Meet Joanna Nisbet

We recently connected with Joanna Nisbet and have shared our conversation below.

Joanna, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Growing up I was the baby of six children, so I had the opportunity of having a large family, while also getting to experience being an only child. The best of both worlds? Since my brothers and sisters were so much older than I was, it was difficult for them to connect with me. It also made it hard to connect with my peers when I started school. Needless to say I spent a lot of time alone and in my imagination. My pals were my pets, which included a Shetland pony named Browny, a dobermann named Victus, and a floppy eared bunny named Thumper. Even now I have more furry friends than people.
When I got married and had children my focus turned to them, and finding a dependable job. Of course they are the reason for all that I do. However, my children are fully grown now and I had to redirect my attention. I once again found more time alone, with more pet friends than human. I started what I considered hobbies, crocheting, drawing, painting, and writing. During this time I picked up the bible and started reading, I found faith in the gospel and learned that everyone has gifts. I had found mine. My purpose.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Writing is a new talent that I didn’t know I possessed. I originally started my novel ‘In the heritance’ by jotting down notes, which I wanted to present to an author, in hopes that they would be willing to write it. In the notepad section of my phone I described my idea, but instead of notes the story just took off. My mind could see the characters take shape, and the town unfolded in the background. I could almost hear the conversations as I wrote them. Before I knew it, I had written over half the manuscript on my phone. I completed the novel within three months, and had no need to find an author. I was one. Since then I have completed three more novels, that I can’t wait to publish and share with the world.
I have taken a brief pause in writing at the moment, and picked up a paint brush. My son is expecting his first child, I’m going to be a grandma, I can’t believe it. Where did the time go? I remember hearing my mother say that when I was little, I thought nothing of it. Until now. I wanted to give my grandson something personal. So far I have four paintings that, I pray, will last him a lifetime. I forgot how much I enjoy that as well, and may possibly continue this talent as well. This is something else I could share with the world.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Writing requires a big imagination, as most artistic crafts do. As I was writing my manuscripts the story came to life in my mind, almost as if I were watching a movie. I just wrote what I saw. When it was finished I was determined to get it published. This was more challenging than I expected it to be.
Turns out publishers aren’t as apt to take chances on newbie authors, even still I was determined. I wanted to hold my novel in my hands, to find it on a shelf in a bookstore so others could read it. I was determined to give my mom a copy. We had to get a loan to get my manuscript published, that we’re still paying. Which is why I have three more completed but unpublished manuscripts.
I have faith that one day all my novels will be on a shelf in a bookstore. I have faith that I will have more stories to write, more paintings to brush, more yarn to crochet. My faith grows more each and every day.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest obstacle of a new author is exactly that, being new. Being unknown. Little by little, one manuscript at a time. One painting at a time, I continue to grow my inventory of creations. I will continue to submit my manuscripts to one publisher at a time, and I have faith that one day I’ll be informed that it’s been accepted.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: joanna.nisbet