Follow Your Curiosity

CPT #117: Patience

What does it really mean to practice patience—especially when life, creativity, or even a home repair puts you to the test? In this episode, I share candid lessons both from a year of waiting and from my 30 Bad Poems in 30 Days challenge: the struggle to slow down, the urge to keep producing, and why patience might be the most creative tool you can cultivate right now. Whether you're wrestling with a stubborn project or just want inspiration for your own journey, this pep talk is for you.

 

If watching your kids build a pillow fort makes you wonder where the heck that zany, wild, playful part of yourself went...we should talk!

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

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks! 

If you'd like to stay up to date on things like my courses and also get podcast and event updates, and my latest musings, subscribe to The Spark! 

Confronting Uncomfortable History with Meg Hamand

Meg Hamand has had a heart for storytelling since her first poem was published in an anthology in elementary school. Since then, she’s been published in multiple print and online publications, and her debut novel is the award-winning Diamonds in Auschwitz, which simultaneously tells two stories of love, survival, and hope during World War II.

Meg joins me to talk about the challenges of working with dark and difficult topics, such as taking care of yourself and navigating the line between too much and too little for your readers; plotting historical fiction; and how to do historical research.

She also gives us a sneak peek into her next book, which is currently in progress.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 30 Bad Poems in 30 Days; introduction.

04:42 Meg shares why she loves historical fiction and early writing inspiration.

09:03 Meg describes the origins and themes of Diamonds in Auschwitz.

14:00 Discussion of Terezin, visiting Holocaust sites, and historical accuracy.

18:38 Meg explains researching Terezin, children's art, and real accounts.

23:05 Talking about the heaviness of the subject and book’s emotional impact.

27:03 Exploring character contrasts, children’s resilience, and trauma responses.

32:10 Meg outlines her plotting process, changes during writing, and research.

36:35 Importance of Prague’s setting as character, changes during revision.

42:46 Meg details her next book: Post-Revolutionary Charleston and Shakespeare.

47:26 How classic literature influenced new novel structure and motivation.

51:36 Advice for historical research, blending fiction, and traveling to locations.

Join me for 30 Bad Poems in 30 Days!

 

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.

 

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

CPT #116: Procrastination is the Illusion of Rest

So many of us struggle with procrastination. There are many causes of procrastination—fear of failure, fear of success, perfectionism, comparison, exhaustion, and overwhelm, just to name a few. We often need rest, but procrastination isn't the same--and tends to feed your inner critic, while eroding your motivation and productivity.

If watching your kids build a pillow fort makes you wonder where the heck that zany, wild, playful part of yourself went...we should talk!

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

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks! 

If you'd like to stay up to date on things like my courses and also get podcast and event updates, and my latest musings, subscribe to The Spark! 

Listen Again: ”Unhiding” with Dr. Kelly Flanagan

Kelly Flanagan has been one of my favorite guests, and he'll be back to talk to us again in February. Here's his second appearance on Follow Your Curiosity, in case you missed it or want to revisit it. Please note that the book giveaway mentioned in the episode is no longer available.

Original release date: November 9, 2022

 

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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. 

The book giveaway is no longer available.

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.

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. 

CPT #115: The Myth of Multitasking

Is multitasking real? Possible? It depends on your definition, but I'd rather talk about how the attempt affects us—why we feel so pushed to do it, and what's the price we pay? I'm sharing my thoughts in this short episode.

If watching your kids build a pillow fort makes you wonder where the heck that zany, wild, playful part of yourself went...we should talk!

 

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

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks! 

If you'd like to stay up to date on things like my courses and also get podcast and event updates, and my latest musings, subscribe to The Spark! 

How Creativity Helps You Heal: A Memoirist's Journey with Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart has made award-winning films for college and universities, written acclaimed software, and now has written his first book. That book, Carrying the Tiger: Living with Cancer, Dying with Grace, Finding Joy while Grieving, tells the story of Tony and his late wife, painter Lynn Kotula, as they navigate her Stage IV cancer diagnosis, treatment, and hospice, and Tony’s journey out of grief. Tony joins me to talk about his original journey from writing to software development, how it felt to return to writing via CaringBridge after Lynn’s diagnosis, the process of writing Carrying the Tiger, the nature of grief, and more. 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Intro
02:12 Introducing Tony Stewart
03:02 Creative Childhood Experiences
08:02 Shakespeare in the Park
11:34 Understanding Filmmaking Client Needs
17:48 Complex Problems Beyond Machine Solutions
19:15 Joy of Reading Book Reviews
24:58 Returning to Writing
26:39 The Beginning of the Book
29:29 Writing Addiction and Motivation
32:40 Overview of the Book
34:00 Writing in Present Tense
38:38 Memoir as Thriller
41:31 Structuring the Book
42:24 Tony's Memories and Reflections
45:51 Creating Realistic Characters
48:27 Exploring Grief
52:04 Anticipatory Grief
56:58 Individuality of Grief Experiences

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.

 

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

CPT #114: Take Action

It can be one of the hardest things to convince ourselves to do when the voices of doubt, self-judgment, and perfectionism are up to their old tricks, but it really is important to take action, not just think about it. I'll tell you why—and how—in this short episode.

If watching your kids build a pillow fort makes you wonder where the heck that zany, wild, playful part of yourself went...it's time to Make Bad Art. Doors are open now for a new cohort starting on October 14.  (Use code PODCAST101 for $100 off!)

 

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

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks! 

If you'd like to stay up to date on things like my courses and also get podcast and event updates, and my latest musings, subscribe to The Spark! 

The Power of Saying "Yes" with Will Brooks

Will Brooks is a freelance artist and designer who mostly works with licensed properties, especially Doctor Who. For five years, Will was the in-house ‘photo’ artist for Titan Comics’ Doctor Who ranges, providing more than 160 covers. He’s also produced artwork for Big Finish Productions and the Doctor Who Experience, and was the lead artist and designer for the second edition of Cubicle 7’s Doctor Who RPG, for which he also wrote material.

Will joins me to talk about how he got his start with licensed artwork, the process of creating covers for Titan and Big Finish, the power of just doing something when nothing seems to be coming together creatively, helpful criticism vs. tearing folks’ work down,  the effects of leaving social media, and more.

 

If you’re tired of your inner critic running amok in your head and you're ready to confine it to quarters, Make Bad Art: Ditch Perfectionism and Have Fun Doing It starts on October 14!

 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 - Intro

01:10 - Creative Childhood

04:54 - Starting with Doctor Who Art

13:18 - Art School Lessons

15:34 - Art School Experience

19:14 - Impostor Syndrome Insights

24:54 - Beginning in Doctor Who Comics

30:14 - Comic Cover Creation

32:28 - Sources of Creativity

40:00 - Comic Cover Process

42:58 - Social Media Impact

47:10 - Importance of Consistency

50:26 - Facebook Manipulation

56:34 - Current Projects

59:57 - Conclusion

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in Doctor Who and visual arts.

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

 

CPT #113: The Electricity of Aliveness

You've probably heard someone describe a performance as "electric," or "electrifying," and may even have used that term yourself. But how does that kind of performance happen, and what does it have to tell you about your creative practice? I'll tell you in this short episode.

If watching your kids build a pillow fort makes you wonder where the heck that zany, wild, playful part of yourself went...it's time to Make Bad Art. Doors are open now for a new cohort starting on October 14.

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

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks! 

If you'd like to stay up to date on things like my courses and also get podcast and event updates, and my latest musings, subscribe to The Spark! 

Making TV Magic from Scratch with Richard Wilmore

My guest this week is Richard Wilmore, the host and executive producer of the wildly successful daily talk and variety series Make Your Day Richer TV. From 2016 to 2022, he hosted the award-winning The Richard Wilmore Show. He also co-hosts the Wolf Media Fest podcast. Behind the scenes, Richard helps numerous podcasts and livestreams with production, editing, and talent booking needs through his company, Make Your Day Richer.

Richard talks with me about how he found his calling as a talk show host, why you should start where you are with what you have, the challenges of making work for hire and turning your art into a business, the importance (and difficulties) of listening to yourself, and a lot more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

04:09 Supportive parents let Richard explore.

09:06 Young Richard pretended to be a weatherperson, then talk show host.

13:11 Performing as himself felt natural, but nerves still linger.

17:16 Richard describes building colorful sets to energize his shows.

22:18 Created talk show sets in basements, bedrooms, and studios.

27:04 Richard and Nancy reflect on starting shows with minimal gear.

32:44 Burnout can happen even doing what you love most.

37:15 Turning creativity into business poses unexpected challenges for artists.

41:21 Listening to your gut is crucial but not always easy.

46:29 Self-doubt and outside opinions complicate creative decisions and direction.

51:49 Guests surprise Richard; reaching out directly often leads to yes.

 

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and theatre.

 

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!