• The Clamshell Effect: Why we walk around closed off and how to stay open to your own creative aliveness.
• Jumping into the Fire: Why the sense of discovery is more important than the end result.
• Princess Essex: The true story of a woman who pretended to be a princess just to be seen for a day.
• Creative Oxygen: Why finding what makes you feel human is a necessity, not a luxury.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and theatre.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join us for the Follow Your Curiosity Creativity Circle.

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• The Anatomy of a Panic: How psychiatric "experts" used leading questions and hypnosis to manufacture a crisis.
• The Witness Effect: Why having a safe, non-judgmental witness is the most powerful tool for creative and personal recovery.
• True vs. Not True: The mental struggle of surviving a ward that functioned like a cult.
• Creative Resilience: How Jamie moved from a childhood belief that she wasn't creative to writing a prize-winning memoir.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join us for the Follow Your Curiosity Creativity Circle.

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 theatre, writing, and  Doctor Who.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join us for the Follow Your Curiosity Creativity Circle.

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!

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• The Practicality Trap: Why creative careers are often discouraged and how to push back against the "shoulds."
• The "Emerging" Author: The reality of starting a new creative chapter at 53.
• Finding Your Story: How the right mentors can help you see the patterns in your own life that you’ve been missing.
• Creative Community: Why having each other's backs is the only way to beat the "plotter vs. pantser" politics.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and music.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join us for the Follow Your Curiosity Creativity Circle.

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!

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Have you ever felt like you need a "permission slip" to try a different creative path, even when you’re already "successful" in another? In this episode, I’m talking with award-winning screenwriter Leslie Rasmussen, who spent years in the high-pressure world of comedy writing for iconic television shows like Roseanne, The Drew Carey Show, and Sweet Valley High before pivoting to her true passion: writing novels.

If you are an exhausted perfectionist who feels stuck in a specific professional lane or fears that your creative spark has a deadline, Leslie’s journey from the TV writer's room to the "Wild West" of fiction will show you how to reclaim your own narrative. Most creative advice tells you to pick a lane and stay there or to follow a rigid corporate productivity system. But on this podcast, we believe in messy, joyful creativity for people who are tired of the pressure to perform. We focus on the life force of your work—not just the output.

Episode breakdown:

0:00 Transitioning from TV scripts to fiction
4:15 Growing up creative in Los Angeles
8:30 Breaking into Hollywood as an assistant
12:45 Challenges for women in comedy writing
17:20 The role of mentorship and networking
21:50 Working on ALF and Carol and Company
26:10 How actors help writers find their voice
31:45 The difference between sitcoms and animation
36:30 Outlining vs writing by the seat of your pants
41:15 Working with developmental editors
46:50 The reality of the TV writers room at 2 AM
51:20 From a nutrition business back to storytelling
56:45 The vulnerability of professional book reviews
59:10 Writing about family secrets and sisters
1:00:58 Final advice and closing thoughts

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

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join us for the Follow Your Curiosity Creativity Circle.

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!

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Meg Hamand has had a heart for storytelling since her first poem was published in an anthology in elementary school. Since then, she’s been published in multiple print and online publications, and her debut novel is the award-winning Diamonds in Auschwitz, which simultaneously tells two stories of love, survival, and hope during World War II.

Meg joins me to talk about the challenges of working with dark and difficult topics, such as taking care of yourself and navigating the line between too much and too little for your readers; plotting historical fiction; and how to do historical research.

She also gives us a sneak peek into her next book, which is currently in progress.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 30 Bad Poems in 30 Days; introduction.

04:42 Meg shares why she loves historical fiction and early writing inspiration.

09:03 Meg describes the origins and themes of Diamonds in Auschwitz.

14:00 Discussion of Terezin, visiting Holocaust sites, and historical accuracy.

18:38 Meg explains researching Terezin, children's art, and real accounts.

23:05 Talking about the heaviness of the subject and book’s emotional impact.

27:03 Exploring character contrasts, children’s resilience, and trauma responses.

32:10 Meg outlines her plotting process, changes during writing, and research.

36:35 Importance of Prague’s setting as character, changes during revision.

42:46 Meg details her next book: Post-Revolutionary Charleston and Shakespeare.

47:26 How classic literature influenced new novel structure and motivation.

51:36 Advice for historical research, blending fiction, and traveling to locations.

Join me for 30 Bad Poems in 30 Days!

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.

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My guest today is Safiya Robinson, a storylistener, writer, and explorer of creativity. She is the author of two books and the host of the Writing Black Joy podcast, a space that celebrates the joyful narratives of Black creatives. Her work centers joy, authenticity, and the belief that creativity doesn’t need permission. In addition, she is a keen world traveller who uses her writing to explore her experiences and philosophy on life. Safiya and I talk about our perceptions of creativity, what writing does for us, how AI may be interfering with those benefits (and when it can be very useful), the power of putting your work out there, what we’ve both learned from choral singing, and more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

04:07 Childhood experiences with writing, music, and letter writing.

08:11 Discovering creativity as an adult, redefining what creativity means.

12:13 Leaning into creativity, starting a blog at age 39.

16:23 Making space for creativity and keeping it alive.

20:25 The impact of AI on student creativity and writing.

24:08 Outsourcing creativity to AI and the value of writing.

28:08 AI and the creative process.

32:00 When AI is useful for cover letters but not for art.

36:02 The balance between making creativity accessible and keeping human uniqueness.

40:05 The origins of Writing Black Joy.

44:10 The courage required to share creative work publicly and its impact.

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!

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Louise Jameson is a classically trained actress whose first love is the stage—she spent two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company at the beginning of her career—but she also became known to millions of British television viewers through her roles in such hugely popular television series as Doctor Who, Tenko, Bergerac  and  EastEnders. Her recent theatre credits include Vincent River and directing the UK tour of Revenge. Her audio credits include Doctor Who (Big Finish), writing ATA Girl, about the women of the Air Transport Authority during World War II, and  multiple titles for BBC Audio and Audible.

Louise talks with me about her unusually young start at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and how her training continued at the Royal Shakespeare Company, how her Doctor Who character, Leela of the Sevateem, reflected the feminism of the 1970s (and how she didn’t), how she started writing, and what she thinks of the opportunities for—and representation of—women in film and TV over the years.

If you want to watch this conversation, you can see it here on YouTube!

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

04:00 Louise describes childhood creativity, daydreaming, and reading early.

08:00 Drama school, age gap with classmates, and strict discipline.

12:00 Acting requires teamwork; Louise reflects on early career.

16:00 Louise's Shakespeare passion, favorite roles and performance experiences.

20:00 Louise talks about landing Leela role in Doctor Who.

24:00 Doctor Who impacts life daily; gratitude for lasting connections.

28:00 Leela's feminist traits and costume choices, fighting stereotypes.

32:00 Leela's intelligence and evolution, relationship with other companions.

36:00 Influence of audio plays; Gallifrey series has strong female fandom.

40:00 Louise discusses writing, self-doubt, and encouragement from collaborators.

44:00 Directing stage, teaching drama; regrets and living in the now.

48:00 Shakespeare’s rhythmic influence on Louise’s writing and teaching.

52:00 Conversation shifts to social media, attention economy, and technology.

56:00 Louise analyzes Shakespeare’s poetic technique and its storytelling power.

01:00 Louise explains collective magic of live theater and storytelling.

01:04 Progress and ongoing challenges for women in TV and film.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing, theatre, and Doctor Who.

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!

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Dr. Kelly Flanagan is a clinical psychologist whose writing and speaking have resulted in an appearance on the TODAY Show, as well as features in publications including Reader’s Digest  and Success Magazine. He’s no stranger to Follow Your Curiosity, having been on the show twice before to discuss his first book, Loveable, and his first novel, The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell.

He chose to write his forthcoming non-fiction book with input from his online community, and the result is The Road Less Triggered: Turning Conflict into Connection with a Single Choice, which will be released on March 3.

Kelly talks with me about how he chose to include others in his process and how it influenced the book, why we keep hearing so much about regulating the nervous system, what it means to be open hearted (and how to tell if your heart is closing), and more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction.

04:41 Community input shaped the book’s content and direction.

09:35 Feedback engagement valued more than just positive or negative notes.

14:13 Embracing vulnerability and doubt as growth opportunities in writing.

19:22 Walking and voice recording spark creativity and problem-solving.

24:13 Conversation and real-life application deepened the book’s insights.

29:19 Open-heartedness means accepting reality fully, not being a doormat.

34:46 Noticing and reopening a closed heart is a daily practice.

39:46 Nervous system dysregulation is widespread and fueled by social media.

44:30 Catching body’s early warning signs helps stop defensive behavior.

49:59 We intuitively know open versus closed heart through bodily sensations.

54:38 Creativity requires reconnecting with body wisdom and staying open-hearted.

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 join us for the Follow Your Curiosity Creativity Circle.

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!

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Tony Stewart has made award-winning films for college and universities, written acclaimed software, and now has written his first book. That book, Carrying the Tiger: Living with Cancer, Dying with Grace, Finding Joy while Grieving, tells the story of Tony and his late wife, painter Lynn Kotula, as they navigate her Stage IV cancer diagnosis, treatment, and hospice, and Tony’s journey out of grief. Tony joins me to talk about his original journey from writing to software development, how it felt to return to writing via CaringBridge after Lynn’s diagnosis, the process of writing Carrying the Tiger, the nature of grief, and more. 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Intro
02:12 Introducing Tony Stewart
03:02 Creative Childhood Experiences
08:02 Shakespeare in the Park
11:34 Understanding Filmmaking Client Needs
17:48 Complex Problems Beyond Machine Solutions
19:15 Joy of Reading Book Reviews
24:58 Returning to Writing
26:39 The Beginning of the Book
29:29 Writing Addiction and Motivation
32:40 Overview of the Book
34:00 Writing in Present Tense
38:38 Memoir as Thriller
41:31 Structuring the Book
42:24 Tony's Memories and Reflections
45:51 Creating Realistic Characters
48:27 Exploring Grief
52:04 Anticipatory Grief
56:58 Individuality of Grief Experiences

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!

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Nev Fountain is an award-winning writer, chiefly known for his work on the BBC sketch show Dead Ringers in both TV and radio incarnations. He has also contributed to many other programs, including Have I Got News for You and Newzoids. He is a principal gag writer for satirical magazine Private Eye and contributes to every issue.

He first came to write for Doctor Who when he script-edited the BBC online story "Death Comes to Time" in 2001, and has gone on to write some of Big Finish’s most popular audios, including "The Kingmaker" and "Peri and the Piscon Paradox." His books include The Mervyn Stone Mysteries, The Fan Who Knew too Much, and its sequel, Lies and Dolls, which was released in July.

Nev talks with me about how he got his start writing radio comedy, the challenges of writing comedy even about very serious events, writing for various forms and media, leaving room to be surprised as you’re writing, and more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

04:02 Teachers encouraged Nev; family humor shaped his view.

08:21 Comedy influences: The Young Ones, Blackadder, Hitchhiker’s Guide.

12:27 Breaking into radio comedy.

16:03 Playwriting taught Nev what makes audiences laugh—live.

20:22 Writing comedy about tragic events; satire offers relief and perspective.

24:23 Dead Ringers’ hiatus, revival, and Jon Culshaw’s Tom Baker calls.

28:47 Sketches with Ozzy Osbourne, behind-the-scenes stories from TV comedy.

33:46 Nev’s serendipitous first Doctor Who project, "Death Comes to Time."

39:23 The process and impact of "Death Comes to Time" explained.

46:31 Challenges and expectations of writing “big” stories in franchises.

52:18 Emphasizing medium-specific storytelling; novels, radio, TV all differ.

58:14 Enjoying creative surprises; writing unfolds beyond outlines or plans.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing, theatre, and Doctor Who.

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Check out the full show notes--with videos of Nev's work and links to his books—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’re tired of waiting for “someday”—which is NOT a day of the week—to get unstuck and step toward your creative dream, we should talk. 

Writer, teacher, and humanitarian aid worker Alex Poppe joined me last year to talk about her journey from acting to teaching to writing, and how her experiences abroad influenced her journey. She returns to the show today to talk about her new memoir, Breakfast Wine, which chronicles her time teaching in Iraq. We also talk about what we each learned from living abroad at different ages and for different amounts of time, the special magic of teaching teens and young adults, and the way the arts teach us empathy and are a uniquely human way to give life meaning. Alex, who worked for USAID, also gives us a glimpse of the power of humanitarian aid around the world.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

04:18 Teaching international students changes perceptions about other cultures.

08:16 Political divisions and cultural nuances within Iraq explained.

12:26 Americans are insulated from ongoing events in Iraq.

16:09 Motivations for living abroad differ by age and situation.

20:47 Financial reasons and curiosity drive educators to work overseas.

24:39 The emotional impact of teaching youth in conflict regions.

28:14 Teachers and students mutually influence each other's lives deeply.

32:34 Adjusting to working with USAID and NGO environments.

36:00 Culture shock of returning to the US after years abroad.

40:26 Living abroad changes your outlook and maturity in many ways.

44:11 Encountering anti-American sentiment versus curiosity abroad.

48:09 The arts foster empathy and human connection in society.

52:28 Creative collaboration and failing exuberantly in brainstorming sessions.

56:01 The writing process of Breakfast Wine was messy and surprising.

01:03:34 Personal journey revealed through the writing process.

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

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Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

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If you’ve been tearing up when you encounter other people’s art because you’ve lost touch with your own, we should talk.

Since her first published novel, Time of the Dark, in 1982, Barbara Hambly has touched most of the bases in genre fiction, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, media tie-ins, graphic novels, screenplays, murder mysteries, and Saturday morning cartoons. Her work has been nominated for numerous Locus Awards, and her novel Those Who Hunt the Night won for Best Horror Novel in 1989. She’s also an avid martial artist. Barbara joins me to talk about marital arts and how they influence her writing, how she plots her work, the joys of research, trying to choose her favorite genre, and more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction.

04:20 Learning new skills for writing adventure stories: research hands-on.

08:37 Creativity exists beyond making a living; people pursue passions.

12:21 Encouragement versus discouragement shapes creative confidence in childhood.

16:27 Teased for writing fanfic, Hambly stopped sharing at school.

20:59 Martial arts experience improves fight scenes and knowledge in writing.

24:13 Hands-on weapon training reveals challenges for historical accuracy.

28:37 Martial arts philosophy influences character development and approach to life.

32:08 Aikido teaches problem-solving—step aside from incoming challenges.

36:27 Hambly outlines her novels; prefers clear goals in stories.

40:08 Timelining and detailed research ensure realistic historical fiction.

44:53 Exploring world-building, food, and logistics in fantasy and sci-fi.

48:22 Hambly’s favorite projects: historical fiction, fantasy, and vampire series.

52:02 Writing across genres, balancing commercial market and creative joy.

55:24 Hambly’s creative journey spans genres, driven by passion.

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

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Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

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If you’ve been tearing up when you encounter other people’s art because you’ve lost touch with your own, we should talk.

Every year at Thanksgiving and Christmas, I offer up my favorite episodes of the year. This year's Thanksgiving selection is my conversation with force of nature Lizzie Hopley. Enjoy!

(Original release date: July 16, 2025)

—

Actress and writer Lizzie Hopley was born in Liverpool and trained at RADA. As an
actress, she has worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Globe Theatre and recent screen work includes Black Doves and upcoming feature film Fackham Hall. As a writer, her radio sitcom Green won Pozzitive TV’s Funny Dot Comp 2021 and TV series Bloody Betty is currently in development. She has written and appeared in over 90 Big Finish audio adventures including Dark Shadows and Doctor Who, and her Doctor Who audio play The Curse of Lady Macbeth won the 2022 Scribe Award.

Lizzie joins me to talk about how her childhood love of writing and acting became a vocation, auditioning for RADA—twice—and how she ended up continuing to write even as a drama student, how learning to think of acting and writing as having a target changed her work, and a whole lot more.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Lizzie Hopley shares her creative childhood and love for books.
04:56 Acting out movie scenes alone sparked early passion for performance.
08:45 Family encouraged storytelling, costumes, and imagination at home.
13:11 Difficulties pursuing creative careers; importance of following passion.
17:33 University and RADA experiences shaped her acting and writing path.
22:24 Writing plays began due to lack of desired acting roles.
27:29 Rewriting and feedback are crucial for improving both crafts.
32:54 Learning to target audience while writing; acting versus writing focus.
37:22 Acting training emphasizes focusing on scene partner, not yourself.
43:48 Importance of editors and learning to kill your darlings.
48:21 Confidence and caring less about others’ opinions increases with age.
53:07 Acting and writing overlap at Big Finish; playing her own roles.
57:16 Big Finish’s community impact, creative freedom, and professional development.
01:02:18 Target books and early Doctor Who fandom as creative inspiration.
01:07:04 Embrace varied interests; open doors for yourself in creativity.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing, theatre, and Doctor Who.

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

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’ve been tearing up when you encounter other people’s art because you’ve lost touch with your own, we should talk.

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!

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Amy L. Bernstein is a multi-genre novelist, award-winning journalist, speechwriter,
playwright, poet, and nonfiction book coach. Her new book is Wrangling the Doubt
Monster: Fighting Fears, Finding Inspiration. Amy teaches a variety of writing workshops and is a frequent guest on podcasts to discuss writing, publishing, and creativity. Amy joins me to talk about the difference between writing for hire and writing for yourself, the pros and cons of MFA programs, how deadlines can work for or against us, the universality of self-doubt and how it keeps us stuck, and a lot more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:14 Creative childhood and family influence.

02:14 Societal expectations and practicality pressures.

06:13 Navigating challenging career paths and personal fulfillment.

09:44 Shift from writing for others to personal projects.

14:25 Distinction between work and personal writing.

18:29 Importance of passion and creative drive.

21:37 Challenges of balancing work and creative pursuits.

25:43 Creativity hindered by productivity culture.

26:58 Thinking as part of the creative process.

31:09 Using local settings in novels and plays.

33:03 Introduction to Wrangling the Doubt Monster.

36:17 Universal nature of self-doubt in creativity.

44:06 Utilizing deadlines in different contexts.

48:39 Self-criticism and perfectionism in creativity.

50:55 The impact of upbringing on creative work.

54:35 Amy’s current projects and book coaching.

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!

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Amber Petty helps creatives get bylines and build audiences. She's written for the New York Times, Parade, Bustle, and others, and her clients have been published in outlets like the New Yorker, Washington Post, New York Times and many more. Amber talks with me about how she moved from teaching singing to teaching freelancing, how easy it is to downplay our accomplishments when we really should give ourselves credit for them, how to take feedback, and more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction.

01:56 Losing job led to full-time freelancing and shift in focus.

03:45 Pandemic inspired helping performers explore alternative side gigs.

05:06 Initial workshop success revealed a real demand for guidance.

06:42 Freelance writing felt more natural and sustainable than voice lessons.

08:32 Previous failures provided valuable lessons for current business success.

11:03 Business doesn’t have to feel hard to be worthwhile.

12:43 Take the easy path—hard enough already for perfectionists.

14:18 Writing doesn’t always need to be grueling or tortured.

15:58 Feedback is easier when you’re getting paid as a freelancer.

18:26 Editors focus on fitting articles, not judging your talent.

22:33 Read editorial feedback in a friendly, not critical, voice.

24:09 Creatives often undervalue or dismiss their legitimate achievements.

28:39 Small victories matter—acknowledge courage to pitch and publish.

33:48 Freelancing provided more satisfaction and momentum than acting.

36:57 Diverse backgrounds enrich your approach to writing and teaching.

40:33 Theater and improv help with webinars, workshops, and engagement.

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

If you’ve been tearing up when you encounter other people’s art because you’ve lost touch with your own, we should talk.

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!

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My guest today is Josh Mendoza, an award-winning filmmaker known for his post-apocalyptic feature film, What Still Remains. His debut novel, Shadow of the Eternal Watcher, which combines sci-if and film noir, was released in January. Josh joins me to talk about his start in creative writing and his move into film, the similarities and differences in writing fiction and film, the necessity of learning through failure, the democratization of creative pursuits like filmmaking, and more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

04:42 Family support fuels persistence in creative pursuits.

08:51 Emphasizing positivity over negativity in sharing creative feedback.

13:40 Unexpected audience reactions highlight creators' limited control.

16:25 Importance of not focusing on negative reviews or criticism.

20:14 Film structure rules help shape and tighten storytelling in novels.

24:05 Editing and trimming elevate both novels and screenplays significantly.

28:14 Books become lasting physical achievements compared to shelved scripts.

32:07 Movie-making demands flexibility and compromise with real-world constraints.

36:02 Intellectual property’s role in getting projects greenlighted discussed.

39:56 Technology enables democratization, but creates challenges in standing out.

44:02 Bad creative work is necessary learning for improved future art.

48:13 Letting characters shape the story often leads to authenticity.

52:10 Duster Raines, Josh's protagonist, is both flawed and compelling.

55:38 Genre mashups and series building.

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

If you’ve been tearing up when you encounter other people’s art because you’ve lost touch with your own, we should talk.

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

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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.

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Jennae Cecelia is a best-selling author and poet known for her poetry books, Uncaged Wallflower, The Sun Will Rise and So Will We, and Healing for No One But Me. Her mission as an author is to comfort and encourage people. In addition to writing, she is focused on helping other authors learn how to successfully put their writing out into the world. Jennae joins me to talk about how she got her start with poetry, including her family’s reaction to the idea of poetry as a career; the unexpected experience of having a viral self-published poetry book; how she helps other authors master the art of self-publishing; what it’s like writing custom poetry for others, and more.

Original release date: February 26, 2025

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction
01:10 Jennae discusses her childhood imagination and family influences
03:55 Role models and seeing creativity as a realistic pursuit
05:16 Leaning into creativity after early publishing success
08:07 Family reactions to pursuing poetry as a career
10:49 Reflecting on misconceptions about job security and risks
13:39 Jennae's self-publishing strategies and viral book success
16:56 Building momentum with multiple books and Amazon rankings
20:36 The importance of poetry in paperback form
22:38 Impacts of viral success on her perspective and career
26:14 Jennae's writing process, journey from simplicity to detail
30:07 Finding readers through specificity in poetry
33:00 Advice for authors and importance of perseverance
37:34 Managing perfectionism in writing and publishing
40:49 Custom poetry projects and their meaningful connections
45:56 Emotional experiences writing for others, from weddings to memorials
49:12 Deciding to traditionally publish for broader reach and goals
55:09 Reflecting on the challenges and anticipation of traditional publishing

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.

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Because of the way the December holidays fall this year, I'm doing two Listen Again episodes this month, with two favorite episodes from this year. I hope you'll enjoy this interview with children's author and higher ed fundraiser Robert Constant, whether you're revisiting it or hearing it for the first time.

Original release date: January 15, 2025

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Robert Constant works in higher education fundraising by day, but his side passion is writing children’s books. He is the published author of two children’s books, Hey Tuskegee! and Hello Grandma!, both of which have spent time on Amazon’s bestsellers lists for their category. Robert talks with me about how your creative dream may change your life—and it may change someone else’s, too; that you don’t have enough energy because you’re not doing your creativity, not the other way around; and the fact that it has never been easier for most people to follow their creative dreams than it is right now.

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 Introduction

01:18 Dreaming of creating, jazz club inspiration.

09:56 University licensed book for bookstore sale.

14:19 Inspiring Tuskegee history: educate, inspire, acknowledge excellence.

17:27 Positive Tuskegee spirit highlighted through historic pride.

24:25 Writing a book changed my life positively.

31:40 Experiencing book signing events feels surreal.

33:39 Signed a book for an appreciative fan.

38:39 The singular experience of seeing your book for the first time.

46:06 City buzz inspires thoughts on future books.

51:13 Fight for self-control and personal ownership.

56:02 The value of finding the way that works for you.

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!

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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.

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Hi, everyone! I've been traveling, so I'm re-upping what's probably my favorite interview of all time (which is saying a LOT). It's a conversation I think a lot of us probably need right now. If you haven't heard it before, you're in for a treat. If you've heard it before, I promise it's worth a second listen. Either way, enjoy!

Original release date: January 31, 2024

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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.

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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!

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Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in Doctor Who and writing.

I recently had a chance to get a very different perspective on something I dearly love doing—by not doing it. I thought it would be torture. I was wrong. I tell you what I discovered in this short episode.

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

My Make Bad Art course starts on November 4! Are you tired of contorting yourself to meet others’ expectations? Do you want to remember your own wild, imperfect self? And reclaim your curious, adventurous, creative genius inner kid?

Make Bad Art is the anti-MBA, a safe place to come unlearn all those things you're taught you have to have as an "adult" (stress, perfection, conformity) so you can reclaim the inner wild, curious, creative kid who's always been inside you--the one who knows how to play, invent, have fun, and live with abandon and joy. It's a playground for the liberation of your inner artist AND your authentic self, and the effects will go beyond the class container.

Check out all the details at https://fyc.quest/MBA

I hope you'll join us!

My guest this week is Dr. David Weill, the former director of the Center for Advanced Lung Disease and Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant Program at Stanford University Medical Center. He’s currently the principal of the Weill Consulting Group, which focuses on improving the delivery of pulmonary, ICU, and transplant care. He’s also the author of the new novel, All That Really Matters, which follows his memoir, Exhale: Hope, Healing, and a Life in Transplant. David talks with me about how he made the shift from surgery into writing, how healthcare workers have historically been encouraged to deny the emotional reality of their work as a defense mechanism, and how that is finally shifting; the harsh and sometimes cruel realities of the transplant world; how fiction allows greater latitude in telling the truth about those realities; why transplant patients often like to go sky diving after their surgeries; and more.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:31 Transplant professional documented experiences, produced two books.

05:19 Hid emotions in career, later embraced vulnerability.

06:53 Health care work strains minds, career change needed.

12:14 Interesting emotional arc, unwise career decision impacts protagonist.

16:51 Medicine's learning curve: years of motivating terror.

18:01 Mentor's patient admiration influenced his demeanor.

22:32 Some should leave jobs earlier, unlike most.

26:47 Healthcare struggles balancing patient care and profitability.

29:34 Moral injury from value misalignment in healthcare.

31:57 Left clinical role; now consulting for solutions.

36:49 Saving young lives is my most memorable work.

40:27 Enjoyed writing fiction; eager to continue exploring.

42:31 Organ allocation ethics and financial incentives examined.

45:40 Talented, flawed protagonist falls and redeems self.

50:55 Next book explores questions of identity.

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!

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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!

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My guest this week is Simon Guerrier, a writer and producer who has written numerous books related to Doctor Who, produced five documentaries for BBC radio, and more than 70 audio plays for Big Finish Productions, as well as comics and short stories. He also chairs the Books Committee for the Writers' Guild of Great Britain. Simon talks with me about how he got his start in writing and producing—including just what a producer does—the value of negotiating arrangements that work in everyone’s best interest, the impact of new tools like ChatGPT on creative careers and the creative process, his new book about television pioneer David Whitaker, and more. 

Read this week's article, on what Ella Fitzgerald can teach us on rolling with what life hands us, here.

Want to Reignite Your Creative Spark? Contact me here.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

08:07 Simon arrived at university alone, connected with English tutor, talked sci-fi.

13:37 Received unexpected validation, leading to pursuing Doctor Who novel submission.

19:18 Advert to management led to diverse projects.

24:36 Producers oversee production, manage money, and ensure payments.

28:44 Beryl Vertue valued fair, lasting relationships over winning in negotiation.

37:09 AI has many uses, but may miss the point of creativity.

43:45 Negative atmosphere on Twitter overwhelms real conversations and connections.

49:49 Connecting with people on Twitter leads to opportunities and potential.

51:14 Choosing joy and creativity over anger and self-doubt.

01:00:41 Teaching and learning through doing and mentoring entry-level positions.

01:05:28 Fascination with AI in science fiction and cautionary tales.

01:08:25 Following the threads of the freelance life.

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—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.

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My guest this week is Steve Cole, a bestselling children’s author of more than 200 books.  Those books cover many styles and children’s genres, with titles including the Astrosaurs and Young Bond ranges, Go to Sleep or I Let Loose the Leopard, and most recently, Drowning in my Bedroom. Steve is also the creative consultant for BBC Books' Doctor Who list, as well as project editing and writing titles. Steve and I talk about how TV influenced him as a child, beginning his career in editing, how he moved into writing—and how his editing background influences his writing—and more.

Read this week's post, The World is Your Creative Fuel, here.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:56 Creative child, loved words, invented imaginative worlds.

05:24 Teacher encouraged imaginative storytelling.

07:39 Writing became unexpected career path.

10:43 Fascination with Incredible Hulk, from production to details.

15:05 Influential writer Enid Blyton's office and typewriter.

16:59 Published short poems on aliens in space.

22:35 Manage 22 novels, videos, audios, and more for BBC Doctor Who range.

25:18 Transitioned from editing to writing children's books.

29:53 Managing editor at Ladybird, facing challenges.

32:13 Writing books on various popular children's shows.

36:48 Pitch: "Star Trek with dinosaurs. Instant publisher interest."

40:21 Authors be clever, editors be wise.

41:57 Juggling edits for US and UK publishers.

47:38 Doctor Who authors now pursue other endeavors.

50:06 Editing for renowned authors was thrilling and intimidating.

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!

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Judith Turner-Yamamoto, an award-winning author hailing from a mill town in rural North Carolina, began her writing journey as an art historian, learning to appraise and describe what moved her. Her debut novel LOVING THE DEAD AND GONE, a Mariel Hemingway Book Club pick, is the 2023 Independent Publisher Book Awards Gold Medalist in Southern Regional Fiction and was shortlisted for the 2023 Eric Hoffer Book Awards Grand Prize and awarded an honorable mention in General Fiction. Her writing assignments have taken her all over the world and include interviews with luminaries such as Frank Gehry, Annie Leibovitz, Marcel Wanders, and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Judith talks with me about the importance of deciding who to listen to, how nothing is ever wasted, how revisiting your work over a period of decades brings new perspective to it, and more—we may even have figured out why some people are predisposed to be plotters and some fly by the seat of their pants. There’s a lot of wisdom here for writers in particular, but it certainly applies in other fields as well. 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

04:10 Library books became salvation in my youth.

09:07 Analyzing art criticism and photography exhibition experiences.

10:48 Curated exhibitions, managed processes, positioned for director.

14:08 Psychic's advice led to successful PR career.

20:09 Structured writing involves quoting experts, evoking places.

23:03 Discovery: Plotters focus on plot, pantsers on journey.

25:35 Friend writes crime mystery, minimal world-building, character depth.

30:12 Patience in revising manuscript based on feedback.

33:12 New York Times: essential for writing inspiration.

35:23 Grieving and death shape personal and literary journey.

38:38 Reading challenge due to overthinking and editing.

43:10 Being selective and positive to avoid negativity.

44:49 Editor resists removing crucial elements from book.

47:50 Endure publishing industry rejection, stay true. Successful.

50:34 Praise for a book with unresolved plot.

55:14 Striving for perfection in book pitching process.

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!

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Journalist Warren Berger, who has written for publications such as the New York Times, Wired magazine, and Fast Company, has a question for you. In fact, he has a lot. He’s literally written the book on questions (three of them, to be exact), and recently updated his book, A MORE BEAUTIFUL QUESTION, for its tenth anniversary. Warren joins me to talk about why questions are important—even more important than answers. We get into why kids stop asking questions, just what a “beautiful” question is, how Google and AI have changed the way we question, why questions are better than advice, and more. And Warren has some suggestions for those who want to start asking better questions, too.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:46 Writing: A childhood passion turned career path.

05:44 Practical, disciplined approach crucial for successful freelancing.

06:57 Deepening exploration of subjects beyond magazine articles.

13:05 Questioning basics often overlooked, yet fundamentally important.

15:53 Improving questioning skills can transform your life.

17:22 Asking questions builds rapport and connection.

21:02 Innovators' creativity driven by self-questioning and curiosity.

25:20 Kids fear peer pressure, appearing foolish, uncool.

29:58 Questions guide, empower and inspire personal insight.

34:00 Pandemic prompted questioning, AI raises similar queries.

35:48 Questioning is crucial in navigating AI and information overload.

39:09 Questioning and learning, information at our fingertips.

43:58 Beautiful questions have no definite answer; valuable.

45:31 Unanswered questions spark innovation and drive motivation.

51:29 Devaluing expertise and importance of questioning.

53:53 Importance of fairness in critical thinking process.

57:09 Explore and act on meaningful questions together.

58:58 Check out the book's fun website too.

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!

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I've been under the weather, so here's an interview worth revisiting. I'll be back next time with a brand-new conversation!

Author Rahna Reiko Rizzuto wrote the way many of us do as a child and teen, but didn’t truly turn to writing until she discovered, at the age of 30, that her Japanese-American mother, and her family, had been stripped of everything and put in an internment camp during World War II. The book she produced in her quest to understand these events, Why She Left Us, won the National Book Award. Her two subsequent books, Hiroshima in the Morning and Shadow Child, continue to explore themes of war, race, and historical blindness. Reiko also teaches writing; we met when she became my first faculty advisor in the Goddard College MFA program in 2007. We talk about Reiko’s start as a writer, including that pivotal discovery and the quest to learn more, her time in Japan just before and after 9/11 as she sought to learn from survivors of the Hiroshima bombing—and how 9/11 changed their willingness to speak—and how she taught herself to write and teaches her students those same techniques.

Episode breakdown:

[00:00:00] Introduction

[00:02:45] Family of writers encouraged reading, faced criticism.

[00:10:50] Multiracial Hawaiian culture with loose boundaries.

[00:15:19] Uncovering the family's history in the Japanese internment.

[00:23:33] Discovering the art of crafting a book.

[00:28:33] Learning from students' questions.

[00:37:37] Writing to convey human consequences of historical events.

[00:40:32] Nonfiction book about survivors of atomic bomb.

[00:48:58] Passion for teaching and nurturing writers' stories.

[00:56:07] Best job, supportive colleagues, successful publication.

[01:03:09] Caregiving, love, loss, hoarding: a personal journey.

[01:06:48] Open the portal, practice showing up.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about how discovering a part of your history changed you.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Threads and BlueSky!

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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.

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.

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.

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On January 3, 2019, I took a huge leap and launched the Follow Your Curiosity podcast. Five years later, to no one’s amazement as much as mine, I’m still going strong. I wanted to look back at what I’ve learned since 2019, so I asked my friend Domenic Sciortino, who interviewed me back then, to come back and do it again. Together, we look at how the show got started, what initially gave me the idea for a podcast, what curiosity is, who my “dream guest” might be, why you should start where you are, and more. 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Amazed by 5-year podcast journey, started spontaneously.

06:34 Audio editing discovery: listen while doing tasks.

08:19 Podcasting with a full-time job.

12:41 To run ads, or not to run ads?

15:37 Curiosity is asking questions, being connected, wanting to know more.

19:51 Prepare questions but have a natural conversation.

20:56 Explore unexpected places in conversation, be flexible.

27:02 Embracing uncertainty.

29:36 Sometimes things just fall into place.

32:13 Go-to interview example of the podcast.

36:33 Emphasis on untold stories, expanding podcast.

38:02 Creating 1 on 1 program to reconnect creatively.

42:21 How a story about Sam Neill led to the podcast idea.

45:04 Choosing authenticity over conforming to others' expectations.

47:44 Overcoming doubts, starting small leads to success.

I really would love to hear from you! The easiest way is to connect on Substack, but you can also drop me a note here, or on Instagram, Twitter, or BlueSky.

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 leap to try something new.

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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.

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Serial podcaster Jesse Jackson hosts shows on topics from Doctor Who to Babylon 5 to John Hiatt to Bruce Springsteen. I met Jesse when I appeared on his show, Set Lusting Bruce, where instead of Springsteen, I talked about my deep affection for the Norwegian band a-Ha. I wanted to hear about Jesse’s creative adventures in both fandom and podcasting, and we talk about why you should stop thinking about trying something new and just do it, what we’ve learned from our podcast experiences, and why everyone has a story that deserves to be heard. And there might be a little dishing about Doctor Who in the mix, too.

Episode breakdown:

06:54 Reading as a safe place, friendship, discovery, transition to e-books.
14:07 Nostalgia for old Doctor Who novel experiences.
16:07 All access streaming vs. the element of surprise.
24:39 Jesse’s podcast explores music and creativity, over 1000 episodes.
26:23 Embrace starting something new, let it unfold.
32:51 Prepping podcast guests.
38:21 2015 film "Springsteen and I" inspired Jesse’s podcast.
44:00 Jesse encourages listeners to hear Sarah Gregory’s story.
51:27 Ups and downs of responding to feedback.
57:14 Trying new things is okay, even if difficult.
01:01:28 Follow your own creative voice, seek feedback.
01:08:25 Podcasting Doctor Who.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us how about a time when starting a new creative endeavor made a difference in your life.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in music and Doctor Who.

Gary Russell has done a bit of everything in media, from acting when he was young to writing fanzines to writing for Doctor Who Magazine to working for the BBC to co-founding Big Finish Productions, which produces a variety of audio dramas for various TV series including Doctor Who, The Prisoner, Dark Shadows, and more. Gary and I talk about his journey from one opportunity to the next as a “professional fan,” including how he’s made the decision both to take and to leave various positions, why he’s always run his life on instinct, and why he thinks it’s absolutely vital to be able to admit when you don’t know what you’re doing (even when it means baptism by fire), the value of freelancing—why he wouldn’t have it any other way—and a lot more. I really think you’ll get a lot out of my conversation with Gary Russell, even if you’ve never seen an episode of Doctor Who. 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Early desire to be a stuntman leads to acting classes/jobs.
08:56 Other kids at school unimpressed by acting jobsl.
11:35 Switching out of acting.
20:34 People are conditioned not to admit ignorance.
26:28 Recognizing natural endings and embracing them rather than holding on too long.
29:40 Facing uncertainty.
33:30 Embrace new experiences, live a fulfilling life.
36:12 Doctor Who fanzines/freelancing lead to running Doctor Who Magazine.
46:23 Input from others shaped Gary’s core philosophy.
50:14 Warriors of the Deep: Script is good, but the execution is fatally flawed.
58:15 Ignore negativity, focus on what's important.
01:04:28 The birth of Big Finish Productions.
01:14:32 Moving to the BBC to work on Doctor Who.
01:23:37 Pension provides security, but Gary will never stop working.
01:27:24 Advice for anyone interested in freelancing.

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 leap of faith. 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 Doctor Who.

Marc Kaye calls himself a “restless creative”—a musician, writer, and comedian who loves to tell stories and make people laugh. He also, through his company, VitalConex, uses those skills to help develop the vital connections needed for focused, united teams and creative problem solving. Marc tells me how—and why—he took the leap into stand-up, how his comedy and his writing skills have influenced each other, and how he takes both of those, and his business partner’s therapy background, and creates programs to help teams create a sense of psychological safety that lets them do difficult work from a place of greater unity.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Childhood creativity shapes lifelong passion for creation.
05:37 Piano, writing, science, marketing, stand-up comedy.
07:49 Email to Gary Goldman about Last Comic Standing.
11:48 Got hooked on comedy, performed sporadically. Kids grew.
15:32 Song critique circle provides valuable but diverse feedback.
18:26 Improving character portrayal in writing and comedy.
21:41 An exercise in making unexpected connections.
23:45 Comedy, improv, and creativity in storytelling.
27:23 Adults miss suspending belief in harmless ways.
31:03 Comedy clubs are a past entertainment trend.
34:24 Challenges with DEI initiatives and team building.
36:42 Avoiding the “consultant” label
40:33 Using humor to build real interpersonal connections.
43:12 Identifying strengths and weaknesses through team activity.
46:24 Human experience involves shared emotions and perspectives.
52:26 Humor is crucial in navigating change.
54:38 Finding humor in life is a superpower.

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 humor made something easier for you. 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 writing and theatre.

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.

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As you may know, every year I offer two episode replays over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. These are always two of my favorite interviews from the year—conversations that stuck with me and are worth a second listen (though, in honesty, they're all worth a second listen!).

This year, Thanksgiving in the US falls on November 23, 2023—60 years to the day since the premiere of Doctor Who. What could be more fitting, then, than to revisit my conversation with Peter Davison, who played the Fifth Doctor and brought us one of the most beloved Doctor Who anniversary specials of all time ten years ago? 

I hope you enjoy the episode!

***

I’m absolutely thrilled to be talking this week with actor Peter Davison, star of All Creatures Great and Small, Doctor Who, At Home with the Braithwaites, West End musicals like Spamalot and Gypsy, and much more. He’s also the author of a delightful memoir, Is There Life Outside the Box: An Actor Despairs, and Doctor Who fans also know him as the creator of the 50th anniversary special, The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot. Peter talks with me about many of those things, plus how he came to write his book, the "rise of the nerds," and more. 

Episode breakdown:

00:01:10 Childhood creativity, music, becoming an actor.

00:10:08 Taking on Doctor Who, and being unsure how to approach the character.

00:17:03 Doctor Who, and playing unpleasant characters well.

00:24:54 All Creatures Great and Small and the lessons learned from Robert Hardy.

00:35:18 Actors fear of being replaced, and the difference between US and UK actors.

00:42:13 Acting as the best job.

00:50:28 Writing his memoir.

00:55:34 The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.

01:03:07 Doctor Who fandom and the "rise of the nerd."

Please leave a review and in it, tell us your favorite Doctor Who experience or memory.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in theatre and Doctor Who.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com (I have some really cool extras over there for you!)and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Director, animator, and author Kevin Jon Davies grew up enthralled by Doctor Who and Spike Milligan’s The Goon Show. When he discovered the original Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy radio show, it seemed like the best of both worlds. Before long, he was doing animation for the TV series. Kevin tells me how he got into animation, how he moved from animation into directing—including directing 30th anniversary documentaries for both Doctor Who and Hitchhiker’s in the same year—and all about the process of writing his new book, 42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams. 

Episode breakdown:

[00:07:22] Learning to direct through osmosis on set. Enjoyed being with others in live action. Lucky breaks in animation and directing.

[00:14:58] Early Doctor Who, Spike Milligan's comedy influence.

[00:17:53] Douglas Adams: famous for procrastinating.

[00:24:42] Making 30 Years in the TARDIS.

[00:28:48] The BBC's unfortunate habit of throwing things away.

[00:32:32] The Alchemists of Sound documentary and unsung genius Delia Derbyshire.

[00:39:20] Complex copyright issues for BBC staff artists.

[00:43:06] Following in Douglas Adams's footsteps while researching the new book.

[00:50:31] Adams's an increasing interest in science toward the end of his life.

[00:55:48] Last Chance to See.

[01:03:02] Adams's untimely death, and the continued celebration of his work.

[01:08:05] Readers' sense of connection with Adams's work.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us how a childhood influence has stuck with you.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing and Doctor Who.

Romana Hasenöhrl has traveled all over the world and is the author of several books, including two novels, the second of which is currently in progress. She also coaches writers, who call her "Romana Rocks," and is an astrologer. Romana joins me to talk about how travel has influenced her writing process and her creativity, how astrology is a useful tool to see ourselves in a new light (and to see our characters more completely, too), the biggest advice she gives anyone starting a writing project, and more.

Episode breakdown:

[00:04:57] An early story on airline differences was rejected.

[00:09:07] Driving a cab in Austria was lucrative, allowing for travel in Europe while studying at university.

[00:10:16] Exhausted, slowed studies, friends stayed, finishing lost work.

[00:16:18] Discovering email in 1989, a transformative experience.

[00:19:43] Passionate traveler explores multiple countries and cultures.

[00:22:04] Exciting solo travel led to successful business.

[00:29:07] Travel blog shared with unexpected success.

[00:32:03] "Long first novel gets condensed, spawns sequel."

[00:40:10] Astrology and tarot reveal hidden truths.

[00:47:49] Book writing is a soulful, pressure-filled task.

[00:50:40] Halfway through book, friend questioned astrology academy.

[00:55:58] Writers respect each other's ideas, collaborate respectfully.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about how travel has influenced your creative process.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Threads and BlueSky!

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My guest today is Hilary Hattenbach, a freelance writer based in LA. Hilary majored in magazine journalism but ended up working in entertainment marketing for studios like Disney and 20th Century Fox before a chance meeting in a bakery led her to do-author The Kitchen Decoded Cookbook. Hilary tells me about that meeting and the cookbook that resulted, why being in an “artistic adjacent” field didn’t work for her, and how she began working as a freelance writer instead. She also has some great insight and advice into how working with editors as a freelancer really works—some of which might surprise you—and the pros and cons of writing for others vs. writing on your own platform, like Substack.

Episode breakdown:

[00:08:10] Storyteller at heart, not traditional career writer.
[00:13:03] Family death prompted job switch.
[00:18:03] Consulting, marketing, and a surprise cookbook
[00:23:50] Agent vanished; publisher wants book decision.
[00:26:34] Be transparent about money in publishing; people often think authors make (much) more than they do.
[00:35:00] The discomfort of uncertainty hinders our progress.
[00:43:04] Questioning assumptions, discovering new possibilities, embracing change.
[00:49:56] Writing workshops and mentor leads to publishing as a freelancer.
[00:53:08] Essay collection explores impact of friendships with older adults.
[01:01:16] Old Hollywood and a piece on the retirement home for actors and industry insiders.
[01:04:15] Interviews cut, piece rewritten by someone else.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Threads and BlueSky!

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about how a surprise connection changed your life.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing.

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Author Rahna Reiko Rizzuto wrote the way many of us do as a child and teen, but didn’t truly turn to writing until she discovered, at the age of 30, that her Japanese-American mother, and her family, had been stripped of everything and put in an internment camp during World War II. The book she produced in her quest to understand these events, Why She Left Us, won the National Book Award. Her two subsequent books, Hiroshima in the Morning and Shadow Child, continue to explore themes of war, race, and historical blindness. Reiko also teaches writing; we met when she became my first faculty advisor in the Goddard College MFA program in 2007. We talk about Reiko’s start as a writer, including that pivotal discovery and the quest to learn more, her time in Japan just before and after 9/11 as she sought to learn from survivors of the Hiroshima bombing—and how 9/11 changed their willingness to speak—and how she taught herself to write and teaches her students those same techniques.

Episode breakdown:

[00:02:45] Family of writers encouraged reading, faced criticism.

[00:10:50] Multiracial Hawaiian culture with loose boundaries.

[00:15:19] Uncovering the family's history in the Japanese internment.

[00:23:33] Discovering the art of crafting a book.

[00:28:33] Learning from students' questions.

[00:37:37] Writing to convey human consequences of historical events.

[00:40:32] Nonfiction book about survivors of atomic bomb.

[00:48:58] Passion for teaching and nurturing writers' stories.

[00:56:07] Best job, supportive colleagues, successful publication.

[01:03:09] Caregiving, love, loss, hoarding: a personal journey.

[01:06:48] Open the portal, practice showing up.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about how discovering a part of your history changed you.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Threads and BlueSky!

If you'd like weekly updates, plus a chance to see where my curiosity is leading me, check out my new (free!) Substack newsletter.

[I'm on vacation this week, so I'm re-upping one of my favorite interviews from the last year. I'll be back with new episodes next week!]

My friend and fellow Kaizen-Muse creativity coach, Nina Hart, was one of my first guests, and she comes back to the podcast today. Nina is an author and performer—including being an original member of San Francisco’s experimental dance troupe, Contraband, and, playing a purple electric bass, recording and performing with numerous bands—and I invited her to dig into Keith Johnstone’s groundbreaking book on theatrical improvisation, Impro, with me.

I knew Nina would have a lot to say about how we unknowingly are our own biggest obstacles to our own creativity, which is a primary focus of the book. We talk about the role status plays in our lives and our perception of things like permission and perfection, how cultural and societal expectations create the fears that hold us back, the importance of feeling safe to let those fears go, and much more.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us when you feel most safe to express yourself.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in acting and theatre!

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon!

If you'd like weekly updates, plus a chance to see where my curiosity is leading me, check out my new (free!) Substack newsletter.

Writer, editorial director, and publisher Michael Dolan was a math whiz before he fell in love with writing and journalism in high school. After a career in magazine publishing and working as a professional writer, he decided to start Winding Road Stories, which aims not only to publish new authors, but to help those authors build a writing career. Michael tells me about his start in publishing, how ghostwriting led to the idea for Winding Road, why he wants writers to collaborate and help each other become the best they can be, and more.

Episode breakdown:

[00:05:10] Passion drives pursuit of creativity and skill.

[00:07:58] How kids develop bad writing habits from school.

[00:17:32] Unexpected career in publishing.

[00:26:07] Michael becomes a successful freelance writer.

[00:30:43] Career adapted to changing world, balancing independence.

[00:39:13] Michael starts a successful ghostwriting business.

[00:46:29] Print on demand revolutionizes book publishing.

[00:51:25] Obsession with "Get Back" documentary, collaboration.

[00:56:32] Incredible professor emphasized collaboration in journalism.

[01:00:53] Collaboration, support, and rewarding journey of creativity.

"How to Say Nothing in 500 Words" by Paul McHenry Roberts

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about your favorite collaboration.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing.

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My guest this week is author David Roth, who spent thirty-five years as a professional writer of documentaries, corporate communications, multimedia, and more before turning to creative writing. He completed his MFA in 2017 and published his debut novel, The Femme Fatale Hypothesis in 2019. That book just received the American Book Fest's 2023 International Book Award for Best Literary Fiction. David and I talk about the differences between professional and creative writing, the pros and cons of the MFA, the inspiration for his novel, and more (and yes,  the hypothesis is a real thing!).

Episode breakdown:

[00:03:28] Imagination, challenges, and collaboration in writing.
[00:09:12] Being curious drives David to learn more.
[00:12:46] What is “The Femme Fatale Hypothesis”?
[00:16:59] Pursuing professional writing.
[00:27:02] MA experience: Learn, broaden, and challenge your writing.
[00:29:10] Seek critical feedback to improve your writing.
[00:37:00] Don't copy others, focus on your uniqueness.
[00:44:04] Beginnings of “The Femme Fatale Hypothesis”
[00:48:04] Death: Grief, fear, agency, and choices.
[00:56:16] “The Swerve” as a wake-up call.
[01:01:10] Second novel set in the fictional town of Marsville, Pennsylvania.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about a time when you knew it was time to quit something and start something new.

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And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events), all for free!

My guest this week is Rob Schwartz—journalist, music/film producer, entrepreneur, and son of the late Morrie Schwartz of Tuesdays with Morrie fame. Rob has founded a number of companies, both in Japan and the US, and has produced numerous film and music projects with
international teams. 

Rob and I talk about his experiences in Japan and India, and how travel enhances creativity, and the role of listening in language learning and the influence of language on thinking and behavior. Rob also tells me about The Wisdom of Morrie, his father’s last book, which encourage readers to challenge stereotypes and find fulfillment in later stages of life. I think you’ll enjoy my wide-ranging conversation with Rob Schwartz.

Episode Breakdown:

[00:03:28] Moving to Japan requires commitment, effort, and learning the language.

[00:08:47] Japan: Disciplined, delicate society with polite etiquette. India: Wonder of world, diverse culturally and geographically.

[00:12:52] Key to learning language: listen, imitate directly.

[00:19:11] Different languages shape different worldviews and personalities.

[00:26:46] French invasion led to mingling of languages.

[00:32:58] Morrie's book found after many years, gets published.

[00:40:20] "Fighting ageism and living a fulfilling life."

[00:48:02] Psychoanalysis exists in many social milieus.

[00:51:40] Mother's influence shaped Morrie's writing and career.

[00:55:52] The irony of Morrie's posthumous fame, and the joy of his legacy.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about a time when you were encouraged to challenge a stereotype.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events), all for free!

Author Elizabeth (Eliza) Morton was an actress before she started writing, and has always loved the power of stories. She’s also part of an acting family—she’s married to Doctor Who’s Peter Davison and step-mother-in-law of the show’s David Tennant, and sometimes wonders if she started writing romantic sagas as an escape from all the science fiction in the house. Liz joins me to talk about acting and drama school, transitioning into writing, how her drama background influences her fiction writing, whether artificial intelligence can replace human writers, her new novel, and more.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about a time when a story was important to you.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in theatre and writing and publishing.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events), all for free!

My guest this week, Stacey Smith? was one of my first guests in 2019, when we talked about the creative side of mathematics, and particularly about mathematical models of disease outbreaks—and the occasional zombie apocalypse. We also talked about how Doctor Who influenced her decision to become a mathematician in the first place. I asked Stacey to come back and talk about her own personal gender transition, both in terms of how that’s influenced her own work and what it’s taught her, and also to give us an update on how her mathematical work came into play when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

I think you’ll be surprised by a lot of what she has to say, and also find her outlook quite hopeful across the board. And you might just find yourself interested in at least one of her new books. I’d like to dedicate this episode to my friend, writing mentor, and fellow Doctor Who fan Rachel Pollack, a transgender pioneer whose long battle with cancer just ended on April 7th, but whose influence will be felt for generations to come.

You can hear our first conversation here.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about a time when you were courageously true to yourself.

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

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events) for free!

My guest this week, Patrick Lombardi, was born and raised in New Jersey, where he still lives and writes for a variety of local and national sites like BestofNJ.com, NJ.com, and BuzzFeed. He’s collection of humorous stories and essays, Junk Sale, came out in 2018. He’s also the creator of DevourNJ.com, which highlights independent food businesses in New Jersey, and the companion New Jersey Food Truck Cookbook, which was just released in February.

Patrick talks to me about how he decided to focus on his writing, the challenges of writing humor, including judging feedback for humorous prose, and why it’s so important to engage in your art, whatever it might be. We also talk about his decision to start a website for local food, and how he manages all this on top of a day job and family life with an almost-brand-new baby. 

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about a time when you've stuck with something you love.

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

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events) for free!

Novelist Michael McLaughlin trained as a doctor for more than a decade before deciding that medicine wasn’t where he wanted to be after all. He moved back into his first love—fiction writing—in stages, moving to medical communications before deciding it was time to write full-time. Michael tells me how and why he made that shift, including how he wrote his first book, on career change, before jumping into the world of long fiction. We also talk about how he draws on his medical background and combines plotting and writing by the seat of his pants to get the best results in his work. 

Please leave a review and in it, tell us what helps you believe in yourself.

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

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events) for free!

Author Matt Leyshon spends his days as a software engineer before morphing into a fervent writer at night. He’s best known for his writing and research for his debut novel, Jack the Ripper: Live and Uncut, which has received the Jack the Ripper: Book of the Year award for fiction from the Ripperology community. He has also appeared as a Jack the Ripper expert at MegaCon and on the History Channel.

Matt joins me to talk about why that book was self-published for only six months, his foray into writing a thriller in a fantasy setting, the importance of encouragement in the creative process, why creative folks should always be bold and take chances to promote their own work, and more.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us what helps you believe in yourself.

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

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events) for free!

My friend and fellow Kaizen-Muse creativity coach, Nina Hart, was one of my first guests, and she comes back to the podcast today. Nina is an author and performer—including being an original member of San Francisco’s experimental dance troupe, Contraband, and, playing a purple electric bass, recording and performing with numerous bands—and I invited her to dig into Keith Johnstone’s groundbreaking book on theatrical improvisation, Impro, with me.

I knew Nina would have a lot to say about how we unknowingly are our own biggest obstacles to our own creativity, which is a primary focus of the book. We talk about the role status plays in our lives and our perception of things like permission and perfection, how cultural and societal expectations create the fears that hold us back, the importance of feeling safe to let those fears go, and much more.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us when you feel most safe to express yourself.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in acting and theatre!

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news, Spoutible, and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events) for free!

My guest today is Michael Hearns, a veteran law enforcement officer whose experience includes working undercover with Miami’s vice, intelligence, and narcotics unit—yes, like Miami Vice—and has also worked as a technical consultant on a variety of movies and tv shows. These days, Michael is the author of the Cade Taylor police thrillers, including Trust No One. We talk about his law enforcement career, how realistic police shows (including Miami Vice) actually are, and his dedication to authenticity in his novels. We also take on the realities of the creative life vs. its portrayal on screen, and why it’s worth answering your creative call anyway. 

Please leave a review and in it, tell us about a time when incidents from your own life have turned up in your creative work!

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

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, get the 6 Creative Beliefs that Are Screwing You Up, plus biweekly updates on what's going on in my world (including upcoming events) for free!

Award-winning poet, performer, playwright, and educator Maria James-Thiaw has published several books of poetry and founded the Reclaim Artist Collective, which seeks to to raise consciousness about social justice issues impacting marginalized communities through its arts-based, anti-racist curriculum. Her latest collection, Count Each Breath, examines her experiences as a Black woman in the American healthcare system.

Maria joins me today to have the conversation we floated when she first came on the show in 2019, about the intersection of art and politics. Is it even possible to disconnect them? We tackle this question, as well as the political implications of the focus on STEM education, what happens when we relegate the arts to an afterthought, and how driven creative folks find ways to earn money from their art or artistic skills.

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

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Post.news and Mastodon! And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, I made the Creative Tune-Up just for you!

Every year at the holidays, I feature one of my favorite episodes from the past year. I hope you find encouragement in my conversation with John Noltner of A Peace of My Mind.

My guest today is John Noltner, a writer and photographer whose project, A Peace of My Mind, has produced three books, the latest of which is Portraits of Peace: Searching for Hope in a Divided America. John’s freelance photography career took him all over the world for a variety of national magazines, but the 2008 recession, along with his increasing awareness of the growing divide in American society, called him to explore both the breadth of human experience and the things that we have in common but tend to lose track of thanks to the relentless news cycle. I think John will leave you feeling much more hopeful about our world, and how you might do your part to bring us closer. 

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when you connected with a stranger.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, I made the Creative Tune-Up just for you!

Get stuff DONE at my free Creative Check-In/Parallel Universe Time session. Register here.

Kelly Flanagan has been one of my favorite guests, and he'll be back to talk to us again in February. Here's his second appearance on Follow Your Curiosity, in case you missed it or want to revisit it. Please note that the book giveaway mentioned in the episode is no longer available.

Original release date: November 9, 2022

***

When I started this podcast in 2019, Dr. Kelly Flanagan was one of my inaugural guests, and his episode, “The Gifts of Creativity,” remains one of my favorites. Kelly has just published his first novel, The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell, and I wanted to talk to him about how that experience differed from writing nonfiction, and about the book itself. We delve into those questions and various subjects raised by the book, including how we look outside ourselves (and sometimes to our creative work) to find our worth, the value of letting out our wild sides, how the things we do for security often actually undermine us, and how Kelly sees the intersection of spirituality and creativity. 

The book giveaway is no longer available.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing! And you can find Kelly's first appearance on the podcast here.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. 

Not quite two years ago, writer John Roedel, author of the Hey God, Hey John poems that have gone viral online (and the collection of the same name) joined me to talk about how he ended up “talking to God” and what he’s learned from that experience. (If you haven’t heard it, you’ll want to check it out.) I asked John to come back and tell us how he’s shifted into helping people discover their true selves and write authentically from the heart.

John and I talk about everything from the way improv has influenced that decision to what happens when we connect from our authentic selves and the stories that made us. We also delved a little into how that kind of small, empathetic, interpersonal connection might help to mitigate our current societal malaise.

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when you got vulnerable and communicated from the heart. 

If you're working on a writing project, for NaNoWriMo or not, you're invited to join me for the NaNoWriMo Power Hour on November 13th! Get some writing done with fellow writers right when you're most likely to hit a motivational slump, so you can keep your momentum going.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, I made the Creative Tune-Up just for you!

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing! And you can find John's first appearance on the podcast here.

My guest this week is Tom Colgan, editorial director at Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Tom has spent more than 35 years championing such authors as Tom Clancy, Mark Graeney, and Janet Evanovich. We talk about how he got his start as an editor, what editors do and don’t do (you may be surprised!), how the creative process is different for everyone, and why, despite coming up with many ideas for books, he doesn’t dream of writing one. He also has some advice for aspiring authors.

I would love for you to leave a review for the show, and in it, tell us about your relationship with books and writing.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube.

If you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, you owe it to yourself to get my free 6 Creative Beliefs That Are Screwing You Up series—it’ll slice through those myths to help get you back on track!

Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing!

Kelly Flanagan, clinical psychologist and author of Loveable: Embracing What is Truest About You So You Can Truly Embrace Your Life, joins me to talk about why following our creative dreams is a vital part of being true to ourselves, and how uncovering and embracing those dreams makes us more human and more whole. 

Find show notes at fycuriosity.com and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. You can rate and review the show here. Thanks!

When your father is a playwright and your mother is a lyric soprano, you're unavoidably exposed to a creative outlook on life. This week is the second in a series of three episodes where we'll be hearing from three siblings from an incredibly artistic family, all of whom are artists themselves.

This week, I talk to Rachel Marianno, the middle sibling, a teacher, school administrator, and poet in Philadelphia. We talk about what it was like to realize she was "different" as a result of the environment she grew up in, why she decided to major in education rather than theater, and how she's been able to influence and support her students to follow their creative call. Rachel also shares a poem with us.

Next time, we'll round the set out with Rachel's brother Orrin Evans, of the Grammy-nominated Captain Black Big Band.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram! You can rate and review the show here. Thanks!

When the Covid pandemic started, all of us had to find new ways to keep busy. Shanti Hershenson, who was 12 at the time, decided to start taking writing seriously. Now 14, Shanti has not only written a remarkable 15 books, she’s done the work to self-publish and get those books into several independent bookstores. Shanti talks with me about why she didn’t tell anyone she had started writing, how her friends and family reacted, and how the young adult dystopian genre has shaped how young people see the world. She also shares her experiences using TikTok as a way to promote her work and help others start their own writing projects.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, I made the Creative Tune-Up just for you!

Get stuff DONE at my free Creative Check-In/Parallel Universe Time session. Register here.

Sign up for my monthly Gratitude and Wonder session here.

Linda King caught the travel bug at an early age. She also grew up in a family of writers. After working in the travel and banking industries—and discovering that there was an appetite for her travel advice—she started The Smart Travelista: a website and series of travel books to help people travel wisely and save money doing it. Linda tells me more about that journey and about her more recent foray into creative nonfiction, and also offers some travel tips and a pep talk for anyone who needs a little motivation to give travel a try. We also talk about how travel influences your creative process.

If you enjoy this episode, please leave a review, and in it, tell us how travel has influenced your life.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok, and you can also listen on YouTube. And if you're feeling stuck in your own creative process, I made the Creative Tune-Up just for you!

Get stuff DONE at my free Creative Check-In/Parallel Universe Time session. Learn more and register here.

Sign up for my monthly Gratitude and Wonder session here.

Robert Shearman is the author of numerous books and dramatic pieces for stage, TV, and radio. I met Rob in March and we talked about everything from how he started writing to the process of turning a Doctor Who audio play for adults into a shorter TV show for children, and more. (Warning: spoilers for “Dalek” and “The Chimes of Midnight” within!)

Find show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram! You can rate and review the show here. Thanks!

Maria James-Thiaw is a performance poet, playwright, and professor at Central Penn College. She’s also a friend of mine from the MFA program at Goddard College.

Maria has been playing with words since she was old enough to understand them, and has a phenomenal talent for wielding them with power. Her most recent project, the choreopoem Reclaiming My Time, is based on the histories of women who lived through the Jim Crow Era. She’s also the CEO and co-founder of the Reclaim Artist Collective, which works with artists and individuals in marginalized communities.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram! You can rate and review the show here. Thanks!

My guest this week is...me! I asked Domenic Sciortino to interview me, since it seemed only fair to turn the tables on myself, and to give you a chance to get to know me a little better. There's a lot here about my history with writing and music, the folks who inspire me and encouraged me, and even my favorite song.

Check out the notes are at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram! You can rate and review the show here. Thanks!

We think of creativity as something associated with the arts—dance, music, poetry, etc. That's why I wanted to talk to Robert Smith?, a mathematician who creates models that help improve disease control. He gained some fame a few years back for modeling zombie outbreaks—and that work has proven useful in the real world. Robert has also written several books about Doctor Who. If you're skeptical about math as a creative pursuit, or a math agnostic/atheist yourself (I hear you!), I promise you'll see things differently once you listen to this interview.

(Note: In October 2020, Robert transitioned and is now known as Stacey Smith? Because of the quantity of material predating the transition, Stacey has chosen to credit Robert for items before October 2020.)

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com., and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram! You can rate and review the show here. Thanks!

Nina Hart is a writer, dancer, stand-up comedian, and improv artist who is also a fellow Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach. Her first collection of surreal short fictions called Somewhere in a Town You Never Knew Existed Somewhere was selected as a Short Stories (Adult Fiction) category finalist in Foreword Reviews' 2014 IndieFab Book of the Year Awards. Nina was also an original member of the experimental dance troupe Contraband, in San Francisco and, playing a purple electric bass, has recorded and performed with numerous bands. 

Nina joined me to talk about everything from stage fright and vulnerability to how we teach vs. how we should teach to the inner critic and just what "good" means, if anything. (Spoiler: We're not convinced it means much!) Like my interview with Dawn Kotzer, there's a lot to take in here.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram! You can rate and review the show here. Thanks!

For the holidays, my gift to you is a replay of one of the inaugural episodes of this podcast: my conversation with Dr. Kelly Flanagan, which I hope will inspire your creative pursuits for 2020.

Kelly Flanagan, clinical psychologist and author of Loveable: Embracing What is Truest About You So You Can Truly Embrace Your Life, joins me to talk about why following our creative dreams is a vital part of being true to ourselves, and how uncovering and embracing those dreams makes us more human and more whole. 

Find show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. You can rate and review the show here. Thanks!