Common Shapes

Welcome back to Common Shapes.Dear Listener, this is the third installment of our 3-part mini-series exploring the ebbs and flows of creative work.Today’s episode marks the return of Landscapes—a writing group for all genres. Registration is now open. Join us.We also explore the writing process— moving from idea to draft to completion, and the structures that support that work. Cody shares how their new book, The Practice of Attention, came to life within the container of Landscapes, and reflects on the role of community in completing and celebrating a creative project.In this episode:The origin and evolution of The Practice of AttentionHow Landscapes supported the writing and completion of the bookThe role of structure, rhythm, and body doubling in sustaining creative workThe importance of celebrating milestonesReleasing work into the world without social media—and the quiet that followsCommunity as both a creative and personal anchorInvitations:Landscapes (Writing Co-working Group — now open for registration)The Practice of Attention (my new book!)PROMPTS (Analog Newsletter)Creative Ideation Portal (free resource)The Pattern of Words: From Idea to Shape in Three Weeks (upcoming class May 13, 20, and 27th)More From Cody:Off the Grid Interview: The Practice of Attention — Healing Social Media Addiction with Cody Cook-ParrottSounds True Interview: Cody Cook-Parrott: Attention is a Creative ActThank you for listening to this mini-series.Thanks to Joi, Melissa Kaitlyn Carter, and Jess Herrera for their help making this episode.If you'd like to support the show, please send it to a friend, leave a 5-star rating & review, and download the Creative Ideation Portal.

Welcome back to Common Shapes.Dear Listener, this is the second installment of our 3-part mini-series exploring the ebbs and flows of creative work.Today’s episode is about offline offerings— the act of returning to a practice, creating with less noise, and building new channels for connection.Cody shares the evolution of PROMPTS. Prompts comes to your door once a month. A letter from Cody with ten writing prompts to do off screen.Cody also reflects on the tension between visibility, burnout, and the desire to stay in conversation with their audience.In this episode:Navigating burnout and rethinking the pace and structure of the podcastThe desire for connection and communication without screens/social mediaThe origin of PROMPTS as a project shaped inside Landscapes (a writing co-working group)Using themes as a creative constraint to support consistency and flowThe role of analog practices in slowing down and deepening creative workInvitations:PROMPTS (Analog Newsletter)Landscapes (Writing Co-working Group)Creative Ideation Portal (free resource)The Practice of Attention (my new book!)The Pattern of Words: From Idea to Shape in Three Weeks (upcoming class May 13, 20, and 27th)Tune in tomorrow for episode three of this mini-series.Thanks to Joi, Melissa Kaitlyn Carter, and Jess Herrera for their help making this episode.If you'd like to support the show, please send it to a friend, leave a 5-star rating & review, and download the Creative Ideation Portal.

Welcome back to Common Shapes.Dear Listener, as we pause between seasons, we’re bringing you a 3-part mini series to re-connect with you and talk about the ebbs and flows of creative work.Today’s episode explores what happens when a project comes into the foreground of our attention and asks to be revisited.Cody shares life and work updates, and an invitation to join Landscapes: a writing group for all genres.In this episode:Reflections on closing Landscapes—and what made it unsustainable at the timeWhat shifted in the quiet absence of social mediaThe role of creative community in anchoring a writing practiceReturning to an offering with clearer boundaries, shared facilitation, and renewed intentionInvitations:Landscapes (Writing Co-working Group)Creative Ideation Portal (free resource)PROMPTS (Analog Newsletter)The Practice of Attention (my new book!)The Pattern of Words: From Idea to Shape in Three Weeks (upcoming class May 13, 20, and 27th)Tune in tomorrow for episode two of this mini-series.Thanks to Joi, Melissa Kaitlyn Carter, and Jess Herrera for their help making this episode.If you'd like to support the show, please send it to a friend, leave a 5-star rating & review, and download the Creative Ideation Portal.

Podge Thomas is in the middle of a pivot. She’s moving from operations consulting to teaching workshops and courses — all rooted in her frameworks for decolonizing how we learn.In this neurodiverse-affirming episode, we talk about:Why we love Notion & how it’s made us smarterHow Podge grows her audience without social mediaThe importance of moving from ‘not doing the thing’ to just doing the thingClassified ads & relationship marketingHow digital gardening can be a decolonial practiceWays we think about pricing our offerings and choosing our tech tools Mentioned in the episode:Creative Ideation PortalPodge’s websitePodge’s free email coursePodge’s workshopsRegina AnaejionuAnna Howard: creating a digital garden to end my doomscrollingIf you'd like to support the show, please send it to a friend, leave a 5-star rating & review, and download the Creative Ideation Portal.

Cross-Pollinating Projects: 5 Ways to Weave Writing into Your WorkWhat if the page was a mirror for the process, rather than the product?In this episode, I share how I weave my projects together through writing.I open the pages of my cross-pollination log, trace the path of how “untitled field project” became my business coaching group Fieldwork, and offer you a journalling prompt for translating from one medium to another.Tune in for a portal into your own metaphors, obsessions, and vortexes of creative imagination.Mentioned in the episode:Creative Ideation PortalReclaim the Archive: A Fundraising Work for Cody’s BookA Quilt in a WeekendPollinating Through ProjectsSubscribe to MONDAY MONDAY to join Object Study Get full access to Monday Monday at codycookparrott.substack.com/subscribe

What if the page was a mirror for the process, rather than the product?In this episode, I share how I weave my projects together through writing.I open the pages of my cross-pollination log, trace the path of how “untitled field project” became my business coaching group Fieldwork, and offer you a journalling prompt for translating from one medium to another.Tune in for a portal into your own metaphors, obsessions, and vortexes of creative imagination.Mentioned in the episode:Creative Ideation PortalA Quilt in a WeekendPollinating Through ProjectsSubscribe to MONDAY MONDAY to join Object StudyIf you'd like to support the show, please send it to a friend, leave a 5-star rating & review, and download the Creative Ideation Portal.

Weaving Worlds on the Web with Kening ZhuKening Zhu is an artist, writer, teacher, and creator building worlds on the internet.Her approach to business is a stunning integration of creative practice, intuition, and artistic clarity.I’m thrilled to bring you this conversation where we talk about:Minimalist business ecosystemsWebsites as archives outside of timeAllowing ourselves to be multifacetedHow Kening runs her business without platformsThe pros & cons of paid newslettersSeasonal memberships that support inner rhythmsThe labyrinth as an artist’s pathHow to quit compartmentalizing business and artLetting your artist child grow upMentioned in the episode:Creative Ideation PortalKening’s websiteKening’s newsletterKening’s podcast: Botanical Studies of Internet Magic Get full access to Monday Monday at codycookparrott.substack.com/subscribe

Kening Zhu is an artist, writer, teacher, and creator building worlds on the internet.Her approach to business is a stunning integration of creative practice, intuition, and artistic clarity.I’m thrilled to bring you this conversation where we talk about:Minimalist business ecosystemsWebsites as archives outside of timeAllowing ourselves to be multifacetedHow Kening runs her business without platformsThe pros & cons of paid newslettersSeasonal memberships that support inner rhythmsThe labyrinth as an artist’s pathHow to quit compartmentalizing business and artLetting your artist child grow upMentioned in the episode:Creative Ideation PortalKening’s websiteKening’s newsletterKening’s podcast: Botanical Studies of Internet MagicIf you'd like to support the show, please send it to a friend, leave a 5-star rating & review, and download the Creative Ideation Portal.

No offering is forever. But how do we sunset the ones that mean a lot to us and others?In this episode, I share why I’ve decided to close my writing group Landscapes.I talk through reorienting around sustainability, why my tech choices made this shift necessary, losing recurring income, and more.Tune in for a pep talk to help you find your way toward what’s next. Then join me for Prompts, an analog writing newsletter that begins in 2026.Mentioned in the episode:* Creative Ideation Portal* Prompts Get full access to Monday Monday at codycookparrott.substack.com/subscribe

No offering is forever. But how do we sunset the ones that mean a lot to us and others?In this episode, I share why I’ve decided to close my writing group Landscapes.I talk through reorienting around sustainability, why my tech choices made this shift necessary, losing recurring income, and more.Tune in for a pep talk to help you find your way toward what’s next. Then join me for Prompts, an analog writing newsletter that begins in 2026.Mentioned in the episode:Creative Ideation PortalPromptsIf you'd like to support the show, please send it to a friend, leave a 5-star rating & review, and download the Creative Ideation Portal.