The Art of Paying Attention

Ryan riffs on the human side of sports. Billions of people watch, play, and consume sports of various kinds. Why? Do they really matter? Will they cure cancer? No, but don’t miss the stories woven into the sports we love. Listen in and see what Ryan has to say. Do you agree, disagree, or don’t care? It’s fine, we’re all adults here. Get full access to The Art of Paying Attention at ryanjpelton.sub...

Ramona Lee Soo-Jun is a German-Romanian novelist and screenwriter currently based in London, UK. Born on July 5, 1997, in Sindelfingen, Germany, Lee grew up in Holzgerlingen, Baden-Württemberg. Lee moved to London in early 2019 to further pursue a career in writing and film. In this episode, Ryan and Ramona talk about her early beginnings in writing, why it’s never too early to start writing, how...

In this episode, Ryan explores the missing ingredient for making better art, and living a deeper life. This ingredient is not talked about enough, neglected, and minimized for poor imitations. Get this into your life and see what happens? Mentioned in the Show: * Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen (quoted on the show) * Subscribe to the Newsletter: every week I share seven things I’m paying atten...

In this episode, Ryan chats with musician, composer, educator, teacher, and artist Jimmy Black. James has been creating music most of his life and now is realizing an essential truth: you don’t have to live in fear about sharing your work. In this chat, they explore the roots of Jimmy’s love of music, why music can be a catalyst for healing, how to share our work and not be spammy, the spiritual s...

In this episode, Ryan talks about finding truth in the most unexpected places. Why we find universality in the particular stories, experiences, and Truth all around us. Ryan also talks about wonder and why it’s essential to a deep life, and a deep life of art.  Mentioned in the Show: * Ryan’s essay: * Abraham Joshua Heschel book:   “I Asked for Wonder.” * Rick Rubin book: “The Creative Act: A Way...

In the first episode of The Art of Paying Attention Podcast , Ryan talks about the connection between art, activism, creativity, and faith. You can’t have one without the other. In every cultural moment addressing social injustice you find new art right around the corner. You also find new expressions of faith and spirituality. Mentioned in the Show: * Join the newsletter and never miss a beat: *...

In this episode Ryan interviews author, business coach, and entrepreneur Steve Kidd. Steve is helping people get their books and voice into the world. Kidd has made hundreds of his clients bestselling authors. In this interview, Ryan and Steve explore the difficulty of writing, why certain books sell (and others don't), marketing for ordinary people, what Steve does for his clients, and much more....

Do you plot, pants, or something in between when writing your books? On the show today is Troy Lambert the primary educator for Plottr Software. Troy is also a freelance writer, mystery author, multi-genre editor, and non-fiction author and ghostwriter as well, Troy has a wealth of experience and knowledge. In this episode, Ryan and Troy explore the difference between plotting, organic writing, an...

Deborah Smith earned a degree in holistic health coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2006 and opened her own vegan catering company,  Green Pirate Juice , in 2007. Over those 15 years, Deborah had the privilege of serving and coaching thousands of New Yorkers and global clients through her programs and services. In this interview, Ryan and Deborah explore the benefits of healthy...

DANIEL KRAUS is a New York Times bestselling author. His collaboration with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero, The Living Dead, was acclaimed by The New York Times and The Washington Post. With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus co-authored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Em...

Joe Phoenix is a co-founder and CEO of Givinga, a Boston-based financial technology firm that is removing barriers to philanthropy by providing open access to modern tools. Givinga’s Philantech® platform allows companies, platforms and partners to customize giving programs that engage employees and enable everyone to give back regularly and efficiently. With 30 years of experience in global asset...

In this episode, Ryan remembers his friend, and fellow writer Jay Wilburn, who passed away last week. Jay was a "prolific" writer and a vital member of the horror and indie writing community. He was a beloved husband and father and man of faith. This interview was one of the first on the former podcast "The Prolific Writer." If you'd like to donate to Jay's favorite charity do it here: https://sca...

Commonly described as equal parts loud music, Disney culture, tattoos, and book nerd, Matt Briel is an entrepreneur and the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Lulu.com , as well as a self-diagnosed collaboration junkie. After more than 15 years leading Sales and Marketing teams in the Media & Publishing spaces, he’s developed a unique passion for helping creators become more s...

Matt Spielman is an executive and organizational coach and the founder and head coach of Inflection Point Partners. Matt’s journey into coaching and the methodology and philosophy of his work is laid out in his recently released book, “Inflection Points: How to Work and Live with Purpose,” which you can buy here. Matt draws upon decades of senior-executive operating experience at both public and V...

As the Director of the Race Institute for K-12 Educators, Ali Michael, Ph. D. works with schools and organizations across the country to help make research on race, Whiteness, and education more accessible and relevant to educators. Eleonora Bartoli, Ph. D., is a consultant and licensed psychologist, specializing in trauma, resilience-building, and multicultural/social justice counseling. She earn...

Alinka Rutkowska is a  USA Today  and  Wall Street Journal  bestselling author, CEO of Leaders Press, and a top 100 Amazon bestselling author in business and money. She’s sold more than 100,000 copies of her books and her book creation process has been showcased in  Entrepreneur magazine . On the show, Ryan and Alinka chat about what makes a bestselling book, why writers shouldn't be shy in asking...

Mary Adkins is a novelist, recovered lawyer, and a mother. She traded in her Ann Taylor pantsuits to enter the wild west of fiction writing, She read tomes about the craft of storytelling. Mary memorized devices like Chekhov’s Gun and Save the Cat and The 15 Beats so she could write “the right way.” Now after publishing many novels she helps professionals write the books they always dreamed of. In...

Abigail Morrison is a creative writer who’s been telling stories for over a decade. She loves stories that feature grace and redemption, ask questions (without necessarily answering them), and point toward possibility. Her debut novel,  Yochni’s Eye , will be launching in Summer, 2022. Ryan and Abigail chat about her journey into publishing, what held her back for many years, how The Prolific Crea...

Jim Laughren loves wine. And has for a very long time. He is a former importer and distributor of fine wines from around the world. He is also a Certified Wine Educator who has both taken and taught dozens of classes and seminars dealing with various aspects of wine and spirits. He has little use for the snobbery and condescension that have, somehow, become part of the world of wine. In this conve...

Dan Werb, PhD, is a writer and epidemiologist, with faculty positions in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at the University of California San Diego and at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Werb is the author of, most recently,  The Invisible Siege: The Rise of Coronaviruses and the Search for a Cure ,  and has authored over one hundred...

When Emily English Medley wrote her debut novel From the Moon I Watched Her,  she knew it would push some buttons perhaps in a negative direction. But art is about being honest, and in this conversation Emily and Ryan explore the dark parts of creativity, how to be honest, what it takes to create while having other responsibilities, and much more. You can find Emily at: https://emilyenglishmedley....

AARON POOCHIGIAN earned a PhD in Classics from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in Poetry from Columbia University. His thriller in verse, Mr. Either/Or , was released by Etruscan Press in the fall of 2017. A recipient of an NEA Grant in translation, he has published translations with Penguin Classics and W. W. Norton. His latest book  American Divine , the winner of the Richard Wilbur Award...

Emily Crookston spent a bunch of years mucking around creating marketing content before Emily realized she's better suited to longform writing. Since launching her business, Emily has worked with dozens of clients ranging from professionals in medicine and finance with disruptive philosophies to powerhouse CEOs who are sick and tired of the status quo to mountain climbers with harrowing survival s...

Daniel Grothe is a writer, pastor, and musician from Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is a proud husband to Lisa, and has three amazing kids: Lillian, Wilson, and Wakley. Daniel has written a new book called: "The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Age." In this interview, Ryan and Daniel talk about the importance of place (and his new book), how good art can come from tragedy, what li...

Samantha Hanni is a writer, blogger, and freelance editor. She has helped over 60 authors get their manuscripts ready for publication. In this episode, Ryan and Samantha explore what to look for in an editor, Samantha's reader-first approach to editing, the different kinds of editing, how to build a solid relationship with an editor, and much more. You can find Samantha and her services at: https:...