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One of the most frustrating parts of being a writer is finding your voice. Oftentimes your identity turns out very differently from what you had imagined. Even the medium you start in can shift dramatically as your voice and talent develops. That can be disheartening, especially when comparing your creations to more established work. And if you’re like me, the projects you start and abandon can begin to feel like a collection of failures.

“I think that exploration can be very important. But it’s really hard when that’s all you have going on.”

Writers and podcasters Eli McIlveen and Sean Howard understand the hidden value in half-baked projects and random hobbies. Sean and Eli have drawn upon and utilized years of seemingly unrelated work and pastimes to create the comedic fantasy podcast Alba Salix, Royal Physician, along with spinoffs, The Axe & Crown and the new role-playing podcast The End of Time & Other Bothers. What these co-producers once considered to be a small, contained project has greatly expanded past it’s unique roots as a fantasy hospital sitcom.

“I can’t take a drama seriously if it doesn’t have at least a little bit of humor in it, because that brings the characters to life for me.”

 

“Comedy is one of the original art forms and I think it’s a powerful way to explore the human condition and our experience.”

On today’s Coffee Break, I talk with Eli and Sean about the wonderful ways in which multiple projects and interests can influence each other, how taking a ten-year hiatus from creating isn’t always a bad thing, and writing successful (and good) comedy. We also speak at length about one of my favorite topics: the inherent literary benefits of shared storytelling and roleplaying games.

“It is a beautiful, fun experience to tell a story together.”

I hope you have as much of a blast listening to this week’s episode as I had making it! Please do go check out Eli and Sean’s awesome collection of work and be sure to say hi on their social medias. Thank you so much for listening and be sure to give some thought about how your own interests could be combined to create something awesome!

Mentioned in this episode:

#AlbaSalix

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