Creative Pep Talk

Andy J. Pizza
  • 4.8 (263)
  • DESIGN
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A Weekly Podcast Companion for Your Creative Journey Transform your creative potential into reality by making your creativity a practice. A “creative discipline” can feel like an oxymoron. Creativity is about doing something new. Discipline is about doing something consistently. The aim of this podcast is to help you strike that elusive balance.  Each week, New York Times Bestselling Author Illustrator Andy J. Pizza shares everything he’s learning about building a thriving creative practice. Through solo episodes and interviews with top-tier creatives, Pizza brings you the strategies and stories that you need week in and week out to keep your inner critic at bay, bust through creative blocks and stay creatively pepped to the max!! Learn more: creativepeptalk.com Check out the host: andyjpizza.com

  1. 542 - When to Reboot Your Work + A Better Option than Beating Yourself Up with Zak Rosen

    2 HR AGO

    542 - When to Reboot Your Work + A Better Option than Beating Yourself Up with Zak Rosen

    Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com --- My editor Conner loved this episode, which is always a good sign! Two reasons to listen to this: 1 - If your work feels stale or a long term project feels stuck, and you have been wondering if you need to switch it up, reboot, or pivot, this episode is for you. We talk a lot about how to navigate this with Zak Rosen, who just did a big rebrand of his podcast. 2 - You are sick and tired of fighting yourself on everything. This is the time of year when New Year’s Resolutions have gone up in flames. If that’s your situation, Zak asks me what thing is “weirdly helpful” to me, and it addresses this frustration head-on! Hope you love the episode! SHOW NOTES: Zak Rosenhttps://zakrosen.com/about Weirdly Helpfulhttps://weirdlyhelpful.show Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    55 min
  2. Introducing Planet Visionaries

    3 HR AGO

    Introducing Planet Visionaries

    Want to hear bold ideas and big solutions for our planet? We have been listening to Alex Honnold as he hosts Planet Visionaries, in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Each week, Alex spotlights innovators who are not just imagining a better future but actively creating it. Go check it out and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

    2 min
  3. 541 - Are You Afraid of The Art? How to Get Past the Fear and Have Fun Again

    4 FEB

    541 - Are You Afraid of The Art? How to Get Past the Fear and Have Fun Again

    Pre-Order My New Book “Mysterious Things” and Help Us Spread the Word! --- This episode is for you if: 1 - The idea of making something often feels scary. 2 - You don’t like your work anymore. 3 - You forgot why this used to be fun. 4 - You want to stand out in your field but don’t know how. 5 - You want an exercise that unlocks the flowy fun feeling part of your creative brain. SHOW NOTES: Stranger Thingshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Things Angus Fletcher - Wonderworks / Primal Intelligencehttps://www.angusfletcher.co   Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.comSpotify Playlist of WHY? Songs Used on This Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ZIE7PHG5I1Ddg1BuVGRzj?si=4x_BzDZjQgqSpoaLXdVACg&pi=h4HsIKG0SP6Kg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    44 min
  4. 540 - Why the Creative Path Has to Be Twisty and Turny with Nishant Jain

    28 JAN

    540 - Why the Creative Path Has to Be Twisty and Turny with Nishant Jain

    Pre-Order My New Book Mysterious Things Here --- It’s so easy to forget what this is all about. If you need a reminder to embrace imperfection as part of your flavor, and rekindle your drive to just go out and make stuff you love about things you’re interested in, this is your episode!! Guest Nishant Jain drops a billion good gems here. We talk about his sneaky public drawing practice, his inspiring philosophy around creativity and his new book “Make Sneaky Art”. I could have talked to Nishant for another hour or more! This will fuel your creative tank!   SHOW NOTES: Nishant Jain https://www.sneakyartist.com Book: Make Sneaky Art https://www.sneakyartist.com/the-book Kendyll Hillegas http://www.kendyllhillegas.com Roald Dahl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Dahl Quentin Blake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quentin_Blake Sneaky Art Podcast - Hosted by Nishant Jain https://www.sneakyartist.com/podcast Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com   SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 24m
  5. 539 - This Super Easy Thing Will Make A Massive Impact On Your Creative Practice

    21 JAN

    539 - This Super Easy Thing Will Make A Massive Impact On Your Creative Practice

    Pre-Order My New Book “Mysterious Things” and Help Us Spread the Word! --- Do you have a toxic relationship with goal setting and New Year’s resolutions? Have you already given up this year?! If so, this episode is for you. In this episode, we will explore the easy and impactful starting place that can help you make this season count for your creative practice. At the end, I share the “Select Your Seed” Venn diagram exercise for figuring out where to focus your energy and how to kick things off in an easy, deep, holistic way. SHOW NOTES: Fresh Start Psychologyhttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/4000-mondays/202412/fresh-starts-the-psychology-behind-new-year-motivation/amp Study on Result Goals vs Process Goalshttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1750984X.2022.2116723#abstract The One Thing https://the1thing.com Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min
  6. 538 - Find Your Point of View, Story Insights, and Artist / Audience Dynamics with Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen

    14 JAN

    538 - Find Your Point of View, Story Insights, and Artist / Audience Dynamics with Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen

    Have you ever heard someone say that making creative work is about having a “point of view”? It sounds right, but what does it mean and how do you find yours? I can’t think of any creatives that have a more compelling sense of their “point of view” than my guests today. Author Mac Barnett and author-illustrator Jon Klassen have such a strong voice, and I have been longing to have them both on the show for such a long time!! This is an instant all-timer episode for me. These two legends from the picture book world just knocked it out of the park, and we have an incredible chat exploring how to find your point of view, the artist/audience relationship, storytelling, and so much more. Buckle up. This mega episode starts off with a bang and just gets better and better all the way til the end! This episode will make for a great companion for a long creative session or long drive! Hope you love it as much as I did!   SHOW NOTES: Substack: "Looking at Picture Books"https://lookingatpicturebooks.substack.com "Mac B. Spy Kid"https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=%22Mac+B.+Spy+Kid%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 "The Skull" by Jon Klassenhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/725351/the-skull-by-jon-klassen-illustrated-by-jon-klassen/ "Sam and Dave Dig a Hole" by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassenhttps://www.macbarnett.com/sam-dave-dig-a-hole "Extra Yarn"https://www.macbarnett.com/extra-yarn "Where the Wild Things Are"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Wild_Things_Are "Goodnight Moon"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight_Moon "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishigurohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Remains_of_the_Day "Swim in a Pond in the Rain" by George Saundershttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/609280/a-swim-in-a-pond-in-the-rain-by-george-saunders/ "Outside Over There" by Maurice Sendakhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outside_Over_There "Sam and the Firefly" by P.D. Eastmanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_and_the_Firefly "Dead Souls" by Nikolai Gogolhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Souls "Let the Right One In"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_the_Right_One_In_(film) "Ponyo"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponyo "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Sunshine_of_the_Spotless_Mind "Mysterious Things" by Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Millerhttp://invisiblethings.co "Making Comics" by Scott McCloudhttps://www.scottmccloud.com/makingcomics/ Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com   SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 53m
  7. 537 - Reignite Creative Drive with This Energizing New Year's Exercise

    7 JAN

    537 - Reignite Creative Drive with This Energizing New Year's Exercise

    Pre-Order “Mysterious Things” --- How do you get excited for the New Year when things feel so unstable? How do you get jazzed about planning and goals, when you don’t know what future you’re planning for? In times like these, I find it more effective to tap into the creative drives you already have, than working towards a future that may or may not come to pass. Tune in to check out the 3 creative drives and figure out which you can employ today to get excited about making creative work again!   SHOW NOTES: Mysterious Things by Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Millerhttp://invisiblethings.co Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkemanhttps://www.oliverburkeman.com/fourthousandweeks Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com   SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    47 min
  8. 536 - Rest and Retreat as a Neurodivergent Creative with Katherine May

    24/12/2025

    536 - Rest and Retreat as a Neurodivergent Creative with Katherine May

    This is a special HOLIDAY episode featuring the chat I had on Katherine May’s Podcast “The Clearing” where guests explore their ideal real or fantasy retreat. Here’s what Katherine said about the episode: The ADHD and autistic tendency to rest in motion is fully realised in American author and illustrator Andy J. Pizza’s vision of the ideal retreat. Choosing an extraordinary fictional setting which incorporates an ingenious method of traveling the world, this episode showcases the wonder of a brilliantly creative, neurodivergent brain. Along the way, and with many fascinating tangents, Andy and Katherine discuss the power of Miyazaki films, their shared love of Fraggle Rock and longing for direction from the universe. A meticulously thought out and fully realised world that accommodates his own personal experience of ADHD, Andy unveils the most beautifully zany and imaginative dreamscape. An absolute treat.   SHOW NOTES: Fraggle Rock Last of the Summer Wine Wiki The Master and his Emissary book about left and right brain The Little Prince Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com   SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 14m
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4.8
out of 5
263 Ratings

About

A Weekly Podcast Companion for Your Creative Journey Transform your creative potential into reality by making your creativity a practice. A “creative discipline” can feel like an oxymoron. Creativity is about doing something new. Discipline is about doing something consistently. The aim of this podcast is to help you strike that elusive balance.  Each week, New York Times Bestselling Author Illustrator Andy J. Pizza shares everything he’s learning about building a thriving creative practice. Through solo episodes and interviews with top-tier creatives, Pizza brings you the strategies and stories that you need week in and week out to keep your inner critic at bay, bust through creative blocks and stay creatively pepped to the max!! Learn more: creativepeptalk.com Check out the host: andyjpizza.com

Information

  • Creator
    Andy J. Pizza
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    547
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Creative Pep Talk

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