I'm pleased that Jennifer is my first aspiring author interview. Jennifer began as a teacher; today, she fills her time with short stories, non-fiction and poetry. Find out how trials in her life have helped her improve her writing.
How
long have you been writing? Why did you decide to write?
I
have always written poems and short stories throughout my life since I was a
child. I have notebooks full of poems
and short stories that I wrote in. I enjoy researching information and learning
new facts. My official writing company,
Rainbows of Happiness LLC, that I created began this summer after I left the
teaching field.
I
decided to write because it's something I am passionate about. Writing excites me like nothing else. I've always kept a notebook next to my bed,
should I get the urge to create a poem late at night. Writing has helped me through some of the
hardest times in my life. By getting my
thoughts out onto paper, I am able to release any pent up emotions. For me, writing has always served as a type
of therapy. Some of my best pieces, I
feel, come out of those tough times in my life.
What
makes you keeping going?
I
feel that one day I will come across an idea for a book that will be so
fabulous, that I will finally be able to create a best-selling book! That has always been my dream and I hope to
make that dream a reality!
I
also am lucky to have a strong support system in my husband, family, and
friends. Their constant encouragement to
follow my passion fuels my desire to write.
What
does your writing day look like? What do you do to study the craft?
I
originally planned to write a few hours each day, but I've been known to work
until midnight, longer than a regular job!
For me, each day is different.
Since I work from home, I'm constantly checking my smartphone for job
updates, writing proposals for jobs I'm interested in, working on my own
writing pieces that I want to copyright, checking emails, updating my blogs,
writing articles for jobs I have, doing research, and improving my profiles on
sites.
As
a writer I am always learning. I am
probably among one of the last remaining pencil and paper authors out
there. I like to physically write
everything out in front of me. I had to
play catch up in the world of technology when it came to writing. A month ago I never would have thought I'd be
creating blogs from scratch, or understand technological terms such as SEO, but
now I have learned all these things and more!
If there is something I am unfamiliar with when it comes to technology
and writing, I search the web and research that subject. I also read posts or
articles from writers that have been in the field for awhile, and compare my
writing with theirs to see how I can improve.
I've participated in Webinars that have been offered. Finally, I have a
wonderful tech-savvy husband who is willing to find useful websites and send them
to me!
Do
you have a goal when you'd like to be published? What is it? If you don't have
a goal, why haven't you set one?
I
would ultimately love to be published in the next year. I feel this first year is for networking,
getting my blog up and running, and getting traffic to my sites so I can create
a strong following.
Are
you thinking to go the self-published or traditional route?
I
plan on self-publishing. Nowadays with
options such as using the Kindle Platform or promoting your book on Amazon, and
LinkedIn available, more authors seem to be going the self-published
route. Not to mention more people seem
to be downloading books from online sites such as Kindle or Amazon, as opposed
to going to the book store and buying a physical book.
Tell
us about the genre(s) you write and why you like them.
I
write in several genres. Poetry is my
favorite because you can create poems about any issues on your mind at the
moment. I've written poems on everything
from butterflies and dragonflies, to world issues such as homelessness. Poetry, I find, is the most carefree genre
because you can design and format your poem into the style that you want. Poems don't have to rhyme, they can be short
or lengthy, it is based on the author's discretion.
I
also enjoy writing fiction and nonfiction.
When I write fiction, it is usually a story aimed at young children,
having taught elementary school. I have created teen fiction mystery stories as
well. In the nonfiction genre I created
several self-help books. These topics
range from ways to find happiness in the everyday, to a book on overcoming
miscarriage by looking for signs. People
often try to make their own lives better, so I assumed that self-help books
would be popular.
Why
is The Little Engine That Could your favorite book? What have you learned from it to help you to be a better
writer?
The
Little Engine That Could is my favorite book because it talks about never
giving up, even if something seems too hard.
This message can be translated into trying to become a published author,
in that the writer tries time and again to get their book published to no
avail. Do you give up? No! You keep
trying to create that perfect poem, book, or story until you get it right, thus
overcoming your personal mountain. The
engine's chant of "I think I can" turns to the affirmative as it
reaches the mountaintop. This is the
message I like to apply to my writing.
If you think you can become a better writer, you will succeed when you
believe in yourself!
What
would you tell a writer like yourself, struggling to get published?
Don't
give up! There are a lot of highs and
lows in a writing career. Concentrate on
the highs to help get you through hard times, and never stop writing! Your time will come! You have to market
yourself to people so they know who you are and can recognize your work. You
may have to accept lower paying jobs along the way, writing about things you
may find uninteresting, but you're gaining exposure and experience. Those are invaluable resources! Each experience brings with it a lesson to be
learned. Writers are always learning and improving themselves as part of the
writing process.
***
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment.