Featured Writer: Mariam Pirbhai
On creating space to write and writing advice.
Hello all,
Welcome to the 22nd edition of Women Writing! January flew by for me, and it’s hard to believe we’re already in February (although it feels more like April in Northern Ontario). How are your writing goals going? Mine need a revisit, I think, but apparently it’s not uncommon for folks to set aside their well-intentioned goals after three weeks, so maybe this is exactly where I need to be. I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions, preferring to set smaller, more achievable goals throughout the year. But, I think it’s time to sit down with a cup of coffee and think seriously about the novel I’m been planning. Is this the project I want to pursue for the next few years of my life, or should I explore other ideas? Meeting a goal may mean pivoting to a new one, listening to oneself about what is working, and what needs to change.
This week, I’m pleased to feature author Mariam Pirbhai in Women Writing. Get ready to be inspired!
About the author…
Mariam Pirbhai is an academic and creative writer. She is the author of a newly released book of creative nonfiction titled Garden Inventories: Reflections on Land, Place and Belonging (Wolsak & Wynn, 2023), a debut novel titled Isolated Incident (featured as a CBC Must-Read of 2023), and a short story collection titled Outside People and Other Stories (Inanna 2017), winner of the 2018 International Independent Publishers’ and 2019 American BookFest awards. She is Full Professor in the Department of English and Film Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she specializes in postcolonial literatures, diaspora studies and creative writing. She is the author and editor of book-length academic studies on the global South Asian diaspora and its literatures. She was born in Pakistan and lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
“Publishing is also about trends, about doors that open and close at unspecified intervals, and also about intuiting your own way through the process—if you feel ready, go for it! Long literary resumes be damned!”
On a writing routine …
I do not have a writing routine but even when I’m not tapping out words on a keyboard, I am immersed in the writing process. I am outlining. I am on the lookout for relevant research. I am plotting and brainstorming. I am creating characters and dialogue.
In a more practical sense, once I start writing or once I have a deadline, writing becomes quite an intensive process for me, even if this means working around an already busy working life (which, in my case, is an academic career). I am not a “scheduler.” Perhaps I should be. But I believe we all have our methods and so far my method has worked for me.
On writing spaces …
This sounds a bit boring but I have a dedicated home office and that’s where I write. It’s quiet. It’s got a desktop computer, which I find much more practical for long writing stretches than a laptop. It’s got a printer handy so I can print drafts easily. I can make as many cups of tea as I want without time-wasting in coffee shop queues (where there are far too many distractions for my liking). And, most importantly, I’m surrounded by my own artwork—this is not an ego thing so much as my reward system. Painting is a rare luxury for me, so when I complete a writing project, I reward myself with the time to paint. In fact, I keep one of my favourite paint brushes in my pen holder on my desk It reminds me how all of our creative activities are interconnected and nourish each other, and it also keeps my eye on the prize: finishing a writing project so I can crack open a fresh new canvas and paint!
On writing communities …
I am a member of The Writer’s Union of Canada and, more recently, the Canadian Authors Association. It is helpful to be part of a writers’ association because you are alerted to resources and activities that you otherwise might not come across. Our associations also work for writers in ways that we are not always aware—they are our advocates in government, in the publishing industry, etc.--and membership fees help sustain these modes of support, not just for members but for all writers. Apart from associations, I teach creative writing and always encourage my university students to be part of a writing community, even if they have to form one on their own. Giving and receiving feedback, having the support of fellow writers (even if it is only to help encourage us to write) . . . these are all valuable parts of the writing life. We may not all need to write in a group (that has not been my approach either), but there are other ways to be part of a community. For instance, attending an author’s event at a local library or attending a workshop at a local writers’ festival keeps us connected, provides sustenance, reminds us that we are not alone in what can be a rather lonely endeavour.
On challenges …
Yes, who doesn’t! I have a demanding academic career. I have to give myself permission to make time for creative writing and when I do, I usually give myself permission to make it a priority. If that means sacrificing vacation time or downtime, or working well into the night or 7 days a week, or saying "no" to social engagements, including family, then so be it. Whatever that may look like at the time, I just do the work and I make it work.
On the best writing advice …
That I should build a portfolio to establish a record of shorter publications "before" sending out the big manuscript to a publisher. Most publishers want you to have some publishing street cred before taking a chance on a book-length work. It’s also a good way of learning some skills, like tailoring a cover letter for the same story for six different literary journals or magazines with six different mission statements and six different themes! This is all part of the process of putting one’s work out there. As we build a portfolio we build character, I guess. We also get used to the idea of rejection.
On the worst writing advice …
That I have to spend years building up a portfolio (a record of publication)! I know I’m being a bit contrary here, but truly this is also the worst advice if you take it to extremes. Let’s say I didn’t also take a chance to pitch a book manuscript or prospectus to a publisher long before I had x-amount of publications in the genre, I may have missed out on opportunities as they arise. Publishing is also about trends, about doors that open and close at unspecified intervals, and also about intuiting your own way through the process—if you feel ready, go for it! Long literary resumes be damned!
On advice from personal experiences …
Being a (racialized) woman writer over a certain age can seem like one hell of a mountain to climb. I have only become a “professional creative writer” since my 40s, which means I started rather late in the game. But I had neither the time nor the ability to commit to the writing profession prior to this, so I had to follow my own clock. And now, I don’t worry so much about whether I am out of step with the times (or whether I have the right "kind" of voice or perspective). I know that with every writing project I improve and grow as a writer. And that is my only gauge. But if I didn’t take that initial leap (in my 40s), then I would not find myself here, two books of fiction and one book of creative nonfiction later, planning yet more book projects (in my waking and dream state).
There has been a turn in publishing to be more “inclusive,” to encourage submissions from “writers of colour,” or even to solicit writing exclusively from one or other community. I would say that it is important to seize every such opening, every such opportunity. And keep at it. You only need one door to open. The rest is on you.
Mariam’s online spaces …
Registration Now Open
Are you ready to get serious about writing your novel or memoir? Registration is now open for my Spring Group Book Coaching program designed for teachers, retired educators and other professionals who have busy lives and want to fit writing into their schedules. Here’s what you can expect:
Weekly 90 minute Zoom call
Weekly goal setting
Weekly inspirational videos/articles
Weekly writing tasks
Individual feedback on your tasks
Deadlines and accountability
Encouragement and support
A nurturing writing community
We’ll be working through Author Accelerator’s Blueprint for a Book to get your story ideas started and delving into a variety of craft topics. Whether you have a draft of a novel or memoir done, or you have an idea that you’d like to explore, this program can meets you where you are in your writing journey.
By the end of our 12 weeks together, you’ll have completed a plan for your entire novel or memoir, worked on craft, and written draft pages.
Dates: Mondays, April 8-June 24, 2024
Zoom Time: 7-8:30 PM
Investment: $499
Interested in applying? Send me an email at liisabookcoach@gmail.com and add “Spring Group Book Coaching” to the subject line and I’ll add you to the wait list. Please note these sessions fill quickly.
Happy writing!
Women Writing is a weekly newsletter featuring women who are doing the difficult work of writing. If you enjoyed reading the newsletter, please share it with a fellow writer. Let’s inspire each other!
I can’t wait to read Garden Inventories! I have to because other books have to come first (obligations!) but I’m really looking forward to it!
And also: love how the best writing advice can also be the worst! So true.