Emerging Form

Christie Aschwanden
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Emerging Form is a podcast about the creative process in which a journalist (Christie Aschwanden) and a poet (Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer) discuss creative conundrums over wine. Each episode concludes with a game of two questions in which a guest joins in to help answer questions about the week's topic. Season one guests include poets, novelists, journalists, a song writer, a circus performer, a sketch artist and a winemaker. emergingform.substack.com

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Episode 161- Mason Currey on Making Art and Making a Living

    What’s the secret to making a living doing your art? “There really is no magic trick … spoiler,” says Mason Currey, author of Making Art and Making a Living. But in this episode of Emerging Form, we talk with Currey about what he learned by studying how other creatives across genres, cultures and centuries have made it work. We also talk about his own relationship to creative practice–little tricks and attitude shifts, the importance of repetition and habit, developing trust in our own practice, and which compromises can really harm our creative energy. Mason Currey is the author of the Daily Rituals books, featuring brief profiles of the day-to-day working lives of more than 300 brilliant minds. His latest book, Making Art and Making a Living was published on March 31, 2026. Currey lives in Los Angeles and writes Subtle Maneuvers, a twice-monthly newsletter on the creative process. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe

    31 min

  2. 12 MAR

    Episode 160 GG Renee Hill on Reclaiming Your Narrative

    “I discovered a narrative though my journaling,” says author, creative coach and workshop leader GG Renee Hill. “Writing is a place I can be raw and honest with myself.” In this episode, we speak with GG about her new book, Story Work: Field Notes on Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Your Narrative. We talk about * How to rewrite a victim narrative * The intersections of creativity and psychology * How to build your capacity to be vulnerable * How to discern when, where and why to share your story * The role of hope in creative practice * The importance of breaking the silence around mental health GG Renee Hill is an author, creative coach, and workshop facilitator whose work centers writing as a tool for healing, self-discovery, and creative expression. Her mission is to help others enrich their lives and communities through the transformative power of the written word. She is the author of Self-Care Check-In: A Guided Journal to Build Healthy Habits and Devote Time to You (2020) and A Year of Self-Reflection Journal: 365 Days of Guided Prompts to Slow Down, Tune In, and Grow (2021). Her most recent book, Story Work: Field Notes on Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Your Narrative was published by Broadleaf Books in November 2025. When she’s not writing, GG facilitates writing workshops for a diverse list of corporate and non-profit clients and literary organizations. Books: allthemanylayers.com/books Instagram: @ggreneewrites Substack: thelayers.substack.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe

    32 min
  3. Episode 159 Kate Munger: Creating Community through Song

    26 FEB

    Episode 159 Kate Munger: Creating Community through Song

    “Elation and connection” are two of the side effects of communal singing, and for over four decades, Kate Munger has been writing songs to be sung in tender and difficult moments–at the bedside of the dying, in prisons, and now at gatherings to repair democracy. We talk with Kate about what makes a good communal song, her writing process, how song can transform a negatively charged moment, and what are some of the challenges for communal singing in this moment. Kate Munger has been passionate about community singing since she was 8 years old at Girl Scout Camp and has led community singing now for over 45 years. In 2000 she founded the first of now 200 Threshold Choirs around the world, singing at the bedsides of people who are dying. Now retired from running the Threshold Choir, Kate has returned to her passions of writing songs for medicinal use and singing for people in coma and with folks who are incarcerated she is offering monthly free sessions to learn 60 new songs to sing on the way to, at and from protests to repair democracy, called “Hate Has No Home Here.” An email to Kate (kateamunger@gmail.com) will sign you up. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe

    31 min

  4. 12 FEB

    Episode 158: Ken Medema on the Art of Improvisation

    Imagine you’ve just heard an hour-long keynote full of history, statistics, personal story and social justice. And then someone comes to the stage, sits at the piano, and sings back a song that encapsulates the emotional and intellectual content you’ve just heard. That is the improvisational talent of Ken Medema, a keyboardist/pianist, singer, storyteller and performer. In this episode of Emerging Form, we speak with Ken about the importance of a “fence” when it comes to creative play, how to listen for key phrases, how to make people feel truly seen and heard through creative response, plus there’s a spontaneous mid-interview performance! Ken Medema has shared his passion for learning and discovery through storytelling and music and has been writing and performing as a singer and pianist/keyboardist for 52 years in many different venues: churches, conventions, colleges, corporations and more. Though blind from birth, Ken sees and hears with heart and mind, improvising stories from his audience and speakers. Ken lives in the San Francisco Bay area and is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his Tree Song, which premiered at a youth convention in Princeton in 1976. He has written and produced over 30 albums. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe

    31 min

  5. 29 JAN

    Episode 157: Alia Hanna Habib

    “I was acutely aware of not feeling part of the club,” says Alia Hanna Habib, now a leading literary agent. “As I started to become an insider, I saw other people feel that same way.” In this episode Habib talks about writing her book, Take It From Me: An Agent’s Guide to Building a Nonfiction Writing Career from Scratch, and offers ideas for where to start writing your book, how having talented friends might both inspire and intimidate you, how to choose a topic, and why she now finds ways–with her book and her work–to open the door for other creatives. Alia Hanna Habib is a Vice President and literary agent at The Gernert Company, where she represents MacArthur Fellows, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, National Book Award finalists, and numerous New York Times bestselling authors. Her new book, Take It From Me: An agent’s guide to building a nonfiction writing career from scratch, is a guide to nonfiction writing careers for emerging and established writers. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe

    31 min

  6. 15 JAN

    Episode 156: Chris Duffy Wrote a Book, and Guess What? It's Hilarious and Awesome

    “The least dangerous humor is to make fun of yourself and your foibles,” says comedian Chris Duffy. How might such a sense of humor help jumpstart and nourish your creative life? In this episode of Emerging Form, we talk with Chris about * what is a sense humor and why is it essential for our creative lives * why noticing specific details is an essential to both creativity and our humanity * the joy in heckling ourselves * how the feedback loop of a stage differs from the feedback loop of a reading audience * ways to laugh at yourself and why this is so important Both silly and sincere, this is an episode for linking your sense of humor to the rest of your life in a generous, creative way. Chris Duffy is an award-winning comedian, television writer, and radio/podcast host. Chris currently hosts the hit podcast How to Be a Better Human. He wrote for both seasons of Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas on HBO, executive produced by John Oliver. His new book Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy is out now. Image: Chris launching his book on the Staten Island Ferry on his book launch day. He’s the real deal, folks. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe

    32 min

  7. 8 JAN

    Episode 155: Emerging Form Guests Share Their Words for 2026

    After our end of the year episode, in which we talked about the words we had chosen as our theme for the year, we asked a bunch of Emerging Form guests to tell us their word. We were overwhemed by the response! We had so many great submissions that we decided to make them into a stand alone episode. Here are the contributors, in order of appearance. Andrea BarrettBonnie TsuiMaria KelsonAlison LutermanAlex HutchinsonAdam BeckerBil LeppChris DuffyDavid BaronDavid EpsteinDiana HillKristin Pedemonti Lisa GardinierMichael Kleber DiggsSherry Richert BelulStarre VartanTodd Mitchell Kyra Kopestonsky with us at KOTO radio recording the theme music for Emerging Form. We’re so grateful that we will continue to have a little piece of her on every show. Litby Rosemerry for Kyra Tonight when I light the candle and say your name, I notice how you have lit me— with your words, your voice, the way you clap your hands at the smallest of joys. Because you’ve given me light you’ve gathered from the darkest of places, I will never be the same. Again and again, you have lit me as if my life is beeswax and love is the wick and your courageous life is flame. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe

    33 min

  8. 25/12/2025

    Episode 154: Christie & Rosemerry Look Back on 2025

    It’s the sixth annual epiphany episode! Join Rosemerry and Christie as we look back on the highs and lows of their own creative practices in 2025, and reflect on the intentions we set a year ago. Did Christie “Create the Space?” How did Rosemerry explore “Spaciousness?” What did we learn about failure? About collaboration? Join us for laughter and teasing and good old-fashioned vulnerability. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe

    30 min
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About

Emerging Form is a podcast about the creative process in which a journalist (Christie Aschwanden) and a poet (Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer) discuss creative conundrums over wine. Each episode concludes with a game of two questions in which a guest joins in to help answer questions about the week's topic. Season one guests include poets, novelists, journalists, a song writer, a circus performer, a sketch artist and a winemaker. emergingform.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Christie Aschwanden
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    195
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Christie Aschwanden & Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
  • Show Website
    Emerging Form

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