Hello all,
Welcome to the 51st edition of Women Writing! Anyone have that end of August back-to-school feeling? Even though I left my teaching career two years ago, I still have that strange mixture of excitement and dread for the start of September. Back-to-school shopping isn’t quite the same now that my youngest is entering his last year of post-secondary and living in his own apartment. But there is something about this time of year that makes me want to pull out the schedule, get my life organized, set new goals, and learn new things.
This fall, I’m looking forward to the retreat
and I have organized on Manitoulin Island, hosting an in person workshop in Niagara-on-the-Lake and an online one for Canadian Friends of Finland in Vancouver. In addition to working 1:1 with book coaching clients, I’m plugging away on my next historical novel. When the yellow school busses stop in front of my house to pick up the neighbourhood kids on the first day of school, I’ll pour myself another coffee and salute them, knowing my days look a little different now and I wouldn’t have it any other way.Now, I’m pleased to feature author Mary Lou Dickinson in this week’s Women Writing.
About the author…
Mary Lou Dickinson lives in a downtown condo in Toronto, Ontario with a tree at her window as reminder of her northern roots in a frontier Quebec mining town. She enjoyed a career that ended with 15 years as a crisis telephone counsellor for assaulted women. Always writing as well, with a number of short stories published in literary periodicals, she has been able to devote her retirement to writing and her first book was published at age 70. Her first published piece, at age 6, was a poem in her grandmother’s food column in the Toronto Telegram. She now has five published books in various genres — literary fiction, mystery, as well as a ready for publication memoir. She has completed another collection of short stories and is working on a new novel.
“Read a lot. Walk when you are stuck. Enjoy your children and good food. Exercise regularly. Learn something new regularly.”
On a writing routine …
I have written at different times at different periods of my life. When my two children were young, I wrote when they were at school. I was a single parent from the time they were 12 and 8, having to earn a living and looking after them. We managed with different regimes at different times. I did take a long hiatus in my 40s and created novels that waited a long time to be published. In my last job, the children were grown and off into their own lives. I wrote then on Mondays and made up almost full-time hours on other days and on the job where I was a counsellor and a trainer.
On writing spaces …
I write at the counter between my kitchen and LR/DR in the condo where I have lived for about 15 years now. I choose this space because I don’t get an aching back working there. I work in a quiet atmosphere and turn on the radio, music or TV in hours when I do other things, e.g. cook, eat, watch TV. My activity is more limited now with the arrival of a condition called Myasthenia Gravis.
On writing communities …
[I belong to] two writing groups and the Writers' Union of Canada. I didn't realize the value of these until very late but am glad I found them as they are amazingly important to my final versions of anything/everything I write.
On challenges …
Yes, opposition to my writing, divorce, single parenthood, working to earn a living other than at writing, etc.
On the best writing advice …
To join a writing group. To go to the Banff Centre for the Arts. To go on writing!
On the worst writing advice …
That I ought to do something else. I didn't pay attention!
On advice from personal experiences …
Join a writing group of other writers at your level you trust. Read a lot. Walk when you are stuck. Enjoy your children and good food. Exercise regularly. Learn something new regularly.
On a recent publication …
A collection of short stories entitled Dance Season. I had a memoir scheduled for publication this fall, but the publisher went under. I am working on finding another publisher.
Mary Lou’s online spaces …
UPCOMING OFFERINGS…
Group Book Coaching Fall Session
It’s never too early to start planning! This program is ideal for individuals who have an idea for a novel or memoir and need guidance to get started, or who have a draft and need a plan for revision. Ideal for teachers, retirees, and other busy professionals, the fall session is the right time to get started. We meet weekly via Zoom to check in, participate in writing prompts, discuss craft and weekly writing tasks. Participants will set weekly goals and submit writing tasks for individualized feedback. By the end of the 12 weeks, you will have a solid foundation for your book idea or work-in-progress.
Dates: Sundays, September 15-December 8, 2024 (12 Weeks)
Times: 7:00-8:30 PM EST via Zoom
What you can expect:
Clarify your book idea and goals
Develop your ideas and hone in on your point
Participate in craft exercises and discussion
Create a plan to move your project forward
Get honest and compassionate feedback from a certified book coach
Stay motivated and accountable to your deadlines
Find the joy in your writing practice
Investment: $499+tax
Please note, class sizes are limited. Contact me to save your spot for September.
Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreat
Registrations are now open for Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreat from October 2-6, 2024 in Gore Bay on beautiful Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Register by September 1 to receive the early bird discount.
and I are excited to work with you!What you can expect:
Supported time to work on your manuscript
A one-on-one coaching session with a certified book coach (Dinah or Liisa)
Group coaching sessions focused on writing
Feedback and encouragement from group members who identify with your struggles
Planning time to identify your next steps to move your project forward
A supportive community and a chance to talk about your book with like-minded peers
Opportunities to tap into your senses and rekindle your creativity
Time away from the obligations and interruptions of everyday life
Time to connect with the natural wilderness on beautiful Manitoulin Island or visit the shops in Gore Bay
"I'm leaving with a clearer idea as to where my story is going and how I'd like to publish my novel when I get to that point. The scenery was also beautiful and it helps with world/setting building or just to take a breath and forget about life. What made the retreat was the people. All super generous, all super excited to participate, all super inclusive, and all super supportive." ~ Val Lavasseur
Please visit our website for more details. (Early bird prices until September 1, 2024.)
If you have any questions, please contact us at rekindlecreativity@gmail.com.
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!
Liisa Kovala is an Author Accelerator certified book coach. She is the author of Sisu’s Winter War (Latitude 46, 2022) and Surviving Stutthof: My Father’s Memories Behind the Death Gate (Latitude 46, 2017). Her short stories and creative non-fiction have been published in a variety of anthologies and literary magazines. Liisa is a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, Canadian Authors Association, and past-president of Sudbury Writers’ Guild. Visit liisakovala.com.
“Walk a lot when you are stuck.” So true! I don’t know how it works, but it does!