Featured Writer: Sheila Stewart
On creating space to write and writing advice.
Hello all,
Welcome to Women Writing!
and I participated in The Author Gathering at the beautiful Heinztman House in Thornhill, Ontario last week to share information about book coaching and our upcoming Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreat. Apart from the lovely venue, I was struck by the enthusiasm of the individuals, many of whom are aspiring writers, and some of whom are published authors.On Saturday, I ran a writing workshop for Niagara-on-the-Lake Writers’ Circle (NOTL) and was thoroughly delighted by the engagement and generosity within the group. It was such a pleasure to work these fine writers. Big thank you to Sharon Frayne and NOTL for inviting me.
Writing can feel like a solitary activity, but it doesn’t have to be (at least not all the time). Gathering everyone in one space with an opportunity to listen to speakers, speak about their own projects, and cultivate connections with others in the writing space creates a little bit of magic.
This week, I’m highlighting author Sheila Stewart’s writing experiences. I hope you will find inspiration and connection here.
About the author…
Sheila Stewart is a Toronto writer and educator. Her publications include poetry collections, If I Write About My Father (2024), The Shape of a Throat (2012) and A Hat to Stop a Train (2003), and a co-edited anthology of essays and poetry, The Art of Poetic Inquiry (2012). Poetry awards include the gritLIT Contest, the Scarborough Arts Council Windows on Words, and the Pottersfield Portfolio Short Poem Contest. Her poetry, essays, and book chapters have been widely published in Canadian and international journals. Sheila is a second-generation Irish-Canadian who grew up in Stratford, Waterloo, and Montreal. After teaching in Libya and Swaziland, she taught adult literacy in Parkdale. She has taught courses at University of Toronto, including Creative Writing at the School of Continuing Studies. She can be found walking in High Park and at www.sheilastewart.ca
“Carve out space and time, even if it's small amounts of time when traveling to work or at lunch. Connect with other women writers and other artists.”
On a writing routine …
It's easier now that my children are grown and I have left a faculty position where I taught writing courses. I have arranged my very part-time teaching to be one or two afternoons per week and no longer courses which involve a lot of preparation and marking. I try to write early in the day when I find it easier to focus and feel more hopeful. Writing works best when I do yoga or walk during the day. I can more easily write after these physical activities. I also become more focused when I have the deadline of a writing group meeting at which one of my poems will be heard and seen by fellow poets. Coming up to such a meeting, I write throughout the day and often right up to the deadline. My routine has varied depending on work and family commitments. I have more time to write now, but it remains a challenge to get on with it. Some weeks I look after my grandchild, a toddler, and then I write a bit in my journal and attend to writing administration when she naps.
On writing spaces …
I usually write in my office at home since I have a standing desk and good chair. I like to look out the window. So, too, does a small tile of the sky which a friend gave me. It sits right below the screen. I have cards from friends, pictures of my daughters and friends, drawings by my husband, plants, stones, pencil crayons, and other meaningful items nearby. I sometimes listen to Gregorian chant or classical music. In our previous home, my desk was in the unfinished basement between the washer and the dryer, so I certainly value my office. I used to often write in coffee shops and do love being away from home to write. Journaling toward a poem can be good outside and I have written at a picnic table in High Park. I used to write on the subway between work and home.
On writing communities …
Yes, I am part of three writing groups. The Inconvenients and the Long Dash are groups were we workshop our work. In my third group, the Bawdies, we write together and read what we write aloud if we choose to. We do not give each other any feedback. Being part of a writing community has been invaluable to me. I began writing in earnest shortly before my first daughter was born. I had taken Women's Writing Workshop at George Brown College and some of us from the class formed a writing group where we met once a month to share work. That really kept me going when my children were small. Two of the members of that group are in one of my current groups. My long-term writing friends are fabulous supporters and advisors. And I'm fascinated in how their work develops.
On challenges …
Yes, in those early years in the 90s, it was a challenge to find time. I was working and studying. I had a office until we gave each daughter their own room; then it was the washer-desk-dryer I mentioned above. Going on to writing workshops and retreats helped, as did journaling and belonging to a writing group. There were also concerns about and looking after aging parents and in-laws. As well, I tend to think a lot about teaching and can worry about students.
On the best writing advice …
In drafting, I often think about workshops I did with Ronna Bloom. She creates a kind of permission and uses a variation of Natalie Goldberg's rules from Writing Down the Bones: 1. Keep your hand moving. 2. Don't cross out. Don't worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar. 4. Lose control. 5. Don't think. 6. Go for the jugular.
On the worst writing advice …
A writing friend said, You can't write, have a job, and have children. That's what I did so I sometimes felt I was doing it wrong. I felt I should have some kind of less taxing day job or not think so much about my job, but I enjoy teaching. I needed to work and liked it in many ways. I kept plugging away at writing. I worked part-time when I could. When I was forty, I took a year off to write.
On advice from personal experiences …
Carve out space and time, even if it's small amounts of time when traveling to work or at lunch. Connect with other women writers and other artists. Embodied practices such as yoga, walking, meditation, dancing, and singing can help.
On a recent publication …
My third poetry collection, If I Write About My Father (Ekstasis Editions, 2024) came out this summer. I'm about to start to work on poetry as a response to some articles on art and the environment. My response, along with that of some fellow poets, should come out in the interdisciplinary journal, Public.
My Toronto book launch is October 6, 3:00 pm, Society Clubhouse, 967 College Street and I'm also part of an online reading on September 29, 1:00 pm, with my writing group, The Inconvenients.
Sheila’s online spaces …
UPCOMING OFFERINGS…
Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreat
We only have a few spaces left for Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreat from October 2-6, 2024 in Gore Bay on beautiful Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Grab your seat now!
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
“The Rekindle Creativity Retreat, led by Dinah Laprairie and Liisa Kovala was well designed, and thoughtfully delivered. Our coaches' sensitivity to the needs of each participant ensured that everyone left the retreat with renewed purpose, clarified goals, and new ways of thinking and working. Bravo!"~Carolee Mason
If you have any questions, please contact us at rekindlecreativity@gmail.com.
Register now at www.rekindlecreativity.com.
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!
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.
“I try to write early in the day when I find it easier to focus and feel more hopeful.” Oooh, what a good point! Hope!
Thank you for these insights into your writing process, Sheila. I used to be an early morning writer as well, but lately my writing schedule has shifted to be more mid-day and afternoon.