Good for J.K. Rowling! She took some of her big bucks, and donated them to the University of Edinburgh to help them build a research clinic devoted to multiple sclerosis (MS). How many of her big bucks did she donate? How about £10 million! Rowling has a personal connection to the disease as her mother passed away at just 45 from MS. With big bucks also comes naming rights. The new building will be named the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, according to Media Bistro.

Rowling said:

“I have supported research into the cause and treatment of multiple sclerosis for many years now–but when I first saw the proposal for this clinic, I knew that I had found a project more exciting, more innovative, and, I believe, more likely to succeed in unraveling the mysteries of MS than any other I had read about or been asked to fund.”

Good for her and it’s nice to see someone with the big bucks giving in such a huge way.

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Despite a failed attempt at majoring in ice cream in college, Steff Deschenes is a self-taught ice-cream guru. After publishing the now eleven-time award-winning The Ice Cream Theory, she began exploring food on a more universal level. As a result, she now photo blogs daily herself at dinner and the challenges of being a vegetarian in a predominantly seafood-oriented state. Steff also writes two articles a week entitled “Maybe It’s Me” (personal essays and reflection on life and the living of it) and “Fact Is Better” (real life conversations she couldn’t make up if she tried); all of which can be found at her website.

Enjoy this interview.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you been writing?

When I was a sophomore in high school I wrote a research paper on the strike zone in major league baseball and, as a result, one of the newspapers in Maine hired me on to be a sports clerk (which is basically an on-desk reporter). That’s when I think I first realized that not only did I excel at it, but I truly loved writing nonfiction. Throughout high school and college I wrote personal essays and research papers (which I thrived off of!). I think this surprises most people since I’m such a storyteller; but, the best stories to me are directly inspired by real life.

Tell us about your latest book. What do you hope readers take away from it?

The Ice Cream Theory is a charming, tongue-in-cheek exploration of the parallels between human personalities and ice cream flavors. Utilizing humor and satire, it brings together anecdotes from my own adventures with broader-reaching social commentary to help others recognize the wisdom and joy inherent in a beloved dessert. In the same way people have ice-cream preferences, people also have people preferences. Like ice cream flavors, social preferences shift based on age, experience, even mood. There are exotic flavors that one craves when feeling daring, comforting flavors to fall back on, flavors long-enjoyed that eventually wear out their welcome, and those unique flavors that require an acquired taste. Like people, no ice cream flavor is perfect every single time, and it’s in this realization that the crux of the theory lies.

Ideally, I hope that my readers not only find it relatable, but also are able to take something away from it that will inspire or encourage them. I think most self-help books force some very opinionated central theme down the reader’s throat, which, in my opinion, makes it counterproductive. The Ice Cream Theory, I think, does an exceptional job at letting the reader interpret, digest, and gleam what they specifically need to from it.

Share some of your writing goals. What’s next for you?

I recently started writing my next nonfiction book about my adventures as an alcohol spokesmodel, and it would be just incredible to have it done by next summer. Other goals include possibly taking my current foodie blog and making some sort of sassy, smart, vegetarian cook book with it. I really enjoy editing and proofreading other people’s work as well, so that might be an interesting direction to take my writing life in.

What’s the most interesting book you’ve ever read?

There’s been quite a few, including: Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin; The Driver by Alexander Roy; and, The Shack by William P. Young.

Favorite authors?

William Goldman, Tamora Pierce, Suzanne Collins, Janet Evanovich, Graeme Base . . .

Book you’re currently reading?

I like to juggle two books at the same time: one fiction and one nonfiction. My current nonfiction read is Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman. I’m in between fiction books right now, but my queue includes Play Dead by Ryan Brown and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.

Any type of writing ritual you have?

I just write when the mood hits. Although, I usually am my most productive in pajama pants!

Do you believe in writer’s block? If so, how did you get past it? If not, why not?

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’m totally a believer! I get past it by reading. It’s a glorious thing to be inspired by other writers.

In your opinion, what’s the measure of a successful writer?

I see writing as a form of art. I once had a friend who was a musician and he told me that when I stopped writing to write and started writing to make money, then I should do everyone a favor and just quit. So to me, being a successful writer means that I’m creating something beautiful and unique using words as my medium just because. Because it, like breathing or blinking, is an involuntary action I physically need to do in order to be me.

Advice for other writers?

Keep writing. And reading! Like I mentioned earlier, allow yourself the time to be lost in someone else’s words for a while. It will keep your own literary voice fresh.

Where can we learn more about you?

If you really wanna get to know me intimately, check out my website. I post pictures of myself eating dinner every single night (it’s another social-experiment I’ve been working on)! I can also be reached via email (steff@steffdeschenes.com), Facebook, and Twitter. The Ice Cream Theory also has its own Facebook Fan Page!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you so much for this opportunity! I’ve been really blessed through this whole process. It’s been an incredible learning experience as well as a confidence booster that I’m most certainly on the right path.

This holiday weekend reminded me that as a writer I need to recharge my batteries every so often. I think writers, especially freelance writers, are notorious for working like dogs all the time. After all, we’re hard working, we love what we do, and we’re always near a computer. But turning off the computer is important, and I did just that this weekend.

If you’re someone who has a hard time recharging, here are some ways I’ve found to clear my mind and take a break. If you think taking a break from writing will set you behind, I am here to tell you that a little break can actually make you more productive. Here are some ways I recharge:

Step Away from the Computer!
You can’t get a break without turning off the computer. If you’re checking email (or Facebook, or Twitter) every five minutes, you need to get up from your desk and take a walk. You’d be surprised at what ten minutes away will do.

Play a Game
To me, playing a mindless game (like Cake Mania or Diner Dash) lets my mind drift and allows me to release the pressure I might feel from trying too hard to produce an article or story.

Do Something Else Creative
Getting involved in a non-writing activity, especially if it’s a creative one, can really help your writing in the long run. You’re still indulging your creativity, but your mind is free to create stories and solve problems. So if you can: crochet, sculpt, paint, scrapbook…. do it!

Play With My Dog
Okay, you can’t play with my dog, but if you have an animal around, they are great for giving you a break from the computer and letting you relax. Deadlines and pressure seem very far away when you’re tossing the ball with your doggie.

These are ways I relax, but I know you all have some great ideas as well. Care to share them in the comments below?

Growing up in Milwaukee, Jill Geisler was an inspiration for me because not only was she a talented television reporter, she also became the news director. At the time, I thought this was really amazing. After all, I didn’t see a lot of women in charge back then, and especially not in a newsroom. As it turns out, that feat was even more incredible than I first realized, as you will find out in the following interview.

Jill Geisler worked for over 25 years in news and now creates the popular “What Great Bosses Know” columns and podcasts for the Poynter Institute. Her bio at Poynter says journalists are her favorite people in the world, and that they should “question authority and resist spin.” I agree! She also talks about writing for the web and how her background in broadcast journalism really helped her to write “clearly and concisely” which is a must for the Internet.

There’s much more to follow, so read on. Enjoy this interview!

I grew up in the 70s watching WITI in Milwaukee, and at the time I thought it was “really neat” (my favorite word back then) that you were the news director. Seeing a woman in that position was inspiring for me. It wasn’t until later that I realized you were actually the first female news director of a major market network affiliate in the entire country. What an accomplishment!

What first interested you about the news industry and what drove you to achieve the news director position?

I was a writer from a young age, really enjoying classes and extracurriculars that gave me that opportunity. In high school (Pulaski High), I was editor of the school newspaper. In that capacity, I attended a summer workshop for high school editors at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. We were offered an optional course in broadcast journalism — in which we were handed 16 millimeter silent film cameras and sent out to capture campus stories. I fell in love with the idea of marrying words and pictures. Also fell in love with UW-Madison, where I ultimately received my journalism degree. I began working at a station in Madison while a student, and later, after graduation, was hired as a reporter by WITI in my home town of Milwaukee. I reported, anchored and produced — and loved it. I volunteered for a lot of assignments and I think I was seen as a person who liked to solve problems, not just complain about them.

One day, our News Director, Rick Brown, called me into his office and said he was being hired away by CBS — and station management asked him about internal candidates as his replacement. He said he identified me. Then the legendary Carl Zimmermann took me to lunch and said he, too, had suggested me as news director. It was revolutionary and risky for them — I wasn’t a manager, had no management training — and even the station’s corporate brass responded to it all with the words: Are you crazy? Maybe they were — but I had a wonderful run of several decades leading a terrific team.

You’re author of the book, News Leadership at the Head of the Class. Tell us about the book and why you were inspired to write it.

The book was a special project, commissioned by the Radio-TV News Directors Association. I led a project that taught managers in broadcast journalism how to teach leadership skills to journalists. We gathered a group of top TV and radio managers and trained them to teach at workshops and conferences — everything from how to coach people for better performance, to motivation, to ethical decision-making. I wrote the book as a guide for those in the project, but also for everyone who wants to be a better teacher of leadership. It is available through the association: www.rtdna.org.

After a 26-year career in broadcast news, you joined the Poynter Institute in 1998. Your “What Great Bosses Know” columns and podcasts help leaders in all types of organizations. Can you share some recent advice from your column that might also apply to writers today?

I’ve been amazed at the reaction to our “What Great Bosses Know” columns and podcasts. We have thousands of subscribers to the column on Poynter.org — but the real shock came when we began posting my three-minute companion podcasts on iTunesU. Apple sends us metrics each week — and the podcasts have had over a million downloads since January! I now hear from all sorts of managers and aspiring leaders outside of journalism — from doctors to ministers to IT team leaders — who tell me they appreciate the practical advice. They also appreciate the bite-size lessons. People are busy and don’t often have time for long lessons. But meaningful columns and podcasts they can ingest on-the g- seem to fit the lives of harried leaders who want to learn. Coming from a broadcast background, I found it much easier to write for the web — clearly and concisely — than those who had to adapt from a long form style. My broadcast background REALLY helps the podcasts — which I ad lib from notes. I think the lesson for writers is knowing when to write in-depth and when a subject is best delivered in smaller portions, depending on the subject and the audience.

And all this has led to an exciting development: I’m in the process of writing “What Great Bosses Know” — the book. I’ve been asked so many times by people to recommend just one book for people who want to be better at management, and I can’t identify only one of the hundreds I’ve read — so I’ve decided to write it!

Writers of all types (freelance news, novelists, bloggers, online columnists, etc) read this blog. The writing and news worlds have changed rapidly in the last few years. One trend I’ve noticed is that sometimes rumblings about a story get out on Twitter, for example, before the news world can get the facts for the story. What are some of the positives and negatives involved with this type of instant access to events happening anywhere in the world?

Twitter has become the “police scanner” for the world. In the newsroom, we understood the importance of verifying what we heard on the scanner before broadcasting it. The scanner shares important information as well as false alarms. With Twitter, there is no editor doing a double-check, so information is passed along and sorted out later. This demands a good deal of medial literacy on the part of all of us — to be our own fact-checker and not assume everything is accurate without additional verification.

We love everything about writing and reading here at Working Writers, so my next question brings things to the book world. What’s the most interesting book you’ve ever read?

I fall in love with so many books — it would be like asking me to choose a favorite child!

Favorite authors?

In the area of leadership literature, I enjoy the work of Harvard’s John Kotter on change management, Stanford’s Bob Sutton on leadership and strategy, and Daniel Goleman on emotional intelligence. For fiction, I think Anna Quindlen is a gifted author.

Book you’re currently reading?

I’m reading Switch – a fun, research-based look at change by Dan and Chip Heath. Recently finished “The Edge of Change: Women in the Twenty-First-Century Press — a great collection of essays on women in journalism, written and edited by some terrific women, Deadlines- a journalism murder mystery written by my friend Paul McHugh and Drive - a great book on motivation by Daniel Pink.

Where can we learn more about you?

Check out the Poynter website: www.poynter.org/whatgreatbossesknow for a collection of columns. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter .

Anything else you’d like to add?

Did you know that your question “Anything else you’d like to add?” is priceless? Bob Schieffer of CBS News was with us at Poynter for a talk, and told the group that question has given him an abundance of great information over the years — and he suggests every reporter remember to use it! [Editor's note: Whew! I'm glad I included it. I agree, this question has always worked to help me get just a little bit more information. Great tip, Ms. Geisler!]

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