Follow Your Curiosity Nancy Norbeck

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!
 
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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!
 
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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
 
If you'd like to:

Engage with your creative dreams with ease and joy
Feel both more confident in yourself and your work, and more vibrant than you have in years
Take time each day to do the things that light you up
Feel the freedom of following your own inner guidance and the delight that comes with creative activity


Book a free 30-minute coaching call with me! Here's what we'll do:
You'll tell me about your creative dreams 
We'll look at what's getting in the way
If you're someone I can help, and we both want to...
...I'll share more about the Reignite Your Creative Spark program

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