The Craft: Exploring the Creative Process

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.

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 example21:32 More trees and metaphors 28:40 Intermediary tiers36:26 Conclusion ----Support The Craft:Subscribe to Dwelling - https://carterdavisjohnson.substack.comSend feedback or ideas - heycraftpodcast@gmail.com----Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.

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 bio4:11 Crisis and reinvention 14:28 Takeaways ----Support The Craft:Subscribe to Dwelling - https://carterdavisjohnson.substack.comSend feedback or ideas - heycraftpodcast@gmail.com----Cover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.

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 metrics11:38 Evaluating growth 23:19 Refinement or reinvention31:11 Tracking growth 33:27 Comparing work38:38 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.

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 Introduction1:59 Protocol 1: Separate creation and revision2:28 Protocol 2: Accept the iterative process6:24 Protocol 3: What is the work actually doing?9:20 Protocol 4: Find root problems11:40 Protocol 5: Movement13:29 Protocol 6: The Car Test16:22 Protocol 7: Transitions20:44 Protocol 8: Necessity27:01 Protocol 9: References29:35 Protocol 10: Work Destructively33:32 Protocol 11: Collaborate39:35 Conclusion ---Support The Craft:Subscribe to Dwelling (Weekly writing from Carter)Send feedback or ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.comCover art by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewell.work or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.