Exploring character-driven fiction with author Brenda Hartwell

Brenda Hartwell's writing has appeared in local and regional magazines and newspapers, online, and in Quebec-based anthologies. She has also written copy for several nonprofits in her area. She is a member of the TILT writing group and leads writing workshops. No Wrong Seasons is her debut novel, published by Ianna Press, Toronto. Brenda lives in the Eastern Townships of Southern Quebec, a region known for its abundant lakes and rivers, set against the backdrop of worn Appalachian Mountains. English and French speakers have co-existed there for decades, treating each other as friends and neighbours.

Author Brenda Hartwell

Born into a blue-collar family, Brenda attended university on scholarship, the first in her family to go on to post secondary education. Following convocation, she and a friend hitchhiked across Canada, from Quebec to British Columbia. The same friend accompanied her on a backpacking trip in Britain and Europe.

Although she worked short stints in Victoria and Toronto, and spent three years in Calgary, the Eastern Townships always felt like home, so she returned to her roots when it was time to start a family. She and her husband, Léo Beaudoin, built their home with their own hands and power tools in a field with a view of the lake and rock-faced Pinnacle. There they raised two bilingual children, Nola and Nicola, and now share the house with a rambunctious cat named Dali. In this interview, Brenda discusses studying drama, studying the Amherste Method, and writing character-driven literary fiction.

From drama to dialogue: How theatre shaped her voice

OCW: What life experiences have shaped your writing style?

BH: As a drama major in university I acted in several plays. It became second nature to view a story through the lens of a particular character and inhabit that particular personality. This meant looking into the historical context the play was set in and imagining a backstory. An actor must also consider their character’s relationship to the other players, and pinpoint their motivation for each scene. It is the actor’s job to view the character they are portraying as justified in their actions, even if others view them as a villain. It is vital to understand what motivates them to act as they do, how they justify their actions in their mind. No one views themselves as the villain in their own life.

I also studied playwriting, where it became clear that dialogue and voice are extremely important when building a unique character.

My studies led me to view stories through the eyes of characters, and so it felt natural to me that my writing should be character driven. Plot arises from the characters, what they love, what frightens them, what they desire, their past traumas and inner conflicts.

Writing workshops and the Amherst Method: building trust in community

OCW: Has your writing evolved over the years? If so, how? Through writing experience? Reading a lot? Writing courses or communities? A combination, or something else?

BH: I have been an avid reader since childhood. My family spent several of my formative years on a hard scrabble farm that was quite isolated. There were no children my age living nearby so books were my companions.

Over two decades ago, a friend invited me to accompany her to a writing workshop. I’m an introvert and the thought of writing and reading work in the presence of strangers was a source of tremendous anxiety, but I went. Following the first session, I was tempted to never return, but I did, and I have never regretted that decision.

The leader of the workshop, Ann Scowcroft, introduced us to the Amherst method begun by Pat Schneider. She provided prompts for inspiration, told us not to self-edit but to write whatever came to mind.

We wrote for a specified amount of time then were asked to read our work out loud. Scary stuff. Fortunately, when the work is fresh, this method asks participants to comment only on what they find to be striking or strong. Only after the 10-week session, are edited manuscripts submitted for a workshop that includes more in depth comments. Participants are asked to pinpoint strengths, but also include constructive criticism.

Over the years, a community of writers was formed and has continued to meet for 10 week sessions, twice a year. This method has stimulated experimentation and has empowered participants to write freely, letting go of that insecure, destructive self-censor. This is possible because we know no one’s ego will delight in crushing another’s work when it is fresh. We have built a relationship on the cornerstone of trust, and when one writes from the depths of one’s experience without fear, the writing is stronger, truer.

Over the years, our friendships have deepened and everyone’s writing, including mine, has improved. We have learned and continue to learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I am grateful to have found this community of creative, intelligent, supportive writers, who cheer each other’s successes.

Themes of resilience in character-driven fiction

OCW: Can you trace any common themes across your writing?

BH: Yes, I am especially drawn to women’s issues, environmental issues, and issues of inequality.

As the child of a woman who was extremely fearful, who refused to watch the news because it dealt with ugly issues such as war, rape, murders, etc., I vowed to be braver, to meet the world head on and never look away.

I have listened to hard stories through the media and the personal stories of friends and those in my community and this led me to believe in the healing power of art, nature, and community. These themes also find their way into my writing.

OCW: Which authors and/or types of books do you like to read?

BH: My favourite reads are literary fiction and historical fiction. I love literary novels crafted by master wordsmiths that contain vivid imagery, striking metaphors, and unforgettable characters. I have found that some authors, who also write poetry, have produced works that are so delicious I needed to read parts of the book out loud. I also enjoy well-written historical novels that allow me to view social history through the eyes of a particular character. School history classes emphasised dates of wars and conquests, and this bored me. History comes alive for me when I can see how it affected people.

In both of these genres I prefer a story driven by character and not one where plot seems paramount, sometimes twisting characters into unbelievable situations and responses.

OCW: Are you a plotter or a pantser? (For writers or short stories and novels).

BH: Definite pantser here. Most of my works have begun in writing group, the result of a prompt that twigs something in my subconscious. A character will arrive unsought after, complete with name and often with the barebones of a back story. At this stage, I have no idea of the story’s trajectory.

Because life is busy and I suffer a certain amount of self-inflicted guilt at the thought of sitting down and writing instead of crossing something off my lengthy to do list, when I begin a new piece I tend to write only during our three-hour weekly writing workshops.

The characters in my current novel were so persistent, they kept showing up and demanding to be heard. Prompt after prompt lead me to a place where their story continued, conflicts arose, relationships bloomed, and backstories deepened. It was only after I had written many episodic pieces, that I could begin to envision the shape of the novel.

At that point, I felt compelled to work on it at home, and I morphed into a plotter. I chose the most compelling episodes, edited them, then filled in any holes in the plot or timeline to form a cohesive whole. I also researched the time period the novel was set in to anchor it in the reality of the times, including major events, popular songs of the era, slang, etc.