The Seed Field

Big Idea: How Creative Writers Work

Episode Summary

Three writers reflect on how they approach the writing process—and whether creative writing can change the world for the better.

Episode Notes

In this special Big Idea episode, our editor Johanna Case revisits three of our favorite Seed Field Podcast interviews about creative writing and pulls out advice and wisdom that’s useful not just for writer but for anyone making art and making a life as an artist. From MFA Chair Lisa Locascio Nighthawk’s reflections on writing from a place of emotional truth to Colette Freedman’s  advice for writers choosing what to write about and Alistair McCartney’s explanation of the power of defamiliarization, this episode explores some of the most potent ideas from our full interviews with each of these writers. And each writer starts to answer to the question of whether creative writing can change the world for the better.

Lisa Locascio Nighthawk appeared on “S5 E9: Creative Writing Offers a Chance to Take Yourself Seriously.”

Colette Freedman appeared on “S4E8: Writing for Film and Stage Requires Collaboration—and Sometimes Just Doing It Yourself”

Alistair McCartney appeared on “S3E6: Stuck On Autopilot, We Ignore Daily Injustices. Can Art Shake Us Awake?”

Visit Antioch’s website to learn more about the MFA in Creative Writing that Lisa, Colette, and Alistair teach in.

This episode was recorded January 19, 2024 via Riverside.fm and released January 24, 2024. 

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The Seed Field Podcast is produced by Antioch University.

Guest Host: Johanna Case

Host: Jasper Nighthawk

Editor: Johanna Case

Digital Design: Mira Mead

Web Content Coordination: Jen Mont

Work-Study Interns: Sierra-Nicole E. DeBinion, Carrie Hawthorn, Stefanie Paredes, and Georgia Bermingham.  

A special thanks to Karen Hamilton, Amelia Bryan, and Melinda Garland.

To access a full transcript and find more information about this and other episodes, visit theseedfield.org. To get updates and be notified about future episodes, follow Antioch University on Facebook.