Fiction writing

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

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.

Chinese-Canadian author Su Chang's writing is shaped by personal trauma, including a Red Guard parent and immigration, leading to themes of displacement, forbidden histories, and the struggle of "underdogs." Her work is fueled by an "insider-outsider" perspective examining free will. The author is a plotter, prioritizing a fast first draft followed by long, subconscious-driven edits. Su views generative AI as a major capitalist threat to human livelihood, creativity, and the

Author Melanie Schnell discusses her evolving writing, shaped by close reading and teaching. Her characters often embark on physical journeys seeking connection and healing on dangerous peripheries. She balances pantsing and plotting, editing as she writes to go deeper into scenes. On Instagram, Melanie plans to improve engagement with her second novel. Her process has evolved across three novels, learning to trust intuition while maintaining flexible outline.

Nadia Ragbar explores themes of characters in liminal spaces, feeling adrift between life stages. After completing her novel as a 2013 Master's thesis and ten years of sporadic work, she made a solemn vow in 2023 to seriously pursue publication. Two days later, Nadia discovered Invisible Publishing's First Novel Prize, wrote intensively for a month, and won. She advises writers to balance holding firm to their vision while staying open to feedback, emphasizing the collaborati

Award-winning author David Giuliano on fiction, healing, and finding home in Northern Ontario. He's transitioned from 30 years of creative nonfiction to fiction writing. His novels, including Bressani Prize winner The Undertaking of Billy Buffone, explore mysticism, healing, and redemption in small-town settings. He emphasizes writing for the joy of creation itself, suggesti writers to "love writing" and enjoy the process rather than focusing on outcomes and external valida

The writing process of debut novelist Aamir Hussain. As author Aamir Hussain prepares to celebrate the launch of his debut novel Under the Full and Crescent Moon in September 2025, he shares his writing process, which focuses on a discipline due to his busy schedule. He's a "plotter," and outlines extensively. His path to publication began with a chance encounter at a literary festival. Aamir views generative AI as a threat to creativity, advocating for the "harder path" of

In a wide-ranging interview, C. J. Lavigne discusses her writing influences, from E. B. White to contemporary speculative fiction. She identifies as a plotter who relies on outlines to find her way through a novel and emphasizes the importance of a writer's unique voice. Lavigne also takes a firm stance against generative AI, calling it an "environmentally ruinous plagiarism machine" that devalues human work.

In this question and answer interview with author Peter Darbyshire, he explores his creative process. He discusses his shift from a "pantser" to a "plotter," embracing a more structured approach to writing while still leaving room for creative spontaneity. Peter also shares his writing philosophy, focusing on the importance of completing a first draft, creating "unhinged" and unpredictable work, and remembering that a writer's unique voice matters.