Clancy Tucker's Blog: 13 January 2014 - LINDI MAQHUBELA

13 January 2014 - LINDI MAQHUBELA - Guest Blogger

LINDI MAQHUBELA

- Guest Blogger -

G'day guys,

Welcome to a guest blogger who hails from the UK - LINDI MAQHUBELA. Lindi is an experienced marketing professional who has successfully worked at a senior level nationally and internationally, including liaising with the media, CEO’s, MPs, policy-makers and opinion formers. Her skills include strategy formulation, copywriting, e-communications, PR, policy and social media. Lindi has successfully led campaigns in both large and small organisations pertaining to the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Welcome, Lindi ...

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BLOG’S JOURNEY.

I started my blog at the end of April 2013. I knew that I wanted to interview creative people, both disabled and non-disabled, that’s about it. I started off by interviewing successfully published authors both traditional and self-published. I asked them the nuts and bolts of writing - how they wrote tension, romance, plotted a novel. Soon my blog branched out to actors, musicians and entrepreneurs.

The more interviews I did the more people started asking me about my public relations background - which is my day job, so the site developed into a blog about creativity, disability, entrepreneurship and public relations!

WHAT IS THE AIM OF YOUR BLOG?

Inspiration for creation is a blog and channel that features video interviews of inspiring disabled and non-disabled creatives and entrepreneurs to teach you how to develop your creativity, business acumen and public relations to make a decent living or just be happier in yourself.

The blog answers any business or PR questions an entrepreneur or creative individual may have, in future I will also offer an international PR consultancy service. At the moment I have a waiting list of potential clients who are keen to work with me. If you want to be added, please contact me at http://inspirationforcreation.com/contact/

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE A BLOG?

I was on the board (voluntary) of a charity which helped children and young people with special needs to communicate using drama. Lots of the participants mentioned that they didn’t have positive role models, who they could aspire to, so I found some disabled creatives and asked if I could interview them for my channel so that they could be the role models the children were seeking.

Also I lost my job for the third time running in as many years through no fault of my own, but rather the economic climate (advertising and PR is always the first cut!) so rather than sitting around feeling sorry for myself, I decided to channel my energy into something positive to help others.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

I enjoy building imaginary worlds in my head and seeing a manuscript develop from one page to hundreds more. I also love it when characters come to life by themselves and I love it when something I didn’t expect happens in the novel taking it in a whole new direction that I didn’t plot.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

Keeping motivated! Some days it’s a pleasure to write, others it’s a drag. Also sometimes you feel like you’re writing a load of rubbish, but you have to plough on. The only cheerleader is in your head and you have to be quiet, still, so that you can hear her.

WHAT WERE YOU IN A PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOUR BLOG?

I’m still living my past life. I’m a public relations professional and it’s related to my blog, so it ties in quite nicely.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT PROMOTING OTHERS?

I get to meet inspiring people from around the world and learn from their successes and failures. I like sharing their success with my audience so that they too can be inspired creatively!

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?

I’m writing the last few chapters of my novel and editing it. I am also creating new content for my blog.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

My parents. My dad is a leading contemporary artist. He grew up in South Africa under Apartheid and was always told that due to his skin colour he would never amount to anything – well, he’s now a respected and famous artist! And my mum because she’s really clever, she came to England and completed a degree when she could just barely speak English, and did I mention that she’s also a whizz with finances? They instilled in me a realistic confidence in myself that has helped me in life. I embrace what I am good at and don’t beat myself up over what I am not so good at.

ARE YOU A WRITER?

Yes!

WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?

'Dark Fantasy'. To be honest I didn’t choose the genre, it chose me! Fellow writers will know what I mean.

DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?

Surround yourself with friends not foe. You will need all the love, support and constructive criticism you can get. Read, read and read some more to develop your own voice and understand how to write a novel.

DO YOU SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?

No. I do suffer from lazy days though, when everything distracts me from writing.

DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED WRITING SCHEDULE?

I write better late at night, between twelve midnight and five in the morning. That’s why I switched to part-time work. When I worked full-time I never got the time to write - I had to sleep to wake up early for work!

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE WRITING PLACE?

Not particularly.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY?

I haven’t got a favourite author. I like so many genres, I have favourites from each.

WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER OF YOUR BLOG?

That she loved my interview style and despite finding it on someone else’s Facebook, she hunted me down to subscribe to my channel. J

WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER?

That my very first interview was bad because I looked nervous – erm I was nervous! Who wouldn’t be?

WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?

I am influenced by everything that happens, both in my life and that of those around me.

OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?

Blogging, public speaking and public relations, learning to use new technology, going to the theatre, lying on a beach reading, and art exhibitions. Lots of other things too, I like to keep my mind busy.

IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE ENTIRE WORLD, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

Gosh, that’s a difficult one, I’ll need time to think about that one………probably something like - be the best version of yourself, follow your dreams and ignore the haters.

DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.

Strangely enough I don’t have a perfect day. It depends on my mood.

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST ASSETS AS A WRITER?

I have an overactive imagination which can be a blessing or a curse hehehe!

IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE? WHY?

I couldn’t choose.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

To finish my manuscript and find a literary agent and publisher. To develop my blog and channel and to do international PR consulting for companies and individuals that I find interesting.

WHAT FIVE BOOKS WOULD YOU TAKE TO HEAVEN?

Sorry can’t choose again, I like too many. What I can say is one would have to be sci-fi, and another YA dystopian.

ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?

Thanks for inviting me to your fantastic blog!