Victoria Lynn, From Arkansas, USA, 1093 Fans, 224 Hubs, Joined 15 months ago
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TToombs08 Interviews Victoria Lynn
One Hubber's story of inspiration and the pursuit of a lifelong passion
With all that you have going on in your busy life (being an adjunct instructor, caring for a herd of cats and a dog or two, rediscovering blogging, etc.) how to you still find the time to write? Is there a secret to your self discipline that others can learn from?
First, Terrye, thank you for interviewing me. I am honored! As far as discipline, it's a must-have thing right now if I want to succeed as a writer. Earlier in the year, my plan was to trot off into the exciting and scary world of freelance writing, supplementing my income with teaching a college English class here and there. Well, despite my aspirations, things turned kind of crazy, as FOUR classes were dumped in my lap. I really am grateful that I'm appreciated as a teacher, but my ultimate goal is to eventually devote myself to full-time freelancing. That's why I have to continue to be self-disciplined. I'm not willing to give up the freelance gigs I currently have on the side, even though I've been meeting myself coming and going lately! I work all day, take a break, and work several hours in the evenings. I work at least one day on the weekends, too--like many of us do! What keeps me going is knowing that one day all of this is going to pay off and I will achieve my dream.
At what point in your life did you have that "ah ha!" moment that the light bulb came on and you realized that you loved writing? And what did you do once it clicked?
Oh, Terrye, that was in elementary school! I have a silly book of poems to show for it. I was always writing poetry. I was often the kid who sat in her desk at recess when the weather was bad writing in a tattered notebook while my friends played in the back of the room. I have a "romance novel" in a folder that I wrote when I was about twelve years old! I have a box of writings--poems, essays--that I saved from high school, college, and beyond. I've always enjoyed writing and knew as a kid that it was something I would always do. When I got into traditional 9 to 5 jobs and endured them over the years, thinking "Is this my life?" I realized that making a living as a writer had to be my ultimate goal. Writers have to write.
Some day in the very distant future, when you are standing before the pearly gates, what would you like to most be remembered for?
That I had heart. There are so many things to be remembered for, but if I am remembered for having compassion for people and a passion for what I believe in, then my life will have had value.
So many new writers try their hand at writing for a month or two and then decide it's just too hard or their goals are unobtainable and give up. What personal accomplishment at HubPages has boosted your confidence to keep going and stay focused?
Really, there is no ONE personal accomplishment on HubPages that has boosted my confidence and propelled my desire to succeed. What has spurred me on is the whole HubPages experience- a place where I can write about my interests, the interaction and friendships with other writers, and the feedback I receive. The input from other writers has been key in my believing in myself and my abilities. My writing and networking on HubPages has led me on to other freelancing opportunities, as well. If new writers really want to make it, they can't give up. Making it as a writer is hard work, but I think it's a worthwhile, albeit challenging (and fun!) journey- one I'm still working on!
Some writers can write at the drop of a pen; any where, any time, any place. Others need to have a specific environment in order to be creative with a very disciplined schedule. What works the best for you?
Before I started teaching so much, I would write off and on all day and late into the night. Now, I just write as I have time or am inspired! When I have deadlines, I push through the writing whether I'm inspired or not. If we always waited for inspiration, we wouldn't always meet our obligations. Sometimes it takes pushing through the writer's block to get the writing flowing. One piece of advice--always jot down any ideas you have wherever you are. These will help you through the "dry" times.
A lot of writers find themselves pigeon-holed into certain niches. Would you advise them to attempt to expand their writing styles to see what else they are capable of or stick with what works for them and hope that they don't get burned out or become 'stale?'
I used to wonder about niches, and now I am definitely of the mind that one should branch out. On HubPages, I do focus on my favorite topics: saving money, pets, grammar and writing, teaching, and poetry, but I also write random Hubs. If we write enough, we're going to develop niches in several areas just naturally. I'm blogging about cats but plan to blog eventually about all those other "niches" I mentioned. I love to proofread, too, and am trying to do that on sites like Elance. And I have to have my poetry outlet! I have some other ideas in mind that I'll eventually try, so I'm planning to branch out in even more areas.
I recently took a course on freelancing. My instructor, a 15 year freelancer, says she has never stuck to a niche. She has been creative in many different genres and is successful! That gives me hope and inspiration to write about whatever pulls me. Following my many interests, I feel, will keep writing fresh and exciting, keeping burn-out from creeping in. Trying different things does help us find out what we are capable of as writers.
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