Today’s guest is Hannah Grieco, who, using baseball terminology is a five tool player: she’s a writer, a teacher, an editor, an advocate, and a literary citizen extraordinaire. She is also one of my favorite creative people, managing to be insanely productive (and successfully published!), but also a devoted mother, friend, and cheerleader for the arts. You may have read her work in The Washington Post, or Huffington Post, or The Rumpus, or in any number of other highly regarded lit journals. Her writing has been nominated for Best American Essays, The Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, and Best Microfiction.

It’s been my pleasure to collaborate with Hannah many times, via 1455, and—proving the literary community in DC is tight and supportive—many of the other organizations and authors we know and support. Hannah, as I mention in this conversation, is a rare and refreshing person who’s incapable of dishonesty; this shines through in her work, but is also what makes her such an indefatigable champion for other people’s work. She’s got opinions (which is good), and they are all informed and insightful (which is better), and we check in on the state of our industry, academia, constant hustle being the “new normal” for creatives, and how to find balance between writing, life, and the daily grind. Hannah keeps it real in every sense of the word, and I hope—if you’re not yet familiar with her—you’ll become a fan once you hear her. She’s got wisdom to share, and while no one could copy her, everyone should be inspired by her example. Please enjoy this action-packed conversation!

Learn more about Hannah's work at hgrieco.com

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

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