Creative Pep Talk
A Weekly Podcast Companion for Your Creative Journey Transform your creative potential into reality by making your creativity a practice. A “creative discipline” can feel like an oxymoron. Creativity is about doing something new. Discipline is about doing something consistently. The aim of this podcast is to help you strike that elusive balance. Each week, New York Times Bestselling Author Illustrator Andy J. Pizza shares everything he’s learning about building a thriving creative practice. Through solo episodes and interviews with top-tier creatives, Pizza brings you the strategies and stories that you need week in and week out to keep your inner critic at bay, bust through creative blocks and stay creatively pepped to the max!! Learn more: creativepeptalk.com Check out the host: andyjpizza.com
Episodes
February 11, 2026 • 55 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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My editor Conner loved this episode, which is always a good sign!
Two reasons to listen to this:
1 - If your work feels stale or a long term project feels stuck, and you have been wondering if you need to switch it up, reboot, or pivot, this episode is for you. W...
Mark as Played
February 4, 2026 • 43 mins
Pre-Order My New Book “Mysterious Things” and Help Us Spread the Word!
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This episode is for you if:
1 - The idea of making something often feels scary.
2 - You don’t like your work anymore.
3 - You forgot why this used to be fun.
4 - You want to stand out in your field but don’t know how.
5 - You want an exercise that unlocks the flowy fun feeling part of your creative brain.
SHOW NOTES:
Stranger Thingshttps://en.wikipe...
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January 28, 2026 • 83 mins
Pre-Order My New Book Mysterious Things Here
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It’s so easy to forget what this is all about. If you need a reminder to embrace imperfection as part of your flavor, and rekindle your drive to just go out and make stuff you love about things you’re interested in, this is your episode!!
Guest Nishant Jain drops a billion good gems here. We talk about his sneaky public drawing practice, his inspiring philosophy around creativity ...
Mark as Played
January 21, 2026 • 38 mins
Pre-Order My New Book “Mysterious Things” and Help Us Spread the Word!
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Do you have a toxic relationship with goal setting and New Year’s resolutions? Have you already given up this year?!
If so, this episode is for you. In this episode, we will explore the easy and impactful starting place that can help you make this season count for your creative practice.
At the end, I share the “Select Your Seed” Venn diagram exercise fo...
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January 14, 2026 • 113 mins
Have you ever heard someone say that making creative work is about having a “point of view”? It sounds right, but what does it mean and how do you find yours?
I can’t think of any creatives that have a more compelling sense of their “point of view” than my guests today. Author Mac Barnett and author-illustrator Jon Klassen have such a strong voice, and I have been longing to have them both on the show for such a long time!!
This ...
Mark as Played
January 7, 2026 • 47 mins
Pre-Order “Mysterious Things”
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How do you get excited for the New Year when things feel so unstable? How do you get jazzed about planning and goals, when you don’t know what future you’re planning for?
In times like these, I find it more effective to tap into the creative drives you already have, than working towards a future that may or may not come to pass. Tune in to check out the 3 creative drives and figure out which you...
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December 24, 2025 • 74 mins
This is a special HOLIDAY episode featuring the chat I had on Katherine May’s Podcast “The Clearing” where guests explore their ideal real or fantasy retreat. Here’s what Katherine said about the episode:
The ADHD and autistic tendency to rest in motion is fully realised in American author and illustrator Andy J. Pizza’s vision of the ideal retreat. Choosing an extraordinary fictional setting which incorporates an ingenious method...
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December 17, 2025 • 45 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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The Creative Pep Talk Top 5 BEST IDEAS from 2025.
This is a FUN BLITZ through the most essential ideas and tactics from our past year of episodes.
This was exciting and helpful for me to review, and I can’t wait for you to hear this jam packed, end of year episod...
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December 10, 2025 • 107 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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This was one of my favorite chats!!!
DEEP DIVE with my friend and Filmmaker Seth Worley!
We get into:
1 - Finding the drive to stick to long creative quests, especially when you’re not sure you’re going to reach your goal!
2 - Why to make a proof of concept of ...
Mark as Played
December 3, 2025 • 75 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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This is a favorite!
Special edition of ask Dr. Pizza episode! This time the questions come from the hosts of the Grupo de Autoayuda de Dibujo podcast! THE CRUSHED IT!
SHOW NOTES:
Grupo de Autoayuda de Dibujohttps://www.instagram.com/grupodeautoayudadedibujo/h...
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November 26, 2025 • 34 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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Who doesn’t want better opportunities?
The key is standing out and having a unique creative offering. But that is much easier said than done, when it feels like EVERYTHING has been DONE!
How do you find your edge?
I have had some client opportunities come may wa...
Mark as Played
November 19, 2025 • 59 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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If you’re used to doing work for clients, it can be tough to then create your own solo project. On the other hand, if you’re only used to doing your own thing, working for a client can feel impossible!
How do you find yourself and your creative voice in the mix of...
Mark as Played
November 12, 2025 • 73 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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FRANNERD RETURNS! Illustrator, Comic Artist and YouTuber Fran Meneses is a long time friend of the show and it’s been 6 years since her last episode!
We dive deep into:
1 - When mental health “gets in the way” of your creative plans and what has seemed to help bo...
Mark as Played
November 5, 2025 • 41 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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Like sleep, creativity is something you can’t force. It’s a brain state that you have to slip into. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create the perfect conditions for this state to be more likely to occur. If you have been blocked or in a rut, this episode will give...
Mark as Played
October 29, 2025 • 78 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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We cover a LOT in this episode. If you want some PEP but you’re not sure exactly what it is you need, we probably cover it in this episode! We explore:
When the reality of creating isn’t what we thought it would be.
How to find your flow when things got stale.
E...
Mark as Played
October 22, 2025 • 53 mins
Stay pepped ALL NEXT YEAR with our 2026 Calendar: creativepeptalk.etsy.com
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Visual journaling can unlock your creativity, but it can also enhance your life. If you are struggling to tune into your everyday life and find inspiration there, this is the episode for you!
Samantha Dion Baker has written the book on this! Well 3 books on this!! So much goodness in this episode!
SHOW NOTES:
Samantha Dion Bakerhttps://www.sdionba...
Mark as Played
October 15, 2025 • 31 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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Find your niche. Stand out from the competition. Find your unique selling point.
Easier said than done. Right? In this episode we explore where your creative edge might be hiding and how to strategically think about your place within the creative markets you find ...
Mark as Played
October 8, 2025 • 42 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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Do you feel like the stuff you’re putting out is white noise in an already noisy world?
In this episode we explore what you need to cut through and connect with the hearts of your potential fans.
SHOW NOTESStudy: “Seeing your life story as a Hero's Journey incr...
Mark as Played
October 1, 2025 • 39 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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Does this sound familiar? You find a new thing. You’re certain this is THE thing. It all makes sense! You get started with tons of energy… but then you hit a wall. It all feels wrong. You bail. Find a new thing and the loop starts all over.
If you can relate. This...
Mark as Played
September 24, 2025 • 45 mins
Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com
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This episode contains three small things that made a huge difference in my creative practice!
Tune in if you know you need a creative boost, but you’re not EXACTLY sure what it is you need because this is like THREE mini episodes in ONE.
SHOW NOTES:
Strengths...
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