Calling your Muse |
 | You don't need a fancy office to write. Find a space that works for you. |
Don’t Look Around for Your Muse – Muses are slippery creatures. The more you search for them and try to grab them, the more they’ll think you’re playing. They’ll hide behind lamps and get on your bookshelf, maybe even sneak into your printer (and you wondered why it starts to whir all of a sudden…). Ignore your muse, and it will more likely to try to get your attention.
Write – This is the hardest step for some people. Honestly, if you’re prone to writer’s block or anxiety over a blank page, it’s a step you’ll have to work out for yourself. What I can tell you though is:
So, as you’re sitting there, pounding the keyboard, searching your mind for things to write, a curious thing happens. Your muse will peek out from that bookshelf. But you’ll be too busy to see it. Your muse will shout at you or wave its hands. Your muse might push your mouse even (or whir the printer). You won’t even notice.
Finally, it will give up trying to get your attention, sit on your shoulder, and start whispering in your ear. Even then, you won’t really have a conscious sense of it. But your fingers will. Your poetry or prose will start flowing from you to the page. Maybe in drips and drabs, maybe in a steady stream. Maybe it will be a torrent even. But it will flow.
Go on – try it right now! Your muse doesn’t want to hide in your bookshelf forever.
When you’re done, set your writing out into the world by entering it in the 19th Annual NOWW Writing Contest (Deadline: March 31, 2017). Find out more at:
http://www.nowwwriters.ca/19th-annual-noww-writing-contest.html
Write – This is the hardest step for some people. Honestly, if you’re prone to writer’s block or anxiety over a blank page, it’s a step you’ll have to work out for yourself. What I can tell you though is:
- Write whatever comes to your mind, whether it’s related to your topic or not.
- Don’t worry about getting it right – you can revise later. In fact, most of what you write at this point will be chucked. It’s a way to help you find the path into the real writing.
- Don’t give up. Writing is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Do the work.
So, as you’re sitting there, pounding the keyboard, searching your mind for things to write, a curious thing happens. Your muse will peek out from that bookshelf. But you’ll be too busy to see it. Your muse will shout at you or wave its hands. Your muse might push your mouse even (or whir the printer). You won’t even notice.
Finally, it will give up trying to get your attention, sit on your shoulder, and start whispering in your ear. Even then, you won’t really have a conscious sense of it. But your fingers will. Your poetry or prose will start flowing from you to the page. Maybe in drips and drabs, maybe in a steady stream. Maybe it will be a torrent even. But it will flow.
Go on – try it right now! Your muse doesn’t want to hide in your bookshelf forever.
When you’re done, set your writing out into the world by entering it in the 19th Annual NOWW Writing Contest (Deadline: March 31, 2017). Find out more at:
http://www.nowwwriters.ca/19th-annual-noww-writing-contest.html
Graham Strong is a full-time freelance marketing writer, journalist, and ghostwriter and has been a writer his entire life. Graham is a former Editor-in-Chief of Argus, the Student Newspaper of Lakehead University, and helped transition it into one of the first digitally produced newspapers in North America. Graham won an Honourable Mention in NOWW’s first writing contest in 1998 for his short story Hat Trick. Professionally, Graham provides marketing writing services to businesses and organizations around the world. He also writes for several news outlets including the Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal and the Northern Ontario Medical Journal, and has written for Canadian Press. In his spare time he is writing his first novel. Graham lives in Thunder Bay with local potter Noël Keag and their three incredible sons. His favourite writers are Paul Quarrington, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Hunter S. Thompson.
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The #1 Reason to Enter a Writing Contest
By Graham Strong
What’s the number one reason to enter a writing contest?
The first thing you might think is that it gives you a chance to win a prize. After all, prizes are nice – a bit of money and a bit of recognition, not to mention a boost of self-confidence. It’s also a way to get some feedback, even if it’s in a pass/fail kind of way.
But that’s not the biggest reason. Personally, I’ve found that the number one reason is that entering a writing contest gets you to write. Seem obvious? Perhaps – but it’s no small thing. We all live busy lives and writing can quickly slip down our priority list, despite our best intentions.
Committing to entering a writing contest, on the other hand:
- Gives you a deadline (for the NOWW Writing Contest, that’s March 31, 2017)
- Allows you to make writing a priority in order to meet that deadline
- Gives you a sense of purpose in your writing by giving you a concrete place to submit
- Gives you motivation and inspiration to get the work done
- Forces you to become creative on demand
There’s nothing like a hard deadline to focus the mind and keep us on track.
The 19th Annual NOWW Writing Contest: http://www.nowwwriters.ca/19th-annual-noww-writing-contest.html is an excellent contest (if we do say so ourselves) that is open to writers in English from around the globe. We’re excited to have five world-class judges on our panel in the following categories: Ann-Marie MacDonald judging the Short Fiction category, Jane Urquhart judging the Bill MacDonald Prize for Prose, Stephen Kimber judging the Creative Nonfiction category, Jayne Barnard judging the Novel category (this year’s theme is Speculative Fiction), and Liz Howard, recent winner of the Griffin Poetry Prize, judging the Poetry category.
Writers can win 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in all categories except for the Bill MacDonald Prize for Prose (Fiction) which awards one prize only. This special memorial award is named in memory of the prolific Silver Islet and Thunder Bay author—and beloved NOWW member—who passed away in 2014.
Find out more about the NOWW writing contest including full submission details at:
http://www.nowwwriters.ca/19th-annual-noww-writing-contest.html
Then, get writing!
Graham Strong is a full-time freelance marketing writer, journalist, and ghostwriter and has been a writer his entire life. Graham is a former Editor-in-Chief of Argus, the Student Newspaper of Lakehead University, and helped transition it into one of the first digitally produced newspapers in North America. Graham won an Honourable Mention in NOWW’s first writing contest in 1998 for his short story Hat Trick. Professionally, Graham provides marketing writing services to businesses and organizations around the world. He also writes for several news outlets including the Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal and the Northern Ontario Medical Journal, and has written for Canadian Press. In his spare time he is writing his first novel. Graham lives in Thunder Bay with local potter Noël Keag and their three incredible sons. His favourite writers are Paul Quarrington, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Hunter S. Thompson.
How long have you been a member of NOWW?
I entered the NOWW fiction contest for the first time in 2008 and have renewed my membership every year.
What do you normally write?
I mostly write fiction, but I have been known to write a little poetry and the occasional self-indulgent essay.
Do you have a favourite book or favourite author?
As a librarian, I have found a kindred spirit in my favourite writer, Jorge Luis Borges (who served as director of the National Library of Argentina). I’m fascinated by his short stories, most of which blur the boundaries between history and fiction or reality and artifice.
Let’s get to know you a bit better. Tell us a bit about yourself and your first story:
My first published work was a plagiarized copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. With the assistance of my grandmother, I hand stitched and bound construction paper pages and beamed when I realized she made me author AND illustrator of this masterpiece! This experience served as a premonition of my future as a children’s librarian and author.
How did you get your start in writing? What were you drawn to?
During my teen years, I wrote a few dozen poems and song lyrics—I am still trying to decode those obscure verses today! The first thing I wrote after high school was a screenplay for a horror movie I co-wrote with a friend and bandmate. In between jam sessions for our fledgling metal outfit, we cranked out a first draft in a few weeks; I immediately became drawn to the process of creating a tiny universe on the page. Shortly after that I spent a summer crafting a novella loosely based upon my grandfather’s life. I then became fixated on short stories and reading books about the history of the form; most of my first stories were imitations of Carver and Hemingway’s sparse style. I took more narrative risks with my first novel, Hands of the Tyrants, in which a CSIS officer joins a troupe of rebel artists.
What does your writing look like today? What are you working on?
For several years, I’ve been working on a novel that is set in my hometown of Sioux Lookout. I’m starting to feel like the narrator of Michael Chabon’s Wonder Boys, in that I have an unfinished manuscript haunting my thoughts and plaguing my nights with regrets—here’s hoping 2017 is the year I finally figure out an ending! The protagonist is a man who bears a striking resemblance to his great-grandfather; he eventually becomes this man in a historical re-enactment as he discovers more about the Pinnacle Theatre, an abandoned building he’s inherited. I’m also drawing connections between episodes of the Twilight Zone, thought experiments, and literary fables as crafted by the likes of Neil Gaiman, Kafka, and Borges. I began this experimentation after exploring the essays of the philosopher Dan Dennett, who speaks of thought experiments and a philosophy of consciousness in accessible and humorous prose. I have plans to self-publish all my short fiction as a way of collecting everything together (my first phase of short fiction) and moving on to a new form. And after reading countless stories to my two boys and little people at the library, I’ve become inspired to write a picture book.
Will we see you at any upcoming NOWW events?
Living in Sioux Lookout and being the father of two young boys makes it difficult to attend readings and other NOWW events. I will do my best to attend the next gala in Thunder Bay—though I must admit I’ve been saying that for years—and would love to help host a reading in Sioux Lookout. In 2011, I co-hosted a writing workshop with Jenny Morrow at the Dryden Public Library and that’s something I want to revisit.
Where can we learn more about you and your writing?
I can be found online at www.micheallaverty.ca. I’ve posted a few short stories, poems, and essays there for your perusal
And to end things off, tell us something surprising about yourself!
I always write to a soundtrack. I’ve found the genre of trip-hop to be perfect for my process. These tracks often feature a driving beat, fluid bass-line, and just enough instrumentation to provide atmosphere. DJ Shadow, Massive Attack, and Thievery Corporation are favourites. I grew up in the 90’s and the lyrics of Axl Rose, Gord Downie, Trent Reznor, Billy Corgan, Thom Yorke, and many others continue to influence my writing. I’m drawn to poetry that has the cadences of short fiction. Bronwen Wallace’s collection Common Magic is a continual source of inspiration. I think she’s among Canada’s finest writers. For the same reason, I love the poems of Al Purdy. Reading him is like sitting down for a drink with a cynical, yet sympathetic grandfather who doesn’t want to teach you a lesson about the world so much as illustrate a single truth in 40 or 50 mysterious, yet prosaic lines.
How long have you been a member of NOWW?
I entered the NOWW fiction contest for the first time in 2008 and have renewed my membership every year.
What do you normally write?
I mostly write fiction, but I have been known to write a little poetry and the occasional self-indulgent essay.
Do you have a favourite book or favourite author?
As a librarian, I have found a kindred spirit in my favourite writer, Jorge Luis Borges (who served as director of the National Library of Argentina). I’m fascinated by his short stories, most of which blur the boundaries between history and fiction or reality and artifice.
Let’s get to know you a bit better. Tell us a bit about yourself and your first story:
My first published work was a plagiarized copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. With the assistance of my grandmother, I hand stitched and bound construction paper pages and beamed when I realized she made me author AND illustrator of this masterpiece! This experience served as a premonition of my future as a children’s librarian and author.
How did you get your start in writing? What were you drawn to?
During my teen years, I wrote a few dozen poems and song lyrics—I am still trying to decode those obscure verses today! The first thing I wrote after high school was a screenplay for a horror movie I co-wrote with a friend and bandmate. In between jam sessions for our fledgling metal outfit, we cranked out a first draft in a few weeks; I immediately became drawn to the process of creating a tiny universe on the page. Shortly after that I spent a summer crafting a novella loosely based upon my grandfather’s life. I then became fixated on short stories and reading books about the history of the form; most of my first stories were imitations of Carver and Hemingway’s sparse style. I took more narrative risks with my first novel, Hands of the Tyrants, in which a CSIS officer joins a troupe of rebel artists.
What does your writing look like today? What are you working on?
For several years, I’ve been working on a novel that is set in my hometown of Sioux Lookout. I’m starting to feel like the narrator of Michael Chabon’s Wonder Boys, in that I have an unfinished manuscript haunting my thoughts and plaguing my nights with regrets—here’s hoping 2017 is the year I finally figure out an ending! The protagonist is a man who bears a striking resemblance to his great-grandfather; he eventually becomes this man in a historical re-enactment as he discovers more about the Pinnacle Theatre, an abandoned building he’s inherited. I’m also drawing connections between episodes of the Twilight Zone, thought experiments, and literary fables as crafted by the likes of Neil Gaiman, Kafka, and Borges. I began this experimentation after exploring the essays of the philosopher Dan Dennett, who speaks of thought experiments and a philosophy of consciousness in accessible and humorous prose. I have plans to self-publish all my short fiction as a way of collecting everything together (my first phase of short fiction) and moving on to a new form. And after reading countless stories to my two boys and little people at the library, I’ve become inspired to write a picture book.
Will we see you at any upcoming NOWW events?
Living in Sioux Lookout and being the father of two young boys makes it difficult to attend readings and other NOWW events. I will do my best to attend the next gala in Thunder Bay—though I must admit I’ve been saying that for years—and would love to help host a reading in Sioux Lookout. In 2011, I co-hosted a writing workshop with Jenny Morrow at the Dryden Public Library and that’s something I want to revisit.
Where can we learn more about you and your writing?
I can be found online at www.micheallaverty.ca. I’ve posted a few short stories, poems, and essays there for your perusal
And to end things off, tell us something surprising about yourself!
I always write to a soundtrack. I’ve found the genre of trip-hop to be perfect for my process. These tracks often feature a driving beat, fluid bass-line, and just enough instrumentation to provide atmosphere. DJ Shadow, Massive Attack, and Thievery Corporation are favourites. I grew up in the 90’s and the lyrics of Axl Rose, Gord Downie, Trent Reznor, Billy Corgan, Thom Yorke, and many others continue to influence my writing. I’m drawn to poetry that has the cadences of short fiction. Bronwen Wallace’s collection Common Magic is a continual source of inspiration. I think she’s among Canada’s finest writers. For the same reason, I love the poems of Al Purdy. Reading him is like sitting down for a drink with a cynical, yet sympathetic grandfather who doesn’t want to teach you a lesson about the world so much as illustrate a single truth in 40 or 50 mysterious, yet prosaic lines.
How long have you been a member of NOWW?
I have been a member of NOWW for about one year.
What do you normally write?
I primarily write literary fiction. I try not to limit myself to any specific genre.
Do you have a favourite book or favourite author?
I don’t think I could choose just one author as my favourite. I do have several that I always return to, including Timothy Findley, Michael Ondaajte, Cormac McCarthy, Jose Saramago, William Faulkner, Pierre Berton, Miram Toews to name a few. Though I can probably name my favourite book as Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer.
Let’s get to know you a bit better. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you found your way to writing: .
I have been interested in stories and writing for as long as I can remember. However, growing up, I was never a big reader. It wasn’t until I entered high school that I truly discovered the many great things that books can offer. I also started to develop my own writing skills when I signed up for the newspaper course at Westgate and worked on the Eye of the Tiger student newspaper. I carried this interest with me to university where I majored in English and history and continued my work in journalism with the Argus student newspaper. This has brought me to where I am today, working as a reporter in the city of Thunder Bay. Journalism has always interested me because it is a profession that relies on a strong ability to write and tell stories. While it is very different from writing fiction, there are many skills that carry over and I feel that it has helped me grow as a writer. In the last ten years or so I really started to focus on writing fiction. It was only recently that I learned that writing, just like any other skill, takes practice, and I started to really focus on building my skills by writing every day. Last year I participated in the 3-Day Novel contest, which has led to my first published novel. For me, ideas come from everywhere. I write stories that I would want to read. I write for me. I write as though no one will ever read it.
Tell us a bit about your writing and what your process is like:
I have one published novel, Chalk. It was written in a furious three days. I feel that working on writing every day helps me grow as a writer, learn and develop new skills, and get ideas down. I never work from an outline and I prefer to let the story be shaped by what is being written. I am currently working on some new stories in the hopes of publishing a new novel within the year.
Who has inspired and impacted your writing?
There are several writers and books that have shaped me as a writer. Farley Mowat’s Lost in the Barrens was one of my first introductions to Canadian literature and showed me that stories can take you on amazing adventures. Timothy Findley’s The Wars and Pilgrim introduced me to literary fiction and how writing can tell powerful stories of human struggle. Michael Ondaajte’s In the Skin of a Lion illustrated the beauty of writing and how words can paint the most vivid of pictures. Jose Saramago showed me that literature can ask important questions about who we are and our place in the world. And Jonathan Safran Foer’s imaginative stories demonstrated the emotional impact of humour and sorrow in narratives. Finally, going beyond the written word, listening to CBC radio’s Jonathan Goldstein and Stuart McLean taught me how to tell stories, as opposed to just writing them down on the page.
Can we see you at any upcoming NOWW events?
I try to attend as many NOWW events as I can. I recently did a reading last November.
Where can we learn more about you and your writing?
My first novel, Chalk, was published in September of this year and was the winner of the 38th Annual 3-Day Novel Contest. It is available at Chapters bookstore or online at Amazon.ca.
How long have you been a member of NOWW?
I have been a member of NOWW for about one year.
What do you normally write?
I primarily write literary fiction. I try not to limit myself to any specific genre.
Do you have a favourite book or favourite author?
I don’t think I could choose just one author as my favourite. I do have several that I always return to, including Timothy Findley, Michael Ondaajte, Cormac McCarthy, Jose Saramago, William Faulkner, Pierre Berton, Miram Toews to name a few. Though I can probably name my favourite book as Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer.
Let’s get to know you a bit better. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you found your way to writing: .
I have been interested in stories and writing for as long as I can remember. However, growing up, I was never a big reader. It wasn’t until I entered high school that I truly discovered the many great things that books can offer. I also started to develop my own writing skills when I signed up for the newspaper course at Westgate and worked on the Eye of the Tiger student newspaper. I carried this interest with me to university where I majored in English and history and continued my work in journalism with the Argus student newspaper. This has brought me to where I am today, working as a reporter in the city of Thunder Bay. Journalism has always interested me because it is a profession that relies on a strong ability to write and tell stories. While it is very different from writing fiction, there are many skills that carry over and I feel that it has helped me grow as a writer. In the last ten years or so I really started to focus on writing fiction. It was only recently that I learned that writing, just like any other skill, takes practice, and I started to really focus on building my skills by writing every day. Last year I participated in the 3-Day Novel contest, which has led to my first published novel. For me, ideas come from everywhere. I write stories that I would want to read. I write for me. I write as though no one will ever read it.
Tell us a bit about your writing and what your process is like:
I have one published novel, Chalk. It was written in a furious three days. I feel that working on writing every day helps me grow as a writer, learn and develop new skills, and get ideas down. I never work from an outline and I prefer to let the story be shaped by what is being written. I am currently working on some new stories in the hopes of publishing a new novel within the year.
Who has inspired and impacted your writing?
There are several writers and books that have shaped me as a writer. Farley Mowat’s Lost in the Barrens was one of my first introductions to Canadian literature and showed me that stories can take you on amazing adventures. Timothy Findley’s The Wars and Pilgrim introduced me to literary fiction and how writing can tell powerful stories of human struggle. Michael Ondaajte’s In the Skin of a Lion illustrated the beauty of writing and how words can paint the most vivid of pictures. Jose Saramago showed me that literature can ask important questions about who we are and our place in the world. And Jonathan Safran Foer’s imaginative stories demonstrated the emotional impact of humour and sorrow in narratives. Finally, going beyond the written word, listening to CBC radio’s Jonathan Goldstein and Stuart McLean taught me how to tell stories, as opposed to just writing them down on the page.
Can we see you at any upcoming NOWW events?
I try to attend as many NOWW events as I can. I recently did a reading last November.
Where can we learn more about you and your writing?
My first novel, Chalk, was published in September of this year and was the winner of the 38th Annual 3-Day Novel Contest. It is available at Chapters bookstore or online at Amazon.ca.
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