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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 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!
Wednesday Jan 01, 2025
Wednesday Jan 01, 2025
Les Watson’s passion for and expertise in self-management and productivity comes from over 30 years of experience as a trainer, speaker, facilitator, and coach in self-management, motivation, and communication. He is the author of Get Back An Hour In Every Day and facilitates the acclaimed Creating Success Program.
Les talks with me about identifying your tendency and how it can cause trouble as you manage your time; how parents can take care of themselves first even in a busy household to make sure they get to their creativity; why deadlines are magic, not a medieval torture device; the keys to getting an hour of your time back every day, and more. I hope this conversation gets your New Year’s creativity resolutions off to a great start.
Join us for Make Bad Art starting on January 20 and get 2025 off to a fresh creative start! Details at MakeBadArtCourse.com.
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Les Watson discusses self-management, productivity, and creativity.
05:35 What do you want and commit to?
08:51 Keeping self-appointments is as important as others.
12:17 It's easier to prioritize others over yourself.
15:44 Prioritize self-care first, like oxygen masks.
18:13 Setting boundaries for personal time with kids.
22:55 Clarify priorities to focus efforts effectively.
25:57 Incompletions persist, haunting and overwhelming thoughts.
28:57 Organize goals efficiently with a single system.
31:16 Deadlines motivated MFA completion, ensured timely submissions.
34:03 Get accountability buddy for art exhibition preparation.
39:41 Maximize return on investment using minimal effort.
42:25 Start big picture, identify steps, take action.
46:31 What do you want? Sacrifice for creativity.
50:13 Planning creates personal time and builds self-trust.
51:22 Write goals down to stay focused and organized.
55:38 Capture fleeting ideas before they vanish forever.
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 Dec 04, 2024
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
My guests today are Lisa McMullin and Alfie Shaw, both of whom write for Big Finish Productions, creators of audio dramas ranging from established series like Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, and Dark Shadows to original dramas featuring the Air Transport Auxiliary from World War II and Marcus Tullius Cicero in Ancient Rome. Lisa started her career as a drama teacher before moving into dramatic writing—she’s written for TV series like Death in Paradise and the Sister Boniface Mysteries as well—and Alfie, who is also a producer for Big Finish, dabbled in stand-up comedy.
We talk about Big Finish’s apparently magical ability to redeem characters—including villains—who were less than beloved, the challenges and opportunities of recasting familiar characters, the way Big Finish finds new writers (including the best ways to do that), what the writing process looks like for an audio series, and a lot more. While there’s a lot of Doctor Who in this conversation, there’s also a lot of insight into the creative process, too. We apologize for being a bit vague about particular stories so as not to spoil them for those who haven’t heard them. Here’s my conversation with Lisa McMullin and Alfie Shaw.
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
01:39 Lisa's creative childhood
09:22 Alfie's early passion for stand-up.
11:03 Alfie worked at BBC before Big Finish.
21:10 Lisa met writers, felt impostor syndrome, networked successfully.
23:19 Mixed interests: Paul McGann, river, Big Finish's "Survivors."
27:46 Amused student challenges English class symbolism interpretations.
34:57 AI affects creativity more than expected.
42:27 Exploring creativity within set formats is valuable.
44:13 Big Finish enhances characters like Sixth Doctor, Daleks.
50:54 Varied reactions to piece on religion, conversion.
57:04 Balancing new ideas and classic elements creatively.
59:44 Paul Spragg entries processed anonymously for judging panel selection.
01:05:56 Balancing established and new talent in writing.
01:14:58 Audio parallels theater through character-driven dialogue.
01:21:24 Recast Doctors' strength: unique, non-traditional portrayals.
01:23:24 Continuously innovate and explore new creative possibilities.
01:28:25 Eleventh Doctor and Jacob Dudman.
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.
Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in Doctor Who and writing.
Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
When the world is falling apart around you, it's not just okay to take care of yourself—it's necessary. I'll tell you why 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!
The first round of my Make Bad Art course is underway and we are having a fabulous time, with moments of creative insight all over the place! If you'd like to know when I'm offering it again—which I will be in January—the best way to find out is to subscribe to my free creative community, The Spark! https://fycuriosity.substack.com
Wednesday Nov 06, 2024
Wednesday Nov 06, 2024
Freelance writer Amy Weinland Daughters mostly wrote about college football until she decided to try her hand at, in her words, “a hilarious time travel novel.” That novel, You Cannot Mess This Up: A True Story That Never Happened, turned out to be a catharsis, giving her a whole new look at her childhood and her family. It’s gone on to win the Silver Winner for Humor in the 2019 Foreword INDIES and the Overall Winner for Humor/Comedy in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Award.
Amy and I talk about the experience of writing about sports as a woman, what happens when a creative project becomes “real,” the importance of supporting each other’s creative dreams, even if they seem a little crazy, and just how she re-constituted Thanksgiving weekend 1978, and her whole family from an adult point of view, in her book.
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
01:22 Always creative, imaginative childhood eventually inspired writing.
09:27 Support networks vital for achieving difficult careers.
10:42 Creative doubt and imposter syndrome affect identity.
18:23 Creating requires empathy; art preferences are subjective.
21:14 Believe in yourself; push to create magic.
27:52 Unexpectedly transformative journey, beyond initial intentions.
36:41 Book evoked nostalgia, laughter, and personal reflection.
38:59 Embraced younger self, now proud and united.
45:44 Memories change with age and perspective.
52:18 Nostalgic, relatable, thought-provoking, humorously realistic moments.
53:12 Misunderstood as sci-fi; divided reader opinions.
59:29 People share personal childhood stories with Amy.
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.
Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.
Sunday Nov 03, 2024
Sunday Nov 03, 2024
Story lover Lucinda Sage-Midgorden and I met here on Follow Your Curiosity last year. We got together this past week for a short conversation for her Patreon about why you should think about making bad art and embracing anti-perfectionism. What does that mean (and not mean), and how might it change your life? For that matter, how are we defining perfectionism—it’s often not what we expect it to be (as I learned myself when I was training as a Kaizen-Muse coach, to my great shock and, yes, horror!).
Lucinda was kind enough to share the recording of our conversation with me, and I want to share it with you. If you’ve been wondering if my Make Bad Art course is for you, you might find the answer here—for instance: whether you need to be an artist to make bad art, and if there’s a right way to make bad art (spoiler: no, and no). This conversation is short, but you’ll get a lot out of it.
Make Bad Art starts on November 4th (the day after this episode is being released), but it’s not too late to sign up, and we’d love to have you. All the details and signup info are here.
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
01:23 Kaizen-Muse coach helping creatives break perfectionism.
05:43 Realizing hidden perfectionism hinders creative projects.
09:05 Creating bad art frees creativity for good art.
10:54 Next class starts November 4; contact details provided.
14:03 Anti-perfectionism practice: Easier and fun in groups.
18:56 Need to relax and overcome perfectionism daily.
21:51 Join "Make Bad Art" starting November 4th.
Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.
If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
What happens when you make bad art? Sometimes you get really good art by accident! Here's a real-life story of a time when that happened to Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat, and why you should consider Making Bad Art yourself.
Source for this story.
Want to come Make Bad Art of your own, and lose perfectionism and harsh self-judgment in the process? Join us starting November 4, 2024! You don't have to be an artist, and you can't fail at bad art (unless you don't do it at all). I promise!