Follow Your Curiosity

CPT #78: Lapsed Creativity

What happens when we let our creativity lapse? You may think there's no effect on us, but you'd be wrong. I explain in this short episode.

Read my article on lapsed creativity here. If you recognize yourself here, I'd love to hear your story and learn from your experience. If you can spare 30 minutes, contact me and we'll set something up!

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

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a creative dream of yours.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months. https://fycuriosity.substack.com

Finding Fulfillment in Writing with Raquel Drosos

Raquel Drosos started writing when she was five, and has rarely stopped. As a teenager, she wrote and published three young adult novels under her maiden name, Raquel George. Games of Chance is her first book for adults.  She also blogs about parenting and the creative process. Raquel talks with me about the intersection between acting and writing, plotting vs. writing by the seat of your pants, the moment when your characters come to life in your head (which is not a sign of madness!), her next novel, and more. She also shares some excellent advice she got from her dad.

Episode breakdown:

0:00 Intro

01:09 Parents not artists, but innately creative and supportive.

06:02 Writer surprised by interpretation of their play.

09:55 Supportive parents, writing struggles, novel characters reused.

15:38 Mix of planning and spontaneity in writing.

17:20 Two types of writers: plotters and pantsers.

23:09 Feeding creativity through exposure to art and music.

25:14 Observing people, sparking curiosity, fostering creativity.

27:14 3-year-old nephew's wild story about alligators.

33:00 Characters connect through accents, interviews essential for authenticity.

34:10 The sound of words matters to writing.

40:08 Intense family saga vs. immediate relationship novel.

42:54 Encouraged writer spans genres and age groups.

45:13 Describing book as mix of others important.

48:18 Novel: Parenthood, love, creativity, friendship, humor, advice.

51:51 Jotting down scenes and dialogue, then dedicated.

54:56 Character decides to go left, not right.

58:10 Trust your gut and follow your instincts.

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 and in it, tell us about a moment when your creative work came to life for you.

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

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

CPT #77: Embrace Normal

It's easy to think of "normal" as an insult, or at least not something to aspire to. You might want to rethink your perceptions of normal, though. I explain why in this short episode.

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

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us how you embrace normal.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

The Crossroads of Conflict and Creativity with Alex Poppe

Alex Poppe decided when she was in her 20s to leave her corporate job and become an actor, with no acting experience at all. After acting for 12 years, she followed her travel instincts, becoming certified to teach English overseas and moving to multiple countries, including Iraq, to pursue teaching and humanitarian work, and writing. Alex is the author of four works of fiction: Duende, Jinwar and Other Stories, Moxie, and Girl, World. Her writing has won numerous awards, including the International Book Award, Reader’s Choice Book Award, and a 35 over 35 Debut Book Award. Alex tells me about her decision to become an actor, how she made the move into teaching abroad—and what she’s learned from both experiences—how her time abroad has influenced her writing, and more.

Episode breakdown:

05:28 16 years teaching, actor training influences writing.

09:55 Networking in theater leads to humanitarian aid.

15:13 Teaching experiences in Middle East were heartfelt.

17:59 Studied and worked in Erbil and Germany.

21:55 Children witnessing war, finding innocence amid turmoil.

25:40 Homesickness, friendships, and social pressures at boarding school.

32:42 Shocked friend describes disturbing bar experience.

33:30 A shocking experience inspired her book writing.

37:14 Returned to the States, started writing in 2010.

41:49 Lyrical book with dense language.

47:30 Exploring character, tone, and emotion in writing.

51:56 Navigating uncertainty in creative process with flexibility.

55:33 Book inspired by old photo, friendship celebration.

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 and in it, tell us about a time when you took a risk.

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

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

Replay: CPT #36: Start Where You Are

I've been under the weather, so here's a pep talk worth revisiting: If you're not doing what you want to do because you think you're not ready or don't have what you need, might I very gently and lovingly suggest that you're wrong? 

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

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

Please leave a review and in it, let us know what YOU are starting, from right where you are!

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

Writing, Memory, and Healing with Kerry Malawista

My guest this week is Kerry Malawista, a psychoanalyst and writer who uses writing to heal. She’s the co-director of the New Directions in Writing project, which offers programs in writing from a psychological perspective. Her publication credits include the Washington Post, New York Times, and Delmarva Review, which nominated her for a Pushcart Prize. Her first novel, Meet the Moon, focuses on a young teen after the loss of her mother. Kerry talks with me about how she came to writing later in life, creating a writing program—The Things They Carry Project—to help healthcare workers cope with the pandemic, how she turned her own story of loss into a novel, how we perceive memory and truth, and more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Parents' encouragement led to unexpected creativity.

04:40 First published piece inspired by Costa Rica trip.

09:33 Overcame challenges, found success, inspired others.

12:09 Email testimonials show positive impact on frontline workers.

15:57 Led groups for teachers, immigrants, college-bound youth.

20:32 Reading shapes perception and understanding of truth.

22:59 Realization of an impossible event from memory.

24:34 Using writing to process powerful personal experiences.

30:25 Struggling writer finds inspiration to use imagination.

32:17 Fiction captures therapist's view on loss and resilience.

34:58 Conveying ideas in a novel can be challenging.

38:48 Memoir vs novel: finding the right structure.

43:39 Humorous movie turns into husband's choking ordeal.

47:07 Effective writing balances trauma with humor.

50:29 Use all 5 senses to describe experiences.

 

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 and in it, tell us how you deal with feedback.

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

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

CPT #76: Recognize Your Creativity

Do you give yourself credit for your creativity? A lot of us don't, including people you wouldn't expect. You really should recognize your own creativity regularly—I'll explain why in this short episode.

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

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us how you recognize your creativity—or how you'd like to.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

Revision, Rejection, and Perseverance with Kevin Carey

Kevin Carey came to writing and filmmaking later in his career, but has wasted no time producing a wide range of poetry, fiction, and documentaries, including a crime novel, Murder in the Marsh, and a middle grade novel, Junior Miles and the Junkman. He’s also the coordinator of creative writing at Salem State University in Massachusetts, where he teaches intro and upper level creative writing courses. Kevin tells me how he got his start with writing, how his MFA experience changed both his writing and the opportunities available to him, the importance of reading your work to others, and much more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Stranger's grief sparked passion for poetry teaching.

08:53 Transitioning from poetry to fiction writing journey.

14:54 Drawing inspiration from hometown for crime novel.

21:40 Deciding not to work with an agent.

26:12 Friend's art gallery led to film business.

28:03 Close friendships and passion in documentary filmmaking.

35:28 Writers struggle to let go of perfection.

40:09 Encouraging honest feedback, experimenting, and releasing pressure.

45:38 Successful writers helping and inspiring young writers.

50:19 Diverse students in writing classes seek guidance.

58:42 MFA program: discovering joy in completing novels.

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 and in it, tell us how you deal with feedback.

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

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

CPT #75: Let Yourself Be Happy

It sounds so simple, but we hardly ever let ourselves be happy, especially with our work. Why is that a problem? I explain in this super short episode.

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

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when you let yourself be happy.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

The Transformative Power of Play with Tim J. Myers

Tim Myers does a bit of everything: he’s a writer, songwriter, storyteller, visual artist, and senior lecturer at Santa Clara University, where he teaches writing. We got together to talk about the nature of creativity, which Tim calls a “sacred mystery,” including everything from the way our childhood creativity is changed by the culture as we become adults, the necessary role of play in the creative process, the transcendent experiences of awe and wonder and how they fuel us, the wisdom of following your gut, and a whole lot more.

Episode breakdown:

01:39 Kids are instantly creative, often play traditionally.

06:50 Creativity influenced by nature, nurture, educators.

15:50 Importance of creativity in education and society.

21:22 Differences between play in childhood versus "professional" adults.

24:56 Nancy switched to teaching, advisor, and writing lit mag.

30:49 Encouraging exploration of language and creative thinking.

37:04 Parents see child, lifetime of giving love.

40:35 Zen story about finding wonder in life.

45:27 Believing in progress through challenging circumstances.

50:34 Art, festivals, play as a primal need.

56:21 Semantic split between "religion" and "spirituality."

01:01:14 Falling in love based on unique personal idiosyncrasies.

01:07:23 Experimenting with writing schedule structure.

01:13:45 Craft is in choosing words for impact.

01:19:22 Writers and feedback.

01:25:00 Tim struggles with generalist vs specialist identity.

01:26:31 Passion for storytelling and visual art emerges.

01:35:38 Weekly writing schedule reduces overthinking and focus on perfection.  

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 and in it, tell us how play influences your creative process.

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

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