The Spark File with Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien

What keeps us from writing those pages we say we WANT to write? What keeps us from taking that first small step toward our goal? What keeps us from doing anything at all related to our creative vision? Why, its our dear ol’ pal, Creative Resistance. This week, Laura and Susan dive into the warm and cozy distractions that keep us safe from the consequence of risk - creative risk, that is. These tac...

This week, Susan and Laura dip their toes into the topic of Collaboration via the Metallica Masterclass. They discuss how the members of Metallica, guided by their mantra “whatever’s best” for the project, share how they communicate, keep their egos in check, get the most out of everyone, and how they stay inspired to come together to create great things.  They share a commitment to the music, yes...

Here at The Spark File, our mission is to spark creativity, free innate self-expression, and grant permission to fear less and create more.  In this episode, we share two recently discovered like-minded creative organizations that have completely lit us up! Here’s how it happened…First, Pam Harris introduced us to @creativemornings and Creative Mornings introduced us to @streetwisdom_  and Street...

This week, Susan and Laura delve into the very best ways social media can be used - to inspire, educate and spread joy.  We call this The Spark Side of Social Media. Listen and light yourself up with tales of legacy-worthy chocolate via @morticianinthekitchen, kneel at the alter of @andy_birkey's gothic woodworking, and marvel at the beauty of fore edge printing (did you know this even existed?!?)...

This week, Laura and Susan explore the inexplicable craving to consume pandemic-related entertainment during a pandemic -  not entertainment about the current state of the world, no, we prefer  imaginary pandemics dreamed up in the minds of fiction writers and TV writers like Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, The End of October by Lawrence Wright, The Walking Dead and more.  These are some...

Welcome back, Sparklers! All are welcome here. As long as no one is being a d**k, you are invited to be your real, open, authentic selves. This week on The Spark File, Susan and Laura get warmed up for Season 3! They share their gratitude and a mini-spark about indigenous food from The New York Times and an article about Sean Sherman, creator of The Sioux Chef. The Spark File is created on the lan...

In the season 2 finale of The Spark File podcast, Susan and Laura celebrate the highlights of the past year - revisiting favorite sparks of inspiration, and recognizing the incredible achievements of the participants in The Spark File Select Group Creativity Coaching program.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura got to spend extra time with their beloved Hunter Bell, Tony and Drama Desk nominee, Spark File Creativity Coaching client, and creative / writer / maker extraordinare! Tune in to feel the love and the belly laughs. Too much is never enough Hunter Bell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura take a deep dive with Tony-award nominee (and Creativity Coaching Client) John Ellison Conlee, and discuss the creation of a life in addition to a career. Plus, in this very special episode, The Spark File debuts a short story written and read by John Ellison Conlee himself - Cup of Joe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura examine that deep seated fear that you're just not as good / worthy / capable as others think you are. Imposter Syndrome. Check out this episode and you just might find ways to let go of those coping mechanisms and start to believe in your own abilities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura, still super sparked by the life-changing whole brain approach of Jill Bolte Taylor, take an even deeper dive into her work, applying her philosophies to our creativity.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura share sparks inspired by the bestseller Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. This exploration of grief led to a greater understanding of Mary Todd Lincoln, perhaps some tolerance and acceptance regarding her mental health, and introduced us to the phenomenal story of Elizabeth Keckly, former enslaved person who became a business owner and personal modiste to the Firs...

This week on The Spark File, Susan and Laura discuss The Brain of Jill Bolte Taylor - one hell of a managed mind! The woman who taught us to "Please take responsibility for the energy you bring into this space" is the source of this weeks creativity spark. Tune in to hear Dr. Bolte Taylor's story (as shared in her book My Stroke of Insight) and how we can all gain from her learnings (as shared in...

This week, Susan and Laura serve up a single spark -- a spark 30 years in the making! Learn about the little card game that could - Canasta - and how it rose to fame, despite the Bridge Club establishment trying to keep it down! Friends and Foes, Joy and Pain, Triumph and Defeat intermingle at the card table. Plus a bonus mini-spark - did you know the Olympics once contained a competition for the...

This week, Susan shares a spark so vast, we give it all our attention - Performance Anxiety. If you've ever felt tormented by fear, panic or anxiety related to your chosen profession, please do not miss this episode! Susan and Laura go deep into the prevalance of performance anxiety, what it feels like, who experiences it, and potential solutions to keep it at bay so that you can go on shining you...

This week, Susan and Laura dig into the realities of living as a Highly Sensitive Person and/or an Empath (and how to know for sure if you are one!), Plus, Priya Parker's life-changing approach to bringing people together in The Art of Gathering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura take a spin through some of the best advice they've ever received (including "don't pickle it!") plus, the very encouraging signs that people everywhere are entering the sixth stage of grief - finding meaning.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wanting to write about your lived experience, but worried about how the other key players in your life might react? This week, Susan and Laura offer up various ways you can approach it so that your creativity is free flowing and feelings don't get hurt. Plus, recent events stirred up some questions about the monarchy, so we unpack what it is and why it is. You can't tell the history of the world w...

This week, the documentary Made You Look sparks a conversation about the phenomenon of justification and how our brains work overtime when we've done something we shouldn't have, PLUS, the joy-filled approach to closet curation that promotes self-expression and creativity over consumption! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura are thrilled to talk all things Broadway with someone who has loved theatre since birth, and spent their lives amplifying the joy of it - Paul Wontorek, Editor-in-Chief of Broadway.com!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura delve into EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) with Jenny Clift, Coach for classical musicians and stage performers. Jenny paves the way to wealth, success, balance, and inner peace using the scientifically proven power of tapping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura dig into two worthy explorations -- Do you know your Why? Do you know why your Why matters? So many ways to consider how we can act intentionally, on and with purpose. Plus, they revisit Twyla Tharp's classic book: The Creative Habit. Do you have a habit of creativity? If not, you know The Spark File feelings on it - better get one quick! Learn more about your ad choices...

This week, Susan and Laura have the honor of spending time with artist extraordinaire Dax Valdes of Hollaback, discussing their free bystander intervention trainings aimed at making the world a better, and safer, place for us all.  Tune in to hear how you can make a difference in ending harassment in all its forms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura dive into two new sparks of creativity - the attention economy that will literally eat up all of your time (if you let it) and the Einstein Time concept that will allow you to make more time, if you need it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Susan and Laura talk to poet, teacher, speaker Taylor Mali. Called "a ranting comic showman and a literary provocateur" by The New York Times, Taylor is one of the most well-known poets to have emerged from the poetry slam movement and one of the original poets to appear on the HBO series “Def Poetry Jam”.  He is a four-time National Poetry Slam champion, in fact, we've read one of our...