Pen & Prosper Welcomes Motivational Speaker, T.V. Personality and Poet-*Sporty King*

Please join me in welcoming award-winning Motivational Speaker, T.V. personality, and Poet, Sporty King. He's someone I think you should know...

Hello, Sporty. Thanks for your time. Can you tell us a little about who you are and your background?
I am a former Wall Street Journal executive turned Motivational Speaker through my gift and love for writing poetry. My poetry has evolved from its aim to inspire people, to the use of positive words to empower people.

Describe your creative process. Owl or lark? Do you write every day?
No and yes! I do not consciously seek to put pen to paper every day. However through conversation I am constantly inspired to jot down thoughts. I keep categories in my iPhone that relate to the topics I most like to share (family, Tweetables, laughter…) and add to or update until it’s time to take the thought/blurb and expand.

How would you define success professionally or personally?
I believe they’re both personal and can best be defined as a spiritual concept connected to the individual needs of your relationships. How you answer each call shapes your relationship with God, where the true definition lies.

What has been your most rewarding accomplishment thus far?
Becoming the Patriarch of my family. With that title came the reward of being a good Uncle and brother. When my mother died my calm leadership and strength took me to a higher level and understanding of myself and my responsibility. The greatest inspirations in my writing are somehow linked to my family legacy.

What would it surprise others to know about you?
When I worked at the Journal I was once responsible for editing advertising copy. In the process of speeding through copy, I became adept at just catching typos and punctuation errors, even grammatical miscues. I diminished my ability to retain content. Because authenticity is important to me I don’t read others’ poetry, and risk using their idea or scrapping one of mine to avoid that perception.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about your career?
When I told myself to follow my dreams. Others can suggest paths and procedures. However, until you tell yourself to put the plan into effect your career has not started.

Do you think that the economy has had an adverse effect on the bottom line of today‘s entrepreneur?
No and yes! Everything and everyone is connected. Adverse or robust conditions are the extremes that entrepreneurs work within to get an idea for creating their magic.

Who are some of your favorite authors and/or bloggers?
James Baldwin, James Joyce, John Jakes, Jennifer Brown Banks, Marcie Hill (“Shorty”)

What‘s your take on social media?
I call it the Necessary Evil. I choose to use it because of the marketing impact. However I see so many people hiding behind it, by using it in lieu of upgrading their interpersonal skills. Some would not be able to have a substantive conversation in person. I really dislike how it seems to diminish literary concerns. The acceptance of abbreviations and misspellings cripple individual progress. These habits can show up in school work or resumes, job applications (or entrepreneurial business proposals), and give the writer the appearance of being under-educated.

If you had not chosen speaking and writing, what other career might you have pursued?
I was a very successful sales manager, and my gift for multitasking and leading has many options. With the work I’m doing with the military now, I can see enjoying being surrounded by the pride, discipline and commitment it takes to serve our country.

If you could be a literary “super-hero” what would your power be?
Literary Man, going beyond the call of duty to save people from their comfort with writing like they speak. There is no such word as “alot” and if you say you want to be “apart” of a successful venture, it means you want to be disconnected from it….

Tell us a little about your upcoming projects or books.
I am putting the final touch on "a poet in every PrOphET,” a contrast of my poetry to Biblical scripture.

To learn more about Sporty's success story, or to order his books and products, visit: www.Sportyking.com

Image: Freedigitalphotos.net
Stock photo