Derek and Dan talk about being busy without necessarily getting the important stuff done, why having fewer creative gatekeepers still doesn’t mean people actually make things, and the strange power of simply deciding to start. Along the way, they kick around short-form audio stories, note-taking, underdogs, failure, and a possible new way of thinking about who Fritter Hollow should be talking to.

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:18) - Derek's Progress Update
• (04:14) - But they don't
• (07:18) - Tight audio story
• (09:19) - Reaching out to people?
• (11:23) - Note taking
• (14:32) - Back to the idea of guests

Dan and Derek dig into the messy business of making things, from shitty first drafts and old school typewriters to limited series podcasts, interviewing, and the temptation to explain too much. Along the way, Derek starts zeroing in on the kind of storyteller he wants to become, someone willing to follow people into their inner worlds and keep feeling around for the next string to tug. They also talk about creative rhythm, getting knocked out of it, and why sometimes the process itself has to be the goal.

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:08) - Writing tools & strategies
• (07:01) - Limited Series vs Ongoing Episodes
• (09:49) - Recognizing inner stories quickly
• (19:10) - Accomplishments wear you down
• (21:12) - Train go forward
• (21:54) - Skateboards

Derek and Dan start out talking about showing up, doing the work, and figuring things out as they go, then somehow end up poking around inside the stories people usually leave hidden.

There's a typewritten life mantra, fishing instead of mining, bloody noses, fathers watching from the sidelines, and the surprisingly tricky question of whether any of us really experience the world the same way. Somewhere in there, they stumble onto what may be the thing Fritter Hollow is really interested in: not just what happened, but what was happening inside while it happened.

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:51) - The Josh Project Update
• (04:30) - Derek's Purpose Manifesto
• (05:39) - An audience of two
• (10:00) - The 13th Step Podcast
• (12:14) - Pitching guests again
• (14:41) - Defining Inner Worlds