PAYING IT FORWARD: DR. PAULETTE WILLIAMS

 

 

 

Today I want to “Pay It Forward” for an accomplishment I have strived to reach, a goal that has eluded me . . . for too long! It’s a simple thing, but not an easy accomplishment. Those who know me only-too-well will say, hey, you never had trouble talking. Well, standing in front of an audience to give a speech is a different story! I needed more than a strong belief in myself.

 

Mahalo, Dr. Paulette Williams
http://www.hawaiispeakers.org/williams-paulette/ 

As a way to bolster my self-confidence, I approached Toastmasters Ala Moana’s Vice-President of Education, Dr. Paulette Williams, and asked to be assigned a mentor. Paulette, who is an award-winning Speaker and University Professor of Nursing, generously volunteered her time and knowledge, coaching me in the writing of my next speech. 

When I presented the speech to the Toastmasters group last Thursday, Paulette also encouraged me with her presence and undivided attention. Both are extremely important to a speaker. Her support and approval were invaluable to my advancement as a speaker. Mahalo nui loa to you, Dr. Paulette. 

I received the blue ribbon at Toastmasters for “Best Speaker” of the week, for my speech:  

Writing the First Draft

(Editing comes later!)

 

 

My reward, along with the ribbon and pride of accomplishment? Having my picture taken with the other two “winners of the day” Brian Boltwood, President of Toastmasters Ala Moana, and Rocky Davis, excellent keynote speakers and mentors.

Rocky Davis, Gail Baugniet, Brian Boltwood

 

My speech structure followed the parameters of

Toastmasters International Speech #8 in the Competent Communication booklet:

Get Comfortable with Visual Aids.

 

The major goals of this speech are to:

1. Use appropriate visual aids for the speech and message

2. Help the audience understand and remember the speaker’s point

3. Use body language to reinforce the message, and

4. Present a well-researched speech.

One mission of the Toastmasters Club is to give each member “the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.”

 

You may well ask, “You’re a writer, so what are you doing giving speeches?”

 

Good question, one I’ve asked myself often. I do have a purpose, aside from relishing (in a sadistic sort of way) the challenges of researching, writing, and standing up in front of a group to present a speech. I believe writers need to speak with confidence about their work. But not only as a sales tool. 

Communication skills are also important to more fully appreciate the well-rounded experience of interacting with all the wonderful people one meets during the course of a career as a writer. 

That’s motive enough! 

Please check out this website for further information about Toastmasters:

http://www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-Club/00003701-ala-moana-toastmasters

 

Also, please take a moment to visit the excellent and informative websites of Brian Boltwood: http://brianboltwood.com/photograph/about-me/

and

Rocky Davis. Rocky is a nationally and internationally recognized inspirational and motivational speaker. Learn what motivates Rocky! https://rockslifeonfire.com/about/

 

 

SECOND THOUGHTS ERODE MY CONFIDENCE

It's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog posting. IWSG was created by the awesome ninja captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can find a list of all the other members of the group here.

 

 

After writing and self-publishing three novels in my planned Pepper Bibeau mystery series, I allowed “second thoughts” to erode my confidence in writing a fourth. My marketing for the third novel never really got off the ground. I lost faith in my writing, in the worth of the stories, and in myself as a writer. It was easier to promote authors more imaginative than me and novels containing more important characters than mine. 

A lot of soul-searching followed the publication of my third novel. 

* Why had I chosen to set my stories in the near past (beginning with the late 60s and early 70s) after reading that such novels didn’t sell? Maybe it would be better to write stories occurring in the present. 

* Why was my protagonist a female with a backstory of service as a nurse in the Vietnam War? I had never been in the military, and current bestselling novels focused on action in Afghanistan or other parts of the Middle East. 

* Why did I think the life of an insurance investigator would play well in the Mystery genre? Such a career could never carry a series. 

Once I formed concrete questions to get a handle on my concerns, I considered answers to possible solutions. In November 2013, I used NaNoWriMo to test the theory of boosting my confidence by setting stories in present time. I wrote 50K words of a novel set in 2012. My main character’s backstory and career differed from my original protagonist. The surge of excitement I felt while writing the story compared to eating a new flavor of ice cream or wearing a new red silk dress. The macadamia nut chocolate swirl ice cream delighted my taste buds. The color and feel of the new dress affected most of my other senses. 

What the ice cream and dress didn’t do, and what the new protagonist didn’t do, was to satisfy my core wants and needs. My first love is vanilla ice cream: French vanilla, Country vanilla, Simply vanilla. Ready-to-wear clothes in tranquil colors suit me best. I relish the research required in developing a character whose story spans the years missed while I was “too busy living.” 

This insight resolved my concerns about why to write something “they” say won’t sell. 

For me, appreciation of a good mystery set in a familiar location generates motivation. My goal is to write mysteries that evolve in personally meaningful settings, for the enjoyment and entertainment of readers with similar interests. Book Four is now underway and I am more eager than ever to write the next Pepper Bibeau mystery.