Katie DeBonville: Reclaiming the Audacity to Create at Any Age

What happens when you realize that "anything you want to be" actually includes the thing people told you wasn't practical? In this week's conversation, I’m talking with my good friend Katie DeBonville. Katie is an emerging author whose new book, Grace Notes, explores the intersection of music, memory, and the courage it takes to speak your mind. Katie shares the story of her legendary stand-off with a high school guidance counselor, her journey from wanting to be first-chair flute in the Boston Symphony to earning a writing degree at 50, and why she believes success is not a zero-sum game. We also examine the "audacity" required to follow a creative calling and why your creative spark never truly disappears—it just waits for you to give it permission to play. I’m Nancy Norbeck, and I’m your Messy Muse Mentor. I help people feel alive again through creativity, curiosity, and play. In this episode, we discuss:

• The Practicality Trap: Why creative careers are often discouraged and how to push back against the "shoulds."
• The "Emerging" Author: The reality of starting a new creative chapter at 53.
• Finding Your Story: How the right mentors can help you see the patterns in your own life that you’ve been missing.
• Creative Community: Why having each other's backs is the only way to beat the "plotter vs. pantser" politics.

Ready to send your inner critic to summer camp for an hour and just enjoy some creative company? We get together once a month for a relaxed, co-working-style session where you can work on whatever you want—without any pressure to do it "right." Join the Creativity Circle. Episode breakdown: 0:00 Introduction 1:05 Meeting Katie DeBonville: The "emerging author" at 53 2:53 The blank book obsession and the fear of the first page 3:51 The First Chair Dream: Ambition vs. Reality in the Boston Symphony 8:58 The Guidance Counselor Story: Fighting for a creative life 12:31 Why encouragement changes the data on creative success 17:07 Sibylline Press: Giving a voice to women over 50 2 2:40 The audacity of speaking your mind (and the Communion story) 30:57 Doing an MFA during the pandemic: The right time to commit 42:26 Finding Your Story: Lessons from three legendary mentors 50:24 Flash Fiction and the beauty of the 70-word piece 56:15 Plotters vs. Pantsers: Why there is no "correct" way to write

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

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join us for the Follow Your Curiosity Creativity Circle.

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