Follow Your Curiosity: You didn’t lose your creative spark. You were taught to leave it behind.

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.

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.

Simple, but not always easy: the key to progress or success is just to keep going. I'll tell you why in this short episode.

Simon Haisell's year-long War and Peace read can be found here.

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

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

Actor, activist, musician, and artist Michael Broussard joined me back in 2021 to talk about his one-man show, Ask a Sex Abuse Survivor, and what he’s learned about destigmatizing trauma abuse through art. A few months ago, he mentioned to me that he’s been focusing on pulling the rug out from under himself artistically. He’s back today to talk about just what that means and how it’s actually been influencing his work all along, and his upcoming game show project. We talk about game shows over the years, improv skills—that ability to accept and adapt in the moment—as integral to art and to life, how we are each an experiential filter for creativity, the importance of creativity as self-care, and more. 

Get tickets for Michael's game show here. If you'd like to be a contestant, send 3 interesting things about yourself to [email protected] 

Read this week's post: Mucking about in the creek, here.

Listen to Michael's earlier episode here.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:11 Embracing surprises in performance adds excitement.

05:15 Creativity is influenced by internal and external factors.

10:32 Panelist embraces chaos, hosts semi-controlled game shows.

15:51 Influences shape individuality and creative process uniquely.

27:09 Repetition in performance can lead to boredom.

33:02 Understanding the challenge of listening and relating.

34:21 Benefits of good listening.

41:20 Improvisation and humor on the Match Game.

45:55 Zoom shows make audience feel ownership, enjoyment.

52:29 We're trained to be passive, but need agency.

57:40 Denying ourselves what we love limits life.

01:04:50 Art is subjective; worth exploring and learning.

01:07:29 Story inspired by Disney; teacher encouragement.

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

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

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

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

Sometimes your creativity can be like a clogged pipe. I'll give you one way to keep it flowing in this short episode.

Sign up for one of this month's Unconventional Inspiration Circles here, and invite a friend!

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

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

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!

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.

Sometimes life, and the world around us, gets to be too much. I hereby give you permission to take a break when that happens.

Sign up for one of this month's Unconventional Inspiration Circles here, and invite a friend!

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

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

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!

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.

A lot of creative work happens in solitude, but it doesn't have to be that way. Community can be one of your greatest creative tools--I explain why in this short episode, and issue an invitation as well!

Sign up for one of this month's Creative Community sessions here, and invite a friend!

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

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

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!

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

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

Too often, in our creative lives (and everywhere else), we think we have to go it alone. It's okay, though, to ask for help, and I tell you why in this short episode.

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

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

Read this week's post: Get in Trouble

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