Sandra Winn is freelance writer and independent writing contractor but first and foremost a wife, and home educator of her two children who lives in Pensacola, FL...home to white sandy beaches, the crisp waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and the Blue Angels.
Sandy, as her loved ones and friends know, has a passion for family, life, nature, science, and history. In July of 2008, Sandy was asked by an editor of the Pensacola News Journal to write an article regarding free fun things to do in the local area. Her article, Seven Free Days of Family Fun , was run as a 3/4 of a page article in the Pensacola News Journal.
In her free time, Sandy enjoys spending time with her husband, Donnie, of nineteen years and their two children, ages 13 and 16 by walking, playing board and video games, going to the beach, camping, visiting friends, and everything else life has to offer.
What is unique that's not in your bio?
I'm really into natural and alternative health remedies. Colloidal Silver, honey, cider vinegar, garlic, cayenne powder, and Sambucol are just a few items that you'll find in my cupboards at any given time. Doctors, over-the-counter and prescription medications, are used as a last resort in our home.
What's your favorite accomplishment?
My children are not out of the house but, thus far, they are turning out to be wonderful individuals who are free-thinking, kind, considerate, respectful, passionate, intelligent, and independent--it's my favorite accomplishment because nothing is more important to me, as a parent, than raising children who will contribute to society in a positive way.
How do you define cool?
"Cool" is a term with many meanings and often depends on the mindset of the individual. What's cool to one person, may not be for another. For instance, some may find the latest techno-gadget "cool", whereas another would say such a person is a geek for thinking it's "cool"--and we all know that many think geeks are "uncool". See? It's all in the mindset.
What is your secret to uncovering trends?
My secret for uncovering trends is to weed through the plethora of all sorts of websites, from popular to unpopular and everything in-between, as well as take note of my surroundings off the web. Although some of my finds do not have thousands of views, some of them are my favorites because they are not mainstream trends, as of yet, which I think is the whole point of trend-spotting--finding "cool" before it becomes "cool."
What do you enjoy most about Trend Hunter?
The supportive and encouraging community is what I enjoy most about Trend Hunter. Writer's at Trend Hunter come from all over the world and, despite the fact that many of them are young, the level of maturity and intelligence is amazing. Not only that but Jeremy, Bianca, Jacob, and Marissa are awesome--even though Jeremy is the founder of TH and the others are employees, they are not "above" helping anyone. Whether I've partaken in a fun, "I need advice on writing" or serious discussion, the members of Trend Hunter have offered amazing advice and I consider a few to be more than just acquaintances--they are friends.
What is your favorite trend?
Oh gracious, only one favorite trend? But I have so many--I'll pick one of my own plus another member. I'm a home schooling mother who embraces the philosophy of children learning in freedom, my favorite trend is the article I wrote about unschooling. As far as a favorite written by another member, I love all the green trend finds written on Trend Hunter but my ultimate favorite was written by Lourdes Sanchez on cob houses.
What are your tips for writing a juicy post?
The best tip on writing a juicy post at Trend Hunter is to find at least ten saucy pictures related to the article and include words such as naughty, naked, sex, hot and more. If you're still unsure, study Ayman Helweh's portfolio because he is an amazing writer with a high view count. Reading through Helweh's Trend Hunter portfolio is like getting a college course on juicy article writing--and it's free to boot!
How do you reset to be creative?
I take a break from writing when I need to reset to become creative; sometimes short and other times long--I'm on a long one as of now.
What inspires or excites you?
Shifts towards green living, alternative healing, relaxed and gentle parenting, a wider acceptance of all humans despite their sexual orientation or race, and changes to how we view 'education' inspire me.
Predict something awesome for 2020?
I predict a major shift in the area of education by 2020. More parents will be home schooling worldwide and even within the public education system, learning will become child-led. Grades, SATs, ACTs and state proficiency exams will be a thing of the past and getting into college will be based more on passions and entrance made possible with a portfolio highlighting one's personal accomplishments
