Neighbors: Wilma Davidson

With two advanced degrees, her own consulting firm (Davidson & Associates), numerous articles in The New York Times, and three published books (“Most Likely to Succeed at Work,” “Business Writing: What Works, What Won’t” and “Writing a Winning College Application Essay”), Wilma Davidson’s career has had many high points.

The Grand Bay resident, a professor at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus, added another Friday, Feb. 15, when she hosted her favorite writer, Wally Lamb, the guest speaker at a school presentation. She discovered she has much in common with the Oprah Book Club: Both hail from Connecticut; consider teaching their true raison d’être; and find writing an excruciating practice with a satisfying outcome.

IN HER OWN WORDS
ON TEACHING. I’ve always loved it. I started as a swim instructor. Later, I taught junior high English, then high school English, then business communication for college students, grad students and leaders in Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and professional organizations. I’m hooked on the psychological gratification that comes from helping someone learn.

ON WRITING. The writing process is chaos. It can be stressful for new and veteran writers alike. But, the more you do it, the more faith you have that the story will find its way.

ON SUCCESS. Wally Lamb voiced my fear: “I’m an imposter.” I have a tendency to think, “I’m not really good at this … Eventually people are going to figure me out.”