How a Big Band Leader and Composer Wrangles All the Moving Parts

This week, hosts June Thomas, Isaac Butler, and Ronald Young Jr. reflect on the best tips, tools, and words of wisdom from the past four years of Working. They bid farewell to the show, to the listeners, and discuss the lessons that stuck with them and changed the way they work. They also save time at the end to reply to some heartwarming listener emails.   Past episodes that they mention include: How Choreographer Annie-B Parson Expresses Music Through Movement, Writer Oliver Burkeman on the Dangers of Obsessive Time Management, and How to Write Every Day and Stick to It. In recent years, Working has been hosted by June Thomas, Isaac Butler, Ronald Young Jr., Karen Han, Nate Chinen, Kristen Meinzer, TK Dutes, and Cameron Drews.  Morgan Flannery was the founding producer of the most recent iteration of the show. Cameron Drews and Kevin Bendis have been the primary producers of both Working and Working Overtime.  Please send comments, questions, tips about creative work, and feedback to [email protected], and thank you so much for listening!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this, the final episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas share some last bits of advice on how best to leave a job! Ronald has been let go, quit jobs, and switched gears in every possible way. June has moved across countries and allowed turning points in her life to be catalysts for moving on from certain work. Both of them share their experiences and offer some best practices for leaving on good terms and being prepared to leap into something new. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Andy J. Pizza, an illustrator and creator of children’s books who’s also the host of the Creative Pep Talk podcast. In the interview, Andy explains what it’s like to be a working artist with ADHD, and he shares some strategies that have helped him channel his attention, accomplish tasks, and evolve in his career.  After the interview, Ronald and co-host June Thomas talk about creating like a child and the importance of “useless” friends. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Andy discusses some of his favorite music.  Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to composer and bandleader Darcy James Argue, who fronts the 18-piece big band jazz group Secret Society. In the interview, Darcy talks about the thought processes that go into his compositions, like how his interest in mathematician Alan Turning inspired a track on the group’s most recent album Dynamic Maximum Tension. He also discusses the many hats he needs to wear, how he balances complexity and accessibility in his music, and how he makes the most of rehearsal time with such a big group.  After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about the challenges and discomforts of self-promotion.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Darcy explains how he decides how to assign solos in his big band music.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas get into the weeds on in-between time and pivoting from one job to the next. June is at the tail end of the promotional tour of her book, while Ronald is gearing up for a new season of his podcast Weight For It. How do you take the final steps of wrapping up one project and be ready for another one? They share tips like prioritizing deadlines, taking on short-term anchor jobs, and ensuring you don’t give all your time to work that zaps your energy. If you liked this episode be sure to check out our previous episode on How “Anchor Jobs” Can Save Your Freelance Life Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].   Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host June Thomas talks to author and poet Judith Barrington about her knack for memoir writing and about a retreat called Flight of the Mind that she ran with her partner for 17 years. In the interview, they discuss what makes good memoir writing, what Flight of the Mind meant to women writers, and how to get the most out of writing retreats and workshops.  After the interview, June and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about why memoir as an art form is so important.   In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Judith talks about how she learned to promote her work on Instagram.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's an off-week for Working Overtime, so we're presenting a special bonus episode from the Smart Money podcast! Smart Money features real-world advice to help people make better decisions about their money. In today's episode, a jazz saxophonist talks about navigating the financial ups and downs of a career in the arts. If you like this episode, and if you could use some smart financial guidance, then go ahead and follow NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast on your favorite podcast app. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Mike Gauyo, a TV writer and creator whose credits include the beloved series Insecure and Ginny and Georgia. In the interview, Mike shares his process for thinking of new ideas for shows, refining those ideas over time, and pitching them to industry gatekeepers. He also talks about being from an immigrant family, initially studying medicine, and the events that prompted him to pivot to writing.  After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaac Butler discuss best practices for pitching a podcast, and Isaac refers to this episode of Working Overtime about pitching print stories to editors.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Mike talks about what it was like to join the writers’ room of Insecure as a fan of the show.    Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June Thomas recently published her book A Place of Our Own: Six Places That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture, and on this episode of Working Overtime co-host Isaac Butler asks her what went into the release and its promo-campaign. The weeks leading up to a release can be long and exhaustive, with questionnaires, blurb requests, and audiobook recordings to take care of. However, once the book is out in the world, there’s even more to think of, with live events, interviews, and reviews. Both June and Isaac share their experiences with book publishing and what it takes to stay positive through it all. Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].   Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Dina Hashem, a stand-up comedian and writer for The Daily Show whose recent special is called Dark Little Whispers. In the interview, Dina discusses her reliance on inspiration rather than a formal writing process, her experiences in comedy roast battles, and the fact that her standards for good comedy keep getting higher.  After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about why artists sometimes need to take jobs that aren’t a great fit but help propel them towards better opportunities.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac asks Dina about her exciting new hobby: drumming.    Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices