Sarah Turner's Blog

Posted by Sarah Turner

We writers justify a lot in the name of art. We read other people's grocery lists and eavesdrop on coffee shop conversations. We may stoop to opening a friend's day planner if she leaves it lying around and we might even (gasp!) read someone else's mail.

As writers, we get to call this research.

For the most part it's fairly harmless. Right?

Maybe not, once intimacy enters the picture. Should our partners fear that their secrets will end up in one of our stories? That a character in our novel have the same annoying teeth picking habit?

Well, yes. The intimate details of our relationships will, most likely, turn up in our writing somewhere down the road. As much as we try to disguise these details, they will probably be recognised.

We should definitely have some rules about what we can write about and what is off limits. Trouble with us writers is we don't much like rules...

Blogger Wistar Watt Murray provides some good advice for anyone misguided enough to date a writer. Pass it on to your loved ones – they may thank you, before they read your next novel.

Posted by Sarah Turner

Founded by Francis Ford Coppola in 1997, Zoetrope publishes great short fiction.

And guess what? They've just announced their annual short fiction contest.

The deadline is October 1, 2008. Entries must be literary fiction up to 5,000 words. Multiple entries are accepted as long as each is accompanied by the $15 contest entry fee.

The contest will be judged by writer Elizabeth McCracken,an award-winning fiction writer and contributor to Zoetrope.

First prize is $1,000; second prize $500; and third prize $250. The winners and seven finalists will also be considered for representation at a number of prominent literary agencies.

For complete contest details, check out their website or send them an email at contests@all-story.com.

Then sharpen your pencils and get writing!

Posted by Sarah Turner

One of the most seemingly far-fetched ads I've seen is Nick Daws' “How to Write Any Book in Just 28 Days...or Less!”

I have to admit, the concept intrigues me. What writer doesn't want shortcut through the slog of writing? Who doesn't wish for easy formulas that would guarantee a successful end product?

Daws website promises a number of things, including where to buy bestselling plots for only 50 cents. What a great idea! Unfortunately, publishers say that it is much harder to predict what books will be bestsellers than it is to predict which movies will be blockbusters.

To its credit, the “How to Write Any Book in Just 28 Days” website has a long list of testimonials from writers who have supposedly used Daws' methods and published books. I've never heard of any of the authors or their books, but that doesn't mean they aren't successful.

What intrigues me most about this web offer is the “100% guarantee” offered. Working for 28 days, one hour a day, he guarantees that I can write a novel. It sounds too good to be true.

If you do the calculations, anyone typing 50 words per minute continuously for one hour for 28 days can get 84,000 words on a page. Since the average book manuscript is about 50,000 words I guess this technically counts as a novel. But is it any good?

I can't bring myself to shell out the $49.95 to test Daw's 100% guarantee. But if anyone out there has tried it, let me know what you found out.

Posted by Sarah Turner

It had always been my opinion that story generators take the fun out of writing. That they somehow rob the writer of the best part of the experience - coming up with the wild, inconceivable plot twists and making them work.

But then, I'd never been totally stuck with a story before. I'd never been completely out of ideas of what a character should do next. I don't write novels, but for people who do I'm sure that 'stuckness' happens all the time.

This week I decided to delve into the world on online story generators, just to see what's out there. There are plenty. There are fantasy plot generators, romance plot generators, and science fiction plot generators. Some story generators supply an entire plot, while others provide a single-sentence jumping off point. For example, the writers at Nanofimo, suggest, as a plot twist, "Send in the ninjas!"

There are even websites that provide lists of character names to choose from.

Of all the story generators I found online, I particularly liked Plotshot. Plotshot gives you a one paragraph story (most are funny, if pretty far-fetched) and pairs the story with images from Flickr, Yahoo's photo-sharing site. The photos are randomly selected from Flickr based on keywords in the text.

What I like about Plotshot is that even if the plot doesn't inspire you, sometimes the images will. And even if the images don't inspire you, if you click on them you end up in the Flicker database. There are enough weird and wacky things in there to spark any writer's imagination.

I don't know if I'll be turning to random plot generators anytime soon. But still, it's good to know there's lots of help to be found.

Posted by Sarah Turner

The intersection of medicine and literature is nothing new. William Carlos Williams and Anton Chekov are just two writers who were also successful physicians.

Vincent Lam, doctor and writer, won the 2006 Giller Prize for "Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures," [Random House, 2006] a book of short stories about a group of doctors and their medical experiences.

Despite this long tradition, I was surprised to learn that medical journals still publish poetry. Surprised only because I think of medical journals as dry, technical publications.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) publishes poetry in every issue. According to their website, they accept, "poems related to the medical experience, whether from the point of view of a health care worker or patient, or simply an observer, will be considered. Poems should be original, not previously published or under consideration elsewhere, and no longer than 50 lines."

The Journal of the Canadian Medical Association (CMAJ) also publishes poetry. It appears as though all submissions are done through an electronic system, but it might be best to contact the editor first.

For a taste of what they've published recently, check out the CMAJ website.

I love that medical journals are publishing poetry. It makes me wonder what other unusual poetry markets are out there.

Posted by Sarah Turner

I'm working on a small creative writing project, and thought it would great to have some illustrations to accompany the text. In my mind I can imagine exactly how I'd like it to look. But when I try to draw, I quickly remember why I nearly flunked art class.

So I start e-mailing friends. I email every artist I know – which brings my total to two people. One agrees to meet for coffee. “So,” he says as we settle in, “tell me about this project of yours. What are you looking for?”

“Well,” I stutter. “Pictures, you know. Black and white. Drawings. Like, simple ones.”

It's at this moment that I understand the complicated process of explaining creative vision.

And I suddenly appreciate the collaborative work of writer/illustrator teams such as Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake or Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko.

I stumbled through the conversation with my friend, and ended by shoving a copy of the text in his hand. “Read this,” I said. “Draw whatever you feel like.”

A few days later he emailed me a few images in different styles. Once we had a departure point, it was much easier to articulate what I wanted and what I didn't want. We're well into the process of collaboration now and I think I'll be pleased with the final product.

Anyways, here's an article by children's book author and illustrator Tammy Yee about the collaboration process from the artist's perspective. Perhaps I should have read this first.

Posted by Sarah Turner

The Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour is awarded annually to the most humourous book published in Canada, by a Canadian. It includes a $10,000 cash prize, sponsored by TD Bank Financial group. This year, the award went to Terry Fallis for "The Best Laid Plans," a satirical book on Ottawa politics.

What's interesting about this is that Fallis' book was self-published. The manuscript had been circulated to several big-name publishers, but none were interested in publishing it. Undeterred, Fallis released it himself: first as a weekly podcast and then as a trade paperback through iUniverse.

Fallis, a Toronto-based communications consultant, distributed copies of his book in Toronto and Ottawa, and to the Stephen Leacock Medal judges. “The Best Laid Plans” [Terry Fallis, 2007] beat out books by humourists Will Ferguson, Douglas Coupland, Scott Gardiner and Ron Wood.

Now, of course, the publishers are interested. McLelland & Stewart is going to publish a fall edition of Fallis' book through their division Douglas Gibson Books.

So I say, if you've got a writing project you believe in, go for it. Evidently the publishers aren't always right. With publishing houses cutting back on staff and resources, self-publishing may be the best way to go.

Posted by Sarah Turner

I didn't know I was addicted to my laptop until it died. I thought I was pretty comfortable writing wherever, whenever. Doing rough drafts on scraps of paper, writing in my journal. Now I see that my laptop is the center of everything writing: it stores all my drafts, the lists of submissions I currently have out, my cv, my photos.

And what about my internet favourites? All those writing sites I've researched and favourited so I can refer back to them? My long list of possible places for submission?

I even miss my desktop image. Sigh.

The crash - of course - occurred just three months past the end of the warranty. The guy in technical services laughed sort of sheepishly, and said, "Yeah, that happens a lot." What?

Then he told me it would cost at least $400 to fix the problem, so I might as well just buy a new one.

Which is what I've done. I bought the cheapest one I could find, convinced it will also crash just past the warranty. After phoning every repair shop in town it seemed like the best idea.

Now the new laptop sits on my desk, and I sit glaring at it. It is not yet familiar: everything looks wrong. It will take a long time to feel like this computer is home. Next step: copy over all the back up files I created.

Then just start writing again.

Posted by Sarah Turner

I write all over the place. I have a writing desk in a room that doubles as our guest room, but I rarely end up doing my real writing there. My laptop comes along with me to coffeeshops, basement bars, airport lounges. The energy of a public space is great when I'm at the beginning stages of a project - I guess it matches the excitement I feel about starting something new.

I know other writers who have to write in the same place all the time, with the exact same pen, at the exact same time of day. They claim they can't write a word without that routine.

I've often wondered about where famous writers write. Do they have fancy offices with fantastic views? I imagine they have pristine work areas and golden pens from which the prose just flows flawlessly onto the page.

The organizers of the Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival (VIWF) are trying to set me straight about that delusion.

VIWF has just launched a new section on their website called "Writer's Rooms." Each week the site will feature an intimate look into a B.C. writer's workspace, with a photo and text by the author about their workspace. The first writer featured is Jen Sookfong Lee, whose book The End of East (Knopf Canada, 2007) received great reviews.

Writer's Rooms is an excellent way to get a glimpse into the spaces where the magic of writing happens. And a good reminder that no matter where you do it, writing is still hard work.

Posted by Sarah Turner

I am picky about the notebooks I write in. When I finish one journal, the frenzy to find the perfect replacement begins.

I need something portable - small enough to slip easily inside my bag without weighing me down. Yet a flimsy paper cover won't do - the notebook needs to be able to take a beating. I want something subtle that won't call attention to itself. I want to be able to lie the pages flat. But I detest spiral notebooks, because those metal spirals are always getting caught on things.

Last year I was given a gorgeous journal with an art deco cover. It has thick, luscious pages with rounded corners. It's so nice that I've never used it. I'm scared to sully the beautiful pages with my chicken scrawl.

Someone suggested the Moleskine, supposedly the notebook of choise for Hemingway and Picasso. Moleskine journals come in a few sizes and offer a choice of lined or unlined paper. They've got soft leather covers and thick, quality pages. They also come with a pricetag of about $20. Too much for someone like me, who writes and writes and writes.

So once again I found myself in the stationery aisle of the local dollar store. The journal I chose cost two dollars. It has a plain black cardboard cover and an elastic to keep the journal shut. It has 200 lined pages. I bought a cheap pen to go with it and I'm set.

At least until I finish this one.

Posted by Sarah Turner

I am a procrastinator. I always have been, and I probably always will be. Some people tell me this is a problem: they propose cognitive behavioral therapy or elaborate work schedules to cure me. The trouble is, I'm not convinced it's all bad.

First of all, so much gets done when I'm avoiding a writing project. I do laundry, scrub the floors, and clean the cupboards. I get a sudden urge to bake and end up churning out pies and cookies like a pro. I organize my first aid kit and replace the light bulb in the storage closet.

My productivity on everything but writing is astounding.

Second, when I finally do sit down in front of my computer to do what must be done (usually just hours before the deadline) I find that some of the work has already been done for me. Somehow, while I've been busy baking and scrubbing and walking the city streets, my brain has been busy processing the project I was avoiding. The writing comes easier.

I'm not prescribing procrastination. Sometimes it's just an excuse to not work and it can be damaging to your writing career. If you are unhappy about being a procrastinator, there are strategies that can help you.

But I truly believe that sometimes stepping away from your writing to do something else can be just what you, and your writing, need.

If not, at least you'll have clean floors.

Posted by Sarah Turner

Contemporary Verse 2, a leading Canadian poetry magazine, recently announced its Second Annual Two Day Poetry Writing Contest. Two days? Two days! At the beginning of the contest, poets are given ten secret words they must include in their poem. First prize is $350, with more prizes for runners-up.

Speed writing contests encourage a new approach to writing: get it down, don't worry about perfection, trust your first creative instinct. An approach that is in stark contrast to the excessive editing and analysing that most writers rely upon to create strong writing.

Two well-known writing contests that focus on fast writing are the Three Day Novel Writing Contest and National Novel Writing Month (known as NANOWRIMO). The winner of the three day Novel Writing Contest wins publication, the winners NANOWRIMO win the satisfaction of having completed a novel.

A few years ago, I signed up for NANOWRIMO. For the month of November I wrote furiously, fantastically, without looking back to correct as I went along. In the end I didn't meet the 50,000 word deadline that qualifies as the completion of a novel, but I did get down 35,000 words – which was probably more in one month than I've written in the entire past year.

Recently I pullled out the draft of the novel I came up with. It's not good, but it's not terrible either. There are scenes that can be salvaged, characters to work with. It contains the bulk of a story. And it's amazing to hold all those pages in my hand and see, well, almost, a novel!

If you're fighting writer's block or looking for a new challenge as a writer, give one of these time limited writing contests a try. You might just surprise yourself with what you produce.

Posted by Sarah Turner

My desk is a mess. It's more than a mess. It's a disaster area. Crusty old coffee cups fill the corners, knitting needles crisscross my desk and there's a broken clock on my filing cabinet. Stacks of random papers threaten to topple at any moment.

When I sit down to write I feel cluttered and distracted. It's time for the spring cleaning.

Now, by spring cleaning I don't mean busting out the Lysol and disinfecting everything in sight – though that may not be a bad idea. For my writing space, though, spring cleaning is more of a ritual of purification. It's like recreating the blank page.

First step, files. I label my files like this, though each writer has their own system: Drafts, Ideas, Prompts and Freelance Ideas. The most helpful organization advice I've received is, “touch each piece of paper only once – it goes into one of the files, or into the garbage.”

Spring cleaning is also a good time to back up any computer files of your writing, either onto a disc or onto a remote location. That way if your computer crashes, your work will be safely stored elsewhere.

Then clear away the dirty dishes. Find another home for the broken clock, the inkless pens, the scrunched up balls of kleenex. Put your books back on the shelf.

There is something therapeutic in cleaning a writing space. Even if your writing space is a corner of the kitchen table. It's about clearing your mind and refocusing on your projects. A little order outside can help bring order inside.

Get some fresh flowers to signify the change in season. Hang a new picture on the wall.

Then, get back to writing.

Posted by Sarah Turner

This morning I woke up dreaming about writing. Not of the physical act of writing, but of the story I'm in the middle of. The twist I can't quite work out. I rolled out of bed, blurry eyed, stumbled to my computer and typed madly, trying to capture the last fragments of the dream. What resulted was illogical and incomplete, but surprisingly rich in detail and character. It's like my story talked to me through my dreams. And the twist, remarkably, cleared itself up.

Our dreams are a resource we can use to help with our creative writing. Through dreaming, our mind works out emotional and psychological issues and filters through the day's events. Dreams are a way for us to tune into our creative unconscious.

Robert Olen Butler, Pulitzer prize-winning author, emphasizes the importance of dreams, yearning and sensuality in writing. In From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction (Grove Press, 2006) Butler argues that new writers would do well to listen to their dreams and the unconscious, rather than relying exclusively on logic and analysis in their writing.

For some of you, I'm sure this sounds too flaky or earth-mother-like. I say don't knock it 'til you try it. For just one week, pay attention to your dreams.

• Keep a journal by your bed, and jot things down as soon as you wake.
• Do some free writing from anything in your dream that stands out.
• Later, read your dream journal for elements that suggest story. Look for strong characters, interesting locations or fierce emotional responses.
• Don't take anything too literally, and don't be afraid to explore different meanings of the events dreamed.

For a more literal approach on how to use your dreams, here's an article on turning your dreams into a science fiction story.

Posted by Sarah Turner

In a liberal, democratic country like Canada, it's easy to feel like we can write whatever we want and find an audience for it. With the wide range of magazine and book publishers, as well as the internet, there is a market for pretty much anything.

Yet in Canada, writing is still censored and writers can find themselves under suspicion. In 2004, Ottawa Citizen reporter Juliet O'Neill had her home and office raided by the RCMP after she wrote about Canada's new and controversial anti-terrorism laws. Other Canadian writers whose work has been censored include Margaret Laurence, Leonard Cohen and Mordecai Richler.

Bookstores are also targeted. Little Sisters Bookstore, a gay and lesbian bookstore in Vancouver, has repeatedly had its material seized at the border by Canada Customs.

Censorship of children's literature continues to be an issue. Celebrated children's author Robert Munsch has been censored, as have other Canadian children's authors. The book And Tango Makes Three has been repeatedly condemned, along with other books that feature gay parents.

Freedom to Read Week is organized by the Book and Periodic Council and the Freedom of Expression committee, and will be recognized with events across the country. In Vancouver, author Karen Connelly will read from her novel The Lizard Cage (2005) about a Burmese singer imprisoned for his anti-government lyrics.

For a complete list of events, look here.

PEN Canada also continues to fight for freedom of expression, both in Canada and around the world.

Posted by Sarah Turner

There is a tragic news story in our local media. In Tofino, a small coastal community in British Columbia, a seven year old boy has just gone missing. He disappeared during a beach walk with his dad. His dad looked away for two minutes, and when he turned back the boy was gone. Search crews have been combing the area for nearly two days now, still holding out hope that the boy will be found.

I find myself thinking about this boy and his family all the time. As a young mother, I try to imagine how it would feel to be a mother who has lost her son. I find myself wondering specific things: like what conversation did the mother and father have over breakfast on the day their son went missing? What preceded this life-changing moment? What is the boy's favourite colour, favourite toy? Or I think about the rescue workers, woken by a phone call – what life of theirs was interrupted, and what is going through their mind as they search?

Every day there are dozens of these news flash stories, each accompanied for me by a hundred questions about what's not told. To me, that's the stuff of fiction.

There are also bizarre stories, like the recent news on the BC coast of three severed right feet washing ashore over the last six months. Investigators have no idea where they might be coming from. This is straight out of a science fiction or crime novel. The cliché fits: sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Lately, I've started keeping the news clippings that capture my attention. This file is a great resource for when I feel I have nothing to write about. Here's an article with some helpful tips on how to use news events for inspiration.

Posted by Sarah Turner

On February 21, 2008 aspiring writers will have a chance to connect with Vancouver's literary community at Vancouver Writes, the 2nd annual group writing contest on Granville Island. Participants will be put onto teams of ten, each with a well-known local writer acting as coach. The host of the evening, CBC Radio's Lisa Christiansen, will give the teams a word or phrase and they will have twenty minutes to write a piece together. There will be three sessions during the evening, and judges will select a winner for each. Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each session and to the evening's overall best collaborative literary creation.

Writers participating this year include Caroline Adderson, Kevin Chong, Steven Galloway, Anne Fleming, Lee Henderson, Nancy Lee and Timothy Taylor. Beer, wine and snacks will be available, and there will be plenty of opportunity to mingle with Vancouver's active literary community.

I think this is an innovative way to bring emerging and established writers together, in a way that breaks down the barrier between them and allows for fun and creativity to flourish. The twenty minute time limit lifts the pressure of perfection, and I'm sure the alcohol helps loosen things up too. If you're looking for a way to get connected with Vancouver's literary community and have fun with writing, this might be the place.

Here are the details:

Tickets: $21/$19 students and seniors (includes facility surcharge)

Thursday, February 21, 2008 at Performance Works Theatre on Granville Island, Vancouver, BC

For more info, check out the Vancouver Writes website.

Posted by Sarah Turner

My favourite time to write is the fall. When summer ends and the days get shorter it's easy to curl up inside, watch the rain fall and focus again on the internal world of writing. But come mid-winter I'm restless and ready for spring. My mood drops because of the endless grey, and writing ideas seem hard to come by.

This year I've been trying to keep writing through the winter blahs by giving myself small goals and specific challenges.

In December, a friend – inspired by her children's advent calendar - suggested writing a daily haiku as a way to keep writing. It's a basic structure: 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables, and traditionally haikus contain some mention of the season. They're quick, easy and fun to write. Here's one:

Winter writing's hard.

Grey sky, bare branches, waiting

for inspiration.

By the end of the month I had thirty-one haikus, which seemed like a major accomplishment. It's also a nice record of the month to look back on, and some of them turned out to be surprisingly profound.

An alternate to daily haikus could be a daily word count, or page count goal. The satisfaction of reaching a writing goal provides great motivation to keep going.

I've also been using the prompts on Judy Reeve's website. She's got some guidance on how to write from prompts, and a list of prompts that scrolls up the left hand of the screen. The basic idea with prompts is to just go with it: ignore the inner critic and let your creativity run wild. It's a good way to get past writer's block, and though you may not use what you've written you may find it helps you approach your other projects with a more open mind.

Posted by Sarah Turner

Last year, I discovered the wonders of the Writer-in-Residence. These are experienced writers you can meet with, for free, to discuss your writing. Writers-in-residence are hired by a community institution, such as a library, university or literary centre like the Berton House in the Yukon.

In 2007 I was lucky to have a one-on-one writing consultation with Fred Wah, an accomplished poet and creative nonfiction writer, when he was the Writer-in-Residence at Simon Fraser University.. The meeting was forty-five minutes long, and Wah gave me insightful and incisive criticism on my short fiction. He also provided some ideas for future directions with my writing. This year's Writer-in-Residence at SFU is poet and black historian Wayde Compton.

Most writers-in-residence will provide consultations to any local writer. You are usually required to submit a short manuscript of your writing (5-10 pages) to the writer-in-residence at least a week in advance. During your consultation, they will provide you with detailed and constructive feedback on your writing. Make sure you are prepared to hear criticism before you go! It's also good to go prepared with a couple of specific questions about your work.

For the writer-in-residence, it's a good gig. They are paid to write, on the condition that they provide a some literary service to the community, such as meeting with emerging writers, doing public readings, or organising a literary event. If you've published a book, consider applying for a writer-in-residence job. For a recent description of a Writer-in-Residence job, check out the Vancouver Public Library's recent job posting.

Posted by Sarah Turner

This year I've decided to enter the Writer's Union of Canada annual Postcard Story Competition. The task seems simple: write a story in 250 words or less. As a mom who often writes during naptimes, I thought I could dash this off quickly and have it ready by the February 14th, 2008 deadline, no problem.

I approached this writing task the way I approach most – with limitless enthusiasm and faith in my creative abilities. Twenty minutes later, with three false starts and a page of crossed out ideas, I was feeling a little less enthused. My mini-characters felt flat, my mini-plots felt plotless. How can one make a reader care in so few words?

Ernest Hemingway did. In what is perhaps the most famous example of flash fiction, Hemingway created an entire story in six words. The story reads, “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” If you think that looks easy, I urge you to try it.

The thing about postcard stories is that every word matters. There is no room for meandering. You need to know exactly what you're trying to say, and say it as succinctly as possible. Perhaps the trick is to write big, expand the backstory, and then cut it down to the bare minimum.

After a week's worth of drafts, and stories that keep getting longer and longer, I'm still trying to figure out what the trick is. If you can help me, let me know.

In the meantime, for some examples of quality postcard fiction, check out the winners of Geist magazine's annual Postcard Fiction Contest, which closes each December. Maybe my postcard story will be ready in time for that one.

Posted by Sarah Turner

It's January ninth, and I've just received my second rejection letter of the year. It makes me wonder: does this reflect my chances of success for the year ahead? Is it a sign that I should just give up and try a more straightforward and lucrative profession like accounting?

Unfortunately for me, I like writing too much. I like creating a story. I like getting lost in the world of my characters. I like the nitpicky editing process. And rejection letters or not, I even like sending my writing out. It forces me to push my writing further and to strive for perfection.

To cope with the rejection, I remind myself that J.K. Rowling's manuscript for the first Harry Potter book was originally sent to twelve publishing houses, and rejected by them all. And then I flip through my copy of Pushcart's Complete Rotten Reviews and Rejections, edited by Bill Henderson and Andre Bernard (Pushcart Press, 1998). As the cliché says: misery loves company.

And finally, when I'm done sulking, I pick up my pen and start writing again.