Interview: Dawn Groves

Dawn Groves is a 21st century Renaissance woman. Her official description says:

“Dawn Groves has authored several books on lifestyle management and a variety of computer topics, including Stress Reduction for Busy People, Yoga for Busy People,  Massage for Busy People and The Writer's Guide to the Internet.  A certified Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) presenter and trainer, she consults for the government and private industry in Canada and the USA through Einblau & Associates (http://www.einblau.com/). Her specialties include workflow productivity, team communication, and stress management. Her work has been quoted in Professional Excellence, Fitness Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Yoga Journal, and other national publications. A resident of Bellingham, WA, she also teaches writing and computer workshops for Whatcom Community College. She maintains a popular blog, Your Productivity Sucks."

Yes, but there's more.  In person, Dawn exudes practicality, wit, vast writing and social media experience, and uncommon patience. Her writing pops because her voice and point of view (POV) are strong and sassy.   I know this because I’ve taken three writing/computer classes from Dawn at Whatcom Community College since February.  I also know that  she also curates three great sites: 

Productivity Tips and Tricks





Neuroscience for Regular Folk  

and

Productivity Backwash: “Where productive people chill” 

She’s also an avid nature lover, kayaker, and puts enormous loving energy into mothering two teenage girls.

Finally, Dawn is generous.  She expressed delight when I asked her for an interview.  And at 4:20 am yesterday morning, she emailed fabulous responses to my questions.  That’s right; the woman was up and taking care of a commitment at 4:20 am.

Come and meet this fascinating writer:

 

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Q. I've been looking at your website, blog, Scoop It, etc.  You are a powerhouse writing and blogging teacher and corporate trainer who also has major roles as a parent, a spiritual person, nature lover and kayaker.  We both know that writing happens because you commit to doing it, but how do you carve out the time to write?  I know that you wrote a post on your blog, "Your Productivity Sucks" on keeping balance in your life, but how do you apply those lessons to your writing?

Ah yes. 5 Takeaways from Seth Godin interview. I like that post. Good info.  Re balance in life, I’ve become more forgiving about it. I drop my standards and go for “good enough.”  For example, when i write blog articles, I write them good enough. I always strive for fabulous but I post when the result is good enough. If you don't see a blog post for a few weeks, it’s usually because I got caught trying to be fabulous again. The same holds true for parenting. I want to be a perfect mom. My love for my girls is infinite and I make sure they know it. But in practice I’m often imperfect, good enough. It’s hard to accept sometimes but when I stop expecting unrealistic outcomes, I produce better work. I get off my own back and become more emotionally present. Presence of mind is what gives writing spirit and heart. Presence communicates.  

Available at Amazon

When it comes to work, I typically schedule a “good enough” goal and then define milestones to reach it.   I allow wiggle room for surprises like special events for the girls, illness, computer crashes, or flat tires.  Again, I schedule for “good enough.” Once I get good enough delivered, I continue to refine until the product is great. But if I wait for great to evolve, I’ll piss off my clients. In all honesty, good enough is usually great to a client.

The bottom line, Benita, is that there is no answer to the balance question. It’s not an either/or situation. It’s more like a continuum. Sometimes you’re at a 10, other times you’re barely hanging on to 2. I’ve found that balance is the result of perspective. I develop relationships with people who’ve been there and done that. Mentors, friends, colleagues, and peers can provide a comforting perspective. They help me remember what’s most important without invalidating my current set of concerns. They make me feel better. They reconnect me to my values. And isn’t that what balance is really about?  

Q. You are a self-confessed neuroscience geek, regaling your followers on Neuroscience for Regular Folk with fascinating discoveries and proven information on how the brain works and how powerful it is.  What information about the brain do you think writers need to know to stimulate their writing and handle distractions?

Oh wow, this could be a book. OK, I’d synopsize it in this way. Habits are neuronal paths biochemically worn into your brain. Spiritually they could be a lot of other things depending on your philosophical flavor, but biologically they are chemical. Because the brain changes constantly, we can generate new pathways. We can change our habits. Really. If we want to move away from distraction and into production, it’s a matter of tromping new neural pathways and letting the old paths go to seed. No it isn’t easy but so what? Everything easy was once hard. We can do hard. We’re not destined to walk the same unskillful pathways. We can change them. Old dogs *can* learn new tricks. It’s a matter of tromping down a smart, sustainable path that’s linked to the same stimuli that used to trigger the old unskillful habit. 

Available at Amazon

Easier said than done, I know. Psychobabble. But it gives me great hope and the impetus to keep making an effort.

Q. A few nights ago, you told our non-fiction writing class that this was the best time for people to write for publications.   Just last Friday, the New York Times had a long article, "Miniature E-books Allow Journalists to Stretch Legs".  What will today's new writers need to do to break into the e-book market?

OK, another question that could fill a book. Here’s the short “good enough” list off the top of my head:

1.      Start with reading Jane Friedman’s blog, Being Human at Electric Speed religiously. She’s the queen of online writing and publishing. Incredibly generous, a huge influencer. Her articles are a treasure trove of how-to info.

2.      Pick your topic of interest and see what’s already out there. Assess the competition.

3.      Do everything you can to set yourself apart. Determine your niche. Do you have a unique POV? Is your book shorter? Easier to apply? Edgier? Illustrated with naked people? 

4.      Start a blog with the same distinguishing characteristics. Establish yourself as an authority before you begin asking for money. Test drive your material.

5.      Write a really good book. This is where “good enough” doesn’t quite cut it. Pay an editor.

6.      Commission a strong front cover design. Most e-books have covers that look uninspired or downright sucky.

7.      Don't get greedy. Of course your work is worth $10 to $20 per download. So what? Sales isn’t about worth; it’s about market value. Even Guy Kawasaki, the undisputed king of social media influencers, charges just $1.99 for his latest ebook, What the Plus? Google+ for the Rest of Us. It’s a mighty fine work. I know because I was one of the editors.

8.      Write with two spinoff projects in mind. The second work sells the first and so on.  

9.      Work the process, but also appreciate it. If nothing else, you’re burning new synapses into your brain that should help prevent Alzheimer’s.

Q. Today, it's a brave new world for authors who are expected to promote their own work.  You have enormous experience doing this, and quite an opinion on what does and doesn't work.  In fact, you're going to speak about social media issues this month at the Whatcom Writers and Publishers dinner meeting on March 21st.  Can you tell us a little about what you're going to discuss?

I’ll be sharing 10 strategic tips for writers who want to take advantage of social media but don't know where to start. My aim is to offer options that make sense. Social media is necessary to writers. They just need it demystified and prioritized.

Q.  What led you to writing as one of your many vocations?

I’ve always been a writer and a reader. My father was a driven fiction author (albeit a bad one) and my brother John was a successful Hollywood screenwriter. So it was in the family. I knew I’d write a book someday. I also knew that I’d need a “real job” until my writing career <cough cough> took off. I chose to cultivate two professions. One was an early bloomer (software industry) and the other a late bloomer (writing books). Today, my pathway still combines two professional directions except I traded software for communications. I train and consult on management, team, and online communications with an eye toward efficiency. This lends authority to my work and strengthens the market for what I typically write. As one philosopher said, you can ask for what you want but you must also be willing to pay for it. I always wanted to be an independent writer. I gladly paid for it -- and continue to pay -- with effort, tenacity, compassion and realistic optimism. It’s worth it.