Meet Donna Schwartze

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

Donna, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I spent my entire professional career looking for a job that brought me passion and purpose. I didn’t have much luck until Covid hit and we were confined to our homes. I started writing my first novel primarily to take my mind off the brutal news that hit us daily. And it worked. For four to six hours each day, I got lost in the lives and stories of my characters. When I published the book (Eight Years), I had so many emails and reviews from readers specifically thanking me for helping them forget about the world for a while. It seemed that reading my novel was doing the same thing for them that writing it had done for me. I knew I had found my purpose—to give my readers a needed break from the stressors in their lives if only just for the few hours they’re reading my books.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’ve been writing all of my adult life—first in journalism, then in corporate communications. I started writing fiction when we got locked down because of the Covid pandemic. Now, I’m hooked on writing novels. My favorite genres to write are sports romance, small town romantic comedy, and romantic suspense. I’m currently working on my eleventh novel. All of my books are available on Amazon.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Resilience. Determination. Flexibility. The path to finding your passion isn’t always easy. I’ve taken a lot of wrong turns and hit so many brick walls. Some of the unexpected detours sting a little at first, but I’ve always been good at getting back up and finding a new direction. Give yourself time to lick your wounds for a bit, then thank the universe for separating you from the wrong opportunities and pointing you toward what was truly meant for your life.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I meditate for ten minutes each, three times a day. It helps slow down my mind and improve focus for my next task. I’m also an avid walker and try to stroll through nature at least once a day. That’s not always easy since I live in an urban neighborhood, but even just walking through a little park and looking at grass and flowers helps center me. I’m an introvert so I embrace alone time, but I try to get out with friends and family at least twice a month to talk and laugh. I also give myself a lot of grace when I’m feeling burned out. I find the more I push myself, the worse it gets. Sometimes I just need to rest my body and my mind completely before I can carry on with my work.

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