DID YOU ENJOY THE INTERVIEW?
I hope you enjoyed my interview with John Hansen last week because I’ve got another one for you today, from one of my favorite writers, a freelance writer and web designer…..Janine Huldie. Janine and I have known each other now for, oh, three or four years. It was a chance meeting on the site HubPages. I don’t remember the specifics of our first meeting, but I know what followed, a friendship based on mutual loyalty and the commonalities we share.
Janine was once a teacher, as was I. She is now the mother of two beautiful daughters, and she owns her own freelance writing business as well as web design business. Many things have changed since our first meeting, but one thing that has not changed is our mutual respect for each other.
You can find Janine on her very successful blog “Confessions of a Mommyaholic,” or on her equally successful web design website J9 Design.
But before we interview Janine, consider this…..
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” Albert Schweitzer
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
I saw that quote and immediately thought of Janine. I saw that quote and immediately thought of myself.
As teachers, Janine and I knew what happiness was. We totally enjoyed our time with our students, and there was many a day when we would have gladly done it for no pay at all….and now we are freelance writers, and we know a similar happiness, and that happiness has led us both to success….and ain’t that just too cool for words?
SUGGESTION OF THE DAY
Go to book readings. Go to book signings. Even if you don’t know the writer, go and support them. We need to support one another, even if we don’t know the other writer, we really do know them, if you get my drift. Karma will return to you….I promise!
AND NOW THE INTERVIEW WITH JANINE HULDIE
1) What is your main motivation for writing? Put another way, what do you hope to accomplish with your writing?
“I write simply, because I can. See writing for me is almost like breathing and like second nature to me. That said it is a way to express myself and always has been. Whether it is in response to something that happened to me or my family or for even something sponsored for payment, I just can’t help but feel the need or want to share my story in the written form for others to read, relate and maybe even learn something new along the way.”
2) What are your thoughts regarding the marketing of your writing? What has worked well for you? What new avenues of marketing are you considering?
“As for marketing and advertising, I will say that I haven’t found a simple way or formula that has worked. Social sharing is the biggest and greatest used form of marketing and advertising in this day and age. While I do love socially sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even Pinterest, nothing has truly made me famous by any means. But still, if I have had any success by the numbers, I would say Facebook has brought me a bit, as well as even being published in syndication on the likes of Huffington Post. But for all that both those avenues have afforded me in the past, I am not one to be able to deal with the so-called internet trolls or negativity. So, I would much rather fly under the radar than deal with that kind of negative exposure.”
3) What words of advice would you give to someone just starting out in this business?
“Understand that writing is a way of life and while you may enjoy it at times, you may also loathe it all the same. Writing can definitely be a love/hate relationship. But to persevere, you will need to understand that there will be great days and then there will be equally not so great even bordering on just plain awful. If you can keep this one thing in mind, it will help you to keep on writing no matter what.”
4) If you could start all over again in writing, what one thing would you do differently?
“I am not sure I would do anything differently per say, because I feel like all that I have done so far as a writer has gotten me to this point. See life, in general, is all about learning from whether it be from what you have done right or your mistakes, as well. Yes, I have accomplished a great deal in the time I have been writing, but so too have I made my fair share of mistakes. But still, as Frank Sinatra once crooned, “I did it my way” and wouldn’t have it any other way.”
5) How do you juggle your personal life with your life as a writer?
“In the early days of writing, I struggled with the balancing act of writer, mother, wife and more. Hell, there are still times I do have my moments, but if I have learned anything over the course of my writing tenure it has been to walk away from it when I need and want to enjoy my family life and more. See I am much more apt now to close down for the weekend, evenings and more to be much more present for my family than when I did first begin my journey as a writer. Because, writing will always be here, but my family life to me is #1 and the most important part of my life. Also, I am lucky that my family does support my goals and overall lifestyle as a writer. But I want to make sure for all they do support me for that I am there not just physically, but mentally, as well when they need me the most.”
THANK YOU, JANINE
Wow! I can tell you without hesitation that Janine was speaking directly to me with her answers. What a great interview. And what an honest interview. The part about loathing writing, at times, is so very true, and her realization that it is necessary, at times, to simply walk away and remember what is most important in life…..
Janine, thank you! I think we all learned something valuable from this great interview.
UPDATES ON NIUME
I promised to tell you the good and the bad about the writing site Niume, so here goes.
I’ve been sharing there for two weeks now and overall I really like the site. I haven’t had the time to interact with other writers there, but I have posted four articles and done well so far. I have found the other writers there to be friendly and supportive.
Are there some drawbacks about the site? Yes, but in my mind they are minor. Posting is easy, as is editing after you post, but it takes awhile to figure out how to do both. The same is true of posting pictures, but you can’t post captions on the pictures or if you can, I have yet to figure that out.
They have a wide array of social media “buttons” for sharing your posts, far more than HubPages has, so those of you really into social media will find that very helpful
And, oddly, there seems to be a glitch in their search engine. I’ve had three people say they couldn’t find me on that site when they searched my name, and yet they could find me when searching the title of my posts….so that’s not terribly handy and hopefully it will be rectified shortly.
Overall I like it there! I give them a “B” grade so far.
WE NEED EACH OTHER
I’m not being bold or egotistical when I say that. You need me. I need you. Writing in today’s world…and trying to make money writing in today’s world….is like pushing a thousand-pound boulder uphill with one arm….it’s that tough and it’s getting tougher.
I follow five writing blogs as of this writing. I probably should follow at least five more. I never know when I’m going to pick up a pearl of wisdom from one of my writer friends, and hopefully I offer similar pearls of wisdom for them to use.
If you get nothing more out of this blog post than this statement it will have been worth reading: we need each other!
A FREE BLOGGING GUIDE
NIUME offers a free blogging guide, so I’ll just pass it along to you now. Follow this link if you want to download it.
NEXT WEEK
And next week I should have another interview for you. Stay tuned for another great glimpse into the mind and lifestyle of a writer.
Until then, thanks so much for stopping by. And if you’re looking for a Christmas gift for that reader in your family, feel free to buy one of my books on Amazon, or you can check them out on this website under the link on the homepage….and if not mine (insert a smile here) then buy a book from another indie writer.
Bill #greatestunknownauthor
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Billybuc
Artistry With Words 
Aw, I seriously am so glad we are friends. I know I have said this many times over in the past, but trust me the feeling is a fresh and true as ever. Also, honestly my humble thank you for sharing your space here today with me. I am honored to get to share my thoughts with you and your readers. By the way, you are right we do need each other as writers and friends, too. Thank you again and wishing you only the best Tuesday now.
It really is my pleasure, Janine. You are a good person and a smart business woman, and my followers would do well to listen to your words. Thank you for taking the time to do this.
You are making me blush. Seriously, thank you again always!!!
What a wonderful interview! Janine, I’m so glad your freelance business is doing well. It’s nice to be able to work from home and be available to your family at the same time.
Thanks for stopping by, Sha. Good things happen to good people. I believe that, and Janine is a perfect example.
Thank you so much Shauna and I truly feel blessed that I am able to work from home doing what I love, as well as being here for my family at the same time, too. 🙂
I have known J9 since we started writing for Hubpages, and she has grown into a seasoned writer and an accomplished web designer.
Lovely questions and she has answered them brilliantly.
Can’t wait for another writer’s interview.
Thanks Bill for highlighting many such writers on your platform.
My pleasure, my friend, and I agree with everything you said about Janine.
So nice to see you here today, as well and honestly can’t thank you enough for your kind words about me as a writer and web designer, as well 🙂
Great interview Billy. It is always enjoyable to learn more about the way other people deal with managing their time and their writing.
Thanks very much for the link to Niume. This is on my list of to do things this week as I have just returned from France and have a few ideas for the site.
Thanks, Sally, for reading Janine’s interview. She is one of the quality people I am lucky enough to know in this business. Welcome back from France.
Janine is a great writer and wonderful person, especially a great mom. It is nice to hear one deals with similar issues and reading how others approach them helps tremendously. That boulder seems heavier on certain days but we must keep moving forward.
Thank you Dee and I agree we definitely just have to move forward on those rough days to get to the better days still 🙂
Thank you Dee!
Great interview! I will say that Janine is certainly right about wanting to stay under the radar to avoid negativity… Getting more public exposure can come with some trolling and rumours… Thanks Janine for sharing so much with us here 🙂 Great choice for an interview, Bill! I’ll be emailing you soon, by the way!
Aw, happy to share here with you, too Christy and I am glad to know I am not the only with the sentiments that I feel about the negativity and staying under the radar, because of it.
Thank you Christy and hugs from down south. Looking forward to that email.
Love this! And hugs to you and Janine! You both are just plain awesome! There’s no other way to put it!
I say that, too, because I…think I burned myself out a bit in those early years before going back to grad school. And then after grad school, even though I write every day, the public posting piece was…and sometimes is incredibly hard for me. Not sure why – maybe it’s what Janine alluded to up there: you’re putting yourself out there and there are still days when I get some awful comments that nearly make me lose sleep at night.
But no matter; I’m compelled to write or otherwise create…even if I don’t always publish it. In fact, I probably don’t publish most of it.
As for the book, it’ll get published…sometime soon. I was going to try to publish this summer, but then I realized by pressuring myself like that and then try to run an entire after school program with 9 tutors and nearly 30 volunteers, plus 53 kids, their parents and the school…I’m like geez…I need to cut myself some slack. LOL.
But…I won’t do this forever. I need the calmer life of writing and creating…need, need, need it. So…will figure that out in the not too distant future.
Hope you both are well. Thank you for sharing all this and inspiring!
So many hugs right back at you Cyndi. What can I say, but you are just awesomeauce always. But I hate hearing that you are getting any sort of negative or mean comments on anything you are writing and sharing. Definitely know you are not deserving of that ever and hope you know just how mazing you are. That said, glad you are taking your time and pacing yourself with the upcoming book, but still very excited for when you do put it out there and publish. Thank you always and seriously cannot say enough how blessed I am to have friends like you and Bill in my life. ❤
I know you’ll figure it all out, Lil Sis! Time….take your time. You are still young enough that you have that luxury. 🙂 Thanks for always supporting me and hugs from the west coast.
What a wonderful interview Bill & Janine, so great to read and get an insight into your world Janine! You are both ultimate examples of the importance of passion. When you are passionate about what you do it shines through. Thanks Bill for a quote I can relate to easily and agree with 100%! Thanks too for the NIUME update I plan to get back to writing on HP and then give this one a go!
Irish, it’s always good to hear from you. Thank you, my friend, and I look forward to your return to HP. Hugs coming at ya from across the Pond.
Oh my goodness, Bill – I’m sorry I’m only getting around to commenting on your blog now. It’s been a crazy few stressful weeks, that I can tell you. What an awesome interview… I love Janine! And I completely agree – writing is like a love/hate relationship!!! I wish I’d known that a few years ago when I started out. Live and learn 😉
Hope your weekend has been great so far!
Mel, it’s been a busy weekend but a good one, and I hope yours was the same. Thanks for stopping by….Janine is about the most loyal of followers I have….check out the following week….an interview with Christy. Do you know Christy? Anyway, another quality human being, like yourself.