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Andy J. Pizza

A Weekly Podcast Companion for Your Creative Journey

Transform your creative potential into reality by making your creativity a practice. A “creative discipline” can feel like an oxymoron. Creativity is about doing something new. Discipline is about doing something consistently. The aim of this podcast is to help you strike that elusive balance. 

Each week, New York Times Bestselling Author Illustrator Andy J. Pizza shares everything he’s learning about building a thriving creative practice. Through solo episodes and interviews with top-tier creatives, Pizza brings you the strategies and stories that you need week in and week out to keep your inner critic at bay, bust through creative blocks and stay creatively pepped to the max!!

Learn more: creativepeptalk.com
Check out the host: andyjpizza.com

Creative Pep Talk

Have you ever heard someone say that making creative work is about having a “point of view”? It sounds right, but what does it mean and how do you find yours?

I can’t think of any creatives that have a more compelling sense of their “point of view” than my guests today. Author Mac Barnett and author-illustrator Jon Klassen have such a strong voice, and I have been longing to have them both on the show for such a long time!!

This is an instant all-timer episode for me. These two legends from the picture book world just knocked it out of the park, and we have an incredible chat exploring how to find your point of view, the artist/audience relationship, storytelling, and so much more.

Buckle up. This mega episode starts off with a bang and just gets better and better all the way til the end! This episode will make for a great companion for a long creative session or long drive!

Hope you love it as much as I did!

 

SHOW NOTES:

Substack: "Looking at Picture Books"https://lookingatpicturebooks.substack.com

"Mac B. Spy Kid"https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=%22Mac+B.+Spy+Kid%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

"The Skull" by Jon Klassenhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/725351/the-skull-by-jon-klassen-illustrated-by-jon-klassen/

"Sam and Dave Dig a Hole" by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassenhttps://www.macbarnett.com/sam-dave-dig-a-hole

"Extra Yarn"https://www.macbarnett.com/extra-yarn

"Where the Wild Things Are"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Wild_Things_Are

"Goodnight Moon"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight_Moon

"The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishigurohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Remains_of_the_Day

"Swim in a Pond in the Rain" by George Saundershttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/609280/a-swim-in-a-pond-in-the-rain-by-george-saunders/

"Outside Over There" by Maurice Sendakhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outside_Over_There

"Sam and the Firefly" by P.D. Eastmanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_and_the_Firefly

"Dead Souls" by Nikolai Gogolhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Souls

"Let the Right One In"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_the_Right_One_In_(film)

"Ponyo"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponyo

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Sunshine_of_the_Spotless_Mind

"Mysterious Things" by Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Millerhttp://invisiblethings.co

"Making Comics" by Scott McCloudhttps://www.scottmccloud.com/makingcomics/

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

 

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK

AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

538 - Find Your Point of View, Story Insights, and Artist / Audience Dynamics with Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen

Pre-Order “Mysterious Things”

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How do you get excited for the New Year when things feel so unstable? How do you get jazzed about planning and goals, when you don’t know what future you’re planning for?

In times like these, I find it more effective to tap into the creative drives you already have, than working towards a future that may or may not come to pass. Tune in to check out the 3 creative drives and figure out which you can employ today to get excited about making creative work again!

 

SHOW NOTES:

Mysterious Things by Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Millerhttp://invisiblethings.co

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkemanhttps://www.oliverburkeman.com/fourthousandweeks

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

 

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK

AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

537 - Reignite Creative Drive with This Energizing New Year's Exercise

This is a special HOLIDAY episode featuring the chat I had on Katherine May’s Podcast “The Clearing” where guests explore their ideal real or fantasy retreat. Here’s what Katherine said about the episode:

The ADHD and autistic tendency to rest in motion is fully realised in American author and illustrator Andy J. Pizza’s vision of the ideal retreat. Choosing an extraordinary fictional setting which incorporates an ingenious method of traveling the world, this episode showcases the wonder of a brilliantly creative, neurodivergent brain.

Along the way, and with many fascinating tangents, Andy and Katherine discuss the power of Miyazaki films, their shared love of Fraggle Rock and longing for direction from the universe.

A meticulously thought out and fully realised world that accommodates his own personal experience of ADHD, Andy unveils the most beautifully zany and imaginative dreamscape. An absolute treat.

 

SHOW NOTES:

Fraggle Rock

Last of the Summer Wine Wiki

The Master and his Emissary book about left and right brain

The Little Prince

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

 

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK

AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

536 - Rest and Retreat as a Neurodivergent Creative with Katherine May

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

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The Creative Pep Talk Top 5 BEST IDEAS from 2025.

This is a FUN BLITZ through the most essential ideas and tactics from our past year of episodes.

This was exciting and helpful for me to review, and I can’t wait for you to hear this jam packed, end of year episode!‌

SHOW NOTES:502 - How to Beat the Analysis Paralysis of "The Right Path"502 - How to Beat the Analysis Paralysis of "The Right Path"

513 - Why Creatives Have to Build Habits Differently and How to Do It513 - Why Creatives Have to Build Habits Differently and How to Do It

515 - Want to Quit Social Media? 3 Essential Considerations for Any Creative Practice515 - Want to Quit Social Media? 3 Essential Considerations for Any Creative Practice

529 - Escape Your Creative Rut with This 5 Part Creative Hygiene Checklist529 - Escape Your Creative Rut with This 5 Part Creative Hygiene Checklist

532 - THIS is Your Creative Secret Weapon that You’re Ignoring532 - THIS is Your Creative Secret Weapon that You’re Ignoring

Petey USA on Rainn Wilson’s Soul BoomPetey USA Leans Into Life

Iain McGilchrist - Master and His EmissaryThe Master and His Emissary

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

535 - If You Only Listen to One Episode of this Podcast This Year Make it This One

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

---

This was one of my favorite chats!!!

DEEP DIVE with my friend and Filmmaker Seth Worley!

We get into:

1 - Finding the drive to stick to long creative quests, especially when you’re not sure you’re going to reach your goal!

2 - Why to make a proof of concept of your idea and put it out there!

3 - Why the path has to take a long time some times!

4 - A trick for finding your edge among your creative peers!

 

SHOW NOTES:

Seth Worleyhttps://sethworley.com

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

 

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK

AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

534 - New Fire for Sticking to the Path with Filmmaker Seth Worley

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

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This is a favorite!

Special edition of ask Dr. Pizza episode! This time the questions come from the hosts of the Grupo de Autoayuda de Dibujo podcast! THE CRUSHED IT!

 

SHOW NOTES:

Grupo de Autoayuda de Dibujohttps://www.instagram.com/grupodeautoayudadedibujo/https://www.youtube.com/c/GrupodeAutoayudadeDibujo

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

 

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK

AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

533 - Make People Feel Things, Hope in AI Crazed World AND Create to Your Taste

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

---

Who doesn’t want better opportunities?

The key is standing out and having a unique creative offering. But that is much easier said than done, when it feels like EVERYTHING has been DONE!

How do you find your edge?

I have had some client opportunities come may way recently that felt SO perfectly custom tailored for me, and it got me thinking: how did these things fall into my lap?

This episode is what I think helped me position my work in a way that attracted those “perfect fit” opportunities and I hope it helps you do the same!

 

SHOW NOTES:

Landmark Schoolhttps://www.landmarkschool.org

“Standing out: an atypical salience account of creativity” Paperhttps://www.cell.com/trends/cognitive-sciences/fulltext/S1364-6613(24)00111-6?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS1364661324001116%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

 

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK

AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

532 - THIS is Your Creative Secret Weapon that You’re Ignoring

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

---

If you’re used to doing work for clients, it can be tough to then create your own solo project. On the other hand, if you’re only used to doing your own thing, working for a client can feel impossible!

How do you find yourself and your creative voice in the mix of all of this?

This is one of the many topics I dive into on today’s episode with Composer Oli Julian. Oli is the composer for Netflix’s new animated Roald Dahl adaptation of “The Twits”, and has a huge wealth of experience doing music for television for the likes of Sex Education and The Complete Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.

This was a guest from a very different side of the creative industry, hope you enjoy!

SHOW NOTES:

Oli Julianhttps://www.olijulian.co.uk

The Twitshttps://www.netflix.com/title/81612165

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK

AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

531 - Risks that Land Big Jobs, Be Your Own Client & Find Your Sound with Composer Oli Julian

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

---

FRANNERD RETURNS! Illustrator, Comic Artist and YouTuber Fran Meneses is a long time friend of the show and it’s been 6 years since her last episode!

We dive deep into:

1 - When mental health “gets in the way” of your creative plans and what has seemed to help both of us.

2 - How to think about creative crossroads and let go of things that don’t serve where you want to go and double down on the path you do want to take.

3 - How the pandemic impacted both of our careers and shaped out creative focus moving forward.

This chat was a blast and filled me with so much hope and comfort. Hope it does the same for you!

 

SHOW NOTES:

Fran Meneses AKA Frannerdhttps://www.frannerd.clhttps://www.instagram.com/frannerd/?hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/c/FranMeneseshttps://www.patreon.com/frannerd

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

530 - Something Simple to Do When Mental Health Derails You with Frannerd

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

---

Like sleep, creativity is something you can’t force. It’s a brain state that you have to slip into. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create the perfect conditions for this state to be more likely to occur. If you have been blocked or in a rut, this episode will give you 5 ways to cultivate your higher creative states and unlock your next favorite piece of work.

 

SHOW NOTES:

Master and His Emissary by Ian McGilchristhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_and_His_Emissary

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameronhttps://juliacameronlive.com/book/the-artists-way-a-spiritual-path-to-higher-creativity/

Cultivating Life Force by Phil Stutzhttps://www.thetoolsbook.com/blog/practices-to-build-your-life-force

Christoph Niemann - Good Not Great Talkhttps://vimeo.com/130898948

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

 

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK

AEROPRESSCheck out Aeropress and use my code PEPTALK for a great deal: https://aeropress.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

529 - Escape Your Creative Rut with This 5 Part Creative Hygiene Checklist

Join our January Virtual Pep Rally by supporting on Substack or Patreon!
andyjpizza.substack.com
https://www.patreon.com/c/creativepeptalk

Has an unexpected life event ever derailed your creative journey? 

When I reached out to illustrator Rebecca Green to join me on the podcast for the second time, she graciously volunteered to speak about a tragedy she had experienced in recent years, that brought her life to a complete stand still. Join us for a deeply vulnerable and inspiring conversation about this artist’s journey from grief to renewed creativity.

Content Warning: this episode contains a conversation around the death of an infant.

SHOW NOTES:
Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

Rebecca Green https://www.myblankpaper.com 
Rebecca’s blog: https://www.myblankpaper.com/blog

Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_%26_Lowell
Katherine May - Wintering
https://katherine-may.co.uk/wintering 
Art Brand Alliance
https://artbrandalliance.com 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

493 - Grief, Creativity, and Re-finding Your Magic with Rebecca Green

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