The Stories Between Us
Two writers, Shawn Smucker and Maile Silva, married to each other, explore the highs and lows of creativity, publishing, and the writing life.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 29 minutes
- Episodes
- 185
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2023
045 Overcoming Distraction
Today, Maile and Shawn admit to a few of the things that distract them from writing the most and offer up a few suggestions when it comes to regaining your focus. They also apologize profusely for no…
044 Jen Pollock Michel: Writing, Patience, and Hope
Jen Pollock Michel talks with us about the importance of waiting (patience, young writer), the practical realities important to consider (am I asking questions that readers care about?), and the role…
043 D.L. Mayfield: The Intermingling of Creativity and Activism
Today, D.L. Mayfield reminds us creative folks to tend to our bodies. She turns the tables on Shawn and Maile and asks them, "Can beauty really save the world?" And she helps us to begin thinking abo…
042 In Which Shawn Confesses to Maile and It Involves a Royalty Statement
Shawn admits that he received a royalty statement last week but threw it in the trash. Maile is perplexed as to why he didn't tell her when this happened. Find out why. They also talk about how to de…
041 Tara K. Ross: Creativity as a Healing Force In Us and the World
Years ago, Tara K. Ross found herself dealing with a serious case of post-partum anxiety, not wanting to leave the house at all. And with this new role of motherhood, she began to feel that she had l…
040 Ed Cyzewski: A Creative's Guide to Overcoming Digital Distraction
How does our current use of technology undermine our creativity? How can we clear space to better inhabit our creative nature? Today we talk with Ed Cyzewski about technology, creativity, and the imp…
039 Tsh Oxenreider: Creativity as Therapy
We have a lovely conversation with Tsh about the therapeutic benefits of creativity, the problem with writing to feel accomplished, and a better definition for self-care. We talk about what an annual…
038 Can You Call a Piece of Writing Art If It's Never Read By Anyone?
We dig into some interesting questions today, questions that came to us as we read Walter Wangerin's book, Beate Not the Poore Desk. Questions like,
"Can you call a piece of writing "art" if it's nev…
037 Traci Rhoades - Developing Into a Book Idea
Today we had the opportunity to chat with Traci Rhoades, blogger and author of the recent release, Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) Are Lost. We talk about the time leading up to her book launch, whe…
036 When Shawn was a 19-Year-Old Jerkface: Some Thoughts on Feedback
Maile digs up an old memory in which 19-year-old Shawn, during a moment of insensitivity, said something that still echoes in her mind today. They talk about the importance of receiving feedback (and…
035 Ira Wagler: Writing Down the Broken Roads
Why would a New York Times best-selling author wait nine years to release his next title? Today we talk about that with Ira Wagler, also discussing the difficulty in writing about the people you love…
034 A 10-Year Path to Publication (a Tutorial on Self-Encouragement)
What happens if you don't have encouraging voices around you? How can we be the source of encouragement for ourselves? How can we stay positive when the creative journey gets tough? Shawn and Maile t…
033 Cory Leonardo: A Worthy Calling
Today we talk with children's author Cory Leonardo about her decision to never take a writing class in college, her long journey to publication, and why she kept going.
032 What Every Creative Person Needs to Give and to Receive
Today we're talking about what everyone creative person needs. We also dive into the difference between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd drafts, and update each other on where we're currently at in our own writing.…
031 To Self-Publish or not to Self-Publish: Maile Decides (Thanks to Bryan Allain)
Bryan Allain joins us today on the podcast and interrogates Maile. What are her hangups with self-publishing? Why does she care so much about what the traditional gatekeepers think? And what is she g…
030 Writing as a "Revolutionary Patience": Our Thoughts on Anne Lamott's Bird By Bird
Shawn talks about his favorite book on writing and how it first came into his possession. Maile talks about, in Anne Lamott's words, at first believing minor repairs are needed on her novel, looking …
029 Mitali Perkins: Why We Keep Creating
If you listened to the previous episode, you know that Maile has been struggling with discouragement--this episode, which was actually recorded a few months ago, is the perfect follow up. Mitali Perk…
028 In Which Maile Gets Really, Really Honest
"If I'm honest, I feel like...okay, now we're going to get really deep. Are we ready for this? I feel like the clock is ticking for me."
Today Maile and Shawn talk about the gut-wrenching part of cre…
027 Lore Ferguson Wilbert - On Letting the Work Do Its Work in Us
Maile and I have the distinct privilege of speaking with Lore Ferguson Wilbert, writer and author of the new book on touch, Handle With Care. We explore why Lore, for many years, was hesitant to writ…
026 Your Chance to Press Reset on Life
What if this time of silence and uncertainty is actually an opportunity to reset your life, to strategically realign your priorities to better serve you? Maile and I talk about how this quiet time, t…