On Writing

From my ‘Writers Ask’ Column in Freelance, a Magazine of the Saskatchewan Writers Guild

Q: As a rural writer, how do I belong in the Saskatchewan writing community?

The short answer is that if you write, and you live in the province, you already belong. But sometimes it’s hard to convince ourselves of that, particularly if we come from outside the major centers or are a newcomer to writing.

In Writing Alone, and with others, Pat Schneider says “Genius often emerges where there is intimate support for it… a community of support around the artist that protects the making of the art.” While making no claims to genius, I know the importance of membership in a community that for many years has encouraged my writing while offering a sense of home.

It wasn’t always so. Early in my career I felt very much alone in the hinterland, believing my ‘hobby’ could never measure up to what I imagined others with better opportunities and more connections were achieving. Courage being a flimsy thing, I almost turned back on those icy roads to my first conferences which I imagined were the domain of the professional and published, and where well-intentioned people gave assurances there was another category for me—emerging. But what was I emerging from? I had no chrysalis.

It seemed everyone else had a place in the community while I felt like a wanna-be at those first city events, painfully aware of my scant production and even more paltry publication record, afraid to be found a fraud.

What I quickly discovered was that my sense of inadequacy was not the fault of those in the group. The fault lay in my assumptions about them. Rural, urban, emerging, professional—or that mysterious in-between—most were once like me, whispering embarrassed assertions to themselves about being a writer, pained at their lack of craft and the time to hone it, summoning the courage to belong.

Writers, it turns out, are all outsiders. Or outliers. Whatever you call it, and especially on the prairies, we are a different breed. That’s why we crave connection, willing to drive hundreds of kilometers to learn from each other, toast one another’s successes, and commiserate with failures.

But if you are intimidated by the thought of stepping into this realm, there are a few things to remember that will, at the very least, get you in the door.

Find offerings appropriate to your skill level and then sign up for something you have to pay for. It’s a sure-fire way to force your attendance.
Buddy up. See that person hovering by the door looking as lost as you feel? Introduce yourself and invite them to sit at a table with you.
Ask others what they are working on. Writers love to talk about their projects. Try it. See if I’m wrong. Connection made.
Assume your worth. You are new to the writing community; you are not less than. In fact, being an outsider means the fires that forged you and your writing give you a unique perspective to build on in your work and in your relationships. You don’t have to—nor should you—sacrifice that to belong. In a weird way, joining and becoming comfortable in the group gives you the space to be more authentically and brazenly your outsider self.
In the same vein, assume your acceptance. One of the truly wonderful and, I believe unique, things about this community is how egalitarian it is. Ten books published or just starting out, if you attend events, retreats, workshops or launches, you find everyone sharing a beer at end of day and talking about books and writing. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Stay in Touch. Cultivate the relationships you forge with other writers by using social media, reviewing their books, or when comfortable even asking for a bit of advice. There are very few writers who won’t write a grant recommendation or take a quick peek at a poem in order to give back. Having said that, don’t ask too much and, if you do, be ready to pay for it. Literally.
Get to know those in charge and volunteer, participate, host, write an article. It’s good for your confidence now and helpful down the road when you are looking for gigs to promote your published work. What? Did you think this was all kumbaya about belonging? Connections matter as much in publishing as in any industry. Make and maintain them.

And….You’re in! You’ve spun a cocoon of support and are ready to fly with the best. Never take that for granted, and always be the person who offers the first thread to the frightened newbie as others did for you.

A wonderful resource; Out of Line: Daring to be an Artist Outside the Big City by Tanis MacDonald

Word on the Street, Toronto June 11 and 12, Queen’s Park Cresc (youtube recording; start about the 17 minute mark)

Launch: What Is Written on the Tongue

In Saskatoon my sister, Saskatoon singer-songwriter Wilma Groenen, and I discussed the book and our shared travel across Java Indonesia as part of my research. Click the link below!

Workshops available:

Perfecting the Pitch

How do you condense the depth of characters, excitement of plot and the beautiful prose of your 300-page masterpiece into a one- or two-page synopsis? And that damn query letter…what grabs their attention and how do you write it! And how much is too much when the agent or publisher asks for a ‘sample’? And what the hell is an Artist Statement anyway?

Using tools gained over many submissions to agents, publishers and granting agencies, I will will lead participants through the maze of the perfect pitch. Many of my pitches have been successful. Some not. But I’ve learned new tricks with each and been told by publishers, agents and grant coordinators, big and small, that in the case of my pitch, it’s good, it works.

I’ll share some insight with emerging writers to take some of the mystery and fear out of the process of the sometimes-baffling world of publishing. If you want my credentials, check out the About page on this site:)

The Story of Creation

Discover where story ideas come from, how characters are developed, how setting creates an atmoshpere for those characters and how plot and structure tie the whole thing together. This group workshop can be held over one long day or in four – 2 hour a sessions, and delivered either in person or online. Contact me for details.

Writing Characters into History (fictional or otherwise)

Whether fiction or memoir, creative non-fiction or essay, characters and their motivations are what drive a story forward. In this interactive workshop, learn how to craft compelling characters that bring historical time and place to life. We’ll delve into the choices a writer makes about any given history, how the setting affects character and vice-versa, and the necessary research to bring the whole thing together. This group workshop is offered either in-person or online. Full day or two sessions. Contact me for details.