Chasing Creative

We thought we’d be back with a new season of Chasing Creative in 2022, but alas: it did not happen. Our lives are just too full right now with, well… life! We cannot, however, let the year go by without getting together to talk about books: our most favorite episode to record each season. So, we’ll dive in and talk about our reading wins this last year, our goals for next year, and what life *actually* looks like these days for both of us. Where to connect with Abbie: Goodreads | Instagram...

Hi! It has been *an entire year* since we last appeared in your podcast feed. We’re wading through Pandemic Year 2 just like everyone else, complete with all the day-to-day negotiations and risk calculations like everyone else. And also: a fourth baby for Ashley, a smattering of kids entering the public school system for both of us, and entire routines shifting overnight. We gave ourselves a break and didn’t record a single thing together in all of 2021 – but it didn’t feel right to finish...

2020 hasn't been kind to most of us, but books are always there to see us through. Listen in to hear how 2020 changed our reading habits, the books we loved (and didn't), and what's next for our reading lives—and the podcast!—in 2021. Books Mentioned in This Episode The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett Becoming by Michelle Obama The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson Kindred by Octavia Butler The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin Pride by Ibi Zoboi The Lazy...

In today’s episode, we chat with Kayla Craig about what it looks like to advocate for the more vulnerable people around you. As a journalist, Kayla learned the value of listening well and choosing to hear a story and act on it. As a mom, Kayla knows just how important the stories we read and tell and see in our own lives affect everything about them -- and she has some tips for adding diverse voices to your shopping list this year. Kayla Craig is a writer and podcast producer who believes...

Ari Tison is an award-winning writer with poems and short works published in Yellow Medicine Review, The Under Review, and Rock & Sling. She is also the editor for Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop's Broadside Competition. Ari lives and works on Dakota and Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) lands in St. Paul, MN. Join us as she shares action steps for lifting up underrepresented voices in the literary community, especially Indigenous people and those who are incarcerated. Action steps that life up...

Deep in a pandemic, an election cycle, and a world that looks vastly different than six months ago, we’re all a little worn out these days. But we also need to press ahead like never before. We wanted to talk to Dani Bruflodt on how she summons the energy to engage online around social justice, politics, and making a difference in the world -- and how hydration is her secret weapon to get it all done with some energy left over. Dani Bruflodt is a writer and creator who “talks loud on the...

We’re welcoming counselor, writer, and calligrapher Simone Griffin to the show today. Join us as she shares about the overlap between counseling and creativity, and how art—both our own and others’—can improve our mental health. Be sure to check out Simone’s newsletter, Counseling + Christ, and her devotional workbook, Glimmers of Hope. Resources mentioned in this episode: Christ + Counseling newsletter Glimmers of Hope: A Devotional Workbook for Navigating the Struggles of Womanhood with...

We’d be remiss in trying to continue on with the podcast acting as if nothing is happening around us. 2020 has been an upheaval year for just about every single person on the planet, and while we are both privileged, middle-class white ladies in Midwestern states who are faring quite well during the pandemic, all things considered, our lives do still look very different than they did in March. So this season, rather than continue to explore how we fit creativity into our daily lives --...

**We had originally planned to air this episode in early June of 2020 (recorded in early May), but chose to hold off on publication to keep the airwaves clear in the wake of the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor, and the nationwide uprising that continues to today as more Black lives are taken because of racist people and racist policies. We want our listeners to know that we stand in full support of the protests and the push for racial justice and equality. We are...

As the lazy genius, Kendra Adachi teaches people how to be a genius about the things that matter, and lazy about the things that don’t. Join us in this episode to hear how she listens to her intuition when it comes to creative projects, the seasonal rhythms she uses to get things done, and the creative process that led her to leave perfectionism behind as she wrote her book. Resources mentioned in this episode Preorder Kendra’s book, The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What...

The world has been turned upside down, and being productive as a creative doesn't need to be your top priority right now. Instead, learn to think of your creativity as a form of self-care. Resources Mentioned in This Episode The No Grocery Challenge by Sarah von Bargen Bank Boost by Sarah von Bargen Elise Blaha Cripe's Three Things Template for Instagram Encouraging Creative Kids by Elise Blaha Cripe Coloring printables for kids from Jane Heinrichs The Growing Gills book club with...

Today we’re chatting with Lindsay Swoboda about how being a military spouse experiencing seasons of deployment and living overseas has affected her creative journey. Along with being a military spouse, Lindsay is also a mom and writer. Her blog Uplifting Anchor encourages mothers and military spouses in their daily and creative lives. Resources Mentioned in the Episode Eating Popcorn in the Dark Because You’ve Earned This, by Melanie Dale on Coffee + Crumbs Elise Blaha Cripe on Having Big...

We both spent 2019 getting serious about writing our novels. In this episode, we're hashing out all the details, from where we got our book ideas to how we're fitting writing into our daily lives. Listen in to hear more about our creative processes and what the future holds for our writing. Resources mentioned in this episode S6 E3: Elise Cripe on Having Big Creative Dreams and Making Them Happen S5 E7: Jessica Abel on Integrating Creativity into Your Life S5 E8: Doing the Creative Work:...

Click here to take the Chasing Creative survey! Join us in this conversation with author and kindred spirit Ashlee Cowles as she shares about how travel and parenthood have changed her creative process. Ashlee believes that “creativity is not something we can lose, even if it has to lie dormant sometimes,” and we wholeheartedly agree. Listen in to learn how she’s spreading support and encouragement for creative parents through her latest project, The Most Creative Thing. Ashlee Cowles is...

Do we normally try to keep our book talk to a minimum at the end of each episode? And do we normally keep our episodes under an hour? Yes and yes. But today, we have nearly an hour and a half of entirely book-focused conversation for you -- and we hope you love it as much as we loved recording it. Come find us on Goodreads! Abbie: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20016618-abbigail-e-kriebs Ashley: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1864876-ashley-brooks Resources we mentioned: Take...

Did you know that it actually takes between 12-265 days -- with the average being 65 days! -- to make a new habit stick? Sarah Von Bargen shared that statistic with us on the podcast, and we were blown away! Sarah is the mastermind behind yesandyes.org where she is a writer, coach, and educator who helps people spend their time, money, and energy on purpose. We had her on the podcast to discuss how to craft goals that actually matter to you, create habits that support those goals, and what...

We're welcoming returning guest Callie Feyen to the podcast! Join us as we talk about Callie's recent transition into full-time self-employment as a brave step toward making space for creative work. Listen to our first interview with Callie here. Listen to our second interview with Callie here. Books we talked about Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing by L.L. Barkat Brown Girl Dreaming by...

We’re so glad to have Elise Cripe back on the podcast! We previously chatted with her on episode 4 of season 3, all about how she got to where she was creatively, and touched on taking creative breaks and her Get To Work Book business. Today, we wanted to have her on to talk about her first traditionally published book that releases tomorrow, October 8th, titled Big Dreams, Daily Joys, which is all about setting goals and making time for what matters, as well as what the ebbs and flows of...

Nicole Gulotta wrote the book (literally) on navigating different seasons of the creative life. Join us to hear her advice on the ups and downs we all experience as creatives, and get the scoop on her new book, Wild Words. These show notes may contain affiliate links to IndieBound, a website that connects readers with books sold by independent bookstores. These links generate a small commission for us if you make a purchase. Thanks for supporting the show and small booksellers! Nicole's...

Hello and welcome back to Chasing Creative for Season 6! We’re excited to be back with you, and still cannot believe that we’ve been doing this together for six seasons now. This season, we’re going to be interviewing some previous guests and some new guests, but asking them all similar questions: what do the ebbs and flows of the creative process look like for them? This season will include interviews with Nicole Gulotta in September, Elise Cripe in October, and many, many more. In this...