Tim Myers does a bit of everything: he’s a writer, songwriter, storyteller, visual artist, and senior lecturer at Santa Clara University, where he teaches writing. We got together to talk about the nature of creativity, which Tim calls a “sacred mystery,” including everything from the way our childhood creativity is changed by the culture as we become adults, the necessary role of play in the creative process, the transcendent experiences of awe and wonder and how they fuel us, the wisdom of following your gut, and a whole lot more.
Episode breakdown:
01:39 Kids are instantly creative, often play traditionally.
06:50 Creativity influenced by nature, nurture, educators.
15:50 Importance of creativity in education and society.
21:22 Differences between play in childhood versus "professional" adults.
24:56 Nancy switched to teaching, advisor, and writing lit mag.
30:49 Encouraging exploration of language and creative thinking.
37:04 Parents see child, lifetime of giving love.
40:35 Zen story about finding wonder in life.
45:27 Believing in progress through challenging circumstances.
50:34 Art, festivals, play as a primal need.
56:21 Semantic split between "religion" and "spirituality."
01:01:14 Falling in love based on unique personal idiosyncrasies.
01:07:23 Experimenting with writing schedule structure.
01:13:45 Craft is in choosing words for impact.
01:19:22 Writers and feedback.
01:25:00 Tim struggles with generalist vs specialist identity.
01:26:31 Passion for storytelling and visual art emerges.
01:35:38 Weekly writing schedule reduces overthinking and focus on perfection.
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 play influences your creative process.
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.
Talent vs. Preparation with Richard Oliver
"Writing Saved Me" with Nancy Springer
Changing Lives on Stage with Lisa Houston
Replay: Happily Homeless with Alison Miller
Replay: Happy Accidents with Anthony Wilson
Embracing Your Enthusiasm with Kyle Fletcher
Following the "Nudge" with Paige Kaufman
Protecting Your Creativity with Tracy Matthews
Bringing Your Vision to Life with Angela Fareri
Dragonflies at Night with Anne Marie Bennett
Quitting Is Not an Option with Orrin Evans
Seeing Possibilities with Rachel Marianno
Don't Give Up on Yourself with Todd Evans
Becoming the Eighth Doctor with Paul McGann, Part 2
Becoming the Eighth Doctor with Paul McGann, Part 1
Inspiration and Originality with Cindy Lynn Speer
Navigating Your Inner Wilderness with Darcy Wade
Running Away to Join the Circus with Ryan Ward
The Power of Creative Constraints with Zoha Abbas
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