As an author, play writer, and educator, please tell us about your purpose as a writer.

As a playwright and institution builder, in 2006 I founded a non-profit called Heralds of Hope Theater Company (HHTC). HHTC’s mission is to promote, mentor, and provide a platform of artistic expression for aspiring actors and technicians of all ages. HHTC is a community theater company whose aim is to offer a fertile training experience for aspiring actors, writers, producers, set designers, choreographers, and lighting/sound directors. Through theatre, our aim is to promote community outreach, awareness of important social concerns, and dialogue to bring about change or solutions. My personal goal is to write and produce values-based plays that depict contemporary real life issues and universal themes. With the help of volunteers and the expertise of a professionally-trained director, we provide summer drama workshops and playwriting classes.

How did you get started in this profession?

I did not take a direct route towards pursuing a professional writing career. My educational background is in Education, and I still teach English at the post-secondary level based on my training and experience in teaching. Thus, my degree is not in journalism and I do not have an M.F.A. (Master’s of Fine Arts). Yet, I knew I had a passion for writing since childhood, but was advised to pursue a career that would actually lead to a salary-earning job, and encouraged not to pursue the life of something nebulous like the life of a fiction writer.

How does life coaching relate to the services you provide?

I define life coaching as mentoring others. As an educator, writer, and institution builder I am always in a position to mentor others.  I am doing this for myself as much as for others by creating work for others to hopefully enjoy, learn from, laugh at, and cry when it touches their soul. If no one reads my publications or came to see my plays, I would still remain on this journey.

What inspiration can you give to others who are interested in writing?

Writing requires a long apprenticeship, whether one has earned a Journalism degree or an M.F.A. However, I do not think a degree in writing is necessary to have a successful writing career as long as the aspiring writer is willing to invest the time, commitment, and engage in a lengthy learning season of reading great works, and not so great works and writing regularly! It’s also important to seek feedback, attend writers’ conferences and workshops and be willing to revise, revise, and revise. Finally, having worked professionally and edited by a good editor, is also a worthwhile learning process. In other words, having a degree in Journalism or Creative Writing or even a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degree certainly won’t hurt, but it is not a necessary requirement in my opinion.

Who could benefit from your services?

Readers, aspiring writers, playwrights, and aspiring actors.

For more information about Dorothy's newest book, "Blind Delusion"  visit her website at http://www.dorothyphaire.com/

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