Always Wanted to Write
I cannot remember a time when I didn’t long to write and become an author. I have to write like I have to breathe. It’s almost second nature to me. I’ve been writing professionally for over 30 years now and have more than 50 published books to my name.
My very first published work occurred when I was in the seventh grade! I had a small story published in the “big city” newspaper that was near the small town where I grew up. At that moment I was smitten. I now had printer’s ink in my veins! However, it took many many years before I could actually think of myself as a published author. It’s been a long journey.
My writing first began in shorter works and therefore I have had hundreds of my magazine articles (and not a few short stories) published throughout the years.
Ghostwriter
Additionally, I have ghosted books for dozens of clients, all of whom raved about the results. I enjoyed helping them fulfill their dreams of getting their stories told. As a professional ghostwriter, I’ve worked with clients of all ages, backgrounds and temperaments. I’ve created books from taped interviews, half-completed manuscripts, one-on-one interviews, and even shoeboxes full of notes!
Instructor
I quickly discovered that second to writing I enjoyed teaching. Early on, I offered courses at the Oral Roberts University Continuing Education department. Soon I was speaking at writers conferences all across the nation. What fun! Traveling and meeting wonderful people.
For nine years I served as an instructor for an international correspondence writing school. (I had graduated from the same school several years earlier.) During that tenure I carried the greatest student load allowed by the school. The years I taught for this school accounted for some of my greatest growth as a writer. The knowledge I gained from interacting with my students was immeasurable. At times I felt like I had hundreds of “pen pals” rather than students. They lived in nearly every state in the union – and a few overseas – and came from highly diverse backgrounds. And they thought they were the ones who were learning!
NUWS Link, Inc.
Along the way I began my “writing business” which I called Notations un-Limited Writing Services, (NUWS Link, Inc.). Through this business I offered a critique service, ghostwriting, business writing, proofreading and editing. As with all aspiring authors, we are always looking for ways to earn a living in order to keep on writing what we love. I’m no different!
Professionalism in Writing School
In 1983, I founded the Professionalism in Writing School (PIW, Inc.) and served as the coordinator for fourteen years. This three-day annual writers’ conference became the springboard for many wannabe writers to get their start. We brought in editors and instructors from all over the country to serve on staff. Our attendance grew to almost 200 attendees before we closed it down in 1996. While this required countless hours of very hard work (I did have a wonderful team of volunteers), this was a rewarding experience in my career, and opened the door for many new friendships.
Vast Variety of Books
Throughout my writing career, I have researched subjects ranging from equestrian training, to nutrition, to self-help, to financial planning, to historical events, to writing bios of famous authors (and dozens of subjects in between). I was one of the authors involved with the American Adventure Series published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. This series of historical Christian adventure books totaled 48 books in the series. I was privileged to author 16 of the 48!
More recently I authored four titles in the Tulsa Series. These stories are set against the backdrop of the Tulsa Race Riot that took place in 1921.
Thank You!
Thank you so much for visiting the Be A Novelist site. It is my sincere desire that you have found something of value here and that you enjoy the time we will be spending together.
Norma Jean
