Editors are Pure Gold

Editors are priceless. They are so much more than a grammar or spell check. They dig right into the heart of the book, the setting, plot, and characters. They also tackle the art and mechanics of the writing itself.

 Editors see the things I can’t see. To write is to be vulnerable, to reveal yourself to others, to open yourself up for scrutiny and evaluation. That is a hard thing to do.  

There are numerous times, when an editor’s comments have given me insight, not just into my writing, but into myself as a person. We all have blind spots. An editor artfully exposes those in the kindest, but clearest way possible. If you want to write, you must be able to listen to what is being said.

 That doesn’t mean you’ll always agree, but you must be able to step back and look at your work objectively, then change and revise. Sometimes you have to let go of a favorite passage or a scene that doesn’t contribute to the whole. That’s why you need another perspective. An editor is that second set of eyes that helps you see your writing in a new, more accurate way.

If you can work through this difficult process and listen to what’s being said, you can move your writing  to a whole new level and create something even better than what you imagined. A big part of that is learning to trust your editor’s feedback.  

The Writing Process is a long process…

I’d like to say I’m an organized writer, but I’m not. I don’t have the whole plot mapped out ahead of time and every piece carefully crafted in advance. While I do some outlining and write a lot of notes as I research, when I write, it turns more into a ‘stream of consciousness’ process.

What that means is there is a lot of revising and editing. I mean a lot! Sometimes an important idea comes late in the manuscript and I need to go back and weave that idea into the initial pages of the story. The other thing it means is that I am continually cleaning up the manuscript, particularly from excessive wordiness. Children’s literature needs to be clear, with strong description and dialogue. Kids need action and appealing sensory images.

When I think I have something effective, I set it aside for a few days or even weeks, and then come back and look at it with fresh eyes. On the next read, the need for more revisions always arises. What that means is that its never done.

I remember a group of language arts students complaining bitterly one day about having to do more than one draft of their story. I would really like to be able to tell them now, that Mrs. Orr had to do ten drafts of hers!

July 1/20 Celebrating Canada

                                     

When our families first came to Canada from 1899-1905, the Union Jack or the Red Ensign flew over this land.

At that time, Alberta was still part of the Northwest Territories and the territory flag was that of the Hudson Bay Company.

Well the characters are characters….

I think I’ve been always been curious about and fascinated by people. Being very shy, especially as a child, and still as an adult, I’m an observer. Since becoming a writer, I’m always looking for  ideas to create characters.

 Take the character of Jack Todmyer in Book One for instance. As I started to develop the idea for the old antique dealer, a picture popped into my mind of a character I saw on a TV show as a kid. I can’t remember the name of the show, or the actor. I just have this picture in my mind of this homespun wheeler dealer with a whiny voice. Enter Jack Todmyer!

Similarly, I once met an elderly fellow who immigrated to Canada from eastern Europe sometime after World War II. He was a brilliant fellow, an incredible artist, struggling with speaking English. We chatted about his story in coming to Canada and everything he left behind. It made an impression. The character of Abe Dalca, though very different from the man I met, came from thinking about these circumstances and what it would be like to be alone in a new place, without friends and family. Abe’s character, itself, is purely fictional. 

The Roughnecks are a motley crew. They are bound together by family ties, yet each one is unique. They’re heading off in a dozen different directions at once. Trying to hang on to the reins, while they drag me across the prairie of these books has been a real test of this author’s skill and endurance! Just when I think I’ve got them figured out, they change or do something unexpected.

First Nations Content

Windy Rafters, like all southern Alberta, was once the home of the Blackfoot people. In Book One, as the Roughnecks travel back in time, their first adventure gives them a taste of life with the Blackfoot people, just prior to the signing of Treaty 7 at Blackfoot Crossing on September 22, 1877. 

In each book, we look in on the Ferris family and their community, as well as the Blackfoot people, at different points in history. What are the challenges? What are the differing perspectives? What are the dynamics between these groups of people? How does it inform our current circumstances?

This is a difficult aspect of the writing for me. As a non-native person writing about aboriginal people and issues, I am walking a careful path. I am not an expert and don’t claim to be. My research has led me from physical books, to online research, to conversations with Blackfoot colleagues and acquaintances.

After completing the manuscripts, I have had the writing vetted by First Nations community members and tried throughout the process to be respectful and aware. As I work, I just keep learning more and my understanding grows. I am so appreciative of the generosity of the Blackfoot people in helping me tell this story with authenticity.

It’s All About Location

The Windy Rafters Roughnecks books are all about location. Some stories could happen in a variety of places without an impact, but not this one. In fact, the whole series shares the same setting, with each book providing a different snapshot in time. 

I’ve tried to preserve the integrity of the place in these fictional accounts, in a way that engages the reader and opens the past in a gripping way. 

Living farm life in rural southern Alberta has always been fraught with challenge. The land and the weather are demanding taskmasters. Surviving here has never been for the faint of heart, as the Roughnecks will discover firsthand.

My Thinking Spot

Every writer needs a quiet space to dig deep for writing inspiration. This is one of mine. How do you find a great story inside yourself? I always worried that I wouldn't be able to imagine an effective plot, but as I got inside the heads of my characters and their motivations, the plot just seemed to unroll. There are times when the story just seems to take over and tell itself. That's when I know I'm in the zone!