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510 - Remember How to Have Fun and Get Loose, ADHD / Being You, Storytelling, Ignoring the Industry & More with Picture Book Maker Bob Shea - Creative Pep Talk | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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510 - Remember How to Have Fun and Get Loose, ADHD / Being You, Storytelling, Ignoring the Industry & More with Picture Book Maker Bob Shea

Creative Pep Talk

Wed Jun 18 2025

Summary

Creative Pep Talk Episode 510 Summary: "Remember How to Have Fun and Get Loose, ADHD / Being You, Storytelling, Ignoring the Industry & More with Picture Book Maker Bob Shea"

Introduction to Bob Shea

In this engaging episode of Creative Pep Talk, host Andy J. Pizza welcomes Bob Shea, a celebrated author and illustrator known for his unique picture books. Andy expresses his admiration for Bob's ability to craft tight, story-driven picture books that stand out in an industry often dominated by topic-driven or whimsical narratives. He highlights Bob's new book, "Bear Suit Turtle," as a testament to his creative freedom and humor.

Creative Process and Storytelling

The conversation delves into Bob's creative process, emphasizing his ability to maintain a "loose and playful" approach while crafting compelling stories. Bob explains that his storytelling is not a forced effort but rather a natural flow that mirrors his sense of humor and personality.

Maintaining Authenticity:
Bob Shea [10:01]: "I'm trying to make myself laugh, but I want to make it sound as natural as possible."

Bob discusses how he integrates humor organically into his narratives, ensuring that jokes enhance rather than disrupt the story. This approach has led to the success of books like "Shay Bob," where humor is seamlessly woven into the plot, making it both entertaining and impactful for young readers.

Example of Shay Bob:
Bob Shea [10:02]: "Shay Bob is an alligator who wants to eat birds, but he's lazy, so he opens a restaurant on his nose so that the birds will land on his nose."

Handling ADHD in the Creative Process

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to discussing ADHD and its impact on creativity. Both Andy and Bob share their personal experiences with ADHD, exploring how it influences their work habits and creative output.

Different Experiences with ADHD:
Bob Shea [04:00]: "We handle it differently. I, I have to block out time and create structured schedules to manage my day."

Bob emphasizes the importance of developing personalized strategies to manage ADHD, such as "time blobbing," where he dumps all tasks onto a single sheet and then allocates them into manageable time blocks. This method helps him visualize his week and better understand his capacity.

Impact of Medication:
Bob Shea [39:50]: "I went on stimulant medication, and 20 minutes in, my wife was like, 'That's working.'"

Bob shares how medication significantly improved his focus and emotional regulation, transforming his personal and professional life. He contrasts this with his previous struggles, highlighting the profound effect proper management has had on his creativity and relationships.

Emotional Regulation:
Andy J. Pizza [42:35]: "People don't understand the emotional component of ADHD, like rejection sensitivity and dysphoria."

Both hosts discuss the emotional challenges associated with ADHD, such as mood swings and increased anxiety, and how these affect their creative processes.

Balancing Fun and Discipline in Creativity

Bob and Andy explore the delicate balance between having fun and maintaining creative discipline. Bob illustrates how allowing himself to "tickle himself" by creating funny and silly content leads to genuine creativity without the pressure of perfection.

Permission to Have Fun:
Andy J. Pizza [66:03]: "Find time to have a creative session where the only goal is to have fun, make yourself laugh, and remember what it's like to create for fun again."

Bob reinforces the idea that embracing playfulness can unlock deeper creative potential, making the process enjoyable and less stressful.

Ignoring Industry Pressures and Staying Authentic

The discussion shifts to the pressures of the publishing industry and the importance of staying true to one's creative vision. Bob advises against over-consumption of industry trends, advocating instead for focusing on personal creativity and authenticity.

Avoiding Industry Comparison:
Bob Shea [60:17]: "I don't follow the industry because I don't want that stuff in my head."

Bob shares his strategy of not immersing himself in industry trends, which helps him maintain originality and resist the temptation to conform to commercial pressures. This approach has allowed him to create distinctive works that resonate with his audience.

Authenticity Over Trends:
Bob Shea [60:46]: "The trends, I hear about the trends, and I'm like, I'm not doing that. The couple of times that I tried, my wife was like, 'What are you doing that for?'"

Choosing Projects and Managing Time

Bob provides insights into how he selects his next projects, emphasizing spontaneity and alignment with his current interests. He advises creatives to seize opportunities when they feel inspired rather than adhering strictly to long-term plans.

Project Selection:
Bob Shea [61:58]: "It's whatever you feel, it's whatever you can get. If you're excited to do this thing, do it and get it out as fast as you can."

This flexible approach allows Bob to capitalize on his enthusiasm and maintain momentum in his creative endeavors, avoiding the pitfalls of overplanning.

Call to Adventure: "Tickle Yourself"

At the episode's conclusion, Andy introduces the "Call to Adventure" titled "Tickle Yourself." He encourages listeners to dedicate time to creative sessions focused solely on enjoyment and self-amusement, drawing inspiration from Bob's playful approach.

Creative Pep Talk Challenge:
Andy J. Pizza [66:03]: "Find 20 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, two hours, whatever you can muster, to have a creative session where the only goal is to have some fun."

Andy relates this practice to the successful methods used by comedians and writers who prioritize fun and spontaneity in their creative processes, leading to more authentic and engaging work.

Conclusion and Community Engagement

Andy wraps up the episode by highlighting the benefits of community support through Creative Pep Talk’s monthly meetups for Patreon backers and Substack supporters. He invites listeners to join these gatherings to discuss episodes, share creative ideas, and foster a supportive creative community.

Join the Community:
Andy J. Pizza [73:57]: "If you're a fan of the show and you want a space to explore some of these things and apply some of them directly to your creative practice, that's a good place for it."

Notable Quotes

Andy J. Pizza [10:02]: "Shay Bob is an alligator who wants to eat birds, but he's lazy, so he opens a restaurant on his nose so that the birds will land on his nose."
Bob Shea [39:50]: "I went on stimulant medication, and 20 minutes in, my wife was like, 'That's working.'"
Bob Shea [60:46]: "The trends, I hear about the trends, and I'm like, I'm not doing that."
Andy J. Pizza [66:03]: "Find 20 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, two hours, whatever you can muster, to have a creative session where the only goal is to have some fun."

Final Thoughts

Episode 510 of Creative Pep Talk offers a deep dive into the intersection of creativity and ADHD, with Bob Shea providing invaluable insights into maintaining authenticity, managing time, and balancing fun with discipline. Listeners are encouraged to embrace their unique creative processes, prioritize mental health, and foster supportive communities to enhance their creative journeys.

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Transcript

Andy J. Pizza (0:03)

On the creative journey, it's easy to get lost, but don't worry, you'll lift off. Sometimes you just need a creative pep talk. Okay, you're in for a treat today because one of my favorite creative people is on the show, author, illustrator Bob Shea. He is an incredible picture bookmaker, one of my favorites. Doing it today. And I loved soaking in Bob's hilarious wisdom in this episode. He has kind of been a bit of a guide for me since early days, even when I was just starting to consider writing picture books. He was super helpful all the way back in probably 2012, 2013, giving me feedback and some pointers. And then we've stayed in touch a bit over the years. And he's one of the people out there making tight stories in picture book form, which is not super common in, you know, a lot of, A lot of picture books are more topic driven these days, or they're maybe more whimsical in a lot of that. Both of those categories I really like. But, but you know, my penchant for storytelling. And Bob's been doing some phenomenal work in that direction. But also he's just one of the funniest, loosest creators and picture book makers that I know. And I'm so inspired and jealous by how silly and weird and fun his ideas are. He has a new book called Bear Suit Turtle. I mean, Bear Suit Turtle. That alone is just like, I so aspire to have that kind of freedom in, in my creativity. And so I was just soaking up everything that Bob could give me here. And I think you're gonna love it. We talk a bit about adhd, talk a little bit about ADHD medication, and you know, neither of us are doctors. We can't give you any medical advice. We have really different experiences. So we're covering kind of a wide set of opinions there, which I think is good. You know, if you're, if you're questioning that stuff, I highly recommend doing the, the difficult work of finding professionals. But to, to advise you particularly. And I also would recommend getting the gene site test, which gives you an idea of your DNA and how you're likely to interact with medicine. Medicine. But it's out of my league to really have any advice or any, you know, strong opinions on such things. But we talk a little bit about that because we're both ADHD and we handle it differently. And I think that that can be useful and valuable to anyone listening, no matter who you are. I think it's just good to see people deal with things in different ways. And find some similar results. So we, we go through, we go through storytelling, we go through how to have fun. How do you remember to have fun again? How do you get loose in your creative work? We talk about picture book making, we talk about the good part of learning from the industry and when to like ignore it. And also a lot about just how to be yourself in the work and go your own way and chart your own creative path. So tons of really great stuff here. So pumped to have on the show. If you have kids in your life or you love picture books, go check out all of Bob Shea's books. They're hilarious and fun and just so well done. Definitely go check out Bear Suit Turtle. And at the end I'm going to be back with the CTA for this episode. The Call to Adventure. I like to leave you with something to do so you're not as feeling excited about making creative work, but you're making creative work. So I'm going to be back at the end with with Action. A Call to Adventure inspired by this chat called Tickle Yourself. And I did this activity, I didn't like try to make myself laugh tickling myself, but I tried to do this in my creative work recently and it was to a positive effect. So stick around for that and I will be back at the end to talk about how you can put this stuff to action. All right, let's get into this chat. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace. I love Squarespace. I'm a long time user. One of the things I love about Squarespace is I will use it's so easy to use that I will use it to create pitches. If I'm pitching a book or I'm pitching something to a client, I will use a Squarespace page in my website and I'll build the whole thing there. Then you don't have these clunky like document PDFs clogging up people's inboxes and it looks super slick. If you want to see one of those that I use all the time, I did one for my series right side out. Andyjpizza.com RSO and you can can see how I create a little pitch summary of that project. Go to squarespace.com pep talk get building for free and trying it out and testing it. And then when you're ready to launch, use promo code pep talk all one word for 10% off your first purchase. Thanks Squarespace. My day kicks off with a refreshing Celsius energy drink.

Andy J. Pizza (66:03)

All right. I'm back from the future after I had the chat with Bob. Been thinking about this chat. Had a great time talking to him. I should. I wish I would have had him earlier on the show, and I hope to have him back because I just have so much to learn from this guy and he's just tons of fun to hang out with. So I hope you love the episode. I'm back with the cta, the call to adventure. It's called Tickle Yourself. And the idea is that even though if you've ever tried to actually tickle yourself, you know that it's impossible, but when you're making creative work, it is possible. One of my favorite things to do, and I forget about this all the time, is to try to draw stuff that's going to make me laugh. Like, literally, verbally, out loud laugh. And one of the ways that I've found to do this, you don't have to be funny. Right? It doesn't have to make anybody else laugh, really. It's about giving yourself permission to goof off and waste time. And so recently my daughter has been like, really trying to get me to go, like, let's go downtown Columbus, where we live. Let's go find a cool coffee shop. Let's waste a bunch of time journaling, doodling, whatever, And I thought it was a great idea. So we made some time to do It a week ago or so, maybe two weeks ago. And I just decided that I wasn't going to do any work drawing. I was going to only draw whatever came to mind, whatever I could see around me. And then I also was going to try to make it weird and silly and fun, just to enjoy myself. And I would draw these characters and some of it was a little bit influenced by the things that were around me at the coffee shop and then other things were just like weird top of my head stuff and I was giving them speech bubbles and they were interacting with each other and I kept chuckling to myself embarrassingly for my 16 year old daughter, I mean, she honestly, she likes me. But you know, it was a great experience and it felt very similar to the way that Bob lets himself create. And for me, nothing huge came out of it. Not a picture book or something, but one of the prints that I'm going to release through a company ended up coming out of that time. And it was just a great experience to have the goal not to make a print that was going to sell rapidly, not to make a successful picture book, not to have any other goal from that creative section. Great session. Than tickling myself, trying to make myself laugh, trying to have some fun. And I like this because it also reminds me of stuff that I've heard John Cleese talk about where when they were running writing for my writing for Monty Python, they would do these writing sessions where the only goal was to have fun. It wasn't to have an episode done when they were through with the session. It was literally to just stack as many sessions up as they could where they had fun and they knew if they did that they would end up with good episodes and they would end up with something to show for it. And so my challenge to you is just find 20 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, two hours, whatever you can muster, whatever you can find. To have a creative session where the only goal is to have some fun, is to make yourself laugh, is to make yourself feel something and to remember what it's like to create for fun again. And you know, we're in the summer. I'm trying to lean into some of the seasonality of that and part of that is how do I make all this process a little bit more enjoyable? And so I hope that inspires you to loosen up like Bob does so well. He's just a hero of mine in that way. And I hope you got a ton for this episode. Massive thanks to. You know what? I'm not gonna go to the thanks Yet I'm gonna just say one more thing. I'm switching it up. You know, in the era of we're in this time where, you know, the sound bites get taken out of context, there's so much pressure to be on point to not waste time. Short form video has us being like, okay, I gotta say something really important every single second. And, you know, it's actually. I don't know if it's a contrarian in me or what, but it's caused me to wanna go off script more and be more present and authentic in how I'm feeling and thinking. So anyway, just real quick to go off scrap. We meet up at the end of every month with our Patreon backers, Substack supporters in our creative pep rallies. First Monday of the month. Sometimes we meet in the morning, sometimes midday, sometimes later in the afternoon. And they're not just great for the people attending, they're great for me because I finally have a place to talk about this stuff that's not alone in this room. And so if you have ever listened to episodes and you wanted to talk about it with me or talk about it with other people that listen or follow up questions or added comments or other perspectives, that's the space for it. And it's kind of been incredible and it's been growing. We've been doing it for about a year and a half now, and it's become part of the process. And I think the episodes are actually improving because of that. So thank you for the supporters. And if you want to join in, you can show up, you can keep your camera off, you can just listen in the background while you're doodling, working, whatever it is, cleaning up, and then eventually you might have the courage to join in and turn the camera on, ask questions, participate, whatever. But if you're a fan of the show and you want a space to explore some of these things and apply some of them directly to your creative practice, that's a good place for it. So you can go check that out. Anniejpizza.substack.com or patreon.com creativepeptalk whichever place is more interesting or easier for you to support, supporting the show. And either of those places will get you access to that. So hope to see you there. These are people that are building creative careers, want to make creativity a practice, and, you know, they're serious about it. There's beginners there, there's seasoned veterans of creativity there and everything in between. So hope to see you. Thanks for that. Thanks to Sophie Miller for giving me great notes on this episode and helping me put it together be the producer editor on the show. Thanks to Connor Jones of Pending Beautiful for audio edits, video edits, animation, sound design extraordinaire Connor Jones. Happy to have you in the mix my friend. Thanks to Yoni Wolf of the band Y for our theme music and soundtrack and thanks to all of you for listening. Until we speak again, stay pepped up. Okay, the podcast is over, so I don't know why you're still listening, but I am glad that you enjoyed it enough to stick to the end. I have one more thing for you. If you're in a place where you're feeling a lack of clarity and you want to figure out your industry, market and niche and find the perfect strategic side project to do next, go sign up to our newsletter@andyjpizza.substack.com and you will get a confirmation email that will give you the download of our Creative Career Path Handbooklet. And the whole process is in there. And you might also get a few bonuses in there depending on when you sign up. But again, thanks for listening. Glad you enjoyed the episode and stay pepped up y' all.