Singer-songwriter and author Josh Ritter on writing songs for the muse instead of waiting for it, letting creative ideas find their shape across songwriting, painting, and fiction, and building a sustainable creative life over more than two decades.
We discuss:
- Writing for the muse instead of waiting for it.
- Why working across multiple art forms keeps each one alive.
- The craft behind a single narrative song, from first image to finished track.
- Balancing creative compulsion with everyday life.
- What sharing work publicly teaches you about your own work.
- How the relationship between an artist and their audience evolves over decades.
- Mental health and the myth of the tortured creative.
- Getting through the dead stretch when nothing seems to come.
- The campfire model of building a creative career.
Resources & Links:
About:
Josh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, musician, artist, and author. He performs and records with The Royal City Band. He writes on Substack at Josh Ritter’s Book of Jubilations. His latest album, I Believe In You, My Honeydew, is out now.
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