Deborah McFarlane Entertainer, Creator, Storyteller

Deborah McFarlane

Entertainer, Creator, Storyteller

Latest Articles

Confession Is a Creative Act: Why 'I Have No Idea' Might Be Your Most Powerful Line
Storytelling & Culture

Confession Is a Creative Act: Why 'I Have No Idea' Might Be Your Most Powerful Line

The thing most creators are terrified to say out loud turns out to be the thing audiences are starving to hear. Admitting you don't have all the answers isn't a crack in your credibility — it's the door that lets people actually walk in. Here's why leading with curiosity instead of false certainty might be the smartest creative move you haven't tried yet.
Nobody Remembers the Outfit: Why Emotional Impact Is the Only Thing That Sticks
Storytelling & Culture

Nobody Remembers the Outfit: Why Emotional Impact Is the Only Thing That Sticks

In a world drowning in content, being visible isn't the same as being memorable. The performers and creators who leave a lasting mark aren't the ones with the best lighting — they're the ones who made you feel something you couldn't shake. Here's how to stop performing for the eyes and start creating for the heart.
What Happens When the Plan Falls Apart (And Why That's Actually the Good Part)
Personal Essay

What Happens When the Plan Falls Apart (And Why That's Actually the Good Part)

Most of us spend enormous energy trying to control every outcome, rehearse every line, and anticipate every curveball. But some of the most defining moments in any creative career — any life, really — happen precisely when that careful scaffolding collapses and you're left standing there with nothing but your instincts.
The Project That Bombed and the Best Thing It Ever Did for Me
Personal Essay

The Project That Bombed and the Best Thing It Ever Did for Me

I've had projects flop in every possible way — crickets in the audience, content that vanished into the void, performances I replayed on a loop at 3 a.m. wishing I could take them back. What I didn't know at the time was that those failures were quietly building the foundation for everything that actually worked. Here's what I've learned about turning your worst creative moments into your most useful ones.
Two Voices, One Story: How Creative Collaboration Actually Sharpens Who You Are
Storytelling & Culture

Two Voices, One Story: How Creative Collaboration Actually Sharpens Who You Are

There's a myth floating around creative circles that says the moment you let someone else into your work, you risk losing yourself in it. I used to believe that too — until collaboration became the very thing that helped me figure out who I actually was as a creator. Turns out, other people's voices don't drown yours out. Sometimes they're the only thing loud enough to help you finally hear it.
Stop Chasing Followers and Start Earning Fans: The Real Currency of a Creative Career
Storytelling & Culture

Stop Chasing Followers and Start Earning Fans: The Real Currency of a Creative Career

We've been sold a lie that bigger numbers mean a better career. But the creators who are actually building something lasting aren't the ones with the most followers — they're the ones with the most trust. Here's what the difference looks like in practice, and why it changes everything.
The Stories You're Most Afraid to Tell Are the Ones That Will Define Your Career
Personal Essay

The Stories You're Most Afraid to Tell Are the Ones That Will Define Your Career

Every storyteller has a drawer full of experiences they've decided are too messy, too embarrassing, or too raw to ever share publicly. But those are almost always the stories with the most power. Learning how to open that drawer — carefully, intentionally — might be the most important creative skill you ever develop.
When the Script Goes Out the Window: What Improv Teaches Us About Truly Connecting With an Audience
Storytelling & Culture

When the Script Goes Out the Window: What Improv Teaches Us About Truly Connecting With an Audience

Rehearsal gets you to the stage, but it's what happens when things go sideways that reveals who you really are as a performer. The entertainers who leave lasting impressions aren't always the most prepared — they're the ones who know how to catch a curveball and turn it into the highlight of the night. Here's what improv culture has quietly been teaching storytellers all along.
How to Stay Yourself When the Algorithm Keeps Asking You to Be Someone Else
Personal Essay

How to Stay Yourself When the Algorithm Keeps Asking You to Be Someone Else

Every creator eventually hits the wall where platform pressure, audience expectations, and the relentless pull of trend culture start whispering that who you actually are isn't quite enough. Spoiler: it's a lie. But navigating it takes more than good intentions — it takes knowing your non-negotiables before the noise gets loud. Here's what I've learned about building a creative identity that actually holds.
Why the Most Polished Stories Are Losing — And What Real Audiences Actually Want to Hear
Storytelling & Culture

Why the Most Polished Stories Are Losing — And What Real Audiences Actually Want to Hear

We're living in the golden age of high-production content, and somehow audiences are more starved for genuine connection than ever. This piece digs into why the cultural appetite for authentic storytelling is surging, what's driving creators back to raw and real narratives, and how you can build that kind of trust with your own audience.
Butterflies, Breathwork, and the Moment I Stopped Fighting My Nerves Onstage
Personal Essay

Butterflies, Breathwork, and the Moment I Stopped Fighting My Nerves Onstage

For years I thought stage fright was the enemy — something to conquer before the curtain went up. Turns out, those nerves were actually the secret ingredient I'd been trying to throw away. Here's how learning to work with my anxiety instead of against it completely changed the way I perform.