Host Rachel Zucker speaks with her husband, Josh Goren, and her friends, teachers, mentors and former Commonplace guests—Wayne Koestenbaum, Sharon Olds, Craig Morgan Teicher and Cathy Park Hong—about her recently released book and recently-launched audio project, both called SoundMachine. They discuss publication anxiety, shame, capaciousness, simultaneity, traditionally female forms of discourse, motherhood, writing about family, knowing when and when not to listen, how to intimidate bears, and the way art keeps one company.