Follow Your Curiosity

Uncovering Forgotten Histories with Rahna Reiko Rizzuto

Author Rahna Reiko Rizzuto wrote the way many of us do as a child and teen, but didn’t truly turn to writing until she discovered, at the age of 30, that her Japanese-American mother, and her family, had been stripped of everything and put in an internment camp during World War II. The book she produced in her quest to understand these events, Why She Left Us, won the National Book Award. Her two subsequent books, Hiroshima in the Morning and Shadow Child, continue to explore themes of war, race, and historical blindness. Reiko also teaches writing; we met when she became my first faculty advisor in the Goddard College MFA program in 2007. We talk about Reiko’s start as a writer, including that pivotal discovery and the quest to learn more, her time in Japan just before and after 9/11 as she sought to learn from survivors of the Hiroshima bombing—and how 9/11 changed their willingness to speak—and how she taught herself to write and teaches her students those same techniques.

Episode breakdown:

[00:02:45] Family of writers encouraged reading, faced criticism.

[00:10:50] Multiracial Hawaiian culture with loose boundaries.

[00:15:19] Uncovering the family's history in the Japanese internment.

[00:23:33] Discovering the art of crafting a book.

[00:28:33] Learning from students' questions.

[00:37:37] Writing to convey human consequences of historical events.

[00:40:32] Nonfiction book about survivors of atomic bomb.

[00:48:58] Passion for teaching and nurturing writers' stories.

[00:56:07] Best job, supportive colleagues, successful publication.

[01:03:09] Caregiving, love, loss, hoarding: a personal journey.

[01:06:48] Open the portal, practice showing up.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about how discovering a part of your history changed you.

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

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Threads and BlueSky!

If you'd like weekly updates, plus a chance to see where my curiosity is leading me, check out my new (free!) Substack newsletter.

CPT #65: Mr. Twinkletoes

What can a simple choice from actor David Tennant tell us about creative freedom? I'll tell you in this short episode.

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about how you might stop taking things so seriously.

I'm experimenting with my own writing over on Substack! It's called The Spark, it's free, and I hope you'll join us!

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

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

Replay: ”Impro” with Nina Hart

[I'm on vacation this week, so I'm re-upping one of my favorite interviews from the last year. I'll be back with new episodes next week!]

My friend and fellow Kaizen-Muse creativity coach, Nina Hart, was one of my first guests, and she comes back to the podcast today. Nina is an author and performer—including being an original member of San Francisco’s experimental dance troupe, Contraband, and, playing a purple electric bass, recording and performing with numerous bands—and I invited her to dig into Keith Johnstone’s groundbreaking book on theatrical improvisation, Impro, with me.

I knew Nina would have a lot to say about how we unknowingly are our own biggest obstacles to our own creativity, which is a primary focus of the book. We talk about the role status plays in our lives and our perception of things like permission and perfection, how cultural and societal expectations create the fears that hold us back, the importance of feeling safe to let those fears go, and much more.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us when you feel most safe to express yourself.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in acting and theatre!

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon!

If you'd like weekly updates, plus a chance to see where my curiosity is leading me, check out my new (free!) Substack newsletter.

 

CPT #64: Stop Making It So Hard

Odds are good you're making things harder than they need to be—and that's getting in your way more than you realize.

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about how you've made something less hard on yourself.

I'm experimenting with my own writing over on Substack! It's called The Spark, it's free, and I hope you'll join us!

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

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

Empowering Authors with Michael Dolan

Writer, editorial director, and publisher Michael Dolan was a math whiz before he fell in love with writing and journalism in high school. After a career in magazine publishing and working as a professional writer, he decided to start Winding Road Stories, which aims not only to publish new authors, but to help those authors build a writing career. Michael tells me about his start in publishing, how ghostwriting led to the idea for Winding Road, why he wants writers to collaborate and help each other become the best they can be, and more.

Episode breakdown:

[00:05:10] Passion drives pursuit of creativity and skill.

[00:07:58] How kids develop bad writing habits from school.

[00:17:32] Unexpected career in publishing.

[00:26:07] Michael becomes a successful freelance writer.

[00:30:43] Career adapted to changing world, balancing independence.

[00:39:13] Michael starts a successful ghostwriting business.

[00:46:29] Print on demand revolutionizes book publishing.

[00:51:25] Obsession with "Get Back" documentary, collaboration.

[00:56:32] Incredible professor emphasized collaboration in journalism.

[01:00:53] Collaboration, support, and rewarding journey of creativity.

"How to Say Nothing in 500 Words" by Paul McHenry Roberts

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about your favorite collaboration.

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

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon!

If you'd like weekly updates, plus a chance to see where my curiosity is leading me, check out my new (free!) Substack newsletter.

CPT #63: Slow Down

It sounds counterintuitive, but the fastest way to get things done is to slow down (and stop multitasking!). I'll tell you why in this short episode.

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about how slowing down has helped you.

Check out my new newsletter, The Spark! It's free, and I hope you'll join us!

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

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

Music and Mental Illness with Caroline Whiddon

Caroline Whiddon thought she was going to play French horn professionally, but panic and anxiety had other ideas. Fortunately, orchestra administration turned out to be her true home, ultimately leading her to co-found the Me2/ orchestra with her husband, conductor Ronald Braunstein. Braunstein’s bipolar diagnosis left him unable to find work, and Me2/ is the world’s only classical music organization created by and for individuals with mental illnesses and the people who support them. Caroline and I talk about the power of music to create change, what happens when you create stigma-free zones, the documentary, Orchestrating Change, that chronicles Me/2’s journey, and more.

Episode breakdown:

[00:04:31] Following someone else's strict sense of music education vs. having a strong inner sense of musical identity.

[00:07:36] Panic attacks derail performance career, and lead to orchestra administration instead.

[00:16:44] Starting orchestra administration in Savannah.

[00:22:49] Conductor Ronald Braunstein decides to start a non-auditioned orchestra for the mentally ill.

[00:30:49] Challenging beginnings, slow growth, but incredible progress.

[00:35:15] Integration breaks stigma, impacts everyone's lives.

[00:41:08] Music for mental health, supporting and educating.

[00:48:20] A chance discovery leads to inspiring documentary.

[00:51:22] Film documents musician's journey despite challenges.
[00:58:43] Signage promotes safe spaces, challenges stigma.

[01:02:46] Strategic planning for expansion, focus on accessibility.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about a time when being fully seen made a difference to you.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in music.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon!

If you'd like weekly updates, plus a chance to see what's going on in my world, check out my new (free!) Substack newsletter.

CPT #62: Follow Your Energy

Which project should you work on next? And what should you do when you feel downright compelled to work on something, even if it's not the next thing on your list? I'll tell you in this short episode.

Check out my new newsletter, The Spark! It's free, and I hope you'll join us!

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

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

The Femme Fatale Hypothesis with David Roth

My guest this week is author David Roth, who spent thirty-five years as a professional writer of documentaries, corporate communications, multimedia, and more before turning to creative writing. He completed his MFA in 2017 and published his debut novel, The Femme Fatale Hypothesis in 2019. That book just received the American Book Fest's 2023 International Book Award for Best Literary Fiction. David and I talk about the differences between professional and creative writing, the pros and cons of the MFA, the inspiration for his novel, and more (and yes,  the hypothesis is a real thing!).

Episode breakdown:

[00:03:28] Imagination, challenges, and collaboration in writing.
[00:09:12] Being curious drives David to learn more.
[00:12:46] What is “The Femme Fatale Hypothesis”?
[00:16:59] Pursuing professional writing.
[00:27:02] MA experience: Learn, broaden, and challenge your writing.
[00:29:10] Seek critical feedback to improve your writing.
[00:37:00] Don't copy others, focus on your uniqueness.
[00:44:04] Beginnings of “The Femme Fatale Hypothesis”
[00:48:04] Death: Grief, fear, agency, and choices.
[00:56:16] “The Swerve” as a wake-up call.
[01:01:10] Second novel set in the fictional town of Marsville, Pennsylvania.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about a time when you knew it was time to quit something and start something new.

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

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon!

And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events), all for free!

CPT #61: Unless...

Last time we talked about how sometimes, quitting is the smartest thing you can do. This week, I'm sharing one crucial way to make sure you don't waste time on a project you should abandon.

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

Get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events) for free!

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