‘I see my non-fiction work as often being more advocacy-driven, often motivated by increasing understanding of particular issues or experiences, or trying to connect people through common experiences.’
‘To me, being a writer is about being part of the world and reflecting it back to readers; you’re not going to be able to do that in a well-rounded way if you restrict yourself.’
‘I think survival – in fiction and reality – will depend, not on technology, but our relationship with the landscapes and other beings around us. The beauty of fiction is that we can reimagine a future other than the one we seem to be rushing towards.’
‘In terms of written forms, comics have the most in common with poetry. I find people with experience in poetry tend to take to comics the quickest. Both forms share an emphasis on minimalism and efficiency evoking emotion. There’s also a shared reliance on very direct visual writing.’
‘Editing can be playful and intuitive but it’s also a time to hold up ideas, descriptions, sometimes specific words. When you edit, you step back to assess how well the text succeeds and to come up with ideas to improve what’s on the page.’
‘So much of being able to weave humour and heart into our writing is learning how to become attuned. Attuned to the ridiculous, the bittersweet, and the uproarious moments of life.’
‘We are all used to sitting down at our own desks and fighting the urge to do other things, but in a classroom with ten other people writing beside you there is another energy that can deliver the seeds of new ideas.’
‘Never underrate the power of intuition when it comes to knowing what to write next. Trust in your subconscious and watch the magic unfold!’
‘We read non-fiction for information and also for emotional engagement. Does your topic have the potential to reach a wider audience because it has ‘big human issues’ to share? By this I mean issues about resilience, survival, love.’
