Claiming Your Story and the Power of Creative Nonfiction

Directing Animation: Mark Kirkland on The Simpsons and the Creative Process

Mark Kirkland, Emmy Award winning animation director and one of the most prolific directors in The Simpsons history, joins Andrew Ramsammy for a conversation about storytelling, artistic growth, and the creative process behind one of television’s most influential animated series. From making silent films as a teenager with his father to studying animation at CalArts and directing 84 episodes of The Simpsons, Mark reflects on the experiences that shaped his career and creative philosophy. The conversation explores what it actually means to direct animation, how classic cinema influenced iconic Simpsons episodes, the evolution of animation technology from hand drawn production to digital tools and AI, and why storytelling and humor remain at the center of great creative work. Mark also shares advice for aspiring animators, the importance of community and collaboration, and how he has stayed creatively inspired throughout decades in animation. Timestamps: 1:41 Meeting the director behind The Simpsons 2:56 Early filmmaking with his father 8:57 Winning a Student Academy Award at CalArts 14:39 Joining The Simpsons 18:43 How directing animation actually works 22:51 Directing iconic Simpsons episodes 24:44 Referencing classic films in animation 27:37 How The Simpsons became pop culture 30:23 Did The Simpsons change television animation? 32:29 The production timeline behind The Simpsons 33:19 Technology, Pixar, and AI in animation 35:44 Advice for aspiring animators 37:57 Staying unapologetically creative 39:07 Humor, optimism, and storytelling 39:56 The unexpected cultural impact of The Simpsons 41:04 Mark’s favorite Simpsons character

BONUS VCFA Writers' Conference: Building Creative Community: Adam McOmber, Erin LaRosa, and Spiro Skentzos on Storytelling and Artistic Risk

Adam McOmber, co chair of the VCFA MFA in Writing program, joins Erin LaRosa, author and romance workshop leader, and Spiro Skentzos, screenwriter and producer, to discuss the next chapter of the VCFA Writers’ Conference as it moves to CalArts in Los Angeles. The conversation explores creative community, the evolution of romance and screenwriting, storytelling in the age of AI, artistic risk taking, and why human connection remains at the center of the creative process. Our conference faculty have created an actionable free toolkit that can help your writing now. Find it HERE [https://vcfawritersconference.com/?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=toolkit] Time Stamps: 2:14 Building Creative Community 4:02 Why the Conference Moved to Los Angeles 6:08 Bringing Genre Fiction Into Literary Spaces 8:22 Romance Writing and Story Structure 11:14 Why Romance Is Often Misunderstood 14:23 The Rise of Sports Romance 17:02 Vulnerability and Emotional Truth in Romance 20:02 Representation and Inclusivity in Publishing 22:41 Writing to Market vs Writing Your Passion 25:10 Building Authentic Characters in Romance 27:08 Why Romance Writers Should Be Unapologetically Creative 29:23 The First 15 Pages of a Screenplay 32:11 Inside the TV Writers’ Room 34:37 Streaming, AI, and Modern Storytelling 38:12 Writing From Lived Experience 41:05 Thinking Visually for the Screen 43:14 Creativity, Collaboration, and Ownership 46:10 Why Intellectual Property Matters 48:02 Pushing Storytelling Forward 49:03 A New Chapter for VCFA Writers’ Conference

Feeling Before Thinking: Suné Woods on Intimacy and Artistic Connection

Suné Woods explores intimacy, collaboration, nonlinear storytelling, and the balance between feeling and thinking in artistic practice. Through reflections on water, ancestry, collective care, and multisensory installation work, Woods discusses how art can create spaces for connection, sanctuary, and deeper emotional presence in an increasingly overwhelming world. The conversation also examines openness in creative work, the importance of collaboration, and why the heart often leads before the mind can understand. Time stamps: 2:46 Finding Intimacy Through Art 3:54 Art, Protest, and Collective Healing 5:16 Water, Ancestry, and Interconnection 7:20 The Spiritual Meaning of Water 8:44 Healing Through Artistic Practice 10:17 Why Collaboration Matters 11:54 Nonlinear Storytelling and Multisensory Art 13:34 Feeling Before Thinking 14:24 Slowing Down Through Art 16:06 Nature, Technology, and Presence 16:47 Why Art Stays Open Ended 17:45 Challenging Western Artistic Frameworks 19:02 Teaching Through Personal Belief Systems 20:20 What It Means to Be Unapologetically Creative 20:58 Advice to a Younger Artist 21:45 Art as an Invitation Forward

Claiming Your Story and the Power of Creative Nonfiction

Sue William Silverman, award-winning author and co-chair of the MFA in Writing program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, joins Unapologetically Creative to explore the craft and courage behind creative nonfiction. From uncovering deeper meaning through metaphor and revision to writing through vulnerability and emotional risk, Silverman shares how storytelling becomes a path to self-discovery. She discusses the balance between lived experience and reflection, the role of persistence in the creative process, and why writers must learn to claim their stories without apology.  1:51 What Is Creative Nonfiction 4:17 The Unaware and Aware Narrator 6:10 Finding Meaning in Small Moments 9:55 Can Creative Nonfiction Be Taught 11:02 Writing Vulnerability and Personal Truths 14:30 Is Writing Therapeutic 15:41 Core Practices for Writers 17:09 The Power of Metaphor in Storytelling 19:51 Writing in the Present and Emotional Risk 22:58 Teaching Students to Share Difficult Stories 25:00 Advice to Younger Writers 26:41 What It Means to Be Unapologetically Creative 28:49 Final Takeaways on Creativity and Persistence

Imagination Without Limits: Shruti Swamy on Writing, Intuition, and Creative Freedom

Shruti Swamy, author of A House is a Body and The Archer, explores how imagination, cultural inheritance, and intuition shape her work. Drawing from Hindu mythology and her experience growing up between cultures, she reflects on the flexibility that comes from a bicultural perspective and how it informs the way she sees and tells stories. In this conversation, Shruti challenges traditional rules of craft, sharing why she’s moving beyond rigid frameworks like “show, don’t tell” and toward a more intuitive, truth-driven approach to writing. She also discusses the role of the subconscious in creative work, the importance of spaces that encourage experimentation, and how writers can reconnect with a sense of possibility when they feel stuck. Throughout the episode, Shruti emphasizes the importance of telling the truth in both life and art, creating work that leaves space for the reader to step in, interpret, and find their own meaning. 01:28 Cultural Inheritance and Storytelling 03:32 Understanding Hindu Mythology 05:00 Growing Up Between Cultures 06:11 Bicultural Perspective and Imagination 08:23 Rethinking Writing Education and The Dreamside 11:07 Creative Practice and Reconnecting with Imagination 13:29 Risk Taking, Safety, and the Subconscious 15:31 Balancing Structure and Dreamlike Writing 16:56 Returning to the Writing Practice 18:46 Creativity and Telling the Truth 19:56 Advice to Her Younger Self 21:03 Building Courage and Creative Community