Carol Williams
BIW Member Interview
Carol Williams lives in upstate New York, she’s now single, has three grown children and six amazing grandchildren to whom she is affectionately known as their “hip-hop Nanny” because she doesn’t sit still much – dancing, hiking, traveling — a regular social butterfly. She has a BA in Human Development and is applying to grad school for an MSW program. She presently works in a Library and has an online bookstore on Amazon.
Moe: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Carol Williams: I think I began to dream of being a writer shortly after I learned to read. Over the years, I was encouraged to write by teachers and professors and way back there, when my kids were babies, I took the Famous Writers Course. I had no real confidence though and my life took off in other directions. I only recently started to take it seriously again.
Moe: Describe three lessons you have learned about writing so far?
Carol Williams: Write every day – something, no matter how trite it may seem. Write from the heart and edit later. Tell your inner critic to shut up because you’re too busy writing to listen.
Moe: What are you working on now?
Carol Williams: I started a memoir group a couple years ago and am always working on a memoir project. I have a blog and try to post something a couple times a month. This month I’m working very hard on my personal essay for admissions to graduate school because the deadline is in February. Yikes!
Moe: Do you have a favorite writing related book?
Carol Williams: There are several but I really like Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg.
Moe: What is your favorite writing website?
Carol Williams: I LOVE BIW. This group has helped me more than I can say – the discipline of writing intensely for a whole week each month and the encouragement I’ve received has given me the heart to continue. I haven’t used any other writers sites really except The Writers View 2 – which is “For beginning to intermediate writers who write (or desire to write) for the Christian market.” I signed up but didn’t have the time to really participate but I know it’s a highly recommended group by Christian authors. I’m just really getting started with seriously writing and seeking publication. I find that if I try to participate in too many things, I can’t concentrate on writing! That’s why I love BIW.
Moe: Do you have an important BIW tip you’d like to pass along?
Carol Williams: I’ve found that I need to take some time before the week commences to organize my thoughts and have some particular projects ready to work on. Also, I need to get as much done as possible early in the week because by Thursday my life starts to unravel and the weekends are usually too busy to accomplish much.
Thanks Hip-Hop Nanny!