Featured Writer: Kate Gies
On creating space to write and writing advice.
Welcome to Women Writing, a biweekly interview series about creative practices. In this week’s feature, Kate describes her favourite writing space. Where is your favourite place to write? Share in the comments below.
About the author…
Kate Gies is a writer and educator living in Toronto. She teaches creative nonfiction and expressive arts at George Brown College. Her writing has appeared in The Globe and Mail, The Walrus, The Malahat Review, The Humber Literary Review, Hobart, and the Best Canadian Essays 2024 Anthology. Her memoir, It Must Be Beautiful to Be Finished, about her childhood medical experiences related to a missing ear is out now with Simon & Schuster Canada.
On a writing routine …
I’ve had structured routines on and off throughout my life. They are easily destabilized by life events (getting sick, being busy at work, family stuff, etc). I try not to beat myself up when my routine breaks, as that makes it hard to forgive myself and start writing again. When I have a solid routine, it’s writing right when I wake up. I find the inner critic is much quieter then and my mind is free to go where it wants.
On writing spaces …
My favourite space to write is in the attic. It has sloped walls, lots of plants, and light pouring in from three directions. I’ve thrifted much of the furniture in there: an antique sideboard, a yellow velvet swag lamp, and a round wooden sewing table I use for a work desk. I love being surrounded by things that bleed history. I made a glass-beaded curtain that throws rainbows on the walls during certain hours of the day. I put up fuchsia flower-punched wallpaper, and made orange and pink polka-dot drapes for the remaining windows. I was sick with the flu for most of January, and in my delirium ordered a large faux cherry tree, which now stands tall and pink against the only white wall. Sometimes, there’s a cat up there with me. The vibe is 1970s fever dream meets fairyland. I like a space that’s a mood I can climb into. Whimsical, vintage, magical, cozy. I should note that I usually write from a bed. I’ve heard this is not a good idea, as bed should be associated with sleep, but I don’t fight the urge. Since I was a very young kid, I’ve read in bed before falling asleep at night. This routine has stuck with me my whole life. Thus, a bed has always been a bit of a literary temple for me. I have a day bed up in the attic, but when I’m feeling lazy, I just pull my laptop onto my stomach when I wake up and write from my bedroom.
On writing communities …
Pre-pandemic, I was part of a writing group that met on Saturdays at the Holy Oak Café (RIP) in Toronto. The group was called “Let’s Meet Up and Write Words and Drink Coffee and Not Talk to Each Other.” Pretty self-explanatory, although we often would talk to each other, sharing what we were working on, what we were reading, and general life talk. The Holy Oak Café closed, and many of the members of our group left town when the pandemic hit. That group was truly a highlight of my years back then. Most of us have remained friends, which is nice. I’m now part of an online co-writing group that meets on Wednesdays. Some of the people are from the Holy Oak group, and many others are from online writing classes I took when everyone was in lockdown. I love our little group! Writing can be very solitary and it makes a world of difference to have fellow writers to talk to, commiserate with, and lean on for moral support when the words aren’t happening easily.
“Women don’t always celebrate our successes publicly. Writing is a hard, and often rewardless pursuit, so when something good happens, celebrate!!”
On challenges …
I teach full-time, so sometimes teaching swallows up my time, energy, and creativity. (It’s okay though—I love my job!) Anxiety about the state of the world sometimes leaves me immovable and scrolling for dopamine hits instead of writing.
On the best writing advice …
Write where the energy is, and practice self-compassion. Sometimes what we think we want write when we sit down is not what ends up coming out of us. Say yes to whatever tangent your heart wants to take you on. And for goodness sakes, don’t judge your first drafts!
On the worst writing advice …
I can’t think of something specific, but generally speaking, when someone has a very specific idea of what I should do/change in a piece of writing, it’s usually wrong. I once had a guy write all over my pages about how much he disliked my main character—how she was “psycho” and “stupid”— and he gave be specific (bad!) tips on how to rewrite her. It was clear our writing goals were very different—he was a retired banker writing a book about a banker who becomes a spy, while I was writing about trauma through the lens of magical realism. The worst advice comes from the people you don’t resonate with who have very specific ideas of what you should do with your writing. Bad advice can be felt in the gut. If any advice leaves you feeling de-motivated, blocked, or ashamed of your writing, it’s not good advice. Advice should uplift, motivate, and energize your writing.
On advice from personal experiences …
I find we as women tend to second-guess ourselves often in our writing. I know when I was younger, whenever anyone had any kind of negative feedback about my writing, I assumed the writing was bad. I guess my advice is only take feedback that feels helpful, and forget the rest. Also! Women don’t always celebrate our successes publicly. Writing is a hard, and often rewardless pursuit, so when something good happens, celebrate!!
On rekindling creativity …
This might sound like a boring answer, but reading is a great way to jumpstart my writing. I’ve always found books to be the best writing teachers, so when I’m stuck on a particular project, I’ll gather and read books that make my heart jump. I always try to read books that somehow relate to what I’m writing, either in genre, style, or theme. Sometimes songs can help too. I’ve been on a real “Wuthering Heights” (Kate Bush) kick lately and have taken to throwing on a flowy dress and dancing around the attic to the song. Does it help with my writing? Hard to say. But it’s an incredibly joyful experience and I highly recommend it.
On a recent publication …
I recently published a memoir: It Must Be Beautiful to Be Finished. It’s about my experiences growing up missing a right ear, and the well-intentioned violence of a medical system bent on making me more symmetrical. It’s about body shame, coming of age late in life, societal fears of body difference, and learning to love a body that was under constant reconstruction. I’m working on a gothic-leaning novel about a young woman who wakes up to discover her arm is dead.
Kate’s online spaces …
📚 Women Writing Circle
The Women Writing Circle meets on the second and last Monday of the month from 6:30-8:00 PM EST. This offering is for paid subscribers. You can learn more about the benefits of subscribing here. I’m looking forward to creating a magical writing community with you, and getting some pages written in 2025.
Happy writing!
Great article on Kate. I appreciate that deeper dive on a writer's process to help empower all writers (and especially women!)
Kate spoke at King's on Sunday. Fantastic speech!