Make It Weirder: Maggie Smith on Poetry, Success, and Creative Survival in the Age of AI
Release Date: 06/15/2025
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The Create! Podcast
Welcome back to the show! We are thrilled to host the incredible Hannah Cole of Sunlight Tax to talk about her new book, Taxes for Humans: A Simple Guide to the Taxes That Rule Your Life. This episode is must listen material for artists, curators, freelancers, and gallery professionals who want a kinder, clearer way to deal with money and taxes. Hannah is an exhibiting artist turned tax professional. She shares the personal story of being dismissed by an accountant and how that experience inspired her to build a more humane, accessible approach to taxes for creatives. If you have ever felt...
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The Create! Podcast
We’re celebrating one million downloads! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for tuning in, sharing the show, and leaving us love on iTunes. I’m so grateful to be able to share this program with you and our creative community. In this episode of Create! Podcast, host Ekaterina Popova sits down with Colombian artist and designer Leslie Braginsky to talk about gratitude, harmony, and the beauty of bringing art into communities. Leslie shares her inspiring journey from Colombia to the U.S., how gratitude shaped her perspective as an artist and mother, and how she began creating inclusive,...
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Learning to Trust Your Creativity and Falling in Love with Your Art with Carrie Schmitt
The Create! Podcast
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Detours are Destiny: Chasing Dreams, Secret Art, and Approaching Business with Creativity with Nishant Jain (The Sneaky Artist)
The Create! Podcast
Sometimes the most meaningful parts of our creative journey are the detours — the moments when we think we’ve failed or lost our way, only to realize we’ve discovered something new. Like a labyrinth, life guides us toward the next best thing, often better than we could have imagined. In this episode, host Ekaterina (Kat) Popova sits down with Nishant Jain, also known as The Sneaky Artist, to talk about curiosity, permission, and finding beauty in the everyday. Nishant shares how writer’s block led him to a thriving art practice, how he built a loyal global community through Substack,...
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Sneaky Ways Your Ego is Sabotaging Your Growth (and How to Shift It) + Q&A with Kat
The Create! Podcast
Hello, beautiful souls. Welcome back to The Create! Podcast with me, your host, Kat. In today’s episode, I’m diving into a topic that’s been deeply present in my own creative journey — the sneaky ways our ego can sabotage our growth and how to shift it. Our ego often shows up in disguise: through comparison, fear, doubt, or even the desire to “grow too fast.” It’s that part of us that tells us we need a certain number to feel safe or successful, that we “should be further ahead,” or that our current progress isn’t enough. I’ll share how these patterns have shown up in my...
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The Create! Podcast
In this episode, host Ekaterina Popova talks with coach and author Emily Williams, founder of I Heart My Life and creator of the I Heart Money Method. Emily shares how belief fuels action, how to move through comparison and setbacks, and how simple micro upgrades can shift your relationship with abundance. This is a grounded conversation for artists and creative entrepreneurs who want growth without burnout. 💡 What You’ll Learn How to generate belief before results Practical ways to move through fear, doubt, and comparison Micro upgrades that shift money mindset without overspending...
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Facing the Haunted House of Our Finances: How to Release the Ghosts Holding Creatives Back from Success and Abundance with Kat
The Create! Podcast
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Meet Your Shadow: How to Go Deeper in Your Creative Practice with Chelsey Pippin Mizzi
The Create! Podcast
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Being a Magic Maker: Pam Grossman on Magic, Creativity, and the Enchanted Path of Art
The Create! Podcast
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The 2025 Creator Stack for Artists: What's Working to Grow Business, How to Use Time Wisely, and Not Burn Out While Showing the F Up
The Create! Podcast
In this episode, I (host Ekaterina Popova) dive into what I call The 2025 Creator Stack for Artists. These are the four simple tools you need to build trust, grow your audience, and create consistent income without burning out. We are in what I call a trust recession. Algorithms keep changing, AI noise is everywhere, and collectors are more selective than ever. That does not mean your art business has to suffer. I am sharing what has been working for me this year, the lessons I have learned, and how you can lean into connection, trust, and real growth. 🎉 Special Announcement Create!...
info_outlineThis episode is a dream come true. I sit down with bestselling author and poet Maggie Smith, whose viral poem Good Bones captured hearts around the world. We talk about navigating creative life with honesty and resilience—from managing unsupportive friends to staying grounded when the world starts watching.
We also dive into her newest book, Dear Writer, and how artists can protect their joy, set boundaries, and thrive in the AI era by getting weird, staying real, and honoring their process.
If you're a writer, artist, or creative soul trying to stay true to your work in a noisy world—this one's for you.
In this episode, we talk about:
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What happened when Good Bones went viral (14:40)
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Why you don’t need to monetize everything you make (18:25)
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Dealing with unsupportive family and friends (30:00)
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How to write personal stories safely and honestly (42:10)
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Maggie’s approach to creative rhythm vs. consistency (52:30)
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Why imperfection, eccentricity, and “making it weirder” matter now more than ever (1:02:00)
Guest Bio:
Maggie Smith is the author of You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Good Bones, Goldenrod, and Keep Moving. Her poems and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, and Best American Poetry. A recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and Ohio Arts Council, her next book Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life will be released in April 2025.
Connect with Maggie Smith:
Website: maggiesmithpoet.com
Instagram: @maggiesmithpoet
Substack: For Dear Life
Presented by Create! Magazine
Submit to our open calls or subscribe to the digital edition at createmagazine.co
Let’s connect:
Instagram: @createmagazine
Host: @katerinaspopova