriptTopics CoveredRudy's Start in Graphic DesignConnection Between Fine Arts and Graphic DesignMaturation Helps Creative GrowthThe Power in Staying CuriousComfortable with the UncomfortableThe Importance of Listening to Your ClientsHelping Underprivileged Youth Study the ArtsWhy Study Art?Why Rudy CreatesAdvice for New CreativesLinks:Pastilla: www.pastilla.coArt Division: www.artdivision.orgRudy's InstagramFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.causeofcraft.comwww.jontilton.com
Have you ever found walking around in nature helps with your inspiration?Author Michelle Adshead created her first children's book about the Appalachian trail, covering everything from the incredible sights to trail edict. We also discuss advice for creatives just starting out, the importance of taking a step back when overwhelmed, and what it's like to eat a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting.Full TranscriptTopics Covered:Folly and Molly Take on the Appalachian TrailThru-Hiking and the Appalachian TrailWriting Process and the Rhythm of Walking in NatureSelf Publishing a Children's Book and Using KickstarterAdvice for Creatives Just Starting OutInstilling Positive Ideas in the StoryTaking a Step Back When OverwhelmedThe Feeling of Being in NatureSupport from the Hiking CommunityEating a Half Gallon of Ice CreamPassion is Important to Creating SomethingLinks:Michelle Adshead's Website: www.adventurestoriesbymichelle.comMichelle's InstagramMichelle's Facebook Group
What mediums come to mind when thinking about good storytelling? Perhaps books, tv shows, movies, and even some video games. But what about a website?This week's guest, Josh Donnelly believes storytelling is a vital part to good web design. He shares his journey from video production to creating websites and brand logos. We also discuss how to apply what you know across disciplines, learning on the job, and why people feel impostor syndrome.Full TranscriptTopics Covered:How Video Storytelling Influenced Josh's Web DesignApplying What You Know Across DisciplinesHindsight is Always ClearerHow to Tell a Story with Web DesignFrom Corporate America to Small BusinessLearning on the Job and Pushing YourselfHow Creative Work is Like a PuzzleTimeless Vs. TrendyJosh's Take on Impostor SyndromeWhy People CreateLinks:Josh Donnelly's Website: doncomarketing.comFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
Why is it important to find new ways to create and where do we find inspiration to try new things? This is one of the many topics I covered with this week's guest, Composer Eimi TanakaWe also discuss Eimi's jazz background and its influence on her work, her process for developing themes, and the contrast between composing for television and creating a concert work.Full Transcript.Topics Covered:Where Composing StartsComposing with a Performer in MindDeveloping Themes for a PieceExploring New Techniques and Finding InspirationEimi's Jazz Background and InfluenceBalancing Traditions of Classical Music with Something NewThe Difference in Composing for Film and TelevisionHow Long it Takes to Compose a PieceWorking on Multiple Projects at OnceWorking with Handwritten NotesTeaching Piano and CompositionConnecting with MusicStaying Inspired and Seeing the Big PictureLinks:Eimi Tanaka's Website: www.tanakastudiosnyc.comClip of Shifting Pieces by Eimi TanakaPerformed by: Mavis Pan, pianoRecorded at the National Opera Center's Scorca Hall, NYC, on Oct 31, 2021.Cause of Craft: causeofcraft.comJon's Website: jontilton.comSupport the show: shop.jontilton.comFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.More about Eimi:Eimi Tanaka is a freelance composer, pianist, and teacher based in New York City. She started classical studies on the piano at age 8, and then during high school attended at the Mannes College of Music preparatory division with a scholarship. There she studied with pianist Deborah Jamini, as well as classical theory, composition, and chamber music with other world-renowned faculty in New York City. During her senior year of high school, she discovered jazz and began studying improvisation. She attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston for a bachelors degree in piano and music business, and received her masters in jazz studies and composition at New York University with the Steinhardt Graduate Scholarship. In Boston and New York, she has studied with world-renowned faculty such as Joanne Brackeen, Frank Carlberg, Jean-Michel Pilc, Gil Goldstein, Ralph Alessi, Wayne Krantz, and George Garzone, among many others. She has performed in many venues in the Boston and New York City areas, as well as in Florence and Sienna, Italy, through NYU's jazz studies program and Florence's jazz festival.Before attending NYU's master's program, Eimi has worked in various branches of the music industry, including concert production, record labels, and publicity, and worked in well-known companies such as Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.As a composer, she has created original music for her own jazz trio, scores for short films which have played in festivals in New York and abroad, production music for television shows which are currently in syndication on CBS and the CW networks, and also classical compositions which have been performed by various groups in NYC.
No matter how far we've come, there's always new avenues to learn and grow. This week's guest is historical fiction author Liz Tolsma. She shares how her passion and love for learning pushes her to constantly improve her craft. We also discuss how to choose what to write next, which time periods count as historical fiction, and her personal connection with her latest book, A Picture of Hope.Full TranscriptLinks:Liz's Website: liztolsma.comAmazon Author Page: Liz TolsmaA Picture of Hope: AmazonChristian Historical Fiction Talk Podcast: Spotify | AppleSocial Media:Facebook Page: Liz TolsmaInstagram: @authorliztolsmaTwitter: @LizTolsmaTopics Covered:Creating Stories as a ChildThe Value of Historical FictionFilling the Gaps in HistoryPlanning and Pantsing in Historical FictionHow to Know Which Ideas to Turn into BooksWhat Counts as Historical Fiction?Writing About DisabilitiesPersonal Connections with WritingAlways Improving Your CraftLetting Your Passion Lead to GrowthFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
Relationships with family and friends are one of the most meaningful things in our lives. So it's natural that our art finds inspiration in them. This week's guest Felicia Manning shares how family stories led her into the film industry and how they inspired her first screenplay. We also discuss creating projects with limitations, balancing family life with creative work, how to connect a character with the audience, and more.Full TranscriptTopics Covered:Inspired by Family StoriesFinding the Connection Point Between Characters and AudienceBalancing Family Life with Creative WorkCreating A Project with What You HaveDifferences Between Film and DigitalHow to Maintain The Vision as a DirectorImplementing the Unplanned MagicThe Difference Between Personal and Commercial CreativityBlind to Our Own Unique VoiceWhy The Hardships of Writing Are WorthwhileLinks:Felicia's Website: www.febrandfilms.comInstagram: @feliciamvanningVimeo: vimeo.com/febrandfilmsThe Best Ain't Happened Yet Music VideoGoogle Home Spec CommercialFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.Fe Brand Films is a creative agency producing brand experiences through storytelling. Located in Pasadena, they produce commercials, branded content, short films, and music videos. They work closely with their clients in developing original concepts and channeling that vision from production to post. With a lean toward human-interest topics and character-driven stories, they move ideas forward through a shared commitment to inspire through film.
Have you ever stepped back and wondered how you got to where you are today? This week's guest Amanda Gearhart shares her unique journey from child birth educator to starting her own baking business.We also discuss the beauty in baking with family, how non-traditional career paths are becoming more acceptable, tips for new creatives, and more. Full Transcript.Topics Covered:Sharing Baked Goods With OthersLearning from GrandmaNon-Traditional Career Paths Becoming More AcceptableOur Lives Are Intertwined with Our ArtMaking Family MemoriesIs it Hard Watching Your Creation Be Eaten?The Importance of PassionTips for New Bakers and Creatives in GeneralLinks:Royally Iced Baker Website: www.royallyicedbaker.comFacebook: Royally Iced BakerInstagram: @royallyicedbakerFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
Are there crossroads between two completely different art forms? After you listen to my discussion with Painter Evan Harrington I think you'll find that there certainly is.We discover many similarities between our creative approaches -even though our work is incredibly different. We also discuss his interest in aviation, the benefits to following format early in your career, and his latest exhibition at The Silverman Gallery.That's right — you can see Evan's beautiful paintings in person from October 30th through November 28, 2021. Stop by The Silverman Gallery in Holicong, PA, just outside of Doylestown. And, if you'd like to say hello, he'll be there on October 30th (5pm-8pm) and November 7th (1pm-4pm).Full interview transcript and selected sampling of Evan's work.Topics Covered:Coming from an Artistic FamilyEvan's Unique Take on Impressionist PaintingThe Benefits to Following Format Early OnAviation and WoodworkingFinding the Common Ground Between Your InterestsPainting PortraitsDeciding What to PaintPainting a First DraftSimilarities and Differences Between Art FormsUsing Music to Teach ArtUnintentional CohesivenessEvan's Exhibition at Silverman GalleryLinks:Evan's Website: www.eharringtonstudio.comEvan's Instagram: @evanharringtonstudioView Evan's art in person from October 30 through November 28, 2021 at:Silverman Gallery, 4920 York Road, Route 202, Holicong, PA 18928(Five miles south of New Hope and just north of PA 413 in the Buckingham Green Shopping Center, shows Doylestown on maps)https://silvermangallerybuckscountypa.com/evan-harrington/*Evan will be at the Gallery in person on Saturday, October 30th from 5pm-8pm and on Sunday, November 7 from 1pm-4pm.Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
Leaving an old path behind and starting a new one can be intimidating. But the truth is when we turn the page, we're not starting from zero. We take with us everything we've learned so far. This week's guest Eliana Morin shares her experience with this concept in growing as an artist.Eliana is a Storyboard Artist and Revisionist working in the animation industry. We discuss finding inspiration in others, choosing art as a career path, how to grow as a creative, and more.Full Transcript and Sample of Eliana's ArtworkTopics Covered:Artist for LifeBeing Your Own Worst CriticReiterating the Same Work to ImproveVan Gough Selling One PaintingThe Artist's Mood Reflecting in Their WorkConvincing Audiences Your Character is AliveChoosing an Artistic Career PathSurprises in Pursuing The DreamReinventing YourselfEncouragement from OthersBreaking into the Animation IndustryGetting Inspiration from OthersAlways Learning and GrowingLooking Out for One AnotherSetting Aside Time Outside of Your CraftHow to Prevent BurnoutLinks:Eliana's Instagram: @mackymacandcheeseFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
The internet age has given everyone more opportunity, including endless ways to overload ourselves with increased workloads, endless distraction, and busy minds — it can all be overwhelming to navigate.This week's guest, Author K.A. Emmons, shares her approach to maintaining a balanced life while running her business online. Kate recently released a new novel called Searching for Sparrow. We cover some of the themes in this book and why they're important to her life. We also discuss why to live with intention, how responsibilities can prompt better focus, and much more. Full Transcript.Links:Kate's Website: www.kaemmons.com Instagram: @lonehawkwriter YouTube: KAEmmons Podcast: The Kate & Abbie ShowLinks to Kate's BooksSearching For SparrowThe Blood Race Start For Free Amazon Author PageTopics Covered:Dangers of Social Media on the Creative Mind Digital Minimalism Better Ways to Use Social Media Going Off-Grid Approaching Life with Intention Reconstructing Your Brain Cycles for Better Habits Understanding Your Inherent Worth Pouring Yourself Into Your Writing Searching for Sparrow Kate's Early Memories of Reading and Writing Reflecting on Early Work Creating an Intentional, Creative Space Dedicating Separate Time to Each Part of Life How Responsibilities Prompt Diligent FocusFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
All of us creatives run into issues while making our art. There might be time constraints on a project, an issue with the sound system, or a new venue we're not quite used to. There are typically infinite ways to go about solving these problems, but I'd argue that your work will be much better off if you can find a creative approach to solving that problem. My guest this week excels at that very thing, and it's one of the many topics we cover on this week's show. Alex Brubaker is a fingerstyle guitarist and produces his unique sound using a variety of methods, from live looping to percussive taps on his instrument. We also discuss how songs speak stories, why Alex started playing barefoot, and the pressure social media imposes on today's artists.Episode TranscriptLinks:Alex's Website: www.alexbrubakerguitar.comFacebook Page: alexbrubakerguitarInstagram: @alexbrubakerguitarTwitter: @AlexBrubakerLinks to Alex's Music:BandcampSpotifyApple Music iTunes StoreTopics Covered:How Alex Found His Voice and StyleUsing Limitations to Spark CreativitySongs Speaking StoriesAlex's Creative ProcessUsing a Live LooperKeeping An Audience's Attention Between SongsPlaying BarefootThe Difference Between Live and Studio PerformanceProducing Album ArtJuggling Releasing an Album with the Birth of a BabyThe Challenge of Social Media Culture on ArtistsOne Year Anniversary of Building Harmonic CastlesFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
Many creatives brush up against a common roadblock — the dreaded impostor syndrome — a feeling that they're unworthy to contribute their creativity to the world, a feeling that they are “lesser” artists.This is just one of many topics I had a chance to discuss with this week's guest, singer Nicole Johnson.We had a great conversation about two different ways to overcome feelings of creative doubts, and I'm excited to hear what you think.But first a little bit more about Nicole. She discovered her love for singing at a very young age, and since then she's never stopped, always seeking to push herself and to share her wonderful talent with more people. That mission recently brought her to Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, where she performed the national anthem, we discussed what it's like singing in front of so many people, how to set the next goal for yourself, looking at creativity beyond the traditional arts, and much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation.Full TranscriptLinks:Nicole's YouTube ChannelNicole's Instagram: @nicolelearFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.jontilton.comwww.causeofcraft.comTopics Covered:Nicole's Early Days of SingingSinging in Front of 30,000 PeopleSinging with a Audio DelayTaking Iterative Steps to the Next LevelConnections Between Creative DisciplinesHonoring a CompositionAnticipating Nicole's Future AlbumsFinding Your Voice and StyleTackling Discouragement and Impostor SyndromeFinding the Right Next Goal for YourselfDreams and Goals Changing with AgeUsing Art to Portray LifeCreators in the Image of GodCreativity Beyond the Traditional ArtsTeaching Others to Sing
How integral is art to our lives? Why must we create with purpose? Artist Elaine Tolsma Harlow joins the show to discuss the importance of process, her battle with leukemia, collaborating with the audience, and much more.Full Transcript and Selected Art SamplesLinks:Elaine's Website: www.etharlow.com Elaine's Instagram: @etharlowart View Elaine's art in person at: LaFontsee Gallery, 833 Lake Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506www.lafontsee.us/elaine-tolsma-harlowTopics Covered:Elaine's Start in the Art World Euncaustics The Importance of Process Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone Never Tiring of a Similar Subject Why Paint Flowers During the Pandemic? Changing Beauty Collaborating with the Audience Painting with Purpose Returning to Art After Battling Cancer Behind the Scenes of Elaine's Process The Importance of Seeing Art in Person Teaching Art Art as an OutletFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.
Designer and Writer Megan McCullough joins the show. You've already seen her work in at least one place – the Cause of Craft podcast artwork! That's right, Megan is the talent behind the logo and branding for the show. We discuss why she started doing design work, how collaboration sharpens your skills, and the similarities and differences between novel writing and design.Full Episode TranscriptTopics Covered:Similarities and Differences Between Novel Writing and DesignWhy Megan Started Studying DesignThe Benefits of CollaborationThe Pros and Cons to Designing Your Own Cover ArtHow to Present New Ideas to Your CollaboratorMegan's Lord of the Rings Fan-fictionBuilding Writing Confidence When You're YoungThe Value in Your Unpublished WorkWhat Inspires Megan's Writing and DesignThe Differences Between Academic Study and Learning on the JobGetting Out of Your Comfort Zone to Learn New ThingsThe Self-Taught Approach to LearningKeeping the End Product in MindWhy Megan Pursues Multiple CraftsLinks:Megan's Website: www.meganmccullough.comMegan's Design Instagram: @meganmcculloughdesignMegan's Book Instagram: @meganmcculloughbooksFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and the show @causeofcraft, there you can find clips and visual companions for every episode.
Author and Artist Effie Joe Stock joins the show to discuss the value in pursing multiple art forms, using computer-generated fictional languages, the difference between writing and hand-crafted arts, and the process of wood-burning and soap-making.When I first conceptualized the podcast, I had to make a decision — would I concentrate my interviews on a particular type of creator? Authors? How about writers more broadly? Or would I talk with creators of a wide range of artistic disciplines? A professor of mine once lamented the separation of the academic buildings on campus. The Philosophy building was isolated from the Science building, the Mathematics building was isolated from the Communications department, and so on and so forth. He told me that the best ideas come together when we have deep conversations between disciplines. That always stuck with me and it inspired my choice to interview a wide variety of creators for the podcast. Effie Joe Stock takes this approach in her entire creative process – while her main craft is writing, she is also a painter, wood-burner, soap maker, and musician.Links:Episode TranscriptEffie's Website: www.effiejoestock.comPyrography Art Shop: www.craftedinsmoke.comBuy Effie's Books, Wood-burned Art, and Soaps: www.effiejoestock.com/shopEffie's Instagram: @effie.joe.stock.authorChild of the Dragon Prophecy: Amazon | Signed CopiesFollow Jon on Instagram: @jontiltonFollow Cause of Craft on Instagram: @causeofcraftwww.jontilton.comwww.causeofcraft.comTopics Covered With Timestamps:IntroArtistic Variety is WorthwhileConnection Between Artistic DisciplinesPlaying Musical InstrumentsEffie's Earliest Memories in Music and WritingWhy Effie Continued WritingCharacters Changing with the AuthorWriting with an Audience in MindDiscovery WritingThe Discovery Process in other Art FormsWorld Building and Using A.I. to Create Fictional LanguagesCreating Cover Art for Your Own BookWood-burning and Soap-makingHow to Make Goat Milk SoapHow Effie Got Into Wood-burningThe Wood-burning ProcessWriting Versus Working with Your HandsWhy Effie Wanted to PublishWhere to Buy Effie's BookOutroAbout Effie Joe Stock: An avid book lover since she learned to read, Effie has always found home in realms other than earth, preferably with magic, dragons, and adventure. Ever since she wrote a picture book with a friend in the first grade, Effie knew that she wanted to be an author. Her own story continued as she wrote short stories and poetry. Besides working on her endless number of Works In Progress, Effie enjoys working on her small farm of cows, chickens, goats, sheep, rabbits, turkeys, dogs and cats. A dedicated music lover, Effie plays guitar, violin, and piano, along with any other instrument she can get her hands on. Besides expressing her creativity though writing, dance, and art, she also enjoys studying Creation Science, Apologetics, Philosophy, Psychology, and Mathematics.
Author Frazier Alexander joins the podcast to discuss myths from a Christian perspective, his handwritten manuscripts, the influence of Tolkien and Lewis, and what goes into creating an immersive fantasy map. See a full list of timestamped topics and transcript below.Links:Frazier's Website: www.frazieralexander.comThe Lost King: Amazon | Frazier's WebsiteMaps of AntaranisOther Works Mentioned:The Hero with A Thousand Faces: Amazon | B&NThe Writer's Journey: Mythic Structures for Writers by Christopher Vogler: Amazon | B&NThe Chronicles of Narnia: Amazon | B&NGod in the Dock by C.S. Lewis, including the essay “Myth Become Fact”: Amazon | B&NThe Iliad and The Odyssey: Amazon | B&NThe Prydain Chronicles: Amazon | B&NFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy listening to podcasts.Topics Covered With Timestamps:IntroFrazier's Early Passion for StoryMyths As Stories You Feel Like You've Always Known / Living Myths on the SubconsciousWriting Reiterations of the Same StorySelf-Psychoanalysis and Moving Around as a KidResources for Understanding Mythology for WritersMythology from a Christian PerspectiveHomer and Lloyd AlexanderHandwriting ManuscriptsUsing Freehand to Get out of Creative RutsAdvantages of Typing and Advantages of HandwritingCreating Maps for the StoryPlanning the Story in Broad StrokesPlaywrights, Theatre, and Understanding ThemeDiscussion on DialogueTolkien and Lewis Setting The BarWhat Stands the Test of Time in WritingEveryone Has A Unique Approach to WritingOutroAbout Frazier Alexander: By the time he was in the first grade, Frazier had fallen in love with The Lord of The Rings movies and the old epics from the 50s and 60s. These inspired him to create his own mythic fantasy stories, all taking place in a connected world. He has spent years creating the history, geography, and linguistics for this invented world. Frazier moved a lot growing up and identified strongly with characters in stories who go on long quests, like Odysseus and Frodo. Those stories gave him hope and he wants his stories to do the same for someone else.
Cinematographer Cailin Yatsko joins the show to discuss her journey into filmmaking, the perks of learning on the job, and how collaboration can teach you something about yourself. Timestamps and full transcript below.Links:Cailin's website: www.cailinyatsko.comCailin's Instagram: @cailinyatskoBicephaly Pictures: www.bicephalypictures.comBicephaly Pictures Instagram: @bicephalyDays of Gray:TraileriTunes | AmazonWebsite: www.daysofgray.comInstagram: @daysofgrayShort History of the Long Road:TraileriTunes | AmazonWebsite: www.shorthistorylongroad.comInstagram: @shorthistorylongroadFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft. Visit www.causeofcraft.com.Topics Cover With Timestamps:IntroCailin's Early Interest in FilmmakingUndergrad and the Value in a Broad EducationBusiness Classes and Learning on the JobInexperience Can Be Valuable in Just Starting OutLearning from Other Mediums like BooksFilm SchoolMeeting Ani Simon-KennedySetting the Goal of Making FeaturesCailin and Ani's Creative ProcessCollaboration in FilmmakingLearning About Yourself Through CollaborationSetting New Challenges for YourselfThe Helpfulness of RestrictionsReleasing During a PandemicHow to Watch Cailin's FilmsOutroAbout Cailin Yatsko: Originally from Arkansas, Cailin Yatsko is a New York City-based narrative and documentary cinematographer. In 2011, she partnered with director Ani Simon-Kennedy to form Bicephaly Pictures, one of just a few female production companies in NYC - producing narrative films, music videos, web series, and commercials. Her commercial cinematography includes award-winning branded and editorial content for clients such as Google, Intel, Condé Nast, Colgate, The New Yorker, The Fader, Vice, and many others in her nine years working in the industry. With director Ani Simon-Kennedy, they have collaborated on two narrative features: Days of Gray and The Short History of the Long Road, which premiered in US Narrative Competition at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival and released by FilmRise. She also shot with director Cynthia Lowen (Bully) for the feature documentary Netizens, exposing the proliferation of cyber harassment facing women (2018 Tribeca Film Festival).
In this premiere episode, author M.C. Beeler joins the podcast to discuss what it's like to dedicate nine years to a project, the benefits of self-publishing, and why it feels so good to have someone read your work. Timestamps and full transcript included below.Links:M.C. Beeler's Website: www.margaretcbeeler.com M.C. Beeler's Instagram: @margaretcbeelerSacred: Eslura's Calling: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Signed CopiesThe Heart of the Kella Short Story: AmazonFREE* copy of The Heart of the Kella via M.C. Beeler's Newsletter SubscriptionOther works mentioned:The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell: Amazon | Barnes & NobleVisit www.causeofcraft.comFollow Jon on Instagram (@jontilton) and follow the show (@causeofcraft).Topics Covered with Timestamps:IntroWorking on a Project for 9 YearsGetting Encouragement on Early DraftsBen 10 InspriationScenes That Survived Every DraftThe Stories Within Us and The Hero's JourneyDiscovery WritingPlanting Seeds for the SequelsConnecting a Short Story to Your NovelChanneling Emotions into WritingChoosing Self-PublishingCollaborating with Other ArtistsDeciding to PublishThe Value in Having Someone Read Your BookWhere to find M.C. Beeler's BooksOutroAbout M.C. Beeler: Raised in northern Indiana, Beeler lives in a small city just close enough to be considered part of the Chicago-land area. A student at Marquette University, she is studying business with a concentration in Marketing and Entrepreneurship in hopes to use her skills to not only help herself, but other authors pursue their writing careers.On the off chance that she isn't stationed at her writing desk, she can be found glued to whatever Nintendo console she can get her hands on working to sustain her self-proclaimed title of “Pokémon Master.” You might also find her snuggling with her Goldendoodle or hitting the slopes during the winter season (aka her favorite season) either snowboarding or skiing.Episode transcript: (May contain some errors due to automated AI transcription):Jon: Welcome to Cause of Craft, I'm your host Jon Tilton. Why do we create? Where do our ideas come from? What does our craft say about us? These are the ideas we explore here on the show, and this week I'm joined by M.C. Beeler, author of Sacred to discuss what it's like to spend nine years on a project, the benefits of self publishing, and why it feels so good to have someone else read your work. Welcome Maggie.Maggie: Thank you so much for having me.Jon: Yeah, thanks for coming on. I'm super excited. You must be excited because you have a book out. Can you tell us a little bit about that?Maggie: Yeah, so I'm releasing my first book, next week, it's actually a week from today and today is the recording date so very exciting, i It doesn't feel real quite yet, but I'm sure in a week it will feel real to have a book out I've been, you know, working on it for nine years. So it's finally going to be out there and it's just very exciting.Jon: Yeah, nine years, that's not like a short amount of time that's a big chunk of your life there. What made you first decide you wanted to write. And this might be a different part of the answer but what kept you working on it for such a long time to see it through to this point.Maggie: Yeah, so to the question of what made me want to write. Well I feel like, obviously I have the cliche answer that I've always been into writing, but it's actually kind of a funny story so I was on vacation in Florida, and I was 12 So I was kind of, you know, an annoying like preteen whatever, and I was really bored and I kept nagging, my mom about like my boredom, and I wanted some sort of solution so she bought me a notebook and told me, she's like you're creative sit down and write and I was like okay, so I started writing, and at the time I was very into the show, Ben 10, I don't know if you know that show. It was a pretty popular show at the time, and I was very into it so my first draft was to be quite honest, of Ben 10 fan fiction. And it was just very entertaining to write that, and what kept me going over the years is, I think, I sort of realized as I was writing, you know, I shared bits and pieces of what I wrote with my parents and it was very exciting to share something, and hear feedback so I think that sort of feeling really carried me through it is the feeling of like getting some sort of confirmation that what you're doing is like good and worth it and like worthwhile. So I really wanted to like see this project through, though. Over the years, I mean it took me nine years to finish this thing so I wasn't consistently working on it, it was more of like in the back of my head like oh I have this, this book and I kind of want to publish it, but I don't really want to like work on it because it's like a lot of work and I would like, work on it for like a week at a time I like write for like a week straight in, and then I'd put it away for like a month, and then I'd like pull it back out and like, type a couple words and put it away for a while, and it was just this whole like cycle of like working on it and then not working on it and then at a certain point I think I was like, 18, or 17 I was like, I really want to publish this thing, and I want to take the steps to learn how to like publish a book, and I learned and I took the steps, and I finally finished and now it's gonna be out in a week. That answers the question I kind of go long winded there.Jon: No, it definitely does and I think you answered both parts of it really well in the same kind of the same answer did cover both things and so that's really interesting, you know, both how you got started led into why you kept going. I was, it struck me when you talked about how you put it away and came back to it. Did you find… Have you been able to look back on the times that you were taking it back out to work on it and like what was… was anything particular prompting that or was it more of, oh, I have some extra time I'm going to pull it back out I'm bored, I'm going to pull it back out, or it was it something else that drove you to come back to your manuscript?Maggie: You know, quite honestly, I don't know I want to say like, I mean, no to get all spiritual on ya, I don't know I feel like I just had something in the back of my head that was like you gotta like do this like this is like something that's really important and will be really important to you and it obviously is it's like kind of my life now, but I don't know I just like, I'd be like sitting around in my room I've like any kind of want to like just work on this thing because like I have it, and like I had shared it with a couple people at the time who told me that it was good and obviously they were lying because it was a first draft and it was really really bad, but their encouragement, kind of like in the back of my head, you know, push me to keep going. And I think that's really important for like people who are like just starting off in the creative industry to really have that like to, like, the confirmation that like what they're doing is worthwhile and like will be worthwhile and I think that's really what like carried me through it, the entire ways that like I had people who were like telling me that what I was doing is worthwhile and what I was doing was good, and that in the back of my head was like, Oh, I'd like me to keep doing this because it's good and it's worthwhile.Jon: I think anyone who spends that amount of time working on a project like there's something about them that I meant to do this and I think it's funny you mentioned about oh well my friends were lying because it was a first draft. You know, I wouldn't be so sure about that, you know, I've had terrible first drafts, I think, I think most first just are probably terrible for everyone, a lot of house season they are, but there's something that there's something there I think if you have if you're meant to be doing it, and you have some talent, even if you don't know how to bring that talent out of yourself yet. I think people can look at elements of it and you know it requires a friend or family member or someone who has a good eye for seeing incensing what's there behind kind of the mess, and know that there oh there's some gold in here that I see, even though it's not all uncovered yet so I think kind of I'm tempted to say the same thing or it's like oh, people are being disingenuous about what they say about some of my early writing. When I talked to them specifically about what they do like about it and I understand the elements that are working, and then I noticed oh they're not saying this, or oh I have a mentor who points this piece out of my writing that I can improve. Right, I think it's all that process of going into something chipping away at it until you really have a refined product that, that speaks to people.Maggie: Mm hmm. Yeah I mean I agree with that because it's definitely they definitely weren't like looking at like my grammar or my like dialogue or whatever they were more probably looking at like the imagination and the ability to like come up with something like that just like randomly not like, you know the actual story structure which is like, I think, really good like to just encourage people at a young age, you know, just not criticizing everything because it can like ruin. You know, if I had showed my parents or my mentor I did have like a little non official mentor but he was like a family friend that was in the publishing business, and I would talk to him a lot about writing. If I had showed them my draft, and they said, “this sucks,” I would probably never have continued, so it's just like really important how you go about talking to young creatives, I think personally.Jon: What is it about Ben 10, that spoke to you as a kid? I know the show but I haven't seen it.Maggie: Yeah, so I just like well I was actually like so obsessed with it at the time I was like just I download it all I like a Kindle Fire at that age, and I just like downloaded all the episodes onto my Kindle Fire and my mom thought that I was like reading but I was really just like watching back then. And, well, I took the idea of the two cousins, and their grandpa and a trailer going around on these like cool quests and like having all these magical powers which like you can kind of see it seeping into my novel now a little bit with like the the powers and stuff but not as much. I mean, my like I literally had it down to the T. Like it was a boy, main character and his like redheaded cousin. So it was like very much the same, but yeah over the years it changed a lot, obviously, and I think it's just like, how much I worked on it and how much I was changing as a person throughout those years because I mean 12 to 21 is like a really like big age range, and like you go through a lot of change then so I think my story was like growing and changing as I grew and changed, and yeah I just like really did a lot of like, I don't know like editing with the plot, and I really don't even know how to like, explain how it changed it just kind of happened like ruin. Look at parts and be like oh, this needs to be something else, and I think it also ties in to me learning what actual story structure is.Jon: So that's one of the questions I actually had listed down here to ask you was just, again, branching off that nine year aspect of this project for you. Like, I think about, you know, I'm, I'm a little bit older than you are, and my first book took about three years to do it on and off, and I think about how much I've changed in that time. And this is an age range that I've done this as a short amount of time, and it's an age range where you don't really change as much as you know the ages from 12 to 21 Right? So, it just blew my mind when you first told me that you had worked on this project for nine years, I was just like, okay, how many times is this rewritten? Are there any scenes, I guess, that's another question, maybe without giving anything too much away that you don't want to… but is there a scene that really stayed with the book the entire time that that you can point to as a scene that stayed in the draft the entire time?Maggie: So, yeah, um, about the drafts first. I literally I think I counted how many drafts I have I have about like 14 drafts of this novel, not including like the written ones, but throughout all those drafts. There is one scene that has stayed very consistent throughout them all. And I don't think it's much of a spoiler because it happens within like the first four chapters, and it's kind of in the blurb to I mean obviously she goes into another world. So there's a scene where she goes into a cave, and I won't really expand much, but she goes into a cave, and that has been in pretty much every draft not the first draft because the first draft was like literal bedtime fan fiction, just like going in an RV, whatever. But the cave thing has been consistent through it all and if you've read the book you'll know what I'm talking about. It also characters there's a couple of characters who have stayed consistent I have a character in my novel who's basically a giant talking lizard, and he's been in every single draft, thus far, and my side character Well she's not a side character really anymore. She was a side character, but my main character Reagan has been in every draft as well. And there's one more I believe I have a giant talking dog as well I'm kind of very into the talking animals, named long pause, who's also been in every draft so those three have survived the nine years of revision.Jon: It's really interesting when you mentioned those things because those elements are directly. I've been really into learning more about Karl Yune, and I've been reading here with 1000 faces by Joseph Campbell, and the lizard person, and the going into a cave like those are big, like within story elements or at least you know there's obviously debate about these sorts of things but those two elements are often things that come up in stories belly, or the cave, being kind of the belly of the whale element. So it's interesting that that's there and to be in the fourth chapter, that's exactly where it goes, you know, in the hero's journey so I'm guessing you're not reading Joseph Campbell when you're 12 years old. So I think it's, it's always so fascinating to me how much these things do actually show up in people's work, and there's just something about being human that like is leanness to this. And there's also the lizard people that's, that's something that shows up a lot in fiction, as well. And so it's interesting that those two things have stayed consistent. Yes, if their connection to those, but of course you know they're coming out and, and I think that's why it's so fascinating to me these sorts of things because how it shows up in different people's work is completely different and so you find out all these things about a person based on how they, how they approach these kind of deep seated, things that are somewhere in our brains and so it's just fascinating to me. I've always been interested in how that works and, and how it comes out in different people's stories.Maggie: Yeah, well I thought about that too because I heard, I saw a little post a while ago that pretty much everyone is writing, Almost the same story I mean because we use the hero's journey template and there's a ton of other like templates but it's really how you make that story your own like using all these because I mean, someone came up with dragons, a while ago and then everyone uses them now in their own way, in their own novel and it's just like the different ways that you use things that make it unique to like your story.Jon: Yeah, and it might not even be a literal Dragon, it might be yeah I mean that that resembles it or that even handset something like, I'm writing something now, and there's a dragon element to it but it's, it's not a dragon at all it's a person but the fact they're guarding something that's the dragon element, you know, the classic like the hobbit with the dragon guarding the gold. Yeah, there's still that element in it, and it's just, it's just so fascinating to me. So it's cool, it's cool to hear a little bit about how that's showing up in your writing.Maggie: Yeah.Jon: Those ideas are actually kind of what brought me to the idea of the show in general, because I started thinking well why am I writing like what I'm writing like why is this element in the story because I don't know if you have the same experience but a lot of times when I write, you know, there's, there's a lot of intentionality behind it but then all of a sudden something will come in, that just pops onto the page and pops into the scene and I just can't control or explain it, and it's, it's, I kind of have to just explore it, that's where I became kind of fascinated with these concepts, and trying to figure out why is it that that happens, but also why is the way that I approach it different than everyone else, you know, that sort of thing.Maggie: Yeah, as you mentioned something about the ideas just kind of popping into your head in that kind of brought a thought to my mind because I mean, when, when people ask me how I've come up with like these ideas I'm like, I don't know how to like explain it because it's kind of like they just appear in your mind, you know, It's like there's like another person in there, kind of like whispering these ideas and you're just like, okay, then you write them down, you're like I don't know how I got this.Jon: Yeah, it's, it's that and that's probably the closest analogy because it's definitely at least for me, it's not like a literal person whispering in my ear. Yeah. but it's like, but I can't explain it because it's like okay I'm locked in I'm writing. And then I have a plan for the scene, and then all of a sudden by the end of the scene it's like well that's not what I planned for and I'm a big planner I like to be a big planner in life. Yeah, I think actually writing has taught me that. Well, it's maybe not the most important thing to stick to your plan 100% And let let what happens happen and respond to it, like, going in with a plan is good, but responding to what's real, I think is, is kind of the key to it.Maggie: And I've seen, I've actually heard. I mean I've read a lot about other authors in their processes and I've read a bit about George RR Martin, the author of Game of Thrones he writes the book. And then he doesn't plan, like he writes one book, And it's, you know, he wouldn't have planned out the series before, and he'll go through the book and see kind of like what seeds he's sowed and see what those seeds can like grow into like work with what you have. But then, for me, I don't I haven't really outlined a story that I've written before I don't know like what you do but I you know I write as much as I can. And then I'll like look back at what I've read and kind of like George Martin, and kind of see like what I have and like where it can go from there. And then I'll like kind of like workout a little bit of an outline based off, like what I've gotten like what I can work with and stuff like that but I kind of like to just sit down and write as much as I can without planning because I feel like, you know, like you said, the more planning you do the more it's like restrictive and it's better to just kind of like, let yourself. Write and see what happens.Jon: That makes me want to ask you this question Stop me if I'm not allowed to ask about the sequels but, and that this is part of a trilogy is that right?Maggie: Yeah, so it's I'm, I mean, if it's two books it's two bucks if it's two bucks, three bucks, if it's four bucks, I don't want it to be more two bucks. Yeah right. I mean I don't I really don't want it to be more than three I feel like three is like a nice sweet spot for this series, but if I can wrap it up in the second one I would, or, you know, just as long as it needs to be I'm not really, I don't have like a restrictive like guideline or anything I just am going to write until the story is done, if that makes sense.Jon: So you right now have kind of a direction you want to start in with book two or is that going to be like I guess how much in for people who aren't writers, there's kind of this mentality of, are you a pantser or planner and I think most people are probably a mix of both. It sounds like that's kind of where we're both that.Maggie: Yeah.Jon: But I guess when you start the project I think there's, there are definitely like two camps of like I started with all my plans and then it got a little bit changed where I started with no plans and then had to outline later.Maggie: Yeah.Jon: What's your approach.Maggie: So, I have a couple chapters thought out for the book I have like a little folder of ideas that I've been stashing stuff in for the second book that you know, like I said, so I've put stuff in the first book that I'm like oh this is totally gonna like grow into this and the next book. So I'd have like those chapters thought out I guess you could say, and I do have the first chapter of the next book kind of renowned I like to do for my books, I like to start the book off like kind of in the villains perspective, almost. So if you've read my first book, it starts off with the villains, and I do like that because it kind of gives you like a little bit of an insight into like what's going to happen throughout the plot. So I do have that first chapter thought out for my next book and I'm really excited about it, but I haven't actually like gone in and like written it yet. I just have like, that's cool, you know, bullet points is like this is gonna happen this is gonna happen this character is gonna say this and this and this. So like I have it like planned out, but it's not like in it's, it's not written yet.Jon: Yeah, so you have like a goal you have your aim in mind. Yeah, you're, you're complete, you know how to approach it yet isn't there yet. Yeah right. I think that's cool that's a, that's a cool thing.Maggie: Mm hmm. And then also it's the same with the ending I know exactly how Book Two is going to end as well.Jon: And another cool thing about you is you have a short story, then yeah, there's two ways to get it, you can go on Amazon or Barnes and Noble any of these places and pay the 99 cents or if you subscribe to Maggie's email newsletter, you can get it for free and it's a fantastic short story. Thank you so it uses characters that are in the book in sacred Yeah, did you find that you had more to tell about those characters or did you kind of go hunting for something you could do a short story, like how did the short story come about.Maggie: Yeah, so I was a part of this Facebook group, and they were kind of nailing it in my head that I needed to have this like newsletter. I was like alright, I'll make this newsletter so I made the newsletter, and they're like, you should have a newsletter magnet to kind of like draw people into your newsletter and I was like okay, so I had that thought in the back of my head but I wasn't like actually planning to write one because I was like, I don't know like how, you know, whatever, how big, I'll make my newsletter or anything but now, currently I love my newsletter, but anyway, so I didn't really want to write the short story thing. And it was in the back of my head and then one night. This was after like I was going through a breakup, so I was kind of in like a moody like. And I was just laying in bed just thinking in this idea for the short story just like popped in my head like, out of nowhere, and I was like oh my god, and I just like started writing I pulled out my laptop because I couldn't sleep because I was just like so stressed out with all this stuff going on, and I just started writing it, and then I finished it the next day. So I was just like, awesome, really just like kind of like, I was almost like I was channeling my emotions from that like breakup into the writing, like, almost like kind of a therapy thing. And I found myself doing the same thing right now. But going through another breakup and writing another short story so maybe it's a, it's like a thing that's gonna keep happening.Jon: So you're the Taylor Swift of books right?Maggie: The Taylor Swift two books, literally, actually.Jon: So I don't relate on the breakup level, because when I started writing I've been married so I, didn't have that conflict in my life, but I do definitely relate to that idea of when you're going through something right and, and it's interesting because originally we had all these house renovations, and it really tore our lives up. And what I went into that time with was this idea of… “oh no, if I write now, it's gonna screw everything up, like, like my mind is not right right now yeah shouldn't right, and I ended up pointing out that that, that is exactly the wrong mindset because what ended up happening was I didn't have a way to process what I was going through, because I wasn't writing, and then it ended up doing double damage because what I did start writing, I use all of the kind of emotions and the conflict that I was going through I figured out how that related to my characters in my story and I just it just propelled me through the next draft of my novel, and it's so funny because I was like wait, I should have been doing this ahead of time because it would have benefited my book. First of all, and then second of all, once I got that all out like I had this new perspective on the situation. And I thought, well shoot… here I was like miserable about it for so long, and when really I had to do was just keep working. And I actually would have been able to process it better so it's it's cool that you know obviously there's things that are, You know, big or small things are awful and you don't want awful things to happen to you, but when you do when they inevitably do, there's definitely something that you can tap into to both overcome the problem but also benefit your writing so it's, I don't know it's maybe it's a kind of a weird way to look at life but, but I think it's a, I think it can be helpful for someone to to think about, Okay, I'm going through this, how can I turn the lemons into lemonade.Maggie: Yeah, definitely. I mean I've always seen, writing is kind of like a therapy type of thing because it really is like, you know you're really absorbed in your writing for that period of time where you are writing like when I sit down at my desk and I start to write, it's like, that's all I'm thinking about so it is like kind of a good little escape from everything that's going on and it's a good way to like, you know, get your emotions into something that's, you know, constructive.Jon: It's interesting you say that too because it is an escape, but it's almost like if, if, you know, people tell you how to handle certain situation right and you're like, they're like oh just don't think anything about it and just escape. And it's like, okay, that's an option but then that leads it to its own problems because you're not dealing with the problem, then you have the other side of it where it's like, okay, just focus on it internalize it, figure out what you know like, really, really think about it, and it's like, well then you're overthinking about it and you're probably doing some other damage to yourself, but writing, it's almost like both of those things happening simultaneously, bring you into this central point where it's like okay I am escaping the issue, but in the back of my mind I'm actually dealing directly with the issue, and I think that that's, that's such a, obviously, neither of us are mental health consultants, like that so we don't, we don't really know the science behind it but I really think there's something to the process of writing and maybe this translates to other disciplines to where you're escaping something but you're also dealing with it in this kind of act of creation.Maggie: Mm hmm. Yeah, I agree, definitely.Jon: So, you have self published Sacred. Did you go through any, any debate with yourself about whether to try out traditional publishing or dive right into self publishing like what all went behind that decision?Maggie: So originally, what I was like, just lucky like first considering publishing when I was like 16 or something like that it was, it was in like fresh, it was, I don't know what year of high school was like maybe like sophomore something year. I have the I considered both options, because I think it's best to, you know obviously consider both options first before you make a decision, so I really did a lot of research and do both industries at first, but the more I started learning about self publishing the more I realized that this was the option for me because I would, I wanted to have complete creative control over my project, you know I had a vision for what I wanted and I was going to make that vision a reality. I didn't want there to be any middleman making decisions for me I wanted to be at the forefront. And I've kind of always had this like sense of like, like this entrepreneurial spirit so I, it was a very exciting thing for me to take this project head on. And I mean, it's had its ups and downs of course you know, so publishing is quite stressful because you're the only one doing it in the success of your book really hinges on like what you do. But of course, success is different for everyone would depends on your definition but anyway, it definitely was the option for me because of the creative control, and the, you know, having my own project in my name in my hands and yeah, just like being able to do everything by myself. Which, I mean, for some people that might be a little daunting, you know, Having to do everything by yourself is definitely daunting but for me personally, which is why I say like, definitely research your options before you make a decision, you know, just because one person does something doesn't mean that it's like right for you. So, you know, of course, research the options before you make a decision because what works for someone might not work for you, and self publishing ended up working out very well for me.Jon: So you did a live stream the other day with your hardbacks coming in. The quality is really good, both on the product itself but in the design as well. You really thought through every element with your designer, and you guys did a great job. And not only that but inside the book you have illustrations. So, each is it each chapter or how many illustrations you have?Maggie: Yeah, every chapter has an illustration. And then there's the map as well.Jon: I mean, I might be making assumption, but you did not draw the illustrations, is that right?Maggie: No I hired out and illustrator.Jon: Okay, and so when you're working with that person. How do you communicate, kind of what you wanted and did it take long to get to a place where you're like, oh, that's, that's what I mean or like can you talk about that process?Maggie: Yeah, so I did. I wrote out little descriptions for every single header and I would be like, I included reference photos of what I want, made it as clear as possible so she knew what I wanted and she was pretty much spot on and in she did a great job with it. You know a couple of the headers are creatures that I've actually made up, so you know she did a really good job bringing those to life, and you know working with me I think it's all about finding the right person to work with, because you know there's tons of creators out there, and, of course, many of them are very talented, but you know it's all about finding the person who kind of like matches your vibe and sees your vision and knows like, you know, kind of understand you, it's a little bit of a mutual understanding between the creator and the you know the commissioner because obviously they get a little bit of creative control as well. But yeah, I sent descriptions of what I wanted. And she was, She was very spot on with all of them, I think, you know, I found a good artist and she did a really good job.Jon: And this is separate from the cover designer, right?Maggie: Yeah.Jon: So that's two different people and so I imagine it's kind of the same thing you think okay what do I want from the perspective of what someone sees when they pick up the book, and what do I want when they're experiencing the story.Maggie: Mm hmm. Yeah, it's actually I have a cover designer, a map like a cartographer, I guess is the official name, and then I have an interior illustrator, so I need different artists working with me on this project, though, for my cover, which is kind of funny, I actually am the character on the cover. So, I like took a photo of myself in that position, and then drew it out. So that's kind of like a weird little tidbit that people don't know.Jon: That's cool, as I did not know that about it.Maggie: Yeah, yeah.Jon: Cool, well the cover looks great, everything about it really looks great. And by the time this episode is out the book will be available so some of what we're talking about is like oh looking forward to release, but just, you know, being a new podcast we're recording a little bit ahead of time so when did you okay so you're writing when you're 12. And then you are changing this kind of semi Ben 10 fan fiction into something that's your own. I imagine that 12 or 13 or whatever the ages, you're not thinking, Oh, I'm going to self publish this one day, because self publishing is super new when you're that age, so it's probably not even on your radar. But I guess when does the switch flip for you thinking to… “you know what, I don't just write this I write this so other people can experience it.”Maggie: Yeah, when I first started writing and I, I had no intentions of publishing I was just writing for fun, and like seeing what happened. And so I you know I was talking with my I call my mentor, but he's not really a mentor, it's more of like a friend like a family friend that I was really close with. I was talking to him and he suggested he, he suggested that I look into publishing, and I was like, oh I don't know like I, at the time it was kind of like, oh publishing a book that's like, I can't like I can't do that like that's not something that's like even an option available whatever like publishing a book just was like, you know, because I feel like everyone when they're little is like, oh I want to publish a book, blah blah blah. And it's, it was like a weird like out of the reach kind of thing, but I considered it I was like, Oh, that'd be cool, like, if I could publish it. And then over the years he kept telling me I should look into it, and when I got to be like 1617 somewhere, somewhere around there. I really was like, I mean, what if I did like look into publishing because it's like, why not, Why not just like research publishing, because I've been working on this thing for so long and I wanted to kind of like, you know, do something with it. So I like, did the research and then I decided that I was going to take my big take a shot at it. And that was, at first I was interested in traditionally publishing so I was doing like research into agents and stuff like that, but then I discovered self publishing, and that really took that really took hold in my mind, and that's when I was like, oh, it's gonna be this I'm gonna self publish this book and it's gonna happen. And I started doing all that research and I got my cover design way early, so I was like alright I'm gonna finish this book, within the next month and I'll polish it. That was when I was like 17 So, obviously, that did not happen. It took me a lot longer than a month to finish. But, you know, with that, it's like, take however long you need, it doesn't need to, you know, doesn't matter if it takes you a month, or nine years to finish something it's, you know, that dedication to continue working on it is like really what matters but yeah I don't know, long winded answer to the question.Jon: Well it's funny because you mentioned you getting the cover done early, and you know I think that kind of speaks to, it almost sounds like you kind of had like, once you decided you were going to do it, you almost have like this fearlessness about like I like just gonna go ahead and do it like it wasn't, it doesn't sound like you had a lot of like, doubts creeping in. At that point did you or, and that was just a different sort of response or did you ever have that come into play later?Maggie: I feel like I've always had the confidence about it because it's been a passion project for me, I mean I've been working on it for nine years. So, you know, it was more. I want to publish this because it's been so important to my life for so long. I don't really care. You know how well it does I'm publishing this because this is my passion and I wanted the guy set my mind to it and this is kind of like a goal accomplishment for me. But of course you know I want the book to be successful because, obviously, anyone who puts something out wants it to be successful. But in the back of my mind I do, I'm just very happy with, you know, any sort of result, you know I put this book out, and it sells one copy and I'll be thrilled. I'll be excited about that but, you know, if I put it out and it's well received, that's also good, but for me it's just, it's been such a huge passion project, this is just something that I needed to do in my life, and having finally done is like, wow, it's like I've done this I can do anything you know. Yeah. The doubts, haven't really been like that big, because it's been a passion project, you know, The worst that can happen is it flops, and then I read another book, and whatever you know it's just, it's, it's like, I saved up all this money for this. You know I don't want to spend my money on anything else like this is like my like thing. I don't know it's like it's hard to like explain, because I don't know it's like, it's weird. It's such a passion, such a very important thing to me. So, but yeah, obviously I do want it to be successful. Because that'd be cool.Jon: Is there something about like the you know you mentioned if just one person reads it, or, and again we were talking about when you decided you wanted to publish it, what does it mean to you when you have a reader, and, you know, these ideas that you've had for nine years are developed this story for nine years, Like, I struggle to ask this question because I'm like if someone asked me this question I don't know how I be answered. I don't know it's like sometimes that's unfair, but, like, like I don't know if you've been able to identify and maybe that's why I want to ask it because I'm like trying to identify this in myself too like, like what is it about like having someone else read it, that is satisfying.Maggie: Yeah, that's I mean that's a good question. It's just, I think it really comes down to like the affirmation that like the confirmation that, you know what you're doing is worthwhile and like they you've created something that's like a value to someone else, and you know when I see someone reading it, or when I hear that someone really enjoyed the story I'm like, Okay, so like, that's awesome. Like I spent so much time on it and it was worth it was worthwhile and people are enjoying it and it's like giving them something to do in their free time, you know, helping them through something you know whatever like they're that your creative work is appreciated, and it's just, it's like, it's kind of deeper than that though I feel like, like when someone reads your book, it's like deep down and you you're like, you have this feeling, it's like, oh wow, like, that's awesome. I don't know how to explain the feeling, but like, you know, when I would get reviews for my short story and people would message me saying that they loved it or whatever that they cried or something like that. I was just like deep down like had this feeling I was like, that's awesome, like it's just such a it's such a weird thing to explain like like you said.Jon: Okay, I think, in what you're saying I think you're helping me understand it better to it which is why my guy asked out because I don't know there's something about like someone else reading it because what you can put in a novel is different than what you can just talk about like most people, I don't think can describe just the emotional journey, and the end what an author can contain into a novel, like if you had the same amount of words to not use a story, and say what you're trying to say. Yeah, it's not going to come off the same way. So, having part of yourself in a fictional story is almost this way of communicating to someone else, how you feel. And you know, to have someone else read it, you are then heard in a way that you can, can't be heard by just speaking to someone like, yeah, like me and you talking now like we can get into deep issues like we have and talk about all these things, but it's not the same as when, like, so I read an early draft of your novel and it's like, oh, like, like there's some, like there's elements here, where, you know, you go through it and then, oh, I've heard something that this person is communicating right and I think there's just this extra kind of, you know, magical. I don't know if there's a better word, but yeah, magical value to understanding someone through reading their work and so I wonder if there's a little bit of that element, and then kind of going off of that and going off of what you were saying, you know, when you see something, or when you read someone else's novel, and you go through this experience of, well how would a satisfying story and and really spoke to me you know I've really, I really connected with the story, like there's just something about that that's so powerful and so the ability to give that feeling to someone else I think yes, you know, it's almost like you know you mentioned this, this mentor of yours and I'm sure that it because I have someone in my, my life who has mentored me a lot. Yeah. And, you know, a lot of times I think, Oh, why is this person spending so much time on me like it doesn't make any sense. And then I've explored kind of this idea too and I think about times that I've been able to mentor someone about something else or even writing now and it's like there's something about it where, like, helping someone to be able to give that gift of their story to someone like there's just something powerful there and yeah, again, it's like, it's almost like we have to talk around it because we can't, maybe that's sort of a story should actually be, we should have a story about what it's like to read a story and then understand it, but it's hard to explain. But I think we at least wrestled with it which is, which is good. We attempted the explanation.Maggie: Yeah, it's hard, I mean it's like, I feel like writing is such like a personal thing and then you like, share it with other people and they can interpret it in their own way based on like what they're going through and it's just, it's weird writing is, I mean writing is obviously very special and it's something that I think, you know we'll be around for ever, because it's like a way of telling something it's a way of like expressing your emotions, it's a way of expressing who you are, it's literally like an outlet, I feel like to, to who a person is and it's just such an important like thing and our winner world. And I just, you know, I love writing.Jon: Same here. I love writing too, and I think that's a great note to end on, Maggie, thank you so much for coming on the show it was a pleasure to have you.Maggie: I really enjoyed this conversation and I just want to thank you again for letting me come out here being your first guest.Jon: Can you let everyone know one more time where they can find your books?Maggie: Yes. So, this short story is available on Amazon for those of you who do not want to subscribe to the newsletter, but if you do subscribe to the newsletter. I promise I'm cool and will not spam your inbox, and then the story is called Sacred, Eslura's Calling and that will be available June 24, a week from recording, and that will be available on every platform that you can buy books, and as well as you can get signed copies on my website.Jon: Thanks for listening to this episode of Cause of Craft. For more information about Maggie's writing, head over to www.margaretcbeeler.com There you can also join her newsletter for your free copy of A Sacred Tale, The Heart of the Kella. I'll have links to her website and her Instagram in the show notes, and also at www.causeofcraft.com. Hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode, and follow at cause of craft on Instagram, to stay up to date on the latest news and clips. If you enjoyed today's episode, please consider leaving a five star review on Apple podcasts, and if you have feedback, suggestions, or guest recommendations, send an email to Jon at causeofcraft.com. See you next week.*Not affiliated with Cause of Craft, offer may be limited time.
I'm excited to introduce you to Cause of Craft, a podcast about exploring the mysteries of creativity. Every week I'll interview a different creator about their craft, from writers and painters to musicians and culinary artists.While each discussion will vary quite a bit, we'll always aim to dive into the reasons why artists create and how their lives connect with their craft. I can't wait to share these conversations with you, but in the meantime I've put together a sampling of what you can expect from the show. Enjoy.Visit www.causeofcraft.comConnect with Jon on Instagram (@jontilton) or on his website: www.jontilton.com
Have you ever wanted to create something but felt intimidated by trying a new craft? On this week's episode I talk with Melissa Schwenk who has dabbled in a variety of creative endeavors. She describes herself as a non-professional crafter, and she's explored everything from pottery to gardening. We discuss the interconnectedness of creative activities, advice for trying new things, and how we can all make the world a more beautiful place with the right mindset.Topics Covered:Satisfaction in creating physical artCreating as an adult compared to as a kidArt as creative recreationCreative communitiesInterconnectedness of creative endeavorsMaking the world a more beautiful placeAdvice for trying new creative thingsLinks:Melissa's Instagram: @melissa.tries.things
We often wish we could make things with a simple snap of our fingers—but it takes a lot of work to create and improve our craft. Mixed Media Artist Amanda Spence joins the show to discuss her journey. She shares how consistent practice and reflection helped her grow as an artist.Topics Covered:Inspired by NatureBalancing Simplicity with ComplexitySimilarities Between CraftsBecoming an Artist on AccidentGetting Out of Your Comfort ZoneArt is Work Not MagicFinding Your Voice Over TimeLinks:Amanda's Website: www.betweenelmandoak.comAmanda's Instagram: @betweenelmandoakAmanda's Facebook: @btwnelmandoak
Brittney Jackson creates beautiful character illustrations—both original ones and others that you'll recognize from your favorite franchises (from the office to Star Wars). We discuss fan art, traveling to conventions, why nature inspires, and how we can tackle new challenges, even when they're intimidating.Topics Covered:Self-Taught ArtistsFan Art and Fan FictionTraveling to ConventionsAdvice for Taking on New ChallengesOutdoor InspirationGetting Unstuck CreativelyLinks:Brittney's Website: www.brittneyannart.comBrittney's Instagram: @brittneyannartBrittney's Twitter: @BrittneyAnnArtInterview with Chrissie Murphy Designswww.jontilton.comRead Jon's short story "Doomed Dune" for FREE here.
This is a rebroadcast of Episode 23 with Miller Mark Fischer. New episodes will now release on a monthly basis, with Episode 45 premiering on July 4. Thanks so much for supporting the podcast!Food production has changed drastically over the years, and not always for the better. But is there any hope for returning to the old ways of doing things?This week's guest, Miller Mark Fischer runs Castle Valley Mill — a stone ground mill where he uses machines that are hundreds of years old to produce quality flour, cornmeal, and more. By using age-old techniques on local grain, Castle Valley is able to produce a product that's not only better for you, but tastes better too.Mark shares how it all works in our conversation, and I'm excited to share this episode with you. I think it's both incredibly interesting and incredibly important. These things not only impact our health, but also our local economies and the environment. So if you enjoy this episode, please consider sharing with a friend, because the more people who understand the value of how our food is made and where it comes from, the healthier we'll all be in the future.Topics Covered:The Story Behind Castle Valley MillWhy Modern Flour isn't GreatGerm, Bran, and Starch: The Proper Components of FlourThe Process of MillingUsing 150 Year Old Milling EquipmentDiscovering the Demand for Stone Ground Wheat1800's Stone Milling as an Achievement of American IngenuityScalability and LegacyThe American DietCovid Flour ShortageHow to Buy Castle Valley Mill's ProductLinks:Castle Valley Mill Website and Store: www.castlevalleymill.comInstagram: @cvmllcFacebook: @CastleValleyMillNo Kneed Overnight Bread Recipe: No Kneed Bread
My guest this week is Artist Amy MacHale. Over the years she's been involved in a variety of artistic endeavors, from graphic design to even creating a dress out of paper—but recently her focus has been in painting, both with oil and alcohol ink. She shares the unique process of creating art with moonshine, the joy of creating with other people, and raising awareness about epilepsy through her art.Topics Covered:Painting with Alcohol InkFinding Your Own TechniquesA Family of Creative EntrepreneursCreating Art TogetherArt for Epilepsy AwarenessFinding New Creative OutletsLinks:Amy's Website: amymachaleart.myportfolio.comAmy's Instagram: @pageandmasonGallery with Amy's work: @thestudio276Amy's family's Distillery: @cedarmountainmoonshine
My guest this week is Ashley Wellman, an author and owner of the aMUSEd gallery in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. We talk about what goes into producing a quality book, finding a creative process that works for you, and, of course, the reason behind why she creates.Topics Covered:Writing a Children's BookGetting “Permission” to be CreativeRunning and Art GalleryWhat Makes a Quality BookFinding a Process that Works for YouLinks:Ashley's Website: www.ashleywellman.comMy Friend Fresno: www.myfriendfresno.comGhosts of the Abbey: AmazonAshley's Instagram: @MyFriendFresnoaMUSEd Art Gallery: www.amusedfineart.comaMUSEd Instagram: @amusedfineartwww.jontilton.com
My guest this week is Dan Taylor, a Classical Singer who has performed in a wide variety of groups, from Opera Philadelphia to The Crossing, a Grammy award-winning choral group. Together we cover a fun range of topics, from the intricacies of opera singing to tabletop gaming. We also discuss how challenging creative work can be, especially when that voice inside your head keeps reciting that endless stream of self-doubt. Dan shares his methods on combating those thoughts, including impostor syndrome.Topics Covered:From Cello to VoiceWhy Voice is a Difficult InstrumentProjecting Your Voice and the Uniqueness of OperaSinging in Other LanguagesTabletop Games and Finding Creative OutletsContending with Your Inner CriticLinks:Dan's Solo in “Voyages”: YouTube | SpotifyThe Crossing Choral Group: SpotifyDan's Tabletop Livestreams: YouTubewww.jontilton.com
Listen to DOOMED DUNE for FREE: www.jontilton.com/signupThis week's guest is Talon David. She's been passionate about music for her entire life. She shares her story, from growing up in a musical home to winning the Grammy Foundation's Teens Make Music Contest for her song Deep Snow, which became part of her debut album, Miscellaneous. Talon is also a VoiceOver artist and has recorded over thirty audiobooks, including my short story Doomed Dune, which you can listen to for free by subscribing to my newsletter at jontilton.com.Topics Covered:Growing Up with MusicWhat Goes into Writing a SongLearning the Ropes of Music ProductionDoing Voiceover WorkNot Putting Yourself in a BoxBringing Expression and Hope to OthersLinks:Listen to Miscellaneous: Spotify | iTunes | Apple Music Talon's Music Instagram: @talon_liketheclawTalon's Voiceover Instagram: @talondavidvoicesTalon's Website: www.talondavid.comListen to Doomed Dune for FREE: www.jontilton.com/signup
Here's a special bonus episode for you: a preview of my short story "Doomed Dune."The full work is available for free to all newsletter subscribers, so if you'd like to hear more, head over to jontilton.com and sign up for my mailing list. I'll send you an email with download links for both the ebook and audiobook.I hope you enjoy Melina's story.Subscribe to my newsletter: jontilton.comCover art by Megan McCullough: meganmccullough.comRead by Talon David: talondavid.com
Some creatives concentrate on one goal and master a specific craft. But others like to explore the great variety life has to offer. This week's guest is Brett Rounsaville—he's done everything from writing screenplays and comic books to designing theme park attractions and creating startups. He shares with us how he chooses which project to pursue next, why chasing a goal is both satisfying and necessary, and what keeps him creating even on the days where it's difficult.Topics Covered:Amtrekker and Accomplishing a Bucket ListBrett's Dream Job as a Theme Park DesignerPursing New Goals and Choosing What's NextCreating Companies and Filling Needs in the MarketListening to Yourself while Serving OthersLinks:Brett's Twitter: @amtrekkerFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.jontilton.comwww.causeofcraft.com
Homer, Plato, Cicero, Ancient Greece, Rome, and more—a list of the important people, places, and works from the past could go on forever. But why are these ancient things so important? And when it comes to study them, where do we even start? This week, my guest is Dr. David Noe. He teaches Latin and co-hosts a podcast that covers everything Classical. He shares what's all included under this Classical umbrella as well as what questions to ask yourself when considering which works to study.Topics Covered:Why Ancient Things are Important TodayHow Modern Thinking is Different Than in the PastThe Era of ClassicsWhy Classics Often Gets Pushed AsideThe Large Umbrella of ClassicsLearn Latin and Hear More About ClassicsLinks:Latin Per Diem Website: www.latinperdiem.comLatin Per Diem YouTube: LatinPerDiemLatin Per Diem Instagram: @latinperdiemAd Navseam: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeAd Navseam Instagram: @adnavseampodcastFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.jontilton.comwww.causeofcraft.com
In life, we sometimes run into obstacles that require us to learn new skills—often ones that are out of our comfort zone. But not only is pursuing a new challenge a great way to improve your craft, it can be a lot of fun too. Today's guest is Florist Melissa Heinrichs. She shares how she started her own business and why she's always looking for new ways to challenge herself, from traveling the world to incorporating new flowers into her arrangements.Topics Covered:Starting a Business OrganicallyFilling Needs in a Missing MarketMaking Good Use of Your Materials“Planning or Pantsing” ArrangementsThe Temporary Nature of FlowersPursuing New ChallengesTips for Getting Flowers to Last LongerLinks:Melissa's Website: www.flowersbymelarcadia.comMelissa's Instagram: @flowersbym.e.l
Ever feel like an outsider—someone who didn't belong with everyone else? Illustrator Joe Hox joins the podcast to talk about struggling with work on his family's farm motivated him to advance his skills as an artist. We also talk about pursuing a variety of styles, finding what you excel at, and why creating something is deeper than simply enjoying the process.Topics Covered:Pursuing a Variety of StylesThe “World's Worst” Farm BoyFinding What You Excel AtThe Universal Story of Not BelongingAdvice for Creatives of All AgesIllustrating a Devotional BookCreating is More Than Mere EnjoymentLinks:Joe's Website: www.joehox.comJoe's Instagram: @joehox Joe's Etsy: JoeHoxArtWho is Jesus?: New Growth PressWho is Jesus?: AmazonKate's Website: www.katehox.com Kate's Instagram: @katehox
Ever hear creative advice from someone and you think—but that doesn't fit my personality at all, so how could I ever make that work? Bill Small hosts a podcast called The Subtle Art of Not Yelling, a show created to explore a different side of marketing. He's also a musician and business coach. We discuss how his many endeavors all fit together, how to understand what you thrive in, and why having another set of eyes on your work can make a huge difference.Topics Covered:Marketing Without YellingUnderstanding What You Thrive InCreating a Structure to CreateConsistency Versus DisciplineFalling Out of HabitHaving Another Set of Eyes on Your WorkKeeping a Diverse Set of ActivitiesLinks:Bill's Website: www.artistmind.coBill's Instagram: @mindartcoachFollow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.www.jontilton.comwww.causeofcraft.com
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
