FLOBEL ADVISOR DIANE GOTTLIEB ANNOUNCES NEW BLOG CELEBRATING WOMEN OVER 50
Creative writer, English tutor and FLOBEL advisor Diane Gottlieb is embarking on a rediscovery journey through blogging. Diane invites people of all ages to share in the excitement through her new weekly blog posts on WomanPause. While pursuing her third Master’s degree (this one in creative writing), Gottlieb started writing weekly posts in hopes of encouraging women over 50 to spend time rediscovering themselves and participate in dialogue around issues that have affected older women for decades. Nectar News sat down with the new blog writer to learn more about her pursuits and desire to lift her own online publication off the ground.
NN: What inspired you to establish WomanPause and tell us more about the demographic you are hoping to speak to via your blog.
DG: My blog is called WomanPause (a play on Menopause) and my posts are written for women over 50 rediscovering themselves and exploring new paths of personal development. I’m 57 and I’m proud to say that I’m on a rediscovery journey. I have lots of new things in my life that began in my 50s; I started a new business at 52, began my MFA in Creative Writing program at 56, and I got married for the second time at 54. I really see this time of rediscovery as such a wonderful opportunity for women. It’s somewhat of a “pause” time in certain ways because many of our responsibilities shift in our 50s, especially if we have raised children. Working on the blog has been a wonderful opportunity to reassess, reevaluate, rediscover, explore and overall, write. I love to share my opinions and my thoughts, and I really want to create a community for women, encouraging them to write back and engage in dialogue online about issues we care about.
NN: What do you believe was missing from the internet that your blog offers readers?
DG: I’m interested in adding my own unique voice and sharing my own journey with readers. I also want to offer a place of safety and community that covers a range of topics. In doing my research for this type of blog, I realized there are many opportunities for people to read about specific topics such as travel or finances over 50. As an alternative, I want to give readers a chance to explore a larger spectrum of issues through the same WomanPause lens.
For example, in the next few weeks we are going to be exploring the invisibility of women over 50 and women in general. I’m looking forward to discussing how women over 50 have been invisible for much of our lives. Now it’s time to step out of the shadows. I also plan on bringing up current political events, which blogs aimed at people in my age bracket tend to shy away from.
Once a month, my post will focus on what I’m personally interested in relating to the overarching topic of women over 50 and rediscovery. I also plan to highlight a book, an article, or a poem written by a woman each month. For example, last Friday I highlighted Conny Schultz, my “Shero”, who talks a lot about the invisibility of women over 50.
The blog will also feature monthly interviews with women who have done something amazing in their 50s or later. For example, one woman I’m interviewing, quit her job at 55 and joined the Peace Corps. Another woman published her first book of poems at 51 several years after becoming sober. I’ll be featuring lots of different types of rediscovery journeys. I also plan on writing one post each month in response to my readership, addressing their comments or suggestions to discuss specific topics that we haven’t yet covered.
NN: What’s your history with writing?
DG: I have written my whole life and it has always been a therapy tool for me. I’m currently in an MFA program for creative writing and I’m a certified English teacher, working full-time as a tutor. One of my specialties is helping kids with their college essays. I love memoir. I love bringing out peoples’ stories, and I worked as a social worker for many years, so I’ve always been drawn to the voiceless and to the invisible. I’m actually working on a book right now that chronicles the lives of men who were formally incarcerated and their subsequent transition back into society. It’s a passion of mine to bring out the voices of those who have either had their voices squashed or who have not found them yet.
NN: Do you foresee any challenges as you move into this endeavor posting throughout the month? You plan to post weekly?
Yes, posting weekly is a challenge in itself (laughs). It’s definitely a labor of love. I put in a lot of hours, but I love it. Writing so consistently is a challenge but it keeps me in it and puts me out in the world. I hope to receive reader comments each month, so I can respond to my readers’ thoughts and concerns. Otherwise, I’ll have to shift one of my monthly goals, but I know it takes time to build a readership and I am looking forward to the challenge.
NN: What do you want readers to leave with after reading one of your blog posts?
DG: I want people to leave inspired, energized and feeling connected. I want them to feel like they have support and community, and I want them to know that they aren’t alone. They should walk away knowing that they don’t have to blaze this trail alone.They are in good company.
Join Diane on her rediscovery journey by following her weekly WomenPause posts at https://dianegottlieb.com/
