The Smarter Artist Show: Episode 7 - The Creative Mid-Life Crisis
Release Date: 03/06/2026
The Smarter Artist Show-29: What Should I Write?
The Smarter Artist Show
This week we responded to a recent conversation I had with a struggling writer. Which led me to ask Sean and Johnny what made them start writing, why they chose the books they wrote as their first books, and how do they decide what to write next. Despite knowing one another for 15 years, this is the first time we actually talked about our early inspiration. And, oddly enough, we all share one common writer in common as being the most influential on us. Can you guess who? We also talked about discovering your voice versus imitation of your favorites, how to decide between commercial...
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The Smarter Artist Show: Episode 28 - Alternate Endings: Train to Busan
The Smarter Artist Show
This week we bring you the third episode of Alternate Endings, the show between the Smarter Artist episodes, where we force each other to watch a show or movie and then talk about it. These episodes were recorded in 2021, then promptly hidden in a vault for reasons unknown, never before aired. This week we talk about my pick, the zombie thriller Train to Busan. Additionally, we argue about Stephen Kind and Quentin Tarantino.
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The Smarter Artist Show 27: Alternate Endings - Gone Girl
The Smarter Artist Show
Sean’s out of town this week, so time to dig into the archives of unreleased episodes of Alternate Endings. This week we talk Gone Girl, what we liked, what we didn’t like, and then compare it to another author who attempted to write their own screenplay with wildly different results. Want more Smarter Artist delivered every week to your inbox? Sign up free at and never miss an episode.
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The Smarter Artist Show-26: The Future of Story
The Smarter Artist Show
There’s never been a better (or more difficult) time to be a creator it seems. With existential threats of AI, a population that isn’t reading as much, and cost cutting at the studios, what does the future of story look like? In today’s episode we look at the landscape of books, film, and video games, and give our guesses as to what’s next, what we’re worried about, and what we look forward to. TIMESTAMPS 6:00 — Johnny gets annoyed 6:30 — Johnny’s talks about his upcoming thriller, Terminal, and the Kickstarter he’s doing for it. 11:40 — Dave talks about...
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The Smarter Artist Show: Episode 25 - Alternate Endings - Tenet (Bonus Podcast)
The Smarter Artist Show
Remember when Brandon Sanderson revealed a bunch of books he’d written? Well, this is our version of that. We’re revealing a podcast we recorded in 2021 or 2022 called Alternate Endings. A show that we recorded a year’s worth of episodes! It’s a show where Sean, Johnny, and I (Dave) force each other to watch a different show or movie each week and then get together and talk, argue, and discuss. Up first, the super easy to understand Tenet. If you like this episode, let us know. We’ll release more bonus shows like this every so often when we’re in a pinch. Or...
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The Smarter Artist Show: Episode 24 - The Books We'd Build Different Now
The Smarter Artist Show
In this episode Sean, Johnny, and Dave go back through four of their own series (Available Darkness, Karma Police, Cursed, and Robot Proletariat) and ask what they’d do differently now. Not with the stories themselves, but the surrounding architecture, to ensure that each series had a better shot at success. SOMETHING COOL 9:00 — Johnny finally created an Instagram account (@johnnybtruant) 14:40 — Sean talks about when Quentin Tarantino appeared in a Muppets movie. 18:00 — Topic of the show — Dave talks about he and Sean’s first book together, Available Darkness, and what...
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The Smarter Artist Show 23: Hypotheticals 2: Electric Boogaloo
The Smarter Artist Show
In this week’s episode of The Smarter Artist Show, Sean, Dave, and Johnny take turns answering Dave’s latest batch of hypothetical questions. Dave also talks about how one of the questions inspired a script idea. Join the guys for an assortment of amusing, weird, and intriguing hypothetical questions which you can play along at home! Note: In efforts to get to the nonsense sooner, we shortened the intro. The outro full song is still there for your listening enjoyment. 0:00 — Intro 14:00 — Question 1: You have a difficult neighbor. How do you deal with it? 24:25...
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The Smarter Artist Show: Episode 22 - 20,000 Covers, One Lesson.
The Smarter Artist Show
In this episode, Sean, Dave, Johnny, and guest Matt Stone of 100 Covers talk about the number one thing successful books have in common. Spoiler: it has to do with the cover! Stay tuned to the end, or just go to the show notes, for a limited time offer from 100 Covers. **Special Promotion:** Special 50% offer at using the coupon code ASS from Friday June 19, 2026 to 11:59 PM EST Monday June 22, 2026. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to the episode and guest Matt Stone 00:26 - The importance of showing your work and applying experience to your brand 02:30 - Something Cools: Johnny...
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The Smarter Artist Show: Episode 21 - The $800 Movie
The Smarter Artist Show
This week Sean, Dave, and Johnny dig into the indie horror moment happening right now in Hollywood, two breakout films, Obsession and Backrooms, both made by filmmakers who came up on YouTube with almost no budget. They trace the path from Curry Barker's $800 film to a theatrical release that's earned around $250 million (at press time), and talk about why horror rewards resourcefulness in a way most genres don't. Sean talks for the first time on air about the horror script he and Dave have been developing, and the conversation he had with a friend that talked him out of a $5 million budget...
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The Smarter Artist Show: Episode 20 - The Thing We Haven't Written Yet
The Smarter Artist Show
Dave opens by holding up five completely filled journals to the camera, all devoted to a fantasy novel he's been building in his head for at least five years. That kicks off an hour-long conversation about the creative project you haven't written yet: the idea that's too big, too personal, or too risky to touch until you're ready. Sean's version is the very first book he ever wrote in 2007, a 600-page narrative nightmare with, in the words of Cindy's professor friend, "long passages of staggering genius." Both projects are alive, neither is finished… yet. Timestamps 00:00 — Cold open:...
info_outlineSMARTER ARTIST EPISODE 7: The Creative Mid-life Crisis
This episode is about hitting your creative mid-life crisis. You’ve been at it, you’ve had success or are still working toward it, but something’s missing. You don’t feel the magic like you used to. What happened? In this episode we’re going to look back to when we started in 2011 and take a look at some of the highs and lows and how we pushed on.
- TIMESTAMPS
0:00 — Intro
2:00 — talking about sponsorships
3:40 — Lars Von Trier disastrous interview discussion
5:20 — “So there…”
6:00 — Dave’s Something Cool — “Bring Her Back” & Dave doesn’t know what Johnny will find objectionable
11:10 — Johnny’s Something Cool — “The Chair Company”
15:40 — Sean’s Something Cool — which makes Dave laugh
19:50 — Johnny talks about the Catch-22 of “Worst Show Ever” and how an enjoyable show requires Dave’s suffering. - TOPIC OF THE SHOW
21:00 — Looking back at the Kindle Gold Rush and our starts. When did we realize we could make a living at writing?
27:00 — Johnny on the discouraging nature of indie publishing and how he’s moving away from e-books and toward print.
29:00 — Is there a time we were disillusioned with writing, and what caused it?
31:20 — Sean on finding joy after a disastrous setback
38:00 — Johnny on writing malaise and figuring out what you’re good at.
43:00 — How do you keep the magic alive?
46:00 — Hypotheticals — a return of a favorite segment, hypotheticals. This week’s question: If you had to start over right now with all of your knowledge, what would you work on?
LINKS:
BOOK — Becca Syme’s “Dear Writer, You Need to Quit”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N36MHWD
VIDEO — (Lars Von Trier's Disastrous Press Conference )
Website — www.smarterartist.net