180: From Instagram Poems to a Bestselling Book, with Loryn Brantz
Summary
Host Mike Hurley interviews poet and illustrator Lauren Brantz about her creative journey from Sesame Street and BuzzFeed to becoming an independent author of the NYT bestseller *Poems of Parenting*. They discuss her unique workflows, including scribble journaling and digital tools, while addressing the emotional toll of corporate content creation versus personal art. The episode also highlights Brantz’s recent public criticism of BuzzFeed for licensing her character Copy to Amazon for AI animation without her consent.
Topics discussed
Intro: Lauren Brantz, BuzzFeed AI controversy, and show sponsors
Morning routine: Gabby Bernstein app and meditation
Early career: Jim Henson Company and prop making
BuzzFeed years: Creating the Cuppy character and web series
Poems of Parenting: Origin story and getting a book deal
Creative process: Writing poems and balancing parenting
NYT Bestseller success and children's book interests
Sponsor: FitBod workout app
Daily rituals: Journaling, walking, and finding inspiration
Organization: Google Docs, reminders, and work-life balance
Digital detox: Managing phone usage and boundaries
Production workflow: Digital art, editing, and feedback
Publishing journey: Agents, editors, and trusting the process
Sponsor: Sentry error monitoring
Social media strategy: Posting frequency and handling trolls
Leaving BuzzFeed: Independence and working with Miss Rachel
New book: 'The Spicy Nugget' and sharing kids' moments
Sponsor: Squarespace website builder
Outro: Designed.fm Kickstarter and Apple history series
Designed.fm Episode: Apple II, Commodore, and Steve Jobs
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