Ask a Sex Abuse Survivor with Michael Broussard

Michael Broussard

My guest this week is Michael Broussard, an actor, activist, musician, and artist. His solo show, “Ask a Sex Abuse Survivor,” uses his own experience to demystify and destigmatize abuse trauma while also giving his audience, which often includes fellow survivors, a chance to ask questions and open up about their own experiences in a […]

Creative Pep Talk #8: How to Give Feedback

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Following on from last time, here are some thoughts on how to give feedback. Why is this important? For one, you really don’t want to be the person who stops someone else’s creative process. Just as importantly, though, you don’t want to stymie yours! It really is THAT important. The way that you give other […]

Balancing Writing and Medicine with Lydia Kang

Lydia Kang

Author Lydia Kang balances two careers: In addition to writing adult and young adult fiction, as well as nonfiction, she’s also a doctor. Lydia never thought of herself as a writer, though she was intrigued by writing, until she began to use it to deal with some of her experiences on the job, which eventually […]

Creative Pep Talk #7: Protecting Your Creativity

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You’ve probably never thought about protecting your creativity—but you should. It’s one of your most valuable assets and resources, and nobody has the right to take it from you. (No one actually can, but it’s easy for us to give it up if we’re not careful.) You can find my conversation with Tracy Matthews here. […]

Creative Problem Solving with Trudy Cunningham

Trudy Cunningham

Trudy Cunningham is one of the most insightful and creative people I’ve ever met. Her background in mathematics and education led her to the improbable position of associate dean of engineering at Bucknell University, which is where we first crossed paths. It’s is also why I wanted to talk to her. She later moved to […]

Creative Pep Talk #6: You Matter

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Inspired by a day of viral attention on TikTok, here’s a reminder that you matter. Yes, YOU. That means your creative dreams matter, too. If that sounds crazy or alien to you, this episode is definitely for you! You matter, and the things you love matter. Nancy Norbeck Get in Touch I’d love to hear […]

You Are Not Your Work with Kimberly Stuart

Kimberly Stuart

Kimberly Stuart started writing when she became a stay-at-home mom, and hasn’t stopped since. As you’ll hear, her path changed dramatically thanks to a gift from her mother, who was a professional musician. She’s the author of eight novels, and has branched into writing coaching as well. Kim and I talk about the importance of […]

Creative Pep Talk #5: Being “Ready”

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Do you feel like you have to be “ready” before you start something new? Are you even sure what “ready” would mean? I’m here this week to talk about why “ready” is mostly an illusion, and why you should start now instead of waiting for that illusion to magically become real. I think ready is […]

Forensic Accounting with Lynda Schwartz

Lynda Schwartz

If you’ve been listening for a while, you know I believe there’s hardly anything that’s NOT creative. I love to talk to people from so-called “non-creative” professions to find out how those perceptions are wrong. Accounting is not something most people associate with creativity—except in the familiar, negative sense—but I knew it had to be, […]

Creative Pep Talk #4: Pay Attention

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If you’re struggling to come up with ideas, this episode is for you! You might be surprised at the power of just paying attention. That may sound too easy, but if you really do it (and it’s SO simple), you’ll find unexpectedly interesting things all around you. Notice the things that are around you Nancy […]

Knowing Your Strengths with Tosca Lee

Tosca Lee

Tosca Lee originally wanted to be a ballerina, but ended up switching to writing with some help from her dad while she was in college. Since then, she’s become a bestselling author of a wide variety of books, including The Line Between and its sequel, A Single Light. Tosca talked with me about her early […]

Creative Pep Talk #3: Perfectionism

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Welcome back for Creative Pep Talk #3! This week, we’re delving into the deep, dark world of perfectionism. This is an overview of the evils of perfectionism, because to truly explore it would take more than 8 minutes, but I hope it’ll get you thinking about how you fall into this trap, and what you […]

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