Featured Writer: Natalie Morrill
On creating space to write and writing advice.
Welcome to Women Writing, a biweekly interview series about creative practices. We’re celebrating our 100th Women Writing feature!
In this week’s feature, Natalie shares her love of writing in public spaces. Do you prefer to write at a coffee shop, an office space, or somewhere else?
And don’t forget to check out my podcast episode with Natalie here.
About the author…
Natalie Morrill is a writer based in Ottawa, Ontario. Her debut novel The Ghost Keeper (HarperCollins Canada 2018) was recognized with the HarperCollins Canada/UBC Prize for Best New Fiction and the Canadian Jewish Literary Award for Fiction, as well as being shortlisted for the Vine Award for Canadian Jewish Literature. Her short fiction has been included in The Journey Prize Stories anthology, and her fiction and poetry have appeared in Canadian literary journals. She teaches writing, editing and literature.
On a writing routine …
I go through periods of having a great routine and others of really not. While I love—and formerly depended on—large blocks of time during breaks from teaching to get writing done, I think the best thing I figured out was that committing to ten minutes of writing a day was genuinely a way to finish a draft of a book. I didn't think I'd be able to get back into the story every day with such a short block of writing, but instead I found that the daily habit kept me mentally immersed in the world of the story. Taking it back up again every day, even briefly, worked great.
On writing spaces …
My favourite place to write would probably be a coffee shop, ideally with NO WIFI. Rare are such places nowadays, but if I can find them, they're incredible. Being in a public space makes me feel less lonely and gives me things to watch and listen to if I need to take a break from my screen. I like indistinct background noise for writing, but music with lyrics trips me up.
On writing communities …
These days, I mostly just check in with writer or artist pals. We don't have any formal community, but it helps to talk to people engaged in similar work. I also really appreciate my students' grappling with the writing life and benefit from their insights—ditto for online writing pals.
Pay attention to what makes you come alive, and honour that (in your writing and in your life). Also, don't discount the value of little bubbles of time devoted to your work.
On challenges …
My creative writing projects rarely have a deadline unless I'm editing them for a publisher. This I find tough—it means that, as massively important as my writing is to me, it's almost never urgent. It tends always to cede place to more urgent work, and I tend to get pretty melancholy if I feel I can't fit writing into my day over longer spans of time. Again, figuring out that ten minutes a day of writing was a way to be faithful to a project was incredibly freeing. (I still sometimes forget this and need to come back to it, however.)
On the best writing advice …
Write what you wish you could read. Also: just finish it; you can make it good later.
On the worst writing advice …
Super hard to say! I guess I get frustrated by online advice about growing an audience for your writing as quickly as possible, but I realize it's just for a different kind of writer.
On advice from personal experiences …
Pay attention to what makes you come alive, and honour that (in your writing and in your life). Also, don't discount the value of little bubbles of time devoted to your work.
On rekindling creativity …
Walking is a big one, in particular if it's in the woods. I'm lucky to live right beside a lot of hiking trails. Taking in amazing or fascinating art (writing, visual art, dance, whatever) usually also does it. So might learning something new about a moment in history—the weirdnesses of moments in the past often spark storytelling ideas for me.
On a recent publication …
I recently sent a historical novel manuscript (about music and lonely girls) to my agent, and she's going to share it with my publisher. We'll see what happens! My last novel was called The Ghost Keeper, and it came out way back in 2018. Time for a new one! I'm also working on some short stories, as well as noodling on some kids' book ideas ... We'll see what I can get done by the end of the summer.
Natalie’s online spaces …
Need to schedule your writing. Join us! The Women Writing Circle meets biweekly to write for 90-minutes. Upgrade to paid and join us.
Happy writing!
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Natalie’s book The Ghostkeeper is beautiful.
Good to "meet" another writer in Ottawa.