Volunteer Spotlight: Hanna Westerlund
The Mighty Pens would be nothing without our volunteers. We wanted to make sure everyone got the recognition they deserve. Each week, we’ll be spotlighting one or more of our volunteers and they can tell you in their own words a little bit about them and why they are a part of the Mighty Pens team.
Last, but certainly not least, is Hanna Westerlund (she/her)! You can find her on Twitter @Lovatic4lliiffe and on NaNoWriMo as Cosisolo.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: I’m a 23yo university student, retired athlete and amateur writer and musician from Finland. Currently my life mostly consists of deadlines since I’m working on my master’s degree in literature, French and teaching with the goal of becoming a (you guessed it) teacher. If it wasn’t for Covid I would have spent this year as an exchange student in France, but as it is now I’m stuck in Finland with my regular classes. I’m the kind of person who rarely hates things and I love trying new things and learning new things and so I do as many different things/activities as I can. Right now my biggest projects are learning some Joe Hisaishi pieces on piano, writing 50K words on my NaNoWriMo project and not forgetting any of my university deadlines.
Q: Tell us about your pets! Or dream pet, if you don’t have one.
A: I have previously never thought of having a pet because I’ve been terrified of dogs (and slightly scared of animals in general) my whole life but this year I have had more positive experiences with dogs than in the past 23 years so I’m warming up to the idea of having a dog or a cat, something I never thought I would say but look at me changing my mind.
Q: What are you currently reading/watching? What was your last 5 star read?
A: I’m currently reading Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi and Styrke by Cecilie Eken and currently watching Wayward Guide by Tin Can Bros, Du Clarar mer än du tror (a show from SVT, Swedish television) and Studio Ghibli movies. I generally watch a little bit of everything; from Swedish documentaries to Finnish talk shows and regular popular Netflix shows. It’s interesting since TV and movies (and literature) from all over the world are similar in a lot of ways but also has their differences in how stories are told and so watching international tv/film is a good way of finding inspiration for stories and new ways of telling them. My last 5 star read was Dear Justyce by Nic Stone. I love her writing and how she tells stories, they are definitely stories that stick with you.
Q: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
A: I generally love to plan things in my life but for some reason this doesn’t apply to writing where I’m definitely a pantser. I show up to NaNo with an idea and some outlines scribbled on the side of my university notes and then I just go for it and hope for the best. I’m not saying this is the best strategy but it has worked surprisingly well for me so far. 🙂
Q: What’s your favorite writing snack or beverage?
A: My favourite writing snack is a Finnish chocolate with salmiakki. As for beverage I’m usually simply drinking water because it’s doesn’t take a lot of effort to refill and because it’s good to stay hydrated.
Q: What’s in your ears while you write?
A: I tend to pick a playlist that fits the vibe of the scene I’m writing, but usually it’s movie scores or soundtracks from TV-shows.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about writing? Least favorite?
A: My favourite thing about writing is the moment when everything clicks and the moments when you can express something so beautifully/well that you still like it when you read it again later. When you can paint those pictures that unfolds the story perfectly. My least favourite thing is to make sure that all the timelines match and work together and to balance dialogue, description and inner monologue so that it makes sense to the reader and so they flow seamlessly into each other.
Q: Have you participated in NaNoWriMo before? Have you won? Are you participating this year?
A: I have. I have never won even though I have been close on several occasions. I’m participating to the best of my ability this year. My goal is to get to the 50K but with university deadlines I’m not sure I‘ll make it all the way.
Q: What do you write? And if you can, tell us what you are working on now or will be working on for NaNo.
A: I write everything from poetry to fantasy novels and contemporary. Currently I’m writing on a YA fantasy, that revolves around a girl running for the royal throne and uncovering some dark secrets in the process and another girl looking to save her best friend. When the girls’ paths cross they realize that they will need each other to survive and to save both the kingdom and the best friend. Will they fall in love in the process…only time can tell.
Q: Any advice for someone who is joining the Mighty Pens or NaNoWriMo for the first time this year?
A: My advice for newcomers is to take advantage of all the information and support you can get from both NaNoWriMo and Mighty Pens. A lot of authors, writers, editors, you name it are sharing resources, advice and giving their time this month. Don’t pass up the opportunity to use these tips. If you don’t have time to read them now, save them and return to them later.
Q: Are you a Mighty Pens vet or a newcomer? Why did you decide to become a volunteer?
A: I’m a Mighty Pens vet. I participated both 2017 and 2018 so this will be my third year as a participant and first year as a volunteer with The Might Pens. I volunteered partly because I love volunteering in general, there is something so beautiful about people coming together for a good cause, and partly because The Mighty Pens helped me put my words on paper and motivated me to write and I want to pay it forward to others.
Q: What’s your favorite part about the Mighty Pens?
A: Absolutely the community. The people in this group are awesome and it’s nice to get to write, make a difference in the world and do it with wonderful people.
Q: Do you have a special connection to Every Mother Counts? Or just like raising money for a good cause?
A: I don’t have any special connection to Every Mother Counts but I think it is a very important cause and I’m happy to be able to make a difference.
