20 Questions Interview with Gina Quarles

Freelance Writer, Positive Change Maker

1. What's your name?

Gina Amerongen Quarles.

2. Where are you from?

New Orleans, LA.

3. Who are you today?

Today, I am a recovering near death auto accident, freelance writer, mom, and wife.

4. What do you do? (Elevator speech)

I do a lot of freelance writing.

5. What's your story (how did you get here)?

I was suffering from writers block and searching for a few prompts and stumbled upon your website.

6. Why is creativity and writing important to you?

Creativity keeps things fresh for me and can be viewed through many new perspectives. Writing is a beautiful art form to express the self or new ideas and or create a fantasy world to escape.

7. When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?

I knew I had a creative dream after my first child was born and I was suddenly a stay at home mom. It was in the "stillness" that it became known to me.

8. How did you embrace it?

I began by allowing myself to dabble and explore the feelings and urges that were stewing inside and pushing to the surface to come out.

9. How did that feel?

It felt freeing and exciting.

10. Where has your journey taken you?

I am now a published writer. I write mostly nonfiction and poetry. It has taken me to untapped places within myself and now to completing a book.

11. What challenges have you faced?

The emotional parts of my writing have been challenging along with experiencing the feelings that have gone dormant suddenly coming alive again. Other challenges would include, writers block and fear of exposing private parts myself to the world.

12. What worked for you?

I noticed if just wrote like a maniac while remaining uncensored and going back to look at it later, it allowed me to be more honest in my writing. It ended up containing better quality and content within my piece.

13. What didn't work for you?

To write without taking breaks and trying to just finish would make for poorly written pieces and not listening to my intuition.

14. What three tips can you share with those starting on a similar path?

To get a notebook, write in it every day. Even if you do not know your starting point, just write and let it go wherever it takes you. Go without the fear of someone else reading it. Be your own unique voice and style. Do not try to sound like someone you are not. When you write as yourself, you passion flows and it becomes natural. You cannot stop writing. It feels wonderful too.

15. What are you working on now?

I have a website, I blog, mostly about my accident and movements I support. In addition, I am working on my book about my auto accident.

16. What's coming up for you in the next year?

Recovery from my tendon surgery, much needed physical therapy, and more writing are all in the plan for next year.

17. What else do you desire/dream to do?

Live life and be a positive change maker/creator.

18. How will you make that happen?

I can and will make that happen by spreading awareness though my website, my writing, my daily encounters with others and standing up for things that support positive change in our world.

19. What question would you like to be asked (or are just itching to answer) that's not on this list?

If you could share just one tip that you feel is important to every writer or artist what would it be?

It would be to be yourself and to remain original and unique. Gather ideas from others but do not let those ideas define your writing style. That is what makes or breaks an artist.

20. What's your Web site address?

www.ginaquarles.com

9/25/12