We were lucky to catch up with Donna Gray-Banks recently and have shared our conversation below.

Donna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

How did you learn to do what you do? Trial and Error Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? More Research
What skills do you think were most essential? Patience
What obstacles stood in the way of learning more? Being melanated

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself,

how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc, most writers have been writing all of their lives. It is not until they are older that the path opens up to make it a business. The average age of a bestselling author is 51, so patience is the key.

what type of products/services/creative works you provide, F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival www.freshbookfestivals.net

what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others. We provide them with opportunities to speak to and interact with people that have been in the craft for years.

What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc. The book festival started with 13 authors. It is now an international book festival with over 55 attending in person and 5-8 from overseas.

Please provide as much detail as you feel relevant as this is one of the core questions where the reader will get to know about you and your brand/organization/etc Branding is essential and has to be consistent. People may not know your name, but they should know your logo. Be collaborative not competitive. Never convince people to read but find out what they will read.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Find yourself a good editor, don’t let you friends edit your book even if they are English professionals. Your cover is as important as your logo
Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate
Always get to YES

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Literacy is a Legacy, we must leave it behind.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.freshbookfestivals.net
• Instagram: freshbookfestival2023
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donna.m.banks.75/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
• Youtube: Zoom In On A F.R.E.S.H. Conversation