Domenic Sciortino is a creative powerhouse. By day, he’s a barber. Much of the rest of the time, he’s an artist, musician, and now, a talent buyer for a local entertainment venue in Pennsylvania. Dom was one of my first guests on the podcast, and I’m thrilled to have him back to talk about the intersection of art and commerce, with stops at creative courage (specifically, the courage to fail in and with a crowd), why you should always aim to please yourself first with your creative work (even if you want to sell it), the effects of ignoring our creative call, and just what happens behind the scenes of the performing arts—especially on the money side.

If you missed Domenic's first episode, give it a listen!

Read this week's article, which is a longer look at the potential perils of combining art and commerce. Check out my piece on lapsed creatives, too!

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

1:04 Creating art in various forms, sometimes successful.

08:29 Billy Joel forgets lyrics, crowd sings instead.

11:23 Sudden insight into creative life force experience.

16:42 Passion leads to happiness and less spending.

24:28 Robots creating art due to cheaper labor.

31:19 Promo highlights importance of arts education.

37:08 Artists deserve better pay and more transparency.

40:05 National touring artist fees are usually non-negotiable.

43:22 Wilco: Warner pushed Americana band, Tweedy went ambient.

50:27 Scarcity and marketing.

53:56 Existence and purpose: the struggle is worthwhile.

59:26 Don't judge yourself by professional standards.

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 your experience with art and commerce.

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

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

One of the hardest things to do when we've created something is to leave room for other people to see it through their own lens. I share some thoughts on why it's a good idea to step back, and how to know which opinions are worth listening to, 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 article, which is on Failure and Regret.

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.

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

What happens when we let our creativity lapse? You may think there's no effect on us, but you'd be wrong. I explain in this short episode.

Read my article on lapsed creativity here. If you recognize yourself here, I'd love to hear your story and learn from your experience. If you can spare 30 minutes, contact me and we'll set something up!

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

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a creative dream of yours.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months. https://fycuriosity.substack.com

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.

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.

It's easy to think of "normal" as an insult, or at least not something to aspire to. You might want to rethink your perceptions of normal, though. I explain why in this short episode.

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

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us how you embrace normal.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

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.

I've been under the weather, so here's a pep talk worth revisiting: If you're not doing what you want to do because you think you're not ready or don't have what you need, might I very gently and lovingly suggest that you're wrong? 

I'll be back next time with something new! :)

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

Please leave a review and in it, let us know what YOU are starting, from right where you are!

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

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.

Do you give yourself credit for your creativity? A lot of us don't, including people you wouldn't expect. You really should recognize your own creativity regularly—I'll explain why in this short episode.

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

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us how you recognize your creativity—or how you'd like to.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

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.

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.