Why should you start trusting yourself, and how do you start doing it more? I answer these questions in this super short episode.

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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.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

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'm just back from this year's Gallifrey One Doctor Who convention, and it's reminded me of the importance of being brave. How? Why? I'll tell you in this short episode.

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

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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.

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

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

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

It's incredibly counterintuitive, and can even be difficult, but one of the most important things you can do when the world is falling apart is have fun. I explain why in this super short episode.

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

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks!

If you'd like to stay up to date on things like my courses and also get podcast and event updates, subscribe to The Spark!

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

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

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

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

When there are a lot of things you could work on, which one do you choose? My answer is always the same, and very simple, though it's not always obvious or easy to follow thanks to the way a lot of us are taught: follow your energy! I explain why—and why ignoring the call of that energy can undermine us over time—in this short episode.

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

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If you'd like to stay up to date on things like my courses and also get podcast and event updates, subscribe to The Spark!

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.

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

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

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

I recently sat down with my dear friend, author Cindy Lynn Speer, to talk about perfectionism and how it seeps into us through the culture in insidious ways we don't even recognize—and how it affects us in similarly sneaky ways. We also talked about how making bad art can help us undo those lessons and free us from the voices of the inner critics that have been installed in our heads so we can loosen up, create more freely and have more fun in our lives.

Join us for Make Bad Art starting on January 20 and get 2025 off to a fresh creative start! Details at https://MakeBadArtCourse.com.

If you have questions about the course, please contact me. I'd love to talk to you!

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Start small, don't aim too high initially.

05:02 Start simple, avoid over-investing initially.

07:01 Embrace imperfection to enhance creativity flow.

10:32 Wanted to teach creative writing, but couldn't.

13:53 Creative writing facilitates easier, less perfectionistic writing.

20:30 Overcome self-judgment to embrace innate creativity.

23:25 Teaching unpredictably affects students, clarifying perfectionism vision.

27:30 Enjoying life more through sustainable art practice.

31:24 Struggled with structuring topics; needed adjustments.

34:34 Create bad art, prioritize interaction and questions.

36:45 Exercises allow personal interpretation and creativity.

40:32 Comparison and perfectionism constrain us from childhood.

45:56 Creativity suppressed; rediscover joy through art.

50:05 Contact me with questions about this transformative course.

52:03 Creativity course helps with self-kindness and communication.

Join us for Make Bad Art starting on January 20 and get 2025 off to a fresh creative start! Details at https://MakeBadArtCourse.com.

What if the question of your creativity is more about how you define the term than whether or not you have any? I explain in this short episode.

The second round of my Make Bad Art course starts on January 20! If you think you might be defining yourself out of your creativity, MBA is a great place to recalibrate that definition and come home to yourself. We had a fabulous time time in the first round, with moments of creative insight and inspiration all over the place! Learn more and sign up here.

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

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks!

If you'd like to stay up to date on things like my courses and also get podcast and event updates, subscribe to The Spark!