We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gloria White. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gloria below.

Gloria, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

My reading skills in grade school was a very slow process for me. Back then we didn’t have the programs we do now, for kids to learn in their own way and at their own pace. You just tried your best in whatever subject you were in and hope for the best. So my “go to” for book reports was resorting to the blurb on the back cover. At the time I thought that was good enough, but I learned quickly that it wasn’t the best thing to do, when my teacher found out. And so the jig was up. But that prompted my teacher to help me. Although I had a lot of trouble learning in school, with my teachers help, I made it through. Years later, I decided to take on a new challenge to enrol in a writer’s course to write childrens stories, through the Institute of Childrens Literature in Madison, CT. The course was so informative and very challenging for me as I have never opened myself up to anything like that before for fear of rejection. It – was – on.
What I learned in the writing course showed me that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to, if you’re willing to try. The fear of failure hit me, but I knew I wanted to overcome that.

Learning the mechanics of writing really helped my prewriting skills, the editing process, starting that first draft, sentence structure, punctuation, word finding, and the publishing process, all of this is a mere portion of what the writing process is. Something I did not know or understand prior to taking the course, which really opened up my eyes and another world for me. In that process, I knew that if it opened up my creative world, it could bring imagination and wo der to a child, and that was amazing to me. The obstacles that stood in my way were my own fears, and not having the confidence in myself to do something different. I would have never thought I would be a published author before I did this course. And that was just the beginning of the publishing process.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I never actually thought I was ever going to be an author because of my learning difficulties growing up. But getting through those difficulties made me realize that if we’re willing to work through our difficulties and face our fears, those fears will disappear, or at least lessen over time. We can use the tools we gain to face those fears and climb that mountain to get to other side. Accomplished!!!

My writing career began as a fluke. One day, I received a post card in the mail. It said, ” You can be a children’s writer.” And I wondered if I could do it. It would definitely be a challenge, I thought — I decided to take it! And that was my first step in facing my fear. And after my course was done, I had written several stories. I did however publish one of those stories which was close to my heart. That story is called, Something More Important, for children age 4 to 8. Which I have started the process of making it into a series so my readers can follow the adventures of those characters.

I have worked very hard to become a published author, and have struggled and still do with the writing process. So When I say it makes me proud to know when my readers purchase my books and tell me how much they like that book and their children have learned something from it, or can identify with what they read, is something I truly look forward to.

Currently I write for children age 4 to 8, but I have come to realize that my accomplishments have really pushed me further as a writer, and I do plan on expanding my Horizons in a different genre. So stay tuned! You never know what you’re gonna to get ;)

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

One rewarding aspect is getting to know myself as a writer, and how far I can push myself in the creative, writing aspect. And second is knowing that readers all over the world can read my books and feel what the characters feel, learn from their reading experience, and be a part of the character’s world.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

TNot only in my writing course, but during the publishing process, I have learned to overcome the feeling of rejection and understanding that is just part of the process. That rejection isn’t a no every time. That when one door closes another will open, which is probably the door that you needed to be in, in the first place. My first publishing experience was not a happy one, but that taught me that I didn’t have to take it with me to my next publishing adventure. That I could learn from them and take what I want and leave the rest. With this experience I was able to, learn, grow, and overcome those fears, prior to beginning the process. I believe that made me more resilient to other things that may stand in my way, but I know now that I can get through it no matter what.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gwhite.04?igsh=MXZ3NW10cG5uZjJoeg==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15eCUHg8w5/
• Other: TikTok
  https://www.tiktok.com/@gloriawhite.1?_t=ZM-8wuXZgXVd6G&_r=1

Image Credits

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