Always Choose Orange

How do songs actually come into being?In this episode of Always Choose Orange, Mat Charley (co-founder, lyricist, and producer of Raynes) and I talk about the craft and obsession behind his songwriting.After more than 30,000 hours spent writing music, Mat has learned that songs rarely emerge from force alone. Instead, they reveal themselves gradually through melody, iteration, and careful attention to language. As he puts it: a song wants what it wants.In our conversation, we explore:How and why Mat spends 10–16 hours a day writing music without burning outHis “melody first” approach to building songsHow he uses literary devices and poetic structure in his lyricsWhat it’s like writing deeply personal songs for someone else to singHow Raynes organizes ideas, images, and fragments into larger musical projects We also talk about artistic obsession, creative discipline, and why, after writing nearly 1,000 songs, Mat still wakes up excited to make the next one. Website: http://raynesmusic.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/raynesmusicYouTube: https://youtube.com/@raynesmusicBandcamp: https://raynes.bandcamp.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/raynesmusicDiscord: https://discord.gg/venx9Mg7zG

Have you ever looked into your closet thinking, “None of this feels right?”In this episode of Always Choose Orange, I talk with stylist Ellie Richards about how clothing can act as a mirror for how clearly we understand ourselves.Drawing from fashion psychology, Ellie explains why developing a personal style starts internally rather than with aesthetics or trends. Instead of copying influencers or chasing the latest look, she encourages people to understand their lifestyle, preferences, and identity first, and then build a wardrobe that reflects those things.In our conversation we discuss:Why clothing influences how we think, feel, and behaveHow “self-concept clarity” affects personal styleWhy copying aesthetics from influencers often falls flatThe minimalist wardrobe pyramid and dopamine dressingHow to identify your contrast level and seasonal color paletteWhat to look for when buying ethical and sustainable clothing Along the way, Ellie also shares insights from her experience running a sustainable fashion boutique and explains why she sees herself as an educator rather than an influencer.Website: https://www.nuude-studio.comYouTube: https://youtube.com/@ellie.richardsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellierichards.intelTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ellie.richards

How do you design an experience or piece of art that transforms someone rather than simply giving them more information? In this thought-provoking episode of Always Choose Orange, author and philosopher Peter Rollins and I talk about how he's spent the last 20+ years of his life plumbing the depths of some of the deepest philosophical and theological questions. From his early days creating "transformance art" through his (in)famous Ikon gatherings to the powerful new communities he's building around a sense of shared lack, Peter has dedicated his life to helping people come face to face with the universal human experience of loss. The two of us explore a bunch of fascinating ideas, including:The role of discomfort in making space for transformationHow he built his legendary Atheism for Lent practiceHow, in some ways, many great artists spend their whole career circling a single questionWhy reimagined forms of community are more important than ever Website: https://peterrollins.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCweF6BScvFnbsymouI-znDAInstagram: http://instagram.com/peter_rollinsFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/orthodoxheretic  Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/peter-rollins

In March of 2024, Coulou sat down in the bedroom of his Brooklyn apartment with his guitar, some effects pedals, and a trumpet. What happened next was something special. He set up a camera, strummed his guitar, found some chords he liked, looped them, grabbed his trumpet, sounded the first note, and Coulou’s Cafe Trumpet Meditations were born.Now, two years later, Coulou has released more than 65 of his twenty-minute meditations and learned a number of powerful lessons along the way.In this episode of Always Choose Orange, we talk about: Why Coulou almost scrapped the meditation that became his most viewed video on YouTubeHow long-form improvisation has impacted his songwriting (including the heartfelt story behind his song “Joe”)The difference between improvising with a band and improvising by yourselfHow he selects his recording locations and the painstaking process he goes through to make sure he creates the right atmosphere for his viewers  Website: https://www.couloumusic.comBandcamp: https://coulou.bandcamp.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/coulou__Facebook: http://facebook.com/C0ULOU

How do you keep moving forward once your work begins to resonate with people on a larger scale?In this episode of Always Choose Orange, I talk with mixed media painter Sarah Detweiler about the quieter, more complicated season that follows increased public recognition.While Sarah’s Hidden Mother series helped her understand herself more deeply as an artist, this conversation focuses on what came with that realization: the decision to keep evolving, to follow curiosity rather than expectation, and to make work that remains honest even when it's moving in fresh and unexpected ways.We talk about art as a way of processing internal experience, the freedom that comes from letting go of external metrics, and how Sarah thinks about authenticity, attention, and care as she builds new bodies of work.Along the way, we explore:Using art to process things that are difficult to name with wordsLetting curiosity (and not audience response) guide the workMaking art with ADHD and embracing experimentation over cohesionThe tension between visibility and freedomBuilding solo exhibitions and knowing when a body of work is finishedFeedback, inner critics, and learning which voices to trustParenting, time constraints, and how limitation clarifies valuesWhy authenticity requires not thinking about how the work will be receivedAt its core, this conversation is about staying honest with yourself as your work changes and about trusting process over performance as you continue to grow as an artist.Website: https://www.sarahdetweiler.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sd_artifacts

What does it take to see the world around you the way an artist sees it? In this episode of Always Choose Orange, I chat with visual artist Nasir Young about how skateboarding transformed the way he moves through cityscapes and how that way of seeing laid the groundwork for his detailed oil paintings. His work documents the small, often overlooked wonders of urban life, including brick walls, corner stores, and gas stations.We talk about:Always having a handful of projects to work onHow to tell intriguing visual stories without including a single personTitling your work to evoke curiosity and meaningStudio routines (including scheduling time to read manga)Oh, and by the end of the episode, don’t be surprised if you never look at vans the same way again.Website: http://www.nasiryoungart.com    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nasiryoungart/

With 2025 behind us, my brother Andrew and I check in with each other to talk about some of the most powerful, entertaining, and interesting books we read in the second half of the year. Between the two of us, we read a lot of books (probably too many) so these were, for us, the best of the best.We use the following questions as a guide:Which book surprised you the most?What is the most ambitious book you read this year?Which book had the best prose?What is one book that made you cry?Which book impacted your life the most?What was your personal favorite? As we answer these six questions, we venture down a few side streets and touch on a variety of topics such as goal setting, purple prose, contemplative prayer, and even Count Dooku's journey to the Dark Side. If you enjoy the written word and enjoy stumbling across new books, chances are, you'll find something here you'll love!

What does it actually take to build a sound slowly and deliberately? In this episode of Always Choose Orange, I talk with electronic music producer and multi-instrumentalist Ankurana about the long, unglamorous reality of developing a musical voice — years of experimentation, hundreds of abandoned ideas, and learning when to stop adding and start listening.We talk about:Learning music production the hard way (after years of trial and error)Using nature and field recordings as musical materialWhen to strip ideas back instead of adding moreThe subtle details most listeners never consciously noticeWe discuss the value of building cohesive bodies of work in a time when music is often consumed in fragments, as well as why Ankurana still thinks in terms of albums, arcs, and emotional continuity rather than isolated tracks. Bandcamp: https://ankurana.bandcamp.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ankuranamusicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ankurana_/SoundCloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/ankurana

Any Austin changed the rules of gaming content on YouTube. So what happens after that?In his return to Always Choose Orange, Austin reflects on the growth and influence of his channel over the past year. We talk about the benefits and challenges of bringing on additional team members, the one thing he believes should be the true goal of time management, and how he uses the rise of imitators as competitive fuel rather than a distraction.During the second half of our conversation, I ask Austin a series of questions submitted by his audience. We examine how his videos evolve from draft to draft, a specific moment in Mega Man 2 that has stuck with him since childhood, and the likelihood of ever seeing another episode of Eggbusters.To wrap things up, we do a career retrospective using the presidents on Mount Rushmore as a loose metaphor for key milestones in his YouTube journey. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@any_austinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/any_austin/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/any_austinTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@any_austin

How do cultural values shape narrative structure?This is one of the main questions in author Henry Lien's most recent book, Spring, Summer, Asteroid, Bird: The Art of Eastern Storytelling. After leaping headfirst into writing at age 42 and spending some formative time at the Clarion Workshop learning from George R.R. Martin, Kelly Link, and Chuck Palahniuk, Henry developed a fascination with form which eventually led him to kishōtenketsu (East Asian four-act structure).In this episode of Always Choose Orange, Henry and I talk about:The differences between a typical Eastern story and a typical Western storyWhy Disney's version of Mulan strayed from the original source materialHow newer writers can steer clear of cultural appropriationThe use of circular narrative structure in the level design of the Metroid games Website: https://henrylien.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/henrylienauthor/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HenryLienAuthor Resources mentioned by Henry:Powers of Ten™ (1977)https://writingtheother.comWriting the Other by Nisi Shawl & Cynthia Ward

You know what they say, “you can’t spell artificial without art!” …What? What do you mean you haven't heard that? I'm sure someone, somewhere has said it… Anyway, in today's episode, we explore a provocative idea put forth in Carl Wilson’s book Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love: A Journey To The End of Taste that in a sense, all authenticity in art is a kind of performance. If we adopt that perspective, it raises a lot of questions, including: how do I make art with conviction while simultaneously making it for an audience? Using examples from punk and emo concerts I went to in high school and college, as well as my personal experience making music of my own, we stumble through some possible answers.

Have you ever been in a meeting that just as easily could have been an email? Have you slogged through a personal development book only to realize that the whole thing could've been summed up in a few tidy bullet points? With the advent of LLMs such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini, it's easier than ever before to access information in a fraction of the time. And many times, that's a great thing. But everything comes with a cost. In today's episode, we examine that cost and segue into a set of practical questions you can ask yourself whenever you're struggling to bring a creative project to life.

After a two month hiatus, Always Choose Orange is back with a new episode! But here's the question —  what exactly is it? A quiet manifesto? A book review for three Pulitzer Prize-winning meditations on the human experience? Or, is it merely a Trojan horse I'm using to transport some really great Ursula K, Le Guin quotes into your ears? Whatever it is, come ready to explore a way of reading that brings you deeper into the small, beautiful moments of your own life. Media mentioned in this episode:Paul Harding: A New Way To Think About Writing | How I WriteWhat Makes a Story | Ursula K. Le Guin

We're a little more than halfway through 2025 and it’s time for a six-month reading check-in! In this episode, my brother Andrew joins me to discuss six books that affected us during the first half of the year. We use the following questions as a guide:Which book surprised you the most?What is the most ambitious book you read this year?Which book had the best prose?What is one book that made you cry?Which book impacted your life the most?What was your personal favorite? Beyond simply talking about the books we selected for each category, we also explore larger aspects of both reading and creativity in general. One of the books sends us down a tangent about the role of questions in podcasting and therapy. We also talk about the dangers of emulating popular art without truly understanding what makes it great. I then dismount my high horse and let Andrew fire off some stray shots at the Fourth Wing series before we land on a few things that we think make for an engaging memoir. Material Referenced in the Episode:How J Dilla’s Timefeel ACTUALLY WorksDragon Ball GT: What The Hell Happened? You can purchase Andrew's debut poetry collection here: The Fire of Love: A Compilation of Spiritual Love Poetry: Volume One by Andrew Drake FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Andrea Burgay is a visual artist from Syracuse, New York, currently based in Brooklyn. Her practice centers on collage, sculpture, and mixed-media assemblage, often utilizing found and vintage materials to explore themes of transformation, decay, and renewal. Through layering, tearing, and reassembling paper, books, and ephemera, Andrea creates works that reflect the passage of time and the interplay between destruction and rebirth. In addition to her studio practice, Andrea is the founder and editor of Cut Me Up, a participatory collage magazine and curatorial project. Each issue features original artworks intended to be deconstructed and transformed by readers into new pieces, fostering a collaborative and evolving artistic dialogue.In this episode of Always Choose Orange, Andrea and I explore her creative rituals (including the reason she makes sure to start each day decisively), her approach to building series like Requiems and Reliquaries, and how she structures her studio environment so that she doesn't experience creative block. Andrea also shares some great entry points for people to dip their toes into the incredible world of modern collage. To top it all off, we talk about a few of the wildest and most experimental Cut Me Up submissions as well as some "inside baseball", including the type of glue Andrea uses to keep her pieces together. Website: https://www.andreaburgay.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreaburgay/Cut Me Up Magazine: https://www.cutmeupmagazine.com FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Dr. Deirdre Barrett is a renowned psychologist, author, and dream researcher affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Serving as a Lecturer in Psychology within the Department of Psychiatry at Cambridge Health Alliance, she teaches courses on dreaming to undergraduates, psychiatry residents, and psychology interns.Dr. Barrett's research explores dreams, hypnosis, and evolutionary psychology. She has authored several books, including The Committee of Sleep, Supernormal Stimuli, Waistland, The Pregnant Man & Other Cases from a Hypnotherapist’s Couch, and Pandemic Dreams, which explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dreaming.In addition to her writing, Dr. Barrett serves as Editor-in-Chief of Dreaming: The Journal of the Association for the Study of Dreams and has held leadership roles as Past President of both the International Association for the Study of Dreams and the American Psychological Association’s Division 30, The Society for Psychological Hypnosis.Her work has garnered attention from major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, and Newsweek, and she has appeared on programs such as Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, and the BBC. Beyond academia, Dr. Barrett creates digital dream-inspired artwork, which has been featured in National Geographic and exhibited internationally.In this episode, Dr. Barrett shares how her childhood experience of dreams led her to a career in psychology and dream research. She talks about the role dreams have played throughout history in problem solving and gives specific, mind-blowing examples from her research where students or colleagues solved word problems in a dream, sometimes in startling ways. Dr. Barrett also provides a step by step breakdown of a technique called “dream incubation” that she finds to be a more effective tool for creativity than lucid dreaming. Many people say they don’t remember their dreams. If that’s you, don’t worry, we end the conversation with some practical steps you can take to increase your dream recall.Website: www.deirdrebarrett.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/deirdre_barrett_dreams/ FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Alex Eckman-Lawn is a Philadelphia-based artist and illustrator known for his intricately layered, hand-cut paper collages. His work explores themes of control, psychological complexity, and the hidden architecture of the human body. Alex’s distinctive visuals have appeared across a wide spectrum of media, including comic books, album and book covers, music videos, t-shirts, and gig posters. He has collaborated with bands such as Afterbirth, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Imperial Triumphant, and his illustrations have been featured in acclaimed comics like Swan Songs, Awakening, Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, and the Eisner Award-winning Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream. In this week's episode, Alex and I talk about the influence that the city of Philadelphia has on his art. We also discuss Alex's experience in art school and the power of artist communities (as well as a few ideas on how to find or create one). He then revisits the moment where he first stumbled upon his layered collage style and forever changed the trajectory of his career. Aside from sharing a first name, the two of us also share a lot of the same taste in art. As a result, we spend some time nerding out about what Alex learned through studying legendary artists like Frank Frazetta and Dave McKean, as well as some thoughts on how A.I. is affecting newer illustrators. At one point, Alex even pries open his vault and shares the valuable websites where he sources his collage material.Website: https://www.alexeckmanlawn.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexeckmanlawn/ FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

A single sentence at the start of a book can set the tone for everything that follows. In this week's episode, we dip our toes into the mysterious and powerful world of epigraphs — the quotes or passages that open some of our favorite stories. We explore the many purposes of epigraphs, from foreshadowing and framing to adding emotional or intellectual depth. We examine how they can elevate a work (and occasionally distract from it) and why some writers swear by them while others avoid them entirely. Whether you're a novelist, screenwriter, poet, or creative in any field, we end the episode with practical tips for using epigraphs to sharpen your storytelling and leave a lasting impression. FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Jon Guerra is a singer-songwriter based in Austin, Texas, renowned for his distinctive style of devotional music. Jon describes his work as "less Sunday morning worship music and more Monday morning prayer music." His critically acclaimed albums — including Keeper of Days (2020), Ordinary Ways (2023), and most recently, Jesus (2025) blend poetic lyricism with minimalist instrumentation. Beyond his solo work, Jon collaborates with his wife, Valerie in the musical duo Praytell, and has contributed to film scores, notably composing additional music for Terrence Malick's A Hidden Life (2019).In this week's episode, Jon and I spend some time digging into his new album Jesus and the two-year journey to finish the project. We then talk about some practical ways to hone your musical instincts and Jon shares a powerful example of him not going with his first idea and allowing a song to evolve beyond his initial vision for it. We go on to discuss the importance of taking the time needed to make your best possible work rather than getting a project done just to get it done. If you're interested in songwriting and/or creating beauty that, in Jon's words, "puts people in contact with invisible things," there's a good chance, you'll enjoy this episode! Website: https://www.jonguerramusic.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/iamjonguerraDevotional Songwriting Masterclass: https://www.jonguerramasterclass.com/start FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Tara Sellios creates monumental photographs using real bones, insects, dried flowers, and natural light—assembled by hand and captured in a single shot on an 8×10 large-format camera.In this episode of Always Choose Orange, Tara walks through her entire creative process: from early sketches and symbolic research to assembling upright sculptural scenes, working with articulators and entomologists, and photographing work that often takes weeks to complete. We also explore how her strict religious upbringing continues to inform her symbolism, why she thinks of her body of work as a single unfolding narrative, and what she hopes viewers feel when encountering her images in person.Website: https://www.tarasellios.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarasellios/

Caroline Shaw is a musician who moves among roles, genres, and mediums, trying to imagine a world of sound that has never been heard before but has always existed. She often works in collaboration with others, as producer, composer, violinist, and vocalist. Shaw is the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in Music, an honorary doctorate from Yale, five Grammys, and a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. She has written and produced for iconic artists and ensembles across the musical spectrum, including Rosalía, Renée Fleming, Yo-Yo Ma, Tiler Peck, Kanye West, Nas, the LA Phil, the NY Phil, and others. Her recent TV/film/stage scoring projects include “Leonardo Da Vinci” (Ken Burns/PBS), “Fleishman is in Trouble” (FX/Hulu), and “The Sky Is Everywhere” (Josephine Decker/A24). Her favorite color is yellow, and her favorite smell is rosemary.In this week’s episode, Caroline shares the background behind her Ringdown project (a collaboration with her partner Danni Lee) and talks about what it’s like for her to make music with someone she loves. Ringdown’s debut album Lady on the Bike comes out on May 9, 2025 and we talk about the heartwarming story that inspired the album name. From there, we dive into Caroline’s creative process and she outlines a fun exercise called “voice memo roulette”, describes how she builds her songs starting with the harmony first, and the two of us wax poetic on the benefits of Rhymezone.com for lyrical inspiration. To top it all off, we discuss the relationship between environment and creativity, the magic of old, janky instruments, and what Caroline listens for when she’s revising one of her works-in-progress.Website: https://carolineshaw.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolineadelaideshaw/ FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

In the conclusion to our five-episode series on enjoyment, we examine the relationship between understanding and sharing. Using the coffee taster's flavor wheel, the Studio Binder YouTube channel, and Scott McCloud's books on comic-making, we look at the way developing a vocabulary helps us process and understand a sensory experience. And to wrap things up, we'll use a probably-apocryphal Albert Einstein quote to reiterate the importance of teaching others what we've learned. FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Getting lost is often thought of as a bad thing. However, when it comes to art, it can be a major contributor to our sense of enjoyment. This week's episode hones in on six access points to getting lost in something you love. From allowing your mind to freely associate to memorizing pieces of a poem, we'll examine some practical ways to look at art from a new angle. FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Resistance is futile! At least, it will be after this episode. In part three of our series on enjoyment, we look at four common ways we resist pieces of art and explore some tools we can use to invert that resistance. From identifying the different types of screaming in metal music to intentionally finding flaws in pieces of art, we explore curiosity and the power it has to help us enjoy things more. FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

In part two of our series on enjoyment, we're looking at a quick and easy way to deepen your appreciation of a piece of art — moving your attention beyond the part you immediately focus on. From following along with the chord changes in "Penny Lane” to identifying the 23 flavors in Dr. Pepper, we'll examine some quick and easy ways you can hone this skill. FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Enjoyment is not only a creative superpower; it's also a valuable life skill. And thankfully, it's one that any of us can learn. Using this brilliant essay by Sasha Chapin as a jumping off point, we're going to explore the micro skills that make up the larger skill of enjoyment. The hope is that each and every one of us can interact with our own creative process in a way that brings us deep joy, even when it gets hard. FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Dr. Peter Adamson is a philosopher and intellectual historian. He holds two academic positions: professor of philosophy in late antiquity and in the Islamic world at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich; and professor of ancient and medieval philosophy at King's College London.Adamson hosts the weekly podcast History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps which surpassed 25 million downloads in 2019. The podcast has covered Greek philosophy, Islamic philosophy, and European philosophy up to the early modern era, and also launched series on Indian philosophy (with co-author Jonardon Ganeri), Africana philosophy (with co-author Chike Jeffers), and Chinese philosophy (with co-author Karyn Lai). Next to his other academic publications, Adamson has turned the podcast into an eponymous book series.In this episode, Peter and I talk about what it’s been like to maintain a weekly podcast for more than 14 years — including the reason he doesn’t burn out. He shares some valuable insight into how he’s able to make philosophy palatable for the average person as well as the early pushback from his listeners that helped him change his thinking and make his podcast better. Near the end of the episode, Peter shares some recommendations for people who want to get into philosophy for the first time — his “Minimum Effective Dose” if you will.Website: https://historyofphilosophy.net FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Matt Bucher is the author of The Belan Deck and co-host, with Dave Laird, of The Concavity Show podcast. He is one of the founders of the International David Foster Wallace Society and administers the wallace-l listserv. His writing has been published in Electric Literature, The Dublin Review of Books, Puerto del Sol, Publishers Weekly, and other places. He currently lives in Austin, Texas.In this episode, Matt and I talk about the creative process behind his debut novel, The Belan Deck, a thought-provoking story about a businessman who is working on a PowerPoint presentation at the airport.No, I’m not kidding. And yes, it’s actually good.Beyond the book itself, Matt and I discuss a number of things — from exploring your family tree as powerful inspiration for stories to the beauty of falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes. We also touch on copyright law, technology, artificial intelligence, horses, three authors named David, and how to stay creative while working in Corporate America.Website: https://www.mattbucher.comPurchase The Belan Deck here: https://www.amazon.com/Belan-Deck-Matt-Bucher/dp/B0BZWKP2WN FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

David Benjamin Blower is a prolific musician, a writer of theological books, a podcaster, and an activist from Birmingham, UK. His writing, like his music, is characterized by its political and religious vision and by its apocalyptic imagination. His new book, The Messianic Commons: Images of the Messiah After Modernity, is out now through SCM Press and his most recent album, Kindness is Solid Stone Violence is a Heavy Loan to Pay is available on all platforms.In this episode, David and I talk about writing narrative-driven music which is something that, in my humble opinion, he’s really, really proficient at. Back in 2017, he released a concept album about the biblical story of Jonah that combined a folky-acoustic sound with sea shanties and narration from legendary theologian and writer N.T. Wright (who wrote a biography of the apostle Paul that was my favorite read of the year). David explains the backstory of the album and what he did when the whole thing got deleted from his hard drive before he was able to release it. We also talk about how his songs form, the tension between grief and hope that undergirds his music, and the way that he goes about expanding his sonic palette when he wants to change his sound. And of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of Always Choose Orange without some sort of astounding story or detail — at one point, David talks about a five-star review he received that said he sounded drunk throughout the entire album and he also shares the fascinating story about how the sound of his keys jingling made it onto the outro of his song “No Debts, No Masters”. Website: https://davidbenjaminblower.comSubstack: https://davidbenjaminblower.substack.com/Bandcamp: https://benjaminblower.bandcamp.com/music FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Putting your art out for the world to see is a vulnerable thing. It often means leaving yourself open to criticism, and in some cases, outright hate. How can you sift through the deluge of comments, feedback, and judgment and use it to make yourself a better artist? How do you stop obsessing over a negative evaluation of your work? And do you look at "the haters" from a different angle?In this episode, we'll talk about all those things and more. AND, we'll talk about a few composers who had their music critically eviscerated, including the one whose music was described as "the most dreadful deluges of piffle, bombast, and nonsense ever perpetrated on an audience in these environs." Surprisingly enough, it wasn't Richard Wagner… Material Mentioned in This Episode:Tim Ferriss' 8 Rules for Dealing with HatersLexicon of Musical Invective: Critical Assaults on Composers Since Beethoven's Time by Nicholas Slonimsky FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

It’s possible to start a chapter in six words or less AND have your reader want to keep reading. How do I know? I analyzed the opening sentence of every chapter in Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar Saga (Magician: Apprentice, Magician: Master, Silverthorn, and A Darkness at Sethanon) and found some eye opening patterns. In this episode, we'll see what we can learn through studying Feist’s short and striking chapter openers.FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Noam Oxman is a composer who turns portraits of beloved pets into beautiful musical compositions. His “sympawnies” have garnered thousands, and in some cases millions, of views on YouTube. Noam is a passionate animal advocate, and he uses his art to promote his message of compassion for animals and nature. You can learn more about commissioning your own pet’s portrait on his website. At least 20% of all proceeds are donated to help feed and give medical treatment to stray cats.In this episode, Noam and I discuss his musical upbringing, including how he started learning the harmonica at age 7 before picking up piano and the accordion. We also talk about a professor he had in college who taught him a way of deconstructing musical styles that he still uses today to create compositions that are inspired by anything from prog rock from the 70s to motets from the Renaissance. Noam talks about how his love for cats, musical experimentation, and the beautiful handwritten scores of Johann Sebastian Bach all combined to form the basis of his famous musical pet portraits. He walks me through his creative process from start to finish and details his recent ventures into calligraphy.Website:  https://www.sympawnies.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SympawniesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sympawnies/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sympawnies/Check out Noam's calligraphy pieces here:The Intense Gaze of an Endangered Realm - piano & calligraphy performanceTiny Liquid BallerinaFOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Kreg Yingst is an illustrator specializing in block printing, with original works created from carved blocks of wood, linoleum, or other materials, and printed onto paper or other media. Initially trained as a painter with a Bachelor’s Degree from Trinity University and a Master’s from Eastern Illinois University, Kreg turned his attention to the block print in the mid-1990s after discovering the graphic novels of Lynd Ward and Frans Masereel. In 2003 he quit his teaching position to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a full-time artist. Two years later, he founded Starving Artist Books as a means to help support orphanages and charities around the world. In 2015, Kreg was honored with a retrospective featuring his paintings and prints at Pensacola State College. His works are in many private and public collections, including Purdue University and the Halsey Contemporary Museum of Art. Kreg's most recent book, Everything Could Be a Prayer: 100 Portraits of Saints and Mystics is available now through Broadleaf Books.Website: https://www.kregyingst.com/index.htmlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/psalmprayersEtsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/workingartsFOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Now that 2024 is behind us, it’s time for a six-month reading check-in! My brother Andrew is back and we each discuss six books that affected us during the second half of 2024. We use the following questions as a guide: Which book surprised you the most?What is the most ambitious book you read this year?Which book had the best prose?What is one book that made you cry?Which book impacted your life the most?What was your personal favorite?Our selections include books from the following genres: fantasy, science-fiction, religion/spirituality, poetry, graphic novels, history, and literary fiction.Material Mentioned in This Episode:Nature’s Oldest Mandolin: The Poetic Science of How Cicadas Sing | The MarginalianWays of the Six-Footed by Anna Botsford Comstock You can purchase Andrew's debut poetry collection here: The Fire of Love: A Compilation of Spiritual Love Poetry: Volume One by Andrew DrakeFOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

To kick off the new year, let's talk about two ways of viewing and experiencing creativity — the first is scarcity, a white-knuckled clinging to ideas that constantly asks things like "What if the ideas run out?", "What if I never come up with anything better than this?", or "What if the inspiration goes away?" The second is abundance, a way of looking at the world that holds ideas loosely and says things like "There are more ideas than I'll ever be able to act on", "Something better is coming", and "Nothing I ever work on is wasted". In this week's episode, we'll look at those two viewpoints through the lens of musician Erothyme's musical archive and author Brandon Sanderson's thirteen unpublished novels. Material Mentioned in This Episode:#39: Erothyme - Developing a Musical Archive, Machine Learning & A.I. Generated Music, Field Recordings as Time Travel, Narrative Structure, and More#28: Building a Second Brain - Some Notes on Digital NotetakingMy History as a Writer | Brandon SandersonDragonsteel Prime (Free eBook and Audiobook) | Brandon Sanderson FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

The year is coming to a close and it's a great time to reflect back and celebrate your creative accomplishments. This episode is one part highlight reel and one part guide to looking back on the art you've made in 2024 (as well the things that inspired you throughout the year). We talk about lists, accomplishments, statistics, learnings, favorite media, and the moments that make you smile. FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

One of the most common sources of anxiety for budding creatives is the struggle to find a unique voice. Should you spend your apprentice years by imitating the masters? Do you need to focus all your energy on being original? Or is it better to ignore those questions altogether and just focus on making as much art as possible? In today's episode, we'll look at the path to finding your own distinct creative voice from a number of angles. We'll hear some thoughts from photographer Meg Loeks and multidisciplinary artist Claire Luxton. We'll also glean some nuggets of wisdom from a recent Brandon Sanderson interview and hear my personal journey from writing knockoff E.E. Cummings poems to discovering a style of my own. Material Mentioned in This Episode:Why Great Writers Steal Ideas | With Brandon Sanderson#45: Meg Loeks - The Emotional Power of Self Portraits, Inspiration vs. Imitation, Photographing Chickens, Refusing to Rush, and MoreClaire Luxton || From Fine Art Portraits to Poetry - Exploring the Interplay of Mediums and IdeasKent Williams Interview | Beautiful Bizarre FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Where do ideas come from? How do they grow? How do you know which ideas to pursue and which to save for later? In today's episode, we'll explore those topics and more! From Ramit Sethi's book-buying rule to YouTuber Any Austin's view that you can't make 100 bad ideas, we'll take a deep dive into the foundation of creative projects and have you out before your lunch break is over.Material Mentioned in This Episode: I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit SethiHow To Listen to Jazz by Ted GioiaWhat It Is by Lynda BarryBernadette Mayer's Writing Experiments FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Claire Luxton is a British contemporary multi-disciplinary artist working with photography, immersive installation, and poetry. She works from her rural studio based in East Sussex, and the nature she is surrounded by is reflected in her work. After receiving a BFA from Goldsmiths University of London, Luxton’s practice developed a strongly recognizable aesthetic, which quickly gained her recognition. Her dynamic work explores the delicate equilibrium between humans and nature, the ominous undercurrents oscillate between constructed femininity and alluring vulnerability, seducing the viewer with color, intrigue, joy and uncertainty. Website: https://www.claireluxtonart.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/claireluxtonart/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ClaireLuxtonFineArtFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/claireluxtonart FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Kate Woodman is a Portland, Oregon-based commercial photographer specializing in conceptual and narrative imagery. A structural engineer by trade, Kate made the jump to photography after a work transfer to New Zealand got her interested in shooting landscapes, and things spiraled from there. Ten years into her professional career, Kate shoots everything from pharma to fashion and all sorts of things in between. When she’s not photographing, she’s teaching color theory and putting her engineering degree to work by renovating her midcentury house. Website: https://www.katewoodman.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/katewoodman_photo/ FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Simon Van Booy is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than a dozen books for adults and children, including The Illusion of Separateness, The Presence of Absence, and most recently, Sipsworth. Simon is the editor of three volumes of philosophy and has written for The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Washington Post, and the BBC. His books have been translated into many languages and optioned for film. Raised in rural North Wales, he currently lives in New York where he is also a book editor and a volunteer E.M.T. crew chief. Website: https://simonvanbooy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonvanbooy/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimonVanBooy/ FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Rob Bell (New York Times Bestselling author) is back to continue last week's conversation on creativity, the craft of writing, and his latest book, Where'd You Park Your Spaceship? Book Two: There's Only One Noon Yeah. In this episode, Rob compares his experiences with traditional publishing and self-publishing, shares what it was like to watch his plays being performed, and talks about the relationship between structure and spontaneity. He also tells the story of going to Miami and almost interviewing Richard Saul Wurman (legendary information architect and inventor of the TED conference) for his podcast but instead coming away with a powerful reminder of what it feels like to live life in a state of radical amazement. Website: www.robbell.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/realrobbell/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/robbellFOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Rob Bell is the New York Times Bestselling author of fifteen books and plays which have been translated into 25 languages. He creates visual art that can be seen on his Instagram, makes music in a band called HUMANS ON THE FLOOR, and hosts a podcast called The RobCast. His new book, Where'd You Park Your Spaceship? Book Two: There's Only One Noon Yeah is out now and in this episode, we spend some time discussing how it came together. Rob shares some powerful creative exercises that writers can use to decide which project to focus on, discover the outline of their book, and reconnect with why they write in the first place. We also talk about narrative voice, trusting the creative process, and the comfort and durability of Paul Smith socks. Website: www.robbell.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/realrobbell/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/robbellFOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

One year ago, I released the first episode of Always Choose Orange using my built-in MacBook microphone, a story about a stack of paint samples, and a hilariously obtuse method of generating an RSS feed. Since then, I've learned a few things (well, more than a few) about podcasting, creativity, and how to face fear. Tune into this week's episode to hear the lessons that I've taken away from recording fifty episodes and how they can help you do the same!You'll learn:How I took actionable inspiration from my favorite podcasts such as The Tim Ferriss Show, You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes, the RobCast, and No Skips with Shea Serrano and used it to improve my showWhy we should all stop being afraid of the word "no"The value of having a casual mentorThe importance of promoting your show in a way that's congruent to your valuesFOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Creative exercises are one of the most powerful ways to hone your craft, refine your voice, and try out new techniques to see if they fit your process. And, the good news is that they don’t need to take up much time to have a big impact on your art. In this episode, we’ll talk about a fun little writing exercise I did in my writing group last year that involved rewriting the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 20 minutes without looking at the original. Tune in to hear me read my version, reflect on what I learned from the exercise, and decide for yourself if something like this is worth trying.FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

As of 2024, there are over 100 million songs on Spotify, 3.9 billion videos on YouTube, and tens of millions of books on Amazon — that's a whole lot of content. How do we keep our noses above the proverbial deluge of information that floods us every day? The answer (or part of it at least) is curation.  Tune into this week's episode to explore the idea of thinking like a curator as it pertains to managing and fostering a creative input that builds you up instead of tears you down.And if you feel the call, you can hop over to www.alwayschooseorange.com and get on our weekly creativity newsletter full of tips, insights, and recommendations that go above and beyond the material included in the podcast.Material referenced in this episode: Your Brain is Processing More Data Than You Would Ever Imagine // MinecheckHow to Curate (Just About) Anything // Glenn AdamsonAustin Kleon's NewsletterFOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

It may be hard for newer generations to imagine but there was a time when video games were not commonly seen as a legitimate cultural medium. In this episode, Tim from Earbuddies, bravely steps forward to take on a ChatGPT-created straw man in a (mostly) friendly debate about the artistic merit of video games. From claims of excessive violence and sensationalism (i.e. the public perception of Grand Theft Auto upon release) to their (allegedly) over-heavy reliance on technology, it's a battle of words you won't want to miss. And after the matter is settled, Alex and Tim spend an hour discussing their top-three video games based on music, visual design, narrative, and multiplayer functionality. Will they remember to talk about Japan's rich jazz scene? Will they correctly guess each other's preferred fighter in Super Smash Bros. Melee? And most importantly, how many times can one podcast episode reference the Legend of Zelda?FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Austin is, in his own words, 'making the worst video game content on the internet by far'. His YouTube channel, Any Austin, features content that looks into the hyper-mundane aspects of video games, including mapping out how rivers flow in The Legend of Zelda, how the power grid is represented in Grand Theft Auto IV, and what the unemployment rate of Skyrim is. His goal is to change the way people play video games, and to change the landscape of gaming content on YouTube as a whole, by creating content that pushes the boundaries of how entertaining dull content can be. His videos have already garnered hundreds of thousands-- in some cases millions-- of views, which-- as far as he's concerned-- means there's a whole generation of game-players that have grown up playing games in a way that hasn't been adequately represented on YouTube.FOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Meg Loeks lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula with her husband and five children. She is an international award-winning fine art and portrait photographer whose nostalgic work centers around the home. In-between photographing her family, she teaches several online and in-person domestic and international workshops. Meg is an instructor through Click Photo School, a SIGMA & Profoto Ambassador and 2022 Lightroom Ambassador. She is also a volunteer photographer for The Gold Hope Project, a nonprofit organization which gifts families battling pediatric cancer a free photo session. Instagram: http://instagram.com/meg_nloWebsite: http://www.megloeks.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/megloeksphotographyFOR EXCLUSIVE CREATIVITY TIPS, MUSINGS, AND EXERCISES, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALWAYS CHOOSE ORANGE NEWSLETTER: https://www.alwayschooseorange.com

Why would a novel require the use of two bookmarks? What does a 957-word sentence sound like? Is it humanly possible to understand Finnegans Wake? We'll explore those questions and more in this week's episode. Join me as I highlight the three things that can easily push a book over the edge and send it teetering into the abyss of unreadability. We'll talk about the effects of structure, length, and complex language on the accessibility of a book, and if all goes according to plan, have a little fun in the process. Books mentioned in the episode: Only Revolutions by Mark Z. DanielewskiIn Search of Lost Time by Marcel ProustFinnegans Wake by James Joyce