[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Welcome to who’s on fourth where we interview one member of the yeah write community and the interview will publish the fourth Monday of each month. Next in the series features Arden Ruth interviewing Donna-Louise of Newshound to Novelist.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][vc_column_text]
yeah write on yeah write: Arden interviews Donna-Louise
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Here at yeah write, we are pretty grateful for social media these days. It’s how many of our participants first stumble upon our little corner of the interwebs in the first place. One of those is Donna-Louise, known for her writing over at Newshound to Novelist. She dove into yeah write just over a year ago, and we couldn’t be happier to have her.
After sitting back for a while watching the grids and working out how to put my own work up, I decided to jump right in and have a go myself. The first post I entered on the grids was a microstory entitled ‘Motherhood‘ for number #237. This continues to be a theme in my writing. I was immediately welcomed into the yeah write community, and I was so inspired and grateful for the feedback that it kept me coming back for more. I love being accountable too. Being part of yeah write means words get written ya’ll!
Donna-Louise certainly doesn’t discriminate when it comes to our grids. You can find her on any given one each week.
Although the microstory element of yeah write no longer exists as its own entity, it hasn’t stopped me from posting microfiction pieces on the fiction grid. But my favorite place to hang out in is the nonfiction grid. I love exploring different ways of telling my life to others, and I feel honored that so many amazing writers decide to share some really personal material there each week. From funny to heartbreaking, this is a place which writers should feel safe to enter.
Anyone else out there missing the microstory grid? Donna-Louise brings up a good point that I think a lot of us forget. Sure, the fiction|poetry grid has a word limit of 750 words, but by no means do you have to use 750, or 500, or even 250. Treat the Prompt Up! feature as a microstory prompt, give yourself a word limit and see where it takes you. We want all your stories, no matter how big or small.
As always, I love to hear what advice our participants would give any lurkers out there who may not be sure about diving onto the grids just yet. Here’s what she had to say:
Just. Do. It. Be bold, be creative, be brave. If you need any help with the technical aspects of posting to the grids, come and check out the coffeehouse (via Facebook) or email yeah write. If you need a buddy to read over something you’ve written before you post it, come and check out the coffeehouse (and returning the favor is always nice too). If you need ideas or a place to receive permission to write, come and check out the coffeehouse. I think I’ve made my point here…
Y’all! Check out the coffeehouse, why don’t you? Head barista Nate is serving up all kinds of awesome there. Don’t miss out.
When Donna-Louise isn’t writing, you can find her running (a lot) and dressing up like scary clowns (I saw the pictures on Facebook, Donna-Louise! Nightmares for days…).
[You can find me] running around like a headless chicken. Actually, that’s pretty accurate. I jog. It’s my ‘me’ time to think of ideas about stories, plot and characters. I’m a big reader too but often struggle to find the time. Other than that I’m a mom – cooking, washing (where do all the clothes COME from?!), tidying… Maybe not so much of the tidying, but you get the idea.
When it comes to her writing though, Donna-Louise is as busy as the rest of us!
I am currently working on editing my novel, and I should be dedicating far more time to that than I am. I also run a feature on my blog called ‘Author Advice’ where I interview published authors about the writing process – it would be nice to up that feature from monthly to weekly.
Donna-Louise is one of our frequent international visitors at yeah write. She currently resides in the UK with her husband and two children.
I’ve always lived in the country, and I find growing up in such a rural environment has inspired the writing I produce today. Up until recently I worked as a journalist for one of my country’s biggest regional daily newspapers. I left that job earlier this year to pursue freelance journalism and also to teach creative writing to new writers.
Got any room over there for some despondent Americans? Kidding… Sort of.
[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Thank you Donna-Louise for letting us get to know you a little better here at yeah write. We are so happy to have you in our community! Make sure you follow Donna-Louise’s blog, Newshound to Novelist. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter & Goodreads.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”31272″ alignment=”right”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Oh, you want more? Well here are five things you never knew about Donna-Louise:
- She was a late reader and only started enjoying books from the age of 10.
- She didn’t read To Kill a Mockingbird until she was 30, and one of her biggest regrets is that she didn’t read it sooner.
- If she could only eat one food for the rest of her life it would be potatoes.
- Her mom taught Donna-Louise and her sister to keep fighting through the glass ceiling; she’s a builder.
- She has a slight phobia of the number five – yes, really.
[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Are you ready for the yeah write #294 weekly writing challenges opening this week? We hope so! Your badges await in the sidebar. Grab the code, paste into the text or HTML view of your post, then submit your post to the grids for a little friendly competition. We’re glad you’re here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
