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Poet, fiction, and nonfiction author rob mclennan shares how four decades of daily practice have strengthened his writing; he views it as a muscle that has become denser and more complex. He emphasizes reading widely, studying Canadian writing history, and engaging community. rob avoids plotting, sees failure as essential, and generative AI as theft. His process involves continuous editing, moving between digital and multiple printed drafts until he feels a piece of writing i

Author Lisa de Nikolits discusses how being an immigrant shapes her writing, highlighting the cultural friction between South African expressiveness ("overshare") and Canadian reserve ("colleagues"). She views this duality as a lens for exploring "the fundamental quirks of human nature." Her process is fueled by a mantra: "Write something BETTER today than you ever have before," embracing constant self-editing and facing the "incredible courage" required to complete a book.

Carole Giangrande, author and poet, explores her evolution from poetry to broadcast journalism and fiction. She explains reflects how her characters are subtly shaped by real-world politics and social upheaval. Carole admires writers like Virginia Woolf and Michael Ondaatje, and says her writing process involves balancing plotting with spontaneity. With candor, she urges writers to persist, embrace community, and stay open to life’s everyday pleasures.

Author Ken Wilson's path was set by stealing Orwell and formalized by The Camino Walk at 50, committing to the craft. His writing evolved from playwriting to creative nonfiction and poetry, now driven by a supportive community. Themes focus on "Dirty Nature Writing"—exploring environmental damage and human connection to the world through walking. This is the focus of his book Walking the Bypass. Ken's process remains that of a "pantser," allowing for surprising exploration.

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Artist Chris McCabe on psychogeography. Chris is a poet, novelist, and editor. He discusses his journey from Liverpool roots to London’s experimental poetry scene. His work spans genres and artforms, often shaped by psychogeography and the poetics of cities. In this interview, he discusses influences from cartoons to Pink Floyd, his wide-ranging reading, and his advice to treat writing as a sustaining garden space.

Brenda Hartwell, debut author of No Wrong Seasons, reflects on her journey from drama studies to writing character-driven fiction. She shares how theatre shaped her voice, how writing workshops built trust and community, and how themes of resilience, women’s issues, and social justice permeate her work. Rooted in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, Hartwell writes with authenticity, empathy, and a deep love of story.

Catherine Walker's writing is shaped by feminism, history, and hope. Drawing on her decades as a nurse and activist, she explores women's resilience and self-actualization. Her interest in World War I reflects her belief that literature should examine "heroism, hope, and the search for humane behaviour." While remaining a hopeful optimist, Walker addresses global challenges like climate change and inequality in her narratives about strong women striving for freedom and meanin

Stephanie Bolster, Governor General's Award-winning poet, discusses her evolution from lyric poems to long forms, driven by a desire to challenge herself. She explores breaking open the craft of writing to express contemporary life's mess and overwhelm. Bolster reflects on recurring themes of time, ekphrastic work, and place, while sharing thoughts on genre-bending literature and AI's potential in poetry, where glitches prove more interesting than successes.

Poet Kim Mannix is the author of Confirm Humanity. Kim discusses how to evolve as a poet, her writing evolution through practice, workshops, mentorship, and broad reading. Common themes across her work include outrage, finding joy amid negativity, memory, nature's awe, and family. She uses social media for connection rather than promotion, views generative AI as a threat to writers, and edits selectively—avoiding over-editing first drafts while refining individual words and p

In a recent podcast episode, poet Natalie Lim showed how poetry can be both accessible and deep. We've created seven lesson from her interview on how poets can create meaningful work connecting readers to universal human experiences while remaining technically accomplished and emotionally resonant. The lessons explore rooting work in personal grief, balancing vulnerability with care, innovating with form, maintaining accessibility, blending cosmic and intimate scales, and cre

Canadian author Merilyn Simonds, author of 22 books including The Holding and The Convict Lover, says a childhood move to Brazil shaped her as an observer-writer. Self-taught through reading and writing, she's developed distinctive intimate, musical writing style. In this interview, explores the intersection of past and present through intuitive first drafts, followed by multiple editing cycles involving meticulous attention to character, setting, and symbolic consistency.