Enelle Lamb on Writing, Publishing, Multi-Tasking, and ADHD

Enelle Lamb is a very active Hubber and online writer.  Between her involvement with the HubNuggets program, Hubbing, blogging, book writing, it is a wonder that she has time to also be a successful mother and advocate for children with ADHD – and yet she is.

As many in the HubPages community are also outspoken writers of printed books, bloggers, and champions of various causes, we thought it would be fun to have a short interview with Enelle Lamb to discuss her life as a writer and activist.  We hope you enjoy it – and that Enelle Lamb’s involvement inspires you to follow your own writing ambitions!

HubPages: First, could you tell us a bit about your writing on HubPages? How did you first come across the site, and why did you join?

Enelle Lamb: When I originally found HubPages, through an online search, I was looking for a site where I could build an online presence in order to promote my jewellery and my children’s adventure series. I thought HubPages would be a great place to get started and inspire me to keep up my writing, but I found so much more. I have been a member here for almost three years. I have had a lot of fun, and made some good friends.

In addition to writing on HubPages, you also have several blogs, websites, and even published books. How do you manage so many things at once?

Funny you should ask, because my last Hub, Juggling – A Lost Art? talks about how difficult it can be to budget your time. So many of us face the same challenges in our everyday lives, and sometimes we need to be very creative with time management. I think if someone had handed me this entire list of jobs and activities a few years ago and said, “Here do this,” I would have laughed at them and said, “You want this when?” When I look at that list now, I wonder how I manage to get it all done. I think the key is that I am passionate about every one of these jobs and activities.

You share on your profile that you are a major advocate for children with ADHD. What inspired your involvement with ADHD?

A lot of people have heard about ADHD but they don’t understand how it affects the child and the child’s development. My son was finally diagnosed with this disability at age seven, and through his early school years I was already advocating for him with teachers and counsellors. Then I wrote my first Hub, which was about my son’s ADHD, and when I saw how many people were commenting, sharing their struggles, and seeking information, I realized there was a need for someone to advocate for other parents as well.

You recently revised and republished a book on ADHD – could you tell us a bit about it?

Absolutely – This book is a personal account of my struggles to parent a child with ADHD/ODD, and the challenges I faced along the way, both in finding comprehensive information about my son’s disability, and in overcoming the feelings of isolation and hopelessness that I and so many parents of these special children feel. When my son and I first began our journey, I had no idea I would have to become a top notch researcher and an uncertified authority on the subject. I had no idea that I would become an advocate for ADHD children and their parents. What I did know was that critical information was fragmented and hard to find, and not being put in the hands of parents who desperately needed it. The book was my response to that need for information and support.

As someone who is both writing online and creating books for print publication, could you give any advice to other Hubbers who want to publish physical books?

Certainly! The first thing an author needs is a good editor. Then they need to decide whether to self-publish or try one of the traditional publishing houses. Both methods have their own hurdles to overcome. If you decide on a traditional publishing house, then you must do your research. Research…research… and more research! First find a publisher who accepts your style of writing.  Find out exactly what they require for a submission, and then go for it! Don’t be discouraged if your initial submission is rejected. Successful authors hear the word “No” a lot at first.

Has your experience on HubPages helped at all with writing actual books, and if it has, how so?

Oh my, yes. HubPages is a great platform – easy to use, easy to learn and produces a polished, professional looking article. Writing on HubPages helped me to hone my writing skills, and it has been a great confidence booster. From the comments I received on my Hubs, I learned that I had something of value that I could share with others. As well, I have connected with a wonderful, caring community of fellow writers.

Do you have any other advice to Hubbers out there – perhaps people who are new to the community?

HubPages is a great place to write and a great place to connect with other writers. As a new Hubber, the amount of information available can seem overwhelming, but keep at it. Writing for HubPages isn’t the same as blogging. Blogs tend to be much shorter, and more personal, like snippets of how your day is going – “Hubs” are much longer, stand alone articles. You will find everything here from “poetry”, “where to buy the best new camera” and “how to market your Hubs.” Read lots, write about what you love, and have fun!

 

[Thanks, Enelle Lamb!]