xxxThe following writer has been kind enough
to share her story with us.
xxxIf you would like
to contribute your story and photo to me, email them to:
xxxrob@easywaytowrite.com
xxxThank you.
xxxNeridah Kentwell
Turning fifty is a turning point in life
for most and it certainly was for me. After the initial
panic attack, which my understanding daughter
counteracted by giving me the 21st party
I’d never had, I was able to settle down and think
of the future. And the first thing that popped into my
head was the strong desire to write!
My mother, now 86 and a well established children’s
book writer, had often said during my busy years of
bringing up children, working full time and studying
different careers/interests to find myself - ‘Why
don’t you write?’ My reply was always ‘No
time. I need to earn money!’ I couldn’t believe
it then, when the thought of writing actually hit me,
just how overwhelming it was.
Following my usual approach to anything new, I started
learning as much as I could on the subject. I sent off
for a correspondence course, did the odd workshop and
read as much as possible. Still working full time I had
almost completed my course and was writing regularly for
a local tourist magazine, when I found out I had what we
all fear - cancer.
To shorten the story, I was one of the lucky ones - no
chemo or radiotherapy - just a hysterectomy from which I
recovered quickly. This was the result of knowing all the
early warning signs and getting help as soon as possible,
both for which I gratefully thank my GP. These ideals for
a successful outcome are well publicized but not often
followed, perhaps because of fear and denial, which I
also had and needed to overcome.
In the interim I quit my job that I disliked anyway and
because I was unsure of what the doctors would find when
they operated.
Applying immediately for NEIS as soon as I recovered, I
was able to get a year’s financial support while I
explored my new passion, believing I could make an
instant writing business.
There is no doubt that year was a real eye opener. Six
months after trying to make it happen the traditional way
I decided I needed to get more Net Know-how, after first
reading a free e-book of the incredible Rob
Parnell’s.
With Rob’s assistance, his articles and e-books, I
started my first blog; I slowly and cheaply built my own
website with just a little help needed right at the end;
I wrote my first e-book and best of all, I gained
confidence on the World Wide Web.
Persistence is the key in any writing, as it is when
learning anything new like internet marketing, and
‘slow but sure wins the race’. I have made many
mistakes over the last few years but learning from your
mistakes is part of life and most things are repairable
– except perhaps a computer that you’ve chucked
out the window from your frustration with it!
Turning fifty is a turning point in life
for most and it certainly was for me. After the initial
panic attack, which my understanding daughter
counteracted by giving me the 21st party
I’d never had, I was able to settle down and think
of the future. And the first thing that popped into my
head was the strong desire to write!