Sunday, September 2, 2012

Becoming a Writer by Pauline L. Hawkins (Guest Post)

Today I would like to welcome Pauline L. Hawkins to the blog to talk about her journey as a writer. Pauline has written Ashes Ashes The Twins Fall Down about the events of September 11, 2001 and how they redefined the direction of our country. Pauline will be touring online in September and participating in a Labor Day Book Fair. Check out the News section of her website for all the details.

What inspired you to become a writer? Describe your journey as a writer.

I think I've always been a writer. I’ve always had stories bouncing around inside my head and most anyone who knows me will tell you that I have an over-active imagination. As an Instructional Designer I always loved writing analogies and just think that all goes hand in hand with be a writer. Also I don’t know why but I find it much easier to share my thoughts and emotions in writing then verbally. I’m not sure if it’s the anonymity that allows me to share what I’m thinking and feeling or what it really is. Maybe it’s the fact that writing comes with spell check and grammar check. LOL

Writing also helps me arrange your thoughts and make more sense out of what I want to say. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written a few pages or even a chapter and then decided I wanted to head a different direction and scrap them and start over. With all of my Instructional Design training I’m also very in tune with writing for your audience and I’m sure that has a lot to do with my decision to sometimes head a different direction. As much as every writer would like to we can’t write to everyone out there we have to decide on a basic audience. But as enjoyable as writing is it is still work.

All writers, or authors, get writer’s block. We all find ourselves not in the mood to write when we need to be writing to meet a deadline or whatever. Writers are their own worst critics. I’m been frustrated before with a chapter and about ready to trash it but when I ask a neutral party to read it they just love it. I don’t know I guess we just expect the perfection from ourselves and we won’t settle for anything less. You also sometimes find yourself being discouraged by family and friends when they tell you that your writing is a “nice” hobby or that your book is “nice” but it’s no best seller. Ouch! We all hope to write the next best seller but we realize that the odds are against us but we don’t need our family and friends reminding us of it.

About the Author: Pauline L. Hawkins was born in Munson Army Hospital at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on Easter Sunday. As her mother says, Pauline chose to enter the world in the middle of a tornado, and she has been going strong ever since. Pauline and her two adult sons currently reside in Texas, where she has been in the health insurance industry for almost thirty years, working her way up from the mailroom to corporate management and claims payment. In 2002, Pauline received her Instructional Design certification, which allows her to create instructor-led and learner-paced training curriculums, along with computer-based learning activities and website creation. She has enjoyed the opportunity to exercise her creativity. Pauline has enjoyed writing since she was in high school, and has decided to start sharing her stories. This is her debut book. Connect with Pauline on her website or on Facebook.

About the Book: 9/11: The Day That Defined a Generation Where were you on 9/11? That question has become part of the fabric of our lives as Americans. On that bright, sunny day, none of us had any idea what was in store and how it would change our lives. Depending on what part of the country you lived in, you may not have known anything was going on until several hours after the first plane struck. You may not have heard the news until you got to work, turned on your car radio, or received a call from a loved one asking if you had seen or heard the news. Ashes Ashes the Twins Fall Down is a look at the events of 9/11 from personal and informational perspectives. Author, Pauline Hawkins, who lived in Texas at the time of the attacks, shares her experience of 9/11, and its repercussions for her family, her job, and how she viewed the world. Pauline's story of coping with the news, reframing how she thought about America and the world, and making a conscious decision to become better-informed will resonate with anyone who lived through 9/11. In addition to her personal testimony, Pauline provides a thought-provoking context for the events of 9/11, including political background, social commentary, and reflections on the contributions of everyday heroes. You'll come away from this book both enlightened and comforted by Pauline's honesty and common sense, as well as her heartfelt appreciation of those who sacrificed for our country, and those who continue to work toward healing and rebuilding.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.
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