An Opportunity To Listen & Cherish 'The Good Word'
Max Garland's new podcast doesn't shy away from the challenges of a "post-literate age," or the verses which make life worth living
Evelyn Nelson, photos by BJ Hollars |
In the coming days, literary lovers and curious listeners will find a new local, limited podcast series awaiting them. With it, an invitation to explore the intersection of craft, curiosity and connection, as its host examines the value of the “good word” across various artistic fields.
“The Good Word: Wisconsin Writers in Conversation,” hosted by Max Garland, former Wisconsin Poet Laureate (and contributor to Volume One), will arrive on streaming platforms on Sept. 8.
Brought to life by a production duo of Lena Sutter and BJ Hollars – each with their own accolades in the world of music and writing – this new effort is supported by Jeanne Foust and presented in partnership with the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild.
While the initial vision for the podcast was being developed, both Max and BJ remained mindful in developing a structure that differed from typical “talking-head” productions.
“There is so much talking in this world, but this felt like an opportunity to listen as well. For me, the best podcasts are conversations,” BJ said. “People are learning and growing and discovering together. I think that’s what we were after here.”
Grounded in these core principles, “The Good Word” brings together a diverse lineup of Wisconsin writers across various disciplines for engaging conversations on writing’s unparalleled power to nurture, nourish and cultivate common ground – “one word at a time.”
"Doubt, rejection, distraction are among the challenges. How hard it is to make a living with words, but how necessary good words are to making our lives worth living ... how strange it feels, almost magical, in fact, to occasionally find yourself writing something beyond what you thought you knew."
max garland
host of "The Good Word: Wisconsin Writers in Conversation"
The series will feature beloved bestselling author Michael Perry, Eau Claire singer-songwriter Siri Undlin (Humbird), the thoughtful insights of local literary legends Patti See and Bruce Taylor, alongside other local voices.
“Writing is often a solitary endeavor,” Max reflects. “Talking with talented experienced writers on occasion is a useful reprieve from the solitary act.”
“In terms of cultivating ‘common ground,’ language is our common inheritance and is at its best when employed in bridging rather than exploiting the distance between us,” he continued.
As Max puts it, the creative impulses we all feel are never exclusive to “the professionals.” Instead, people who have devoted their lives to writing with empathy, depth and originality can serve as essential mentors.
Those featured in “The Good Word,” too, also seek guidance between having something to say and knowing where to begin.
When asked to reflect on those initial podcast sessions – recorded at the Pablo Center at the Confluence's recording studio – both BJ and Max considered common themes and the shared hurdles writers face. Doubt, rejection, distraction and the ever-evolving difficulties to earn a livelihood through writing are just a sampling.
Max equally noted “how necessary good words are to making our lives worth living.”
“And, how strange it feels – almost magical, in fact – to occasionally find yourself writing something beyond what you thought you knew,” he said.
What listeners will undoubtedly discover within the episodes of “The Good Word” – or have already witnessed during local readings and musical performances – is the profound generosity which unites these literary forces.
Many of the podcast’s guests, Max said, use their words and talents to give voice to the voiceless or those who haven’t had the chance to share their stories with wider audiences.
“As someone who often writes from an autobiographical perspective, these conversations made me wonder if it might be time to mute the telling of my own story awhile in order to listen more carefully and help relay the stories of others,” Max reflected.
You’ll just have to wait until Sept. 8 to enjoy the compassionate, unrehearsed conversations and even funny anecdotes shared by the series’ guests. The new podcast will surely be a sign for listeners to contemplate their own creative possibilities and begin new written ventures of their own.
“The Good Word: Wisconsin Writers in Conversation,” will begin streaming Tuesday, Sept. 8 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts – with additional episodes released every other Tuesday. For more information, contact the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild online.
