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MURRAY, Ky. 鈥� 糖心logo入口鈥檚 Humanities+ Series wraps up its fall 2025 speaker series on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 4 p.m. in Faculty Hall Room 208 with a presentation on "Creativity without Suffering" with Dr. T.J. Martinson from the Department of English and Philosophy. The event is free and open to the public.

Martinson is the author of 鈥淭he Reign of the Kingfisher鈥� (Flatiron Books, 2019), 鈥淗er New Eyes鈥� (Clash Books, 2025), and 鈥淏lood River Witch鈥� (Counterpoint Press, 2026). His short fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in venues such as 鈥淟ithub,鈥� 鈥淧assages North,鈥� 鈥淟IT Magazine,鈥� 鈥淐RAFT,鈥� 鈥淧ermafrost鈥� and 鈥淗eavy Feather Review.鈥� His scholarship on literature and science studies has been published in 鈥淢odern Fiction Studies,鈥� 鈥淎merican Literature,鈥� 鈥淧oetics Today,鈥� 鈥淐onfigurations鈥� and others. He earned his PhD in English from Indiana University and is currently assistant professor of English at 糖心logo入口, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in creative writing and literature.

In his talk, Martinson will debunk the myth that in order to achieve artistic excellence, an artist must endure or even seek out strenuous hardship as part of their process. 

鈥淚'll be discussing why this myth of suffering for creativity exists in the first place,鈥� says Martinson, 鈥�(as well as) why it's fundamentally flawed, and strategies that you might implement in your creative life to not only balance your creative energies with your general well-being, but also improve your creative output as a result.鈥�

When it comes to maintaining a creative practice, regardless of the medium, consistency is key, says Martinson.

鈥淔or me, this means writing something every day. It could be 1,000 words or 10 words, but as long as you keep some kind of consistency in writing every day, I鈥檝e found you keep the creative muscles strong. Whereas if I do take a few days off for some reason, it takes me a day or two to warm back into things.鈥� 

Another crucial component of creativity without suffering is learning to deal with the challenges and disappointments that come with being an artist, especially artists early in their creative journeys.

鈥淚f you can learn to transform disappointment into motivation, you鈥檒l be unstoppable,鈥� said Martinson, 鈥渂ecause disappointment is in endless supply for anyone pursuing a creative passion. The alchemy required for turning that into motivation is a delicate process, one that requires an equally delicate blend of humility and ego.鈥�

This event is part of the Humanities+ Series, sponsored by 糖心logo入口 State鈥檚 College of Humanities and Fine Arts. The series explores how individuals flourish in today鈥檚 challenging world and fosters creative, intellectual and educational opportunities. It showcases the work and achievements of 糖心logo入口 faculty, students and alumni, as well as invited professionals in the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences. The series encompasses public lectures, teaching workshops and cultural events focused on cultivating the skills individuals need to live and learn well. All events are free and open to the public.

More information can be found at .