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Some of the most interesting and inspiring stories I’ve heard are about people’s creative journeys and what they’ve learned along the way. The world needs to hear more of those stories, and now you can hear them on the Follow Your Curiosity podcast. Twice a month, you’ll hear a new interview where we delve into one person’s creative journey. Some of these folks will be better known than others, but they’ll all hold up a mirror to the importance of creative endeavor in every life. In the alternating weeks, you’ll hear short Creative Pep Talk episodes where I feature a creativity tool or tip to help you keep your creative energy flowing. You’ll find something you can use in every episode of Follow Your Curiosity!
Episodes
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Sometimes we don't act on ideas because we're convinced we can't sustain them long-term. Here's why you should take a chance—and how taking the leap on creative pep talks worked out for me. 🎉 Spoiler: This is pep talk ONE HUNDRED!!! 🎉
I teach women how to reignite their lost creative spark. If you’ve been tearing up when you encounter other people’s art because you’ve lost touch with your own, let's talk.
Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!
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!
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
My guest today is Wendi Gordon, a mental and spiritual health writer, speaker, and coach. Wendi writes for various digital media outlets, including her own “Changing Lives” newsletter, where she shares her mental and spiritual health struggles and the resources and practices that have helped her change her life to help others change theirs. Wendi talks with me about how she chose to become a pastor, the art of writing in a church environment, including having a weekly prompt and having to deliver the product to a live audience; how sermon writing has influenced her current writing; her surprise decision to move to Maui from Pennsylvania and why she moved to Texas; what she’s learned from spending time in nature, and a lot more.
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Introduction to Wendi Gordon and her work in mental and spiritual health.
01:18 Wendi's early creative experiences and the influence of writing in her life.
02:42 The creativity involved in being a pastor and related social work.
03:56 Journey to becoming a pastor inspired by a mentor.
06:22 Life-changing move from Pennsylvania to Maui and experiences in Hawaii.
08:21 Return to pastoral work and the impact of the pandemic on her career.
10:45 Facing political and denominational challenges in the church.
14:37 Transition from pastoral work to freelance writing and coaching.
17:18 The process of writing sermons and the influence of the church lectionary.
20:16 Facing public speaking and feedback as a pastor.
22:53 Unexpected reactions to sermons and dealing with feedback.
25:49 The creative process in freelancing and article pitching.
28:32 Bringing personal struggles into writing and helping others.
32:04 Addressing mental and spiritual health.
36:41 The intertwining of mental health with societal and political realities.
39:17 Sharing personal experiences to connect and help others.
42:14 Deconstruction and leaving behind harmful religious beliefs.
44:13 Viewing creativity as a spiritual experience.
47:27 Influence of nature and photography on creativity.
51:20 Spiritual and collective experiences at Bruce Springsteen concerts.
54:11 Impact of travel and different cultures on creativity.
57:04 Digital detox and the importance of being present in nature.
58:44 Encouragement to engage with nature and stillness.
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.
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Why should you start trusting yourself, and how do you start doing it more? I answer these questions in this super short episode.
Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!
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!
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
I'm just back from this year's Gallifrey One Doctor Who convention, and it's reminded me of the importance of being brave. How? Why? I'll tell you in this short episode.
Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!
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!
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
Horror author Mark Morris has written and edited around fifty novels, novellas, short story collections and anthologies. His script work includes audio dramas for Doctor Who and a Doctor Who spinoff series, Jago & Litefoot, and the Hammer Chillers series. His most recent work includes a new novel, That Which Stands Outside, and a 30th anniversary short story collection, Warts And All. Mark’s work has won numerous awards, including two British Fantasy Awards, and two New York Festival Radio Awards. Mark talks with me about how he got his start as an author, being welcomed into the horror writing community, the differences between writing his own novels and working on tie-in fiction for franchises like Doctor Who, Spartacus, and Predator, making the switch to writing audio scripts, and more.
You’ll hear us talking about one of the stars of the Jago & Litefoot series, Christopher Benjamin. Christopher Benjamin was beloved among Doctor Who fans for his portrayal of Henry Gordon Jago, and one of the few actors to appear in not only the classic series but in the new series as well. His 70-year career spanned stage, radio, television, and film, including shows like The Saint, The Forsyte Saga, and the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries. Christopher Benjamin passed away at the age of 90 on January 10, 2025, and I’d like to dedicate this episode to his memory.
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
02:01 Creative childhood and early storytelling.
04:55 Transition from history degree to writing career.
06:45 Determination to succeed.
12:09 Success with first novel, "Toady," and publicity.
20:29 Encouragement from horror writing community.
31:35 Writing tie-in fiction for Doctor Who and others.
39:22 Challenges of tight deadlines and research.
40:58 Insights into writing and editing processes.
44:17 Novelization of "Wild Blue Yonder" Doctor Who special.
46:25 Transition to writing for audio and challenges.
54:38 Upcoming projects and advice for young writers.
56:48 Emphasis on persistence and not turning down opportunities.
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.
Wednesday Feb 05, 2025
Wednesday Feb 05, 2025
It's incredibly counterintuitive, and can even be difficult, but one of the most important things you can do when the world is falling apart is have fun. I explain why in this super short episode.
Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!
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, subscribe to The Spark!
Wednesday Jan 29, 2025
Wednesday Jan 29, 2025
Photographer and author Autumn Carolynn’s relationship with wanderlust started early in her life, with a semester abroad in England. From there, she’s held a variety of travel-related positions, including flight attendant and travel agent, and all of them have allowed her to pursue photography around the globe. During the pandemic, she combined her photography with her travel stories, and the result is “Traveling in Wonder: A Photographer’s Tales of Wanderlust,” which encourages readers to embrace exploration and life’s everyday challenges. Autumn joins me to talk about the surprising gut instinct that changed the direction of her life, the realities of life as a flight attendant (including the wide range of life skills required for and learned on the job), the importance of traveling now rather than putting it off for retirement, and how she sees the intersection between travel and creativity. If you’re looking for inspiration to buy that plane ticket, this is it!
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
05:15 The alchemy of photo development
09:59 13 countries in 13 weeks
12:53 Secretive travels shared via Facebook
14:57 Exploring global fast food menus
18:13 Lost in Budapest
23:14 Gut feeling cancels Australia trip
25:44 Intense flight attendant training
29:34 Moving abroad: Not so simple
31:57 Adventure in Australia
38:10 Handling in-flight medical emergencies
41:53 "Traveling in Wonder" book release
43:28 Building a creative art business
47:20 Capturing memories for mom
50:05 Seize opportunities while able
55:48 Embrace new experiences
Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in visual arts.
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.
Wednesday Jan 22, 2025
Wednesday Jan 22, 2025
When there are a lot of things you could work on, which one do you choose? My answer is always the same, and very simple, though it's not always obvious or easy to follow thanks to the way a lot of us are taught: follow your energy! I explain why—and why ignoring the call of that energy can undermine us over time—in this short episode.
Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!
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, subscribe to The Spark!
Monday Jan 13, 2025
Monday Jan 13, 2025
I recently sat down with my dear friend, author Cindy Lynn Speer, to talk about perfectionism and how it seeps into us through the culture in insidious ways we don't even recognize—and how it affects us in similarly sneaky ways. We also talked about how making bad art can help us undo those lessons and free us from the voices of the inner critics that have been installed in our heads so we can loosen up, create more freely and have more fun in our lives.
Join us for Make Bad Art starting on January 20 and get 2025 off to a fresh creative start! Details at https://MakeBadArtCourse.com.
If you have questions about the course, please contact me. I'd love to talk to you!
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Start small, don't aim too high initially.
05:02 Start simple, avoid over-investing initially.
07:01 Embrace imperfection to enhance creativity flow.
10:32 Wanted to teach creative writing, but couldn't.
13:53 Creative writing facilitates easier, less perfectionistic writing.
20:30 Overcome self-judgment to embrace innate creativity.
23:25 Teaching unpredictably affects students, clarifying perfectionism vision.
27:30 Enjoying life more through sustainable art practice.
31:24 Struggled with structuring topics; needed adjustments.
34:34 Create bad art, prioritize interaction and questions.
36:45 Exercises allow personal interpretation and creativity.
40:32 Comparison and perfectionism constrain us from childhood.
45:56 Creativity suppressed; rediscover joy through art.
50:05 Contact me with questions about this transformative course.
52:03 Creativity course helps with self-kindness and communication.
Join us for Make Bad Art starting on January 20 and get 2025 off to a fresh creative start! Details at https://MakeBadArtCourse.com.
Wednesday Jan 08, 2025
Wednesday Jan 08, 2025
What if the question of your creativity is more about how you define the term than whether or not you have any? I explain in this short episode.
The second round of my Make Bad Art course starts on January 20! If you think you might be defining yourself out of your creativity, MBA is a great place to recalibrate that definition and come home to yourself. We had a fabulous time time in the first round, with moments of creative insight and inspiration all over the place! Learn more and sign up here.
Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!
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, subscribe to The Spark!