By Sheree Hoddinett
“Writing is easy….when you know how.”
Becoming a writer was a long-standing dream I’d had since I was about 10-years-old. What kind of writer was always up in the air, until the time came to choose my university preferences. At the time I blindly selected journalism, not quite realising or even understanding the journey that was ahead of me.
My start in the real world of journalism brought me, somewhat fresh faced, to the news/community desk at the Caboolture News/Bribie Weekly and Island & Mainland News (including the Sunshine Coast Daily), in 2008. Some of you may even remember me from my time at those publications!
I’m more than happy to admit that even with a university degree, I learnt more on the job, back in those early days, than I did at University. We covered all aspects of news, sport, court, festivals and so much more. Being in a community-based environment, I quickly discovered my passion and enjoyment for tackling feature stories, especially with those of the older generation. For me, there was (and still is!) something about sitting down with someone who has lived a long and fulfilled life, that really gets my writing blood flowing.
I knew early on, hard news wasn’t my forte, after covering some pretty sad and confronting stories that I will never forget. Knocking on someone’s front door after they have lost a loved one or the death of a young child in traumatic circumstances aren’t easy subjects to cover. But it’s all shaped me into the writer I am now and I wouldn’t change a thing. It might be a different story on a bad day!
Not only do you get to see my efforts here in this paper, but I’m also a writer with Feature Magazine, also based locally in the Moreton Bay Region.
But wait there’s more…I contribute to a school magazine in Narangba, do online business blogging for multiple outlets, write my own personal blogs, contribute to an online parenting magazine and also tackle a bit of editing work as well. Now that I’ve put it all out there, it is quite a lot, but it keeps me on my toes!
Surprisingly, there’s a little more to me than just putting words together. I’m a mum to two beautiful young girls who are definitely going to be strong and independent women one day. That’s what their attitudes tell me already anyway, ha!ha! I’m still trying to work out where they get it from…must be their father, right?! We are based on the ‘other side’ of the bridge, however I’m definitely no stranger to Bribie, having spent a lot of time visiting the Island from my early years and into my adult life.
In my ‘spare’ time - there is actually a little bit of it - I also manage to get to a Pilates class here and there, take my girls to karate and if we have any time left over, maybe a walk or fun dancing around in the yard…when it’s not raining of course! Just a crazy little side bit about me too, I love building Lego and doing puzzles. I feel it uses a different creative side of my brain that doesn’t need words or my subtle humour! That’s pretty much me in a nutshell! Well, as much as I can fit in a smallish story. My whole life on the other hand, could take more than one edition of the paper and no one wants to see that!
If I haven’t had the chance to meet you yet, you never know, I could be out there telling your story sometime soon.
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