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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#188: Josh Ritter — Songwriting as Exploration, Working Across Art Forms, Inviting the Muse In, and Sharing Work in Public