Follow Your Curiosity: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Creativity.

Crafting Worlds with Mark Morris

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.

 

 

CPT #97: Have Fun

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!

Traveling in Wonder with Autumn Carolynn

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.

 

CPT #96: Follow Your Energy

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!

Stop Holding Yourself Back: Embrace Your Imperfection

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.

CPT #95: (Re)Define Your Creativity

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! 

Lead Your Life in 2025 with Les Watson

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.

 

 

Authenticity and Innovation in Audio Drama with Lisa McMullin and Alfie Shaw

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.

 

CPT #93: Take Care of Yourself

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

You Cannot Mess This Up with Amy Weinland Daughters

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.