Follow Your Curiosity

Balancing Writing and Medicine with Lydia Kang

Author Lydia Kang balances two careers: In addition to writing adult and young adult fiction, as well as nonfiction, she’s also a doctor. Lydia never thought of herself as a writer, though she was intrigued by writing, until she began to use it to deal with some of her experiences on the job, which eventually led her to try fiction. Her novels include The Impossible Girl and Opium and Absinthe, and one of the things we talk about today is how her nonfiction work has influenced her fiction. We also talk about writing about pandemics, her move from the East Coast to Nebraska, and how her writing and her medical practice balance each other out.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

02:15 Lydia Kang and Nancy Norbeck on fading public memory of significant events.

05:45 Predicting future remembrance of the COVID-19 pandemic.

09:30 Speculating on the future of pandemic-related publishing.

12:05 Pandemics’ universality vs. 9/11’s localized impact.

16:10 Deciding on a blog focus.

18:45 Lydia's journey into writing, blogging in late 2000s.

22:30 Combining medical expertise with writing.

25:55 Struggling with professional identity in writing and medicine.

30:40 Family support and balancing careers.

33:15 Writing during COVID-19 and cautious hope for the future.

35:50 Challenges of writing across multiple genres.

40:25 Influence of pharmacology and herbal medicine on her work.

44:10 Working part-time as a doctor, writing the rest of the time.

47:30 Managing overlapping book release dates and schedules.

52:05 Conclusion: Encouragement to leave reviews for authors.

 

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Creative Pep Talk #7: Protecting Your Creativity

You've probably never thought about protecting your creativity—but you should. It's one of your most valuable assets and resources, and nobody has the right to take it from you. (No one actually can, but it's easy for us to give it up if we're not careful.)

You can find my conversation with Tracy Matthews here.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Creative Problem Solving with Trudy Cunningham

Trudy Cunningham is one of the most insightful and creative people I've ever met. Her background in mathematics and education led her to the improbable position of associate dean of engineering at Bucknell University, which is where we first crossed paths. It's is also why I wanted to talk to her. She later moved to Sewanee, where her husband served as president and she continued to teach. As you'll hear, not only has she steadfastly refused to be told women can't teach math, she's just as consistently stood up for her students' best interests with parents, faculty, and university administrators. Her approach to problem solving is simultaneously practical and creative, and infuses her outlook on everything from teaching to aging. And she understands far better than most what makes people tick. 

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Creative Pep Talk #6: You Matter

Inspired by a day of viral attention on TikTok, here's a reminder that you matter. Yes, YOU. That means your creative dreams matter, too. If that sounds crazy or alien to you, this episode is definitely for you!

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, or Twitter!

You Are Not Your Work with Kimberly Stuart

Kimberly Stuart started writing when she became a stay-at-home mom, and hasn’t stopped since. As you’ll hear, her path changed dramatically thanks to a gift from her mother, who was a professional musician. She’s the author of eight novels, and has branched into writing coaching as well. Kim and I talk about the importance of validation and encouragement, remembering that you are not your work, the costs of creativity—and its rewards. We get deep into vulnerability and courage, too.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Creative Pep Talk #5: Being "Ready"

Do you feel like you have to be "ready" before you start something new? Are you even sure what "ready" would mean? I'm here this week to talk about why "ready" is mostly an illusion, and why you should start now instead of waiting for that illusion to magically become real.

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, or Twitter.

Forensic Accounting with Lynda Schwartz

If you've been listening for a while, you know I believe there's hardly anything that's NOT creative, and I love to talk to people from so-called "non-creative" professions to find out how those perceptions are wrong. Accounting is not something most people associate with creativity—except in the familiar, negative sense—but I knew it had to be, so I contacted Lynda Schwartz. Lynda not only is an accountant but was a partner in a big-four firm’s fraud investigation and dispute services practice. She’s taken part in a wide variety of financial investigations, has served as an expert witness in associated court cases, and runs the forensic accounting curriculum at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She’s also my cousin. 

Lynda set me straight right away on my very narrow idea of what accounting really entails, before moving on to what an accounting investigation looks like, how fraud usually happens, the role of an expert accounting witness in court, and what she’s learned from teaching at UMass. She also explains why she hates the idea of “creative accounting” with such a passion, and would prefer to think of accounting as a curiosity-based practice instead.

Share your thoughts with us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter—and while you're there, you can hear more about my Creative Revolutionaries program, which starts on May 5th! You can sign up for that program here.

 

 

Creative Pep Talk #4: Pay Attention

If you're struggling to come up with ideas, this episode is for you! You might be surprised at the power of just paying attention. That may sound too easy, but if you really do it (and it's SO simple), you'll find unexpectedly interesting things all around you.

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, and Twitter!

Knowing Your Strengths with Tosca Lee

Tosca Lee originally wanted to be a ballerina, but ended up switching to writing with some help from her dad while she was in college. Since then, she’s become a bestselling author of a wide variety of books, including The Line Between and its sequel, A Single Light. Tosca talked with me about her early writing experience, how the Kindle has changed things for authors, and the eerie feeling of writing a fictional pandemic shortly before an actual one hits. (And the one she made up is even scarier than Covid!)

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Come Hang Out with Me on Sunday!

I'm offering a spontaneous hangout on Sunday at noon ET/9amPT and you're invited! Listen for more, and sign up here!