Best Colby Schemm Podcasts (2024)

1
Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism (Book Review) 33:02

9M ago33:02

33:02

[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.By Carter Johnson and Colby S.

1
52 | The Theory of Creativity 39:18

9M ago39:18

39:18

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 hop…

1
51 | How John Steinbeck Reinvented His Craft 26:05

10M ago26:05

26:05

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 prof…

1
50 | Tracking Creative Growth 40:45

10M ago40:45

40:45

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 E…

1
49 | 11 Protocols for Revising Creative Work 41:10

11M ago41:10

41:10

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. ---- Chap…

1
48 | Creative Review of 2023 39:46

11M ago39:46

39:46

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 Favo…

1
47 | Exploring Category Design 41:51

11M ago41:51

41:51

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 tensio…

1
46 | Writing a PhD Dissertation, and How to Manage Big Creative Projects 34:54

12M ago34:54

34:54

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 …

1
45 | 6 Quotes on the Creative Process from Annie Dillard 43:24

1y ago43:24

43:24

Are you looking for sage creative advice from a master writer? Look no further. In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss a number of quotes on the creative process from Annie Dillard. Their conversation, following Dillard, cuts across the Craft’s four creative first principles: create, revise, share, and sustain. ---- Chapters: 0:00 I…

1
44 | Keep Showing Up: Overcoming 3 Creative Roadblocks 41:00

1y ago41:00

41:00

I feel uninspired. What now? In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss different types of creative roadblocks. They explore the phenomenon of “stuckness” in regard to artistic identity, specific projects, and skill development. They also share a list of actions/ideas that can help reinvigorate and reinspire. ----- Chapters: 0:00 Introd…

1
43 | Reflections on a Conversation With Warwick Saint 39:10

1y ago39:10

39:10

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby elaborate on their recent conversation with painter, photographer, and mixed-media artist Warwick Saint. They share their favorite moments and lessons from the interview ----- Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 4:33 Cardboard boxes and creativity 7:39 The artistic edge 10:03 Reinvention and renewal 18:50 Poin…

1
42 | Warwick Saint (Painter, Photographer, & Mixed Media Artist) 1:08:26

1y ago1:08:26

1:08:26

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby sit down with Warwick Saint. He is a prolific and award-winning artist who has photographed some of the most iconic actors/actresses, athletes, musicians, and brands, such as Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Zendaya, Miley Cyrus, Lebron James, John Legend, DJ Khaled, Beyoncé, Daniel Craig, Jamie Foxx, Nike…

1
41 | “The Creative Process” by James Baldwin 27:36

1y ago27:36

27:36

What can we learn from James Baldwin about the creative process? In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss Baldwin's essay “The Creative Process," exploring how art is connected to self-knowledge and truth. Additionally, they explore the tumultuous yet crucial relationship between the artist and society. ----- Chapters: 0:00 Introducti…

1
40 | When Should I Quit My Creative Project? 39:26

1y ago39:26

39:26

Should you stop making the EP, stop writing the novel, or stop building the YouTube channel? Or, do you need to commit to going through the Dip and reaching the summit on the other side? In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss this often fraught question. They apply two heuristic mental models that can help inform our decision to qui…

1
39 | Why Do We Love Beautiful Products? 54:57

1y ago54:57

54:57

Why spend $25 on a pencil sharpener when a $.99 one will get the job done? Why spend $300 on a raincoat when you could spend $25? In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby explore the craft of beautiful products. What makes a product special or beautiful? Why are we drawn to certain products, even when they cost more money? Their conversation …

1
38 | Will Mason (Singer-Songwriter) 1:09:12

1+ y ago1:09:12

1:09:12

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby sit down with Will Mason to talk about his creative process as a songwriter. They discuss his upcoming EP, Freedom, and break down two tracks from the project. The conversation covers topics ranging from crafting lyrics to finding your voice to facing creative roadblocks. Listen to Freedom here. ----- …

1
37 | Can You Grow Your Audience Without Selling Out? 47:29

1+ y ago47:29

47:29

Can you grow your audience without “selling out”? In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss creative growth, outlining its healthy and malignant forms. They begin the conversation by defining growth and then identify two specific problems: 1) sleazy growth 2) personal vulnerability. They explore principles for healthy growth and discus…

1
36 | Introducing Dwelling: Launching a Substack, the Future of Publishing, and the Power of Newsletters 45:34

1+ y ago45:34

45:34

Should you create a Substack publication? And why did Carter start one? In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss “Dwelling: Exploring the non-identical in life and art,” Carter’s new publication. They explore the origins of the project and the future of publishing in general. In addition to discussing Dwelling, their conversation expa…

1
35 | What is Your Creative Strategy? 49:45

1+ y ago49:45

49:45

“You need a strategy.” We hear this mantra from all disciplines, but what does it mean? In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby work to define strategy and understand how strategic thinking manifests in creative pursuits. The discussion explores the difficulty of diagnosing the root problem and imposing proximate objectives. They conclude by…

1
34 | Tyler Johnson (Cofounder of KING ZEHN) 47:47

1+ y ago47:47

47:47

In this episode of The Craft, Colby and Carter sit down with Tyler Johnson. Tyler is a filmmaker and creator from Roanoke, Virginia who is currently working out of Nashville, Tennesee. He is the co-founder of KING ZEHN Entertainment. Focusing primarily on real-time comedy sketches, King Zehn has established a large presence in the realm of short-fo…

1
33 | Susan Hensel (Mixed Media Artist) 50:55

1+ y ago50:55

50:55

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby sit down with multimedia artist Susan Hensel to talk about her 50-year career as an artist. The conversation begins with Susan explaining her creative process in starting new projects but quickly moves to a diverse range of topics. Susan discusses the nuanced physics of color, the embodied experience o…

1
32 | Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the World (Book Review) 44:40

1+ y ago44:40

44:40

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss Hartmut Rosa’s Resonance: A Sociology of our Relationship to the World. The discussion begins by establishing Rosa’s concepts of alienation and acceleration. As modernity compresses more into less time, we begin to approach the world as silent, mute to our experience. The alternative to alienat…

1
31 | Cole Isaac (Artist & Songwriter) 1:10:32

1+ y ago1:10:32

1:10:32

In this special episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby sit down with Cole Isaac, a conscious creative from Kelowna, BC. Their conversation covers a wide range of topics. Cole breaks down his songwriting process and discusses what it takes to find and cultivate an authentic artistic voice, a process that involves letting go of the opinions of others…

1
30 | Developing Creative Grit (Book Review) 39:03

1+ y ago39:03

39:03

In this episode of The Craft, Colby leads a book review of Angela Duckworth's Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. The conversation specifically explores how the book's central concepts apply to creative endeavors. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com. · · Cover art was design…

1
29 | We Tried Hemingway’s Creative Practice (Write One True Sentence Daily) 41:31

1+ y ago41:31

41:31

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss a specific creative practice. During his recent solo road trip to California, Carter adopted (with Colby’s prompting) Hemingway’s maxim “one true sentence” as a way to document his journey. He attempted to articulate an essence from each day in a single sentence, forgoing note-taking for a prac…

1
28 | The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, Crafting Art, How to Know When Art is Done 32:46

1+ y ago32:46

32:46

On this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby read a chapter from Rick Rubin's new book called The Creative Act: A Way of Being and react to it. Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com. · · Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.…

1
27 | Is AI Art Real Art? We Asked ChatGPT 39:31

1+ y ago39:31

39:31

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss how new innovations in artificial intelligence intersect with the creative world. They explore the theoretical underpinnings of the claim that AI can "create art," a topic that elicits Carter's phenomenological objection! Moving toward the practical, they discuss how creatives can leverage the …

1
Introducing The Craft 2:38

1+ y ago2:38

2:38

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 (Marke…

1
26 | Steal Like an Artist Book Review, Wisdom from Rick Rubin 48:58

1+ y ago48:58

48:58

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss one of their favorite creative books, Austin Kleon's Steal Like an Artist. They explore the book's central concept: the importance and freedom of creating within an artistic tradition and community (i.e. stealing!). As Picasso said and Kleon notes, "Art is theft." They discuss multiple topics w…

1
25 | Did We Misname the Pod? What’s the Difference Between Craft and Art? 42:58

2y ago42:58

42:58

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby theorize the distinction between a craft and art. They discuss how we use these terms in conversation, exploring how the connotations (and denotations) might demarcate similar and different activities. They arrive at a tentative definition of the craft: the pursuit of artfulness in work; or, an artisti…

1
24 | Building a Second Brain 16:44

2y ago16:44

16:44

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss building a second brain. They begin the conversation by describing what is a “second brain” and its place within the broader realm of knowledge management. They emphasize the importance of saving and organizing information, making your work searchable in the future. Additionally, they discuss F…

1
23 | Practice is Everything: Drills, Projects, and the Pressure to Publish 35:38

2y ago35:38

35:38

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss the role of practice - specifically creative drills - in the pursuit of excellence. They begin by discussing the potential dangers of overemphasizing immediate action and/or publishing. The conversation complicates when considering build-in-public and behind-the-scenes projects. As the issue cl…

1
22 | Review of 2022 49:29

2y ago49:29

49:29

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby do an end-of-the-year-review. They discuss the development of their crafts by answering four questions: What went well? What went poorly? What did you learn? What inspired you? They also briefly discuss the future of The Craft. Here is a beefy list of works they mention (in no particular order): Songma…

1
21 | How to Find Your Subject, Themes from Our Favorite Artists, Making What You Don’t Know 37:34

2y ago37:34

37:34

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss the artist's "subject," a conversation that was spurred by Steven Pressfield's formulation in The Artist's Journey. They parse the differences and similarities between subjects and topics, theorizing about how such subject "threads" develop over time. As an exercise, both Carter and Colby ident…

1
20 | The Anxiety of Style 16:23

2y ago16:23

16:23

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby explore artistic concerns that arise around the issue of style. We are often concerned that we don't have a unique style or that our style is too derivative. However, sometimes these anxieties are more exaggerated in our minds than in reality. We don't create in a vacuum, so we shouldn't expect to crea…

1
19 | Cultivating Artistic Taste 43:58

2y ago43:58

43:58

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss artistic taste. The conversation begins by considering how taste is involved in the revision process. We often have a sense that something “works,” but what is that feeling? Perhaps it’s the dictates of taste. The conversation then considers how the concept of taste differs from mere preference…

1
18 | A World Without Email (Book Review) 45:57

2y ago45:57

45:57

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby finish a series of book reviews on the work of Cal Newport; Colby reviews A World Without Email. Previously, they discussed Newport’s Deep Work (Ep. 13) and Digital Minimalism (Ep.14). They explore points of friction that arise with digital communication and conceptualize how these issues negatively af…

1
17 | Compound Interest for Creatives 46:55

2y ago46:55

46:55

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss the principle of compound interest. They outline how this mathematical phenomenon - often relegated to the financial realm - can have drastic implications for creative work. Colby begins the conversation by summarizing a number of thinkers who have engaged this theme, emphasizing the principle’…

1
16 | The Artists Journey and the Hero’s Journey 47:47

2y ago47:47

47:47

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss the artist’s journey in relation to the hero’s journey. Their conversation combines Steven Pressfield’s The Artist’s Journey with Joseph Campbell’s theory of the monomyth, which Campbell outlines in his predominant book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces. This juxtaposition considers the comparati…

1
15 | Summer Updates 36:16

2y ago36:16

36:16

The summer is often a time that provides more margin for creative projects, reading, and inspiring experiences. Colby and Carter reflect on their creative life this summer, share books they read, creative projects completed, and what they hope to get done in their creative lives over the next six months. Links mentioned in this episode: Deep Work b…

1
14 | Digital Minimalism (Book Review) 33:02

2y ago33:02

33:02

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. Send feedback or topic ideas to heycraftpodcast@gmail.com. · · Cover art was designed by Elizabeth Newell. Learn more about her work at elizabethnewelldesign.com or on Instagram @elizabethisadesigner.…

1
13 | Deep Work (Book Review) 46:12

2+ y ago46:12

46:12

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss Cal Newport’s Deep Work. The conversation begins with a summary of the book’s main idea: the pursuit of meaningful, deep work. This practice simultaneously represents a marketable skill as well as a way to accomplish personal and creative goals. After contrasting the characteristics of deep and…

1
12 | Digital Minimalism for Creatives 41:03

2+ y ago41:03

41:03

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss how technology, specifically social media, interacts and influences our work. The broad conversation is adjacent to Cal Newport’s book Digital Minimalism. They begin the podcast by sketching common issues that emerge from technology’s place in our lives. Then, the conversation turns toward imag…

1
11 | Finding Your Craft 59:04

2+ y ago59:04

59:04

In this episode, Carter and Colby address two central ideas. First, they try to distinguish a “craft” from other activities. Are hobbies crafts? Can someone have multiple crafts? Can anything potentially qualify? Their proposed definition centers on the traditions, skills, and intentions that make crafts a distinct, human activity. After sketching …

1
10 | Generating New Ideas 48:27

2+ y ago48:27

48:27

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss the process of generating new ideas. The conversation begins by exploring the often negative pressure to be artistically “original.” They emphasize the importance of working within an artistic context, “stealing” from and responding to a tradition of work. This leads them to discuss creative sy…

1
9 | Finding Creative Inspiration 38:16

2+ y ago38:16

38:16

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby explore the topic of creative inspiration. They begin by discussing the nature of inspiration, a definition that involves both being gripped by an idea as well as baseline motivation. Their discussion moves to the problem of the creative wasteland: what can you do when the land is barren? In the face o…

1
8 | Artistic Patience 25:16

2+ y ago25:16

25:16

In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss artistic patience. They explore the difficulty of working through moments of friction and argue that even small amounts of patience can produce significant, worthwhile results. The conversation engages this concept on multiple scales, considering the role of patience in project-related details …

1
7 | Creative Tools 38:59

2+ y ago38:59

38:59

Is the right tool irreplaceable? Or, does a good craftsman never blame his tools? In this episode of The Craft, Carter and Colby discuss the tension between these perspectives. Their conversation explores the difference between artistic tools and gadgets, emphasizing the importance of intentionality and agency. Additionally, they each provide pract…

1
6 | Creative First-Principles: Sustain (Pt 4) 53:47

2+ y ago53:47

53:47

Whether or not you’re conscious of your creative process, you have certain ways of working on your craft. These processes come in different shapes and sizes, but beneath the idiosyncrasies, they share common denominators. In this new series, “Creative First-Principles,” Carter and Colby theorize the foundational building blocks that underlie every …

1
5 | Creative First-Principles: Share (Pt 3) 1:07:32

2+ y ago1:07:32

1:07:32

Whether or not you’re conscious of your creative process, you have certain ways of working on your craft. These processes come in different shapes and sizes, but beneath the idiosyncrasies, they share common denominators. In this new series, “Creative First-Principles,” Carter and Colby theorize the foundational building blocks that underlie every …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Colby Schemm Podcasts

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