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.
Jory Mickelson: Poetry as A Rare Space of Wildness And Magic
Jory Mickelson, author of several books of poetry, including Picturing from End of the Line Press, talks to Sam and Stacy about the ability to be themselves in nature, their unconventional career path, the marketing slog after the book is published, and poetry as a sacred space that's welcome to anyone.
You can learn more about Jory's work and how to order their books at https://jorymickelson.com/.
This episode was recorded in the fall of 2024. Next episode: November 13!
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WorkWhile Buy Me A Coffee Page (https://buymeacoffee.com/workwhile)
WorkWhile website (https://workwhile.libsyn.com/)
WorkWhile Instagram
WorkWhile Facebook
Stacy's website
Sam's website (https://samanthaburnswriting.com/)
12 Dec 2025
Stacy Got Her Book Picked Up! Sam Got Laid Off! Everyone Got What They Wanted!!! (BONUS EPISODE)
In this Bonus Episode, Sam and Stacy go over all the things that have happend since the podcast first came out! And...a lot of things have happened! This episode was recorded in April, 2025.
Also, dear listener--we have some really exciting news! On multiple fronts!
First thing: Buckle up for another round in the slog y'all, because we will be back at it again for Season 2, which will be coming out in Spring 2026! Yee-haw!
Second thing: If you've ever thought to yourself…boy, I would love to spend some time with Sam and Stacy working on my writing…well now you can!
We are planning to hold a writing conference in Mexico City, tentatively scheduled for May 2027. I will be teaching Fiction, Stacy will be teaching Memoir, and Oscar Oswald from Episode 1 will be teaching Poetry. This conference will also have cultural excursions, time to write and relax, and be a place to gather with other like-minded writers who are trying to fit their writing and creativity into all the gaps and cracks of their lives, too.
This event is currently scheduled for 2027, but we would love to hear from you if you're interested in attending a conference in 2026. If you are, just shoot us a quick email at WorkWhilepodcast@gmail.com to let us know you're interested. If we have enough interest for 2026, we will get the ball rolling!
Hold onto your hats and see you in Season 2!!
Sam & Stacy
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WorkWhile Buy Me A Coffee Page (https://buymeacoffee.com/workwhile)
WorkWhile website (https://workwhile.libsyn.com/)
WorkWhile Instagram
WorkWhile Facebook
Stacy's website
Sam's website (https://samanthaburnswriting.com/)
7 Feb 2025
Season 1 Final Slog Notes: Incorporating Writing Advice and Eating Humble Pie, the Sam Burns and Stacy Boe Story
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 (https://workwhile.libsyn.com/)
WorkWhile Instagram
WorkWhile Facebook
Stacy’s website
Sam’s website (https://samanthaburnswriting.com/)
31 Jan 2025
Sayantani Dasgupta on Following Her Characters, Writing Difficult Women, and Celebrating with Pepsi
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/ (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 (https://workwhile.libsyn.com/)
WorkWhile Instagram
WorkWhile Facebook
Stacy’s website (https://www.stacyboemiller.com/)
Sam’s website (https://samanthaburnswriting.com/)
24 Jan 2025
Slog Notes: Writing Success, Paranormal Romance, and Other Literary Considerations
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 (https://workwhile.libsyn.com/)
WorkWhile Instagram
WorkWhile Facebook
Stacy’s website (https://www.stacyboemiller.com/)
Sam’s website (https://samanthaburnswriting.com/)
17 Jan 2025
Daniel Orozco: Fueling Creativity Through a Healthy Sense of Boredom
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 (https://workwhile.libsyn.com/)
WorkWhile Instagram
WorkWhile Facebook
Stacy’s website (https://www.stacyboemiller.com/)
Sam’s website
10 Jan 2025
Slog Notes: A Sad-Girl Dip in a Creek
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 (https://workwhile.libsyn.com/)
WorkWhile Instagram
WorkWhile Facebook
Stacy’s website (https://www.stacyboemiller.com/)
Sam’s website (https://samanthaburnswriting.com/)
3 Jan 2025
Michael McGriff on the Choice to be Unguarded
In Part 2 of Sam and Stacy's conversation with Michael McGriff, he talks about his choice to be unguarded instead of hiding behind his own pyrotechnics in Eternal Sentences, how his writing process has changed since becoming a parent, and why it’s important to keep reading all the books that give you the most meaning when the world is saying "no" to your work. Mike serves as Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Creative Writing Program at the University of Idaho, where he was both Sam and Stacy’s mentor in the MFA program.
This is Part 2 of Sam and Stacy’s conversation with Mike.
You can learn more about Mike at his website, https://michaelmcgriff.com/. (https://michaelmcgriff.com/) He is the author of the poetry collections Early Hour, Black Postcards, and Dismantling the Hills in additon to translating Tomas Traströmer’s The Sorrow Gondola. Mike is also the editor of a volume of David Wevill’s essential writing, To Build My Shadow a Fire and alongside J.M. Tyree, the co-author of their linked short story collection, Our Secret Life in the Movies, which was selected as one of NPR’s Best Books of 2014.
Mike has two poetry collections forthcoming, Angel Sharpening Its Beak from Carnegie Mellon University Poetry Press Series and Inquest, winner of the White Pine Press Poetry Prize.
You can order Eternal Sentences directly from the University of Arkansas Press: https://www.uapress.com/product/eternal-sentences/
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WorkWhile website (https://workwhile.libsyn.com/)
WorkWhile Instagram
WorkWhile Facebook
Stacy’s website (https://www.stacyboemiller.com/)
Sam’s website (https://samanthaburnswriting.com/)
27 Dec 2024
Slog Notes: Sam's Giant Meltdown
On this Slog Notes episode, Sam and Stacy talk about what they learned from their conversation with Mike, Sam’s two writing wins, Stacy’s event in Moscow where she wrote poems on the fly for townspeople, and why writing an artistic statement made Sam have a giant meltdown. This episode was recorded in June, 2023.
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WorkWhile website (https://workwhile.libsyn.com/)
WorkWhile Instagram
WorkWhile Facebook
Stacy’s website (https://www.stacyboemiller.com/)
Sam’s website (https://samanthaburnswriting.com/)
20 Dec 2024
Michael McGriff and the Language of Imagination
Michael McGriff, a renowned poet and author of Eternal Sentences, shares his journey from rural Oregon to University of Idaho, revealing the language of logging as the source of his imagination and creative inspiration.
13 Dec 2024
Slog Notes: Stealing Poems from Seven-Year-Olds
Sam and Stacy share their insights on balancing corporate jobs with creative pursuits, inspired by their conversation with Oscar and the wisdom of seven-year-old poets.
6 Dec 2024
Oscar Oswald and the Spreadsheet of Doom
Poetry author Oscar Oswald shares how his upbringing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, informs his experimental poetry and unique perspective on place.
1 Nov 2024
Trailer
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.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.7 / 5
14 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 53 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
67
Social presence
91
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
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