Follow Your Curiosity

Replay: Creative Pep Talk #18: Ask

I've been under the weather, so here's a pep talk from last year: a simple tool that can make your life SO much better. ASK. Yup, that's it. It's simple, but not always easy — but the benefits are totally worth it. I'm sharing how it's helped me and why you should step out of your comfort zone to ask more often, too.

I'll be back next time with something new! :)

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my Creative Pep Talk episodes

I'd love to hear your feedback, questions, and experience with these ideas! Send me a note at fycuriosity.com, or contact me on Facebook, Instagram,  Twitter, or TikTok.

Replay: No What Ifs with Jon Davey

As always, at the holidays, I feature one of my favorite episodes from the past year. For Thanksgiving, I'm highlighting my conversation with Jon Davey, who shared his unique perspective on finding your own way when you don't seem to fit into the mold of "normal." Enjoy!

Actor, photographer, and filmmaker Jon Davey has appeared in more than 50 episodes of Doctor Who since its revival in 2005, particularly as a variety of monsters including Cybermen, Daleks, Ood, and Judoon. He’s also done behind-the-camera work on a variety of projects, including quite a few music videos for Radiohead. He joins me to talk about how he came to those roles, as well as what it’s like to meet fans at a convention when you grew up as a fan yourself, how growing up with learning issues including dyslexia equipped him for an unconventional career, and the value of questioning your assumptions about yourself and what “normal” means to you. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when you had to find your own path.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, I made the Creative Tune-Up just for you!

 

Creative Pep Talk #45: Wild

Last week, Dr. Kelly Flanagan and I talked about getting back to what's wild in us. Here's how doing that can help your creative process (and your whole life).

Please leave a review for this episode, and in it, tell us about a time when you let your wild come out to play. 

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my Creative Pep Talk episodes.

”Unhiding” with Dr. Kelly Flanagan

When I started this podcast in 2019, Dr. Kelly Flanagan was one of my inaugural guests, and his episode, “The Gifts of Creativity,” remains one of my favorites. Kelly has just published his first novel, The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell, and I wanted to talk to him about how that experience differed from writing nonfiction, and about the book itself. We delve into those questions and various subjects raised by the book, including how we look outside ourselves (and sometimes to our creative work) to find our worth, the value of letting out our wild sides, how the things we do for security often actually undermine us, and how Kelly sees the intersection of spirituality and creativity. As an added bonus, we have a copy of the book to give away to a listener—stay tuned to hear those details at the end.

Here are the posts for the giveaway: Instagram and Twitter.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing! And you can find Kelly's first appearance on the podcast here.

If you're working on a writing project, for NaNoWriMo or not, you're invited to join me for the NaNoWriMo Power Hour on November 13th! Get some writing done with fellow writers right when you're most likely to hit a motivational slump, so you can keep your momentum going.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. 

Creative Pep Talk #44: Comebacks

So how do you keep yourself "doing it anyway"? It helps to talk back to the naysaying voices in your head. It helps even more if you know what you're going to say in advance.

Please leave a review for this episode, and in it, tell us what your favorite comeback is. 

If you're working on a writing project, for NaNoWriMo or not, you're invited to join me for the NaNoWriMo Power Hour on November 13th! Get some writing done with fellow writers right when you're most likely to hit a motivational slump, so you can keep your momentum going.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my Creative Pep Talk epsiodes.

Writing from the Trenches with John Roedel

Not quite two years ago, writer John Roedel, author of the Hey God, Hey John poems that have gone viral online (and the collection of the same name) joined me to talk about how he ended up “talking to God” and what he’s learned from that experience. (If you haven’t heard it, you’ll want to check it out.) I asked John to come back and tell us how he’s shifted into helping people discover their true selves and write authentically from the heart.

John and I talk about everything from the way improv has influenced that decision to what happens when we connect from our authentic selves and the stories that made us. We also delved a little into how that kind of small, empathetic, interpersonal connection might help to mitigate our current societal malaise.

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when you got vulnerable and communicated from the heart. 

If you're working on a writing project, for NaNoWriMo or not, you're invited to join me for the NaNoWriMo Power Hour on November 13th! Get some writing done with fellow writers right when you're most likely to hit a motivational slump, so you can keep your momentum going.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, I made the Creative Tune-Up just for you!

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing! And you can find John's first appearance on the podcast here.

Creative Pep Talk #43: Do It Anyway

Is whatever's holding you back from your creative call really enough reason to give up? Not likely. Here's why you really should do it anyway.

Ben Folds agrees with me: take a listen.

What are the six biggest creative beliefs that are screwing up your process? Find out here!

I'd love to hear your feedback, questions, and experience with these ideas! Send me a note at fycuriosity.com, or contact me on Instagram or Twitter! 

Inside Book Publishing with Tom Colgan

My guest this week is Tom Colgan, editorial director at Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Tom has spent more than 35 years championing such authors as Tom Clancy, Mark Graeney, and Janet Evanovich. We talk about how he got his start as an editor, what editors do and don’t do (you may be surprised!), how the creative process is different for everyone, and why, despite coming up with many ideas for books, he doesn’t dream of writing one. He also has some advice for aspiring authors.

I would love for you to leave a review for the show, and in it, tell us about your relationship with books and writing.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube.

If you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, you owe it to yourself to get my free 6 Creative Beliefs That Are Screwing You Up series—it’ll slice through those myths to help get you back on track!

Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing!

Creative Pep Talk #42: Motivation

If you've been waiting to feel motivated to do your creative work, you may be surprised to learn that you're actually doing things backwards. (If you haven't listened to the Pep Talk about "Five Minutes," I suggest you listen to it in conjunction with this one!)

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Get stuff DONE at my free Creative Check-In/Parallel Universe Time session. Learn more and register here.

Feeling stuck in your creative process? Or wondering how to start having a creative process at all? Check out my super-affordable Creative Tune-Up, which is full of my favorite coaching tools to help you get moving TODAY. 

Sales for Creatives with Annie P. Ruggles

It’s no secret that a lot of creative people absolutely love doing their creative work, but seize up at the idea of selling it. I invited Annie P. Ruggles, also known simply as Annie P., to the podcast to share why selling doesn’t have to be evil, and how to get around our fears and worries involving selling creative work. Annie, a former theater kid, now runs the Non-Sleazy Sales Academy, which aims to help those of us who are marketing and sales averse get our work into the world in an ethical way we can feel good about. We talk about the myth that arts and humanities degrees are worthless, why selling—and buying—are things we all do all the time, how to price creative work, how to avoid falling into the trap of creating solely to make money, and more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction and ethical selling.

06:01 Dad hated engineering, so choose passion instead.

08:21 Indecisive about practicality vs. passion for education.

10:53 Hosted quirky singing contests, now a marketing assistant.

16:39 Art and selling both aim to engage.

17:38 Ethical selling guides emotions for a purpose.

21:53 Challenges the idea of corruptible consumption.

26:17 Customer service, group calls, trading time. Avoiding negotiation and chaos.

30:04 Struggle to afford it, observe positive behaviors.

33:03 Set the price based on labor and creativity.

37:27 Curiosity about success beyond traditional careers persists.

40:47 Avenue Q song questions value of English degree.

42:36 Create for passion before seeking financial gain.

47:00 Some people don't like anime or cosplay.

50:24 Overcoming societal norms to pursue creative passions.

55:29 Having honest conversation, avoiding being manipulative.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about your relationship with money and creativity!

Want more? Check out this playlist with all my previous entrepreneurial guests!

Sign up for my FREE monthly Unconventional Inspiration Circle here: https://fycuriosity.meetfy.online/uic

Feeling stuck in your creative process? Or wondering how to start having a creative process at all? Check out my super-affordable Creative Tune-Up, which is full of my favorite coaching tools to help you get moving TODAY.