This week, host Isaac Butler talks to poet J. Hope Stein, whose latest collection Little Astronaut traces Stein’s journey from pregnancy to motherhood. In the interview, Stein discusses all the creative components that go into her work, from structural elements like line-breaks and word-choice to the decision to share deeply personal details in her poetry.

After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han discuss the benefits of reading their work out loud. They also talk about the important creative decisions that go into book layouts.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Stein talks about her growing interest in children’s literature. She also offers recommendations to listeners who might be “poetry-curious.”

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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