Follow Your Curiosity

Nancy Norbeck
Follow Your Curiosity

Behind-the-scenes stories of creative lives are often as fascinating and worthwhile as the projects they yield, and can inspire us all. Join me as I find out what creators have learned along the way—and help folks get their creative lives back on track.

  1. -5 J

    Replay: The Art of TV Music with Dominc Glynn

    My annual Thanksgiving replay is early this year because Thanksgiving is so late! But I'm thrilled to offer up one of my favorite interviews of the year—my conversation with Dominic Glynn, where we get to learn all about Dominic's journey through music for film and television, and get a behind the scenes look at just how our favorite movies and shows get the musical treatment that makes them come to life. If you haven't heard this interview before, I'm confident you'll enjoy it, and if you have, it's absolutely worth a second listen. -- My guest this week is Dominic Glynn, a prolific composer for film and television. Dominic got his start working on Doctor Who, and has provided music for titles as diverse as Red Dwarf and The Simpsons. Dominic tells me how his career began in the mid-80s as a self-taught musician, how incidental music works, what it’s like to write for an orchestra, and more.  Read this week's article, on why you should make bad art, here. Want to Reignite Your Creative Spark? Contact me here. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Introduction. 04:55 Member of band transitioned to solo career. 06:25 In the 80s, got obsessed with affordable synthesizers. 10:22 Confidently sought job with Doctor Who in 1984. 13:24 Affordable technology enabled music production from home. 18:27 Editing music reel with time-coded leader tape. 22:00 Working on music synchronization for VHS episodes. 24:50 Luck played a part in minimal changes. 27:40 Excessive music in TV/films can ruin impact. 30:31 Music can enhance storytelling in low-budget productions. 32:41 Cartoon character's appearance affected by budget constraints. 35:50 Electronic music lover disappointed in orchestral shift. 41:31 Doctor Who's evolution from theater to cinema. 44:00 Creating music similar to popular soundtracks for music libraries. 45:29 Unexpectedly finding music in beloved TV shows. 51:06 Creating music that emulates the 50s-60s hits. 54:24 Composer entrusts scoring to orchestra, marvels at musicians' skill.   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. 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 music.

    58 min
  2. 6 NOV.

    You Cannot Mess This Up with Amy Weinland Daughters

    Freelance writer Amy Weinland Daughters mostly wrote about college football until she decided to try her hand at, in her words, “a hilarious time travel novel.” That novel, You Cannot Mess This Up: A True Story That Never Happened, turned out to be a catharsis, giving her a whole new look at her childhood and her family. It’s gone on to win the Silver Winner for Humor in the 2019 Foreword INDIES and the Overall Winner for Humor/Comedy in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Award. Amy and I talk about the experience of writing about sports as a woman, what happens when a creative project becomes “real,” the importance of supporting each other’s creative dreams, even if they seem a little crazy, and just how she re-constituted Thanksgiving weekend 1978, and her whole family from an adult point of view, in her book. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 01:22 Always creative, imaginative childhood eventually inspired writing. 09:27 Support networks vital for achieving difficult careers. 10:42 Creative doubt and imposter syndrome affect identity. 18:23 Creating requires empathy; art preferences are subjective. 21:14 Believe in yourself; push to create magic. 27:52 Unexpectedly transformative journey, beyond initial intentions. 36:41 Book evoked nostalgia, laughter, and personal reflection. 38:59 Embraced younger self, now proud and united. 45:44 Memories change with age and perspective. 52:18 Nostalgic, relatable, thought-provoking, humorously realistic moments. 53:12 Misunderstood as sci-fi; divided reader opinions. 59:29 People share personal childhood stories with Amy. Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack. Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks! If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend. Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.

    1 h 5 min
  3. 3 NOV.

    Why Make Bad Art? with Lucinda Sage-Midgorden

    Story lover Lucinda Sage-Midgorden and I met here on Follow Your Curiosity last year. We got together this past week for a short conversation for her Patreon about why you should think about making bad art and embracing anti-perfectionism. What does that mean (and not mean), and how might it change your life? For that matter, how are we defining perfectionism—it’s often not what we expect it to be (as I learned myself when I was training as a Kaizen-Muse coach, to my great shock and, yes, horror!). Lucinda was kind enough to share the recording of our conversation with me, and I want to share it with you. If you’ve been wondering if my Make Bad Art course is for you, you might find the answer here—for instance: whether you need to be an artist to make bad art, and if there’s a right way to make bad art (spoiler: no, and no). This conversation is short, but you’ll get a lot out of it. Make Bad Art starts on November 4th (the day after this episode is being released), but it’s not too late to sign up, and we’d love to have you. All the details and signup info are here. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 01:23 Kaizen-Muse coach helping creatives break perfectionism. 05:43 Realizing hidden perfectionism hinders creative projects. 09:05 Creating bad art frees creativity for good art. 10:54 Next class starts November 4; contact details provided. 14:03 Anti-perfectionism practice: Easier and fun in groups. 18:56 Need to relax and overcome perfectionism daily. 21:51 Join "Make Bad Art" starting November 4th. Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack. If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

    23 min
  4. 23 OCT.

    Creativity, Resilience, and Hurricane Helene with Darcy Wade

    Four years ago, artist and art therapist Darcy Wade joined me to talk about her own journey with art and creativity, including how her discovery of expressive arts brought her back from a period of disconnection with her creative side and helped her recovery from addiction. Darcy has since moved from North Carolina to Colorado, where she’s now undertaking fundraising efforts to help folks back home in the wake of the destruction from Hurricane Helene. She talks to me about the history and artistic culture of Western North Carolina—particularly Asheville, but also the surrounding area; the creativity, ingenuity, and community that arises from crisis; her journey from North Carolina to Colorado; how awe and wonder elevate our lives, and more. You’ll find links to our previous conversation and Darcy’s fundraiser in the show notes, and I hope you’ll check them out. If you missed my first conversation with Darcy in 2020, you can check it out here. Full show notes, including photos of Darcy's beautiful art, can be found here. Read this week's post, My Perfectionism Story, here. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 01:18 Resigned dream job, faced challenges. 07:24 Art and creativity integral in daily life. 13:37 Art project raised $7,000 for North Carolina. 17:09 Stuck in Denver due to licensure requirements. 25:32 Artists help Asheville mountain communities with essentials. 31:25 Nature-based expressive arts; paused for now. 34:13 Pass exam for new job in youth. 39:12 Expressive arts therapy empowers diverse artistic expression. 44:54 Children's fresh perspectives inspire and move me. 48:37 Redefining "bad" art: Challenging traditional definitions. 56:00 Embrace sensitivity; curiosity fuels personal growth. Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks! If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend. Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in visual arts.

    1 h 3 min
  5. 9 OCT.

    Narrative in Medicine and Fiction with Dr. David Weill

    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! 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.

    55 min
5
sur 5
31 notes

À propos

Behind-the-scenes stories of creative lives are often as fascinating and worthwhile as the projects they yield, and can inspire us all. Join me as I find out what creators have learned along the way—and help folks get their creative lives back on track.

Vous aimeriez peut‑être aussi

Pour écouter des épisodes au contenu explicite, connectez‑vous.

Recevez les dernières actualités sur cette émission

Connectez‑vous ou inscrivez‑vous pour suivre des émissions, enregistrer des épisodes et recevoir les dernières actualités.

Choisissez un pays ou une région

Afrique, Moyen‑Orient et Inde

Asie‑Pacifique

Europe

Amérique latine et Caraïbes

États‑Unis et Canada