WorkWhile is a podcast run by us, Sam Burns and Stacy Boe Miller. The two of us have done all kinds of work in our lives--office jobs, parenting, raft guiding--while also trying to be writers. And we're not only trying to fit in writing, but as emerging writers, we're also submitting our writing to journals as well as trying to apply for opportunities that will help us move forward with our writing.

So we thought, all these conversations we're having--let's make a podcast about it! Let's talk to other writers who are also doing this kind of work and fitting it into all of the cracks of their lives and see what they have to say about the whole process.

Together, we interview writers who inspire us and ask them how they're fitting in writing with full-time employment. The week after, we have an episode where we talk about what we learned from our guest as well as go over our "notes from the slog." The "slog" represents the parts of writing that aren't writing--submission, rejections, acceptances, and all the ups and downs that the writing life entails.

If you are a person who is trying to fit in writing, whether for publication or just for fun, this might be the podcast for you.

In this Slog Notes episode, Sam and Stacy talk about what they learned from their conversation with Mike, their wardrobe goals and deadlift goals, Sam’s ups and downs from her experiences at Lit Camp and Community of Writers, and Stacy’s thoughts about being an emerging writer at midlife. This episode was recorded July, 2023.

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WorkWhile website

WorkWhile Instagram

WorkWhile Facebook

Stacy’s website

Sam’s website

Daniel Orozco, author of Orientation, talks to Sam and Stacy about temp jobs, being mesmerized by the Scholastic book fair, the highs and lows of sending out his work earlier in his career, and how a healthy sense of boredom is an essential part of his creative practice. Daniel is Associate Professor Emeritus in the English Department at the University of Idaho.

You can buy Orientation directly from Macmillan or order it from your local book store.

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WorkWhile website

WorkWhile Instagram

WorkWhile Facebook

Stacy’s website

Sam’s website

In this Slog Notes episode, Sam and Stacy talk about what they learned from their conversation with Daniel, how Stacy is thinking about the definition of success during this stage of her creative practice, and Sam’s sci-fi writing revelation. And! Stacy discovers the title of the sexy paranormal romance novel she needs to write. This episode was recorded November, 2023.

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WorkWhile website

WorkWhile Instagram

WorkWhile Facebook

Stacy’s website

Sam’s website

Sayantani Dasgupta, author of Women Who Misbehave, talks to Sam and Stacy about writing her first short story, working as an editor at a publishing house, moving to the U.S. to pursue an MFA, and why reading about a character smashing a mirror always makes Sayantani wonder whose job it is to clean it up. Sayantani is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.

You can learn more about Sayantani at her website, https://www.sdasgupta.com/. She is also the author of a memoir, Firegirl, from Two Sylvias Press as well as a short story collection, Women Who Misbehave from India Viking.

Sayantani also recently published her newest essay collection, Brown Women Have Everything: Essays on Discomfort and Delight, from The University of North Carolina Press.

You can buy Brown Women Have Everything: Essays on Discomfort and Delight here, her short story collection Women Who Misbehave here, and Firegirl here.

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WorkWhile website

WorkWhile Instagram

WorkWhile Facebook

Stacy’s website

Sam’s website

In this Slog Notes episode, Sam and Stacy talk about what they learned from their conversation with Sayantani, how Sam has found success incorporating Sayantani’s writing advice, and why the #therapy is working. This episode was recorded January, 2024.

Also, dear listener--this is the last episode of Season 1! We hope you enjoyed this podcast as much as we enjoyed making it. Thank you for listening.

Your Co-Scribblers,

Sam & Stacy

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WorkWhile website

WorkWhile Instagram

WorkWhile Facebook

Stacy’s website

Sam’s website