The Craft: Exploring the Creative Process

Carter Johnson and Colby S.
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The Craft: Exploring the Creative Process Podcast

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. Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.

  1. 7 MAR

    Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism (Book Review)

    [Rebroadcast of Ep. 14] In this episode, Carter asks Colby about what he learned from reading Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport. Be sure to check out Newport's latest book, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout.

    33 min

  2. 21 FEB

    52 | The Theory of Creativity

    Do legitimate common denominators exists across creative disciplines? If so, can we clearly identify these parallels and unify our thoughts about the creative process?  In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby wrestle with these questions. They begin to sketch (tentatively) a unifying “theory of creativity.” Such theory might help us, they hope, navigate a broad swath of tools and techniques that vie for our attention.   ---- Chapters: 0:00 Introduction  2:22 Theory of Creativity  9:48 Theoretical layers  14:08 Marketing example 21:32 More trees and metaphors  28:40 Intermediary tiers 36:26 Conclusion  ---- Support The Craft: Subscribe to Dwelling - https://carterdavisjohnson.substack.com Send feedback or ideas - heycraftpodcast@gmail.com ---- Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.

    39 min

  3. 7 FEB

    51 | How John Steinbeck Reinvented His Craft

    Why did John Steinbeck almost give up writing novels?  In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby inaugurate a new series, Creative Case Studies. Their first installment is a story about American writer John Steinbeck. Specifically, Carter recounts Steinbeck’s creative collapse after writing The Grapes of Wrath. In the midst of personal and professional tumult, Steinbeck attempted to reinvent his craft and develop a new way of thinking. Carter and Colby discuss this creative transformation, considering how we might learn from Steinbeck’s crisis.  ---- Chapters:  0:00 Introduction  2:55 Steinbeck bio 4:11 Crisis and reinvention  14:28 Takeaways  ---- Support The Craft: Subscribe to Dwelling - https://carterdavisjohnson.substack.com Send feedback or ideas - heycraftpodcast@gmail.com ---- Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.

    26 min

  4. 24 JAN

    50 | Tracking Creative Growth

    Is my work improving? This is a crucial — yet difficult — question to answer. In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss how to track creative growth, the difference between lead and lag metrics, and an interesting phenomenon they've seen unfold in many artistic careers. ---- Chapters: 0:00 Introduction  2:15 Lead and lag metrics 11:38 Evaluating growth  23:19 Refinement or reinvention 31:11 Tracking growth  33:27 Comparing work 38:38 Conclusion  ---- 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.

    41 min

  5. 10 JAN

    49 | 11 Protocols for Revising Creative Work

    You have probably heard the phrase “writing is revision,” but how do you actually revise? What does good revision — practically speaking — look like?  In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discus the central protocols that drive their revision processes. The conversation includes both paradigmatic approaches and practical tactics.  ---- Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:59 Protocol 1: Separate creation and revision 2:28 Protocol 2: Accept the iterative process 6:24 Protocol 3: What is the work actually doing? 9:20 Protocol 4: Find root problems 11:40 Protocol 5: Movement 13:29 Protocol 6: The Car Test 16:22 Protocol 7: Transitions 20:44 Protocol 8: Necessity 27:01 Protocol 9: References 29:35 Protocol 10: Work Destructively 33:32 Protocol 11: Collaborate 39:35 Conclusion  --- 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.

    41 min

  6. 27/12/2023

    48 | Creative Review of 2023

    In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby do a year-end review for 2023. They survey the year’s successes, shortcomings, and lessons, reflecting on moments of inspiration and the second year of the podcast.  ---- Chapters: 0:00 Introduction  1:19 What went well? 7:16 What went poorly? 13:51 What did you learn? 24:26 What inspired you? 30:10 Favorites 37:02 Year Two ---- 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.

    40 min

  7. 13/12/2023

    47 | Exploring Category Design

    Do I need to create a category of one?  In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby explore the role of category design in creative pursuits. Their conversation addresses a root problem: How do you avoid being “just another voice” in your craft? In addressing this challenge, they wrestle with multiple potential solutions and the consequent tensions. Do categories wrongly fetishize novelty? Are categories equally pertinent in business and creative endeavors? Their conversation is a general introduction to the subject of category, which will — no doubt — reemerge in later episodes.  ---- Chapters: 0:00 Introduction and creative exigence  6:10 Should novelty be our goal?  12:22 Alternative ways to individualize 15:40 Category size and limit  18:58 Innovation and functionality  24:48 Shifting definitions of category  28:00 The law of division  31:00 What to prioritize?  35:59 Concluding distinctions  ---- Links: The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing Category Pirates Dada and the Pre-Raphaelites (Carter's Substack) ---- 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.

    42 min

  8. 29/11/2023

    46 | Writing a PhD Dissertation, and How to Manage Big Creative Projects

    How do you write a dissertation? We’re not sure, but Carter is about to find out.  In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss Carter’s recent benchmark in his doctoral program. He shares some advice he received during his last exam and thoughts about embarking on his largest project to date. ---- Chapters: 0:00 Introduction  3:42 Setting parameters for daily work  12:07 Just typing 16:29 Identifying themes  21:24 Trusting your voice  26:19 Stepping away 30:06 Leaving a little in the tank  32:22 Conclusion ---- Links: Steven Pressfield Greg Mckeown, Effortless Paul Jarvis, Company of One Cal Newport  ---- 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.

    35 min
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About

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. Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.

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