How to Use Speaking Gigs

Grant Experiment Update: the Agony of Bread Loaf

Throughout his life, James has driven past the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference campus in Ripton, Vermont, hundreds of times if not a thousand. Often, he speeds by as the writers’ conference is happening knowing he’d been rejected once more. That he has this connection to the campus is galling. But there are lessons to be learned from each failure and a discussion of why Bread Loaf and similar creative conferences and/or residencies matter. Question for Listeners: How do you get over a gutting rejection? Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide! [https://ko-fi.com/giftedunderachievers] For Further Exploration: James salutes Bread Loaf: https://www.middlebury.edu/writers-conferences/writers-conference Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com [https://giftedunderachievers.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

GU Finds the Clock (silly)

The clock (aka the timer) is handy for a couple of loquacious idiots like the Gifted Underachievers. But where is the damn thing?! Questions for Listeners: No questions today, we’re too busy looking for the other thing. Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide! [https://ko-fi.com/giftedunderachievers] For Further Exploration: Apparently, there are four types of Gifted Underachievers: https://giftedchallenges.blogspot.com/2016/02/who-is-gifted-underachiever-four-types.html [https://giftedchallenges.blogspot.com/2016/02/who-is-gifted-underachiever-four-types.html] Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com [https://giftedunderachievers.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Metabolize Your World Through Art

In this segment, the Gifted Underachievers talk about one of the great benefits of being an artist in any field: making art forces you to pay attention, and attention to the real world gives you experiences you won’t have if you’re doomscrolling in the coffee shop. We talk about essayist and humorist David Sedaris, street photographer and poet Rodney DeCroo, and how to strengthen your “noticing” muscle into a useful part of your artistic process. Questions for Listeners: Do you know the name of that app for meeting people at bus stops? Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide! [https://ko-fi.com/giftedunderachievers] For Further Exploration: Night Moves: The Photography of Rodney DeCroo https://www.anvilpress.com/books/night-moves-the-photography-of-rodney-decroo [https://www.anvilpress.com/books/night-moves-the-photography-of-rodney-decroo] Theory of Mind: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind] David Sedaris interview: Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com [https://giftedunderachievers.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

How do you define success?

In every creative field there are “top-tier” workers, aka A-listers, whose achievements are undeniable and well-earned. This milieu can seem like a closed system, but the Gifted Underachievers agree that the elite corner of the creative ecosystem survives only by seeking out and admitting new talent. Questions for Listeners: * Are you a member of the so-called creative elite? * If yes, can we interview you for this podcast? For Further Exploration: Buy us a Coffee and Win [http://xn--buy%20us%20a%20coffee%20and%20win%20a%20book%20here%20in%20the%20gu%20clubhouse,%20weve%20gleaned%20and%20gathered%20incredible%20wisdom%20from%20our%20creative%20guests,%20whom%20we%20fondly%20call%20the%20gifted%20achievers-jo60m.xn--%20were%20putting%20this%20wisdom%20into%20a%20series%20of%20handy%20guides%20so%20listeners%20can%20study%20how%20to%20make%20a%20good%20living%20doing%20what%20you%20love-6m65i.xn--%20click%20the%20coffee%20cup%20below%20and%20youre%20on%20the%20list!%20the%20first%2020%20coffee%20angels%20will%20get%20a%20free%20guide!-sd54g/] a Guide to World Domination! Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide! [https://ko-fi.com/giftedunderachievers] If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time. Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com [https://giftedunderachievers.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Grant Experiment Update: Another Near Miss

Last year, the board of a prestigious Canadian arts grant recommended Pat for a grant, but then they ran out of money before her name came up on the approved list. This year? Ame thing, exactly. WTF! Is this a victory, validation that Pat’s work and proposal are worthy? Or is this a more painful form of shunning? Plus! An important US NEH grant update: The worm turns! Questions for Listeners: * Have you received a grant? * What do you think set your proposal apart? For Further Exploration: Buy us a Coffee and Win [http://xn--buy%20us%20a%20coffee%20and%20win%20a%20book%20here%20in%20the%20gu%20clubhouse,%20weve%20gleaned%20and%20gathered%20incredible%20wisdom%20from%20our%20creative%20guests,%20whom%20we%20fondly%20call%20the%20gifted%20achievers-jo60m.xn--%20were%20putting%20this%20wisdom%20into%20a%20series%20of%20handy%20guides%20so%20listeners%20can%20study%20how%20to%20make%20a%20good%20living%20doing%20what%20you%20love-6m65i.xn--%20click%20the%20coffee%20cup%20below%20and%20youre%20on%20the%20list!%20the%20first%2020%20coffee%20angels%20will%20get%20a%20free%20guide!-sd54g/] a Guide to World Domination! Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide! [https://ko-fi.com/giftedunderachievers] If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time. Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com [https://giftedunderachievers.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]