- 41 | “The Creative Process” by James Baldwin
What can we learn from James Baldwin about the creative process?
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss Baldwin's essay “The Creative Process," exploring how art is connected to self-knowledge and truth. Additionally, they explore the tumultuous yet crucial relationship between the artist and society.
-----
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:04 Overview
3:33 Individual and Society
7:20 Being "alone"
11:59 Art and the Big Questions
15:12 Artist's Journey
20:13 The Artist and Society
21:46 Takeaways
-----
Links:
Read The Creative Process by James Baldwin
Listen to 16 | The Artist's Journey and the Hero's Journey
Read The Artist's Journey by Steven Pressfield
-----
Support The Craft:
Subscribe to Dwelling (Weekly writing from Carter)
Send feedback or ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com
-----
Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
27m | Sep 20, 2023 - 40 | When Should I Quit My Creative Project?
Should you stop making the EP, stop writing the novel, or stop building the YouTube channel? Or, do you need to commit to going through the Dip and reaching the summit on the other side?
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss this often fraught question. They apply two heuristic mental models that can help inform our decision to quit: Seth Godin’s book The Dip and Shreyas Doshi's LNO Framework. The resultant conversation explores key metrics and questions that can prepare us to launch, endure, and even quit a project.
-----
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:43 The Dip overview
10:59 Being in the Dip
14:00 LNO schema
19:18 Hierarchy of values
27:58 Key metrics and questions
32:20 Case study: Songmaps
34:55 Conclusion
-----
Links:
-----
Support The Craft:
Subscribe to Dwelling (Weekly writing from Carter)
Send feedback or ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com
-----
Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
39m | Sep 6, 2023 - 39 | Why Do We Love Beautiful Products?
Why spend $25 on a pencil sharpener when a $.99 one will get the job done? Why spend $300 on a raincoat when you could spend $25?
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby explore the craft of beautiful products. What makes a product special or beautiful? Why are we drawn to certain products, even when they cost more money? Their conversation digs into these questions and explores the relationships we build with the products we love. Carter and Colby share some of their favorites, both physical and digital, and try to articulate how these products curate our experiences and cultivate personal values.
-----
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction (Aesthetics, Utility, and Identity)
8:32 LAMY Safari Fountain Pen
12:35 Blackwing Sharpener
19:00 Scrivener
27:00 Colby’s Big 4
28:25 Proton
35:22 Arc and Simplicity
42:13 Taste and Expertise
-----
Links:
- The LAMY Safari fountain pen
- Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener
- Scrivener
- Proton
- Notion
- Arc
- Copilot.money
- The first 20 hours | TEDx by Josh Kaufman
-----
Support The Craft:
Subscribe to Dwelling (Weekly writing from Carter)
Send feedback or ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com
-----
Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
54m | Aug 23, 2023 - 38 | Will Mason (Singer-Songwriter)
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby sit down with Will Mason to talk about his creative process as a songwriter. They discuss his upcoming EP, Freedom, and break down two tracks from the project. The conversation covers topics ranging from crafting lyrics to finding your voice to facing creative roadblocks. Listen to Freedom here.
-----
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
3:13 Interview begins
4:50 Background as an artist
8:40 Development as a singer
10:42 Finding your voice
12:20 Musical development
15:34 First song and breakthrough
17:50 Songwriting process
22:26 Lyrics
32:32 Dragonflies (song breakdown)
50:41 Freedom (song breakdown)
1:03:00 Conclusion
-----
Links:
Listen to Will's EP Freedom (released on August 18, 2023)
Listen and follow Will on Spotify
Listen and follow Will on Apple Music
Follow Will on Instagram @_will_mason
-----
Support The Craft:
Subscribe to Dwelling (Weekly writing from Carter)
Send feedback or ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com
-----
Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
1h 9m | Aug 9, 2023 - 37 | Can You Grow Your Audience Without Selling Out?
Can you grow your audience without “selling out”?
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss creative growth, outlining its healthy and malignant forms. They begin the conversation by defining growth and then identify two specific problems: 1) sleazy growth 2) personal vulnerability. They explore principles for healthy growth and discuss ways that creatives can mitigate the fear of increased publicity. They conclude by discussing marketing models that can help direct your efforts toward creating meaningful engagement with an ideal audience.
-----
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:34 Defining growth
4:23 Two problems of growth
7:37 Marketing funnel
10:41 1st principle: Put growth in its place
13:47 2nd principle: Prioritize the product
23:40 Metrics for growth
27:30 Growing in good faith
33:00 The vulnerability of growth
37:13 Marketing models for growth
-----
Links:
The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman
Chapter 2 of The Personal MBA: Marketing
-----
Support The Craft:
Subscribe to Dwelling (Weekly writing from Carter)
Send feedback or ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com
-----
Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
47m | Jul 26, 2023 - 36 | Introducing Dwelling: Launching a Substack, the Future of Publishing, and the Power of Newsletters
Should you create a Substack publication? And why did Carter start one?
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss “Dwelling: Exploring the non-identical in life and art,” Carter’s new publication. They explore the origins of the project and the future of publishing in general. In addition to discussing Dwelling, their conversation expands to the power of newsletters as creative mediums. They end the conversation by sketching how (and why) to launch your own Substack publication.
-----
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:30 Why start a Substack?
5:07 What is the non-identical?
9:10 Seven Lamps of Prose
12:31 New creative economy on Substack
15:09 Writing process
16:45 Carter's inspirations on Substack
19:42 Tactics
22:33 Newsletters and the O.R.B. marketing model
32:16 The challenge of growth
33:52 How do you start a Substack?
38:37 Should you start a Substack?
-----
Links:
Subscribe to Carter’s Substack Dwelling at carterdavisjohnson.substack.com
The Night Does Not End by Aaron Gwyn
The Contender by David Coggins
Over the Field by Hadden Turner
-----
Support The Craft:
Subscribe to Dwelling (Carter's Newsletter)
Send feedback or ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com
-----
Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
45m | Jul 12, 2023 - 35 | What is Your Creative Strategy?
“You need a strategy.” We hear this mantra from all disciplines, but what does it mean?
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby work to define strategy and understand how strategic thinking manifests in creative pursuits. The discussion explores the difficulty of diagnosing the root problem and imposing proximate objectives. They conclude by noting how artistic taste is crucial in developing good strategy.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction to Rumelt's Good Strategy Bad Strategy
6:30 Strategy and values
10:45 Honest evaluation and the creative process
15:16 Contrasting strategy in business and creative pursuits
22:38 What’s missing in creative practices
27:48 Imposed coordinated action
29:45 Developing proximate objectives
35:04 Diagnosing the “true” problem
38:07 Artistic taste as a tool for diagnosis
Links:
Richard Rumelt's Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
49m | Jun 28, 2023 - 34 | Tyler Johnson (Cofounder of KING ZEHN)
In this episode of The Craft, Colby and Carter sit down with Tyler Johnson. Tyler is a filmmaker and creator from Roanoke, Virginia who is currently working out of Nashville, Tennesee. He is the co-founder of KING ZEHN Entertainment. Focusing primarily on real-time comedy sketches, King Zehn has established a large presence in the realm of short-form, creative content. They currently have over 174 million views on YouTube and 900k followers on TikTok.
Their conversation explores Tyler’s creative process and revision strategy. They also discuss the business aspects of King Zehn, exploring the differences between platforms and monetization avenues.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
3:00 - Generating new ideas
5:20 - Dealing with creative constraints
7:44 - Finding his craft
8:49 - Framing and shot design
10:10 - Editing process and revision
12:00 - Developing a YouTube presence
14:13 - Understanding audiences across platforms
18:00 - Developing King Zehn into a viable business
20:56 - Exploring the future of King Zehn
25:19 - Appreciating creative influences
26:27 - Explaining the usual workday
30:38 - Thinking through algorithms
34:14 - Considering the “subscriber” model
35:13 - Developing products
36:40 - Sustaining as a creative
41:17 - Working through creative burnout
43:15 - Knowing how to get started
45:44 - Supporting their work
King Zehn
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
47m | Jun 14, 2023 - 33 | Susan Hensel (Mixed Media Artist)
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby sit down with multimedia artist Susan Hensel to talk about her 50-year career as an artist. The conversation begins with Susan explaining her creative process in starting new projects but quickly moves to a diverse range of topics. Susan discusses the nuanced physics of color, the embodied experience of art, and the way that beauty provides rest. She then tells the story of her important trip to the Minnesota State Fair, an event that would catalyze her work in digital embroidery. Then, the discussion turns to the subject of sharing work; Susan shares her story of professional growth and how to approach rejection in a healthy way. The conversation concludes with a discussion about working through creative roadblocks.
Timestamps:
[00:00-3:05] Intro
[3:05-6:30] Starting new projects
[6:30-7:24] The physics of color in fabric
[7:24-8:37] Work with antique pipe molds
[8:37-9:25] Current subject matter: wayfinding
[9:25-13:47 ] Art maintaining the possibility for multiple experiences
[13:47-16:45] Beauty as a place of rest
[16:45-24:55] Minnesota State Fair and a start in digital embroidery
[24:55-29:00] Settling on embroidery as primary medium
[29:00-29:50] Bringing in the organic
[29:50-40:35] Sharing work and artistic growth
[40:35-42:55] Rejection
[42:55-46:00] Overcoming creative roadblocks
Links mentioned:
Follow Susan on Instagram @susan_hensel_multimedia_artist
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
50m | May 31, 2023 - 32 | Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the World (Book Review)
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss Hartmut Rosa’s Resonance: A Sociology of our Relationship to the World. The discussion begins by establishing Rosa’s concepts of alienation and acceleration. As modernity compresses more into less time, we begin to approach the world as silent, mute to our experience. The alternative to alienation is resonance, which Rosa explains along sociological and philosophical lines. After exploring the theory, their discussion pivots to how these concepts are manifested in the creative life. They also explore how considerations of resonance might help develop a more holistic approach to artistic pursuits.
Alienation and Acceleration: Towards a Critical Theory of Late-Modern Temporality
Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the World
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
44m | May 17, 2023 - 31 | Cole Isaac (Artist & Songwriter)
In this special episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby sit down with Cole Isaac, a conscious creative from Kelowna, BC. Their conversation covers a wide range of topics. Cole breaks down his songwriting process and discusses what it takes to find and cultivate an authentic artistic voice, a process that involves letting go of the opinions of others. Then, the conversation turns from creative processes to creative roadblocks; they ask Cole how he overcomes writer's block and other challenges in his craft. The interview concludes by foreshadowing "what's next" for Cole Isaac.
Connect with Cole:
Pre-save "To The Sky" featuring Cole Isaac
Follow and listen to Cole Isaac on Spotify
Follow and listen to Cole Isaac on Apple Music
Watch Cole Isaac’s music video
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
1h 10m | May 3, 2023 - 30 | Developing Creative Grit (Book Review)
In this episode of The Craft, Colby leads a book review of Angela Duckworth's Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. The conversation specifically explores how the book's central concepts apply to creative endeavors.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
39m | Apr 19, 2023 - 29 | We Tried Hemingway’s Creative Practice (Write One True Sentence Daily)
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss a specific creative practice. During his recent solo road trip to California, Carter adopted (with Colby’s prompting) Hemingway’s maxim “one true sentence” as a way to document his journey. He attempted to articulate an essence from each day in a single sentence, forgoing note-taking for a practice of small, dense creative acts. They discuss the process of generating new ideas, choosing which ideas to pursue, and developing small creative practices into larger, more refined work.
Sentences:
Day 1: I wonder if Jesse James ever watched that big Missouri sky and wondered what it would look like rolled up like a scroll.
Day 2: Above the gentle sweep of the train tracks, a red church was bivouacked against a cliff of smooth red stone - like some ancient relief carved by the hand of a Spanish sculptor.
Day 3: Sand turns into snow as I reel toward the rough sockets of skull rock.
Day 4: A gust of Pacific wind, tinged with salt, hits my face as I watch the breakers from Hawk Tower, the same perch where Jeffers watched the sun set with his glass of red wine and cigarette.
Day 5: The redwoods’ brawny trunks and dark green boughs, soaked in cold rain, remind me of my frailty.
Day 6: Steinbeck’s shadow stretches long past California, but one can never quite fix where it ends.
Day 7: The shade of a cloud passes over a green hill near San Luis, darkening the purple impressions of sage and lavender.
Day 8: Tempered blue steel in the predawn light, the snow-covered faces of Coloradan mountains stare into my tired eyes with terrible silence.
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
41m | Apr 5, 2023 - 28 | The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, Crafting Art, How to Know When Art is Done
On this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby read a chapter from Rick Rubin's new book called The Creative Act: A Way of Being and react to it.
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
32m | Mar 22, 2023 - 27 | Is AI Art Real Art? We Asked ChatGPT
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss how new innovations in artificial intelligence intersect with the creative world. They explore the theoretical underpinnings of the claim that AI can "create art," a topic that elicits Carter's phenomenological objection! Moving toward the practical, they discuss how creatives can leverage the incredible generative power of such tools. Along the way, Colby asks ChatGPT a series of questions about the nature of art and its own creative possibilities.
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
39m | Mar 8, 2023 - Introducing The Craft
The Craft explores the cultivation of creativity across multiple disciplines and interests. If you're a writer, music producer, photographer, filmmaker, marketer, designer, illustrator, composer, or just someone who loves to learn about the creative process, this show is for you.
Hosted by Carter Davis Johnson (Writer, PhD student) and Colby S. (Marketer, Music Producer).
New episodes drop every other Wednesday.
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Our cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
2m | Feb 28, 2023 - 26 | Steal Like an Artist Book Review, Wisdom from Rick Rubin
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss one of their favorite creative books, Austin Kleon's Steal Like an Artist. They explore the book's central concept: the importance and freedom of creating within an artistic tradition and community (i.e. stealing!). As Picasso said and Kleon notes, "Art is theft." They discuss multiple topics within the book such as exploring your craft's genealogy, acknowledging the lifestyle of a project, and developing a habit of patient work.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
48m | Feb 22, 2023 - 25 | Did We Misname the Pod? What’s the Difference Between Craft and Art?
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby theorize the distinction between a craft and art. They discuss how we use these terms in conversation, exploring how the connotations (and denotations) might demarcate similar and different activities. They arrive at a tentative definition of the craft: the pursuit of artfulness in work; or, an artistic approach to work. These initial definitions continue to develop, leading to a characterization of craft as a manner-of-doing or process. Thereby, art is the fulfillment of an act of craft. They also discuss the communal aspect of art, responding to a definition from Leo Tolstoy. The latter portion of the conversation shifts, using Bill Gurley’s lecture (linked below) to explore the development of one’s craft through the pursuit of knowledge.
Runnin' Down a Dream: How to Succeed and Thrive in a Career You Love - Gurley
Poetry, Language, Thought – Heidegger
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
42m | Feb 8, 2023 - 24 | Building a Second Brain
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss building a second brain. They begin the conversation by describing what is a “second brain” and its place within the broader realm of knowledge management. They emphasize the importance of saving and organizing information, making your work searchable in the future. Additionally, they discuss Forte’s P.A.R.A. method of digital organization and how it can be a powerful tool. Carter and Colby also discuss the various knowledge management tools they already use, exploring how their second brains might be dispersed rather than consolidated.
Building a Second Brain Podcast
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
16m | Jan 25, 2023 - 23 | Practice is Everything: Drills, Projects, and the Pressure to Publish
In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss the role of practice - specifically creative drills - in the pursuit of excellence. They begin by discussing the potential dangers of overemphasizing immediate action and/or publishing. The conversation complicates when considering build-in-public and behind-the-scenes projects. As the issue clarifies, they specifically address the fear of creative stagnation (paradoxically) through continual production, ie. making the same mistakes again and again. Additionally, Colby discusses the importance of cultivating both isolated (drill) and integrated (project) skills. This conversation moves toward practical techniques for practice, including imitating creative influences and expanding specific areas of knowledge. Finally, they end the discussion by emphasizing that not all practice is equal. Creatives need to cultivate practice habits that stretch their limits.
Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com.
·
·
Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.
35m | Jan 11, 2023
