12 or 20 (second series) questions with Gwen Tuinman
GwenTuinman is descended fromIrish tenant farmers and English Quakers. Her storytelling influences includesoul searching, an interest in bygone days, and the complexities of living alife. Fascinated by the landscape of human tenacity, she writes about womennavigating the social restrictions of their era. Gwen lives with her husband ona small rural homestead in Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes region.
1 - Howdid your first book change your life? How does your most recent work compare toyour previous? How does it feel different?
My first book, The Last Hoffman, affirmed that writing is my true calling. I’d begun writingthrough a set of fluke circumstances and it took time before I was comfortableintroducing myself to others as a writer. Through the years of producing thatmanuscript, I honed my craft and established a creative process. My secondnovel, Unrest, is a 19th-century feminist adventure involvinga deeper exploration of female rage, motherhood and class-divide. It’s set in1836 versus 1950 through to the early eighties when the first novel takes place.Unrest required more extensive research, but I loved it. For me, writingabout a more distant past feels like coming home.
2 - How did you come to fiction first, as opposedto, say, non-fiction or poetry?
When I was an educator,I attended a professional development workshop at a gallery to learn aboutusing artworks as story writing prompts for children. During a writing exercisethat day, one painting inspired a scene which I wrote it down. Later, I was compelledto continue the story and it blossomed into a full novel. That’s how I wasdrawn to longform fiction. I have dabbled in writingpoetry, short stories and essays,but those shorter forms cannot pull me away from the lengthy embrace of thenovel.
3 - Howlong does it take to start any particular writing project? Does your writinginitially come quickly, or is it a slow process? Do first drafts appear lookingclose to their final shape, or does your work come out of copious notes?
I research casuallyfor my future novel while still writing my current work in progress. Oncefinished the WIP, I’ll research for about six months, recording character andplot ideas in a notebook as I go. When I can clearly envision the world thecharacters will inhabit, I start writing the draft in chronological order. I’ma slow and methodical writer. The first draft is but a shadow of the finalversion. I edit and revise heavily as I better my understanding of thecharacters, their motivations and the repercussions of their actions. So yes,the manuscript evolves from deep historical research and the layering in ofdetails from my ever-expanding notebook.
4 - Wheredoes a work of prose usually begin for you? Are you an author of short piecesthat end up combining into a larger project, or are you working on a"book" from the very beginning?
Story inspirationscome to me in the form of a historical scenario. I’ll wonder what it might havebeen like for working class and less privileged people to live through thatexperience. A full-length novel is always the goal. I write the book from startto finish, as if I were watching the story unfold in a movie.
5 - Arepublic readings part of or counter to your creative process? Are you the sortof writer who enjoys doing readings?
As a new writer, I didpublic readings of my works-in-progress. Now, I prefer to keep the unfinished workunder wraps while it’s evolving. It is a pleasure to do public readings from acompleted novel. What a privilege to witness how the writing is received by anaudience of readers or fellow writers.
6 - Do youhave any theoreticalconcerns behindyour writing? What kinds of questions are you trying to answer with your work?What do you even think the current questions are?
I don’t pre-identifythemes to explore through the work. My focus remains on the thrill of spinningan engaging story. I’m propelled by a fascination with how women of the pastnavigated the social restrictions of their era in order to survive, andhopefully, attain some level of fulfilment. As I write, themes revealthemselves. I may be nearly finished the book before I fully recognize whatI’ve written about.
7 – Whatdo you see the current role of the writer being in larger culture? Do they evenhave one? What do you think the role of the writer should be?
I think the role ofwriters is to hold a mirror up to society. We are capturing the zeitgeistthrough story telling. Our art challenges what people believe about themselvesand humankind. It’s important that we also offer hope and possibility. For me,writing about contemporary issues against the backdrop of a historical setting,can make some revelations more palatable for readers.
8 - Do youfind the process of working with an outside editor difficult or essential (orboth)?
Unrest was published by Random House Canada(RHC). My experience of working with RHC editors is a phenomenally creativeadventure. A quality edit is a part of my publication journey that I relishbecause closely examining every page and line of a 130,000-word manuscript,through the eyes of a second reader, allows me to see the story in a fresh way.This perspective is helpful during the revision phase.
9 - Whatis the best piece of advice you've heard (not necessarily given to youdirectly)?
“Don’t think it up,get it down.” I adopt the mindset that the story has already happened and I’mrecounting it. The pressure is removed when I think of myself as a conduit forthe story versus being its inventor.
10 - Howeasy has it been for you to move between genres (non-fiction to the novel)?What do you see as the appeal?
When I do write an essay,I can only focus on that singular project. Until I finish, the novel remainsdormant and my nerves buzz until I return home to my characters. Inside thenovel is where I live. I love reimagining the past and exploring charactersinterior lives.
11 - Whatkind of writing routine do you tend to keep, or do you even have one? How doesa typical day (for you) begin?
My writing routinevaries according to the seasonal demands of our one-acre homestead. Ideally, Iwork on the manuscript for one or two hours before breakfast. Afterward I dochores, meditate and exercise, then continue writing for two to three hours.I’ll often wake in the night thinking of the novel. There’s no cure for it, soI embrace the opportunity to get up and write. Some of my best ideas have cometo me at such times.
12 - Whenyour writing gets stalled, where do you turn or return for (for lack of abetter word) inspiration?
Writers block isn’tsomething I experience. I say this with relief, not arrogance. If I’m unsure ofa story event or a character’s next move, I list all the possibilities, nomatter how outrageous, on a paper. Then I whittle down the list until I decideon the most plausible option for the circumstances. As writers, we have to getcomfortable with being uncomfortable. We may not have the answer right now, butwe trust that it’ll come to us. A plot problem is not really a “problem”. It’san opportunity to interject the story with an unexpected solution that’ssuperior to our original plan. The work is always elevated as a result.
13 - Whatfragrance reminds you of home?
Smells I associatewith home include: fresh bread baked by my husband, wafts of woodstove smoke,rich soil after a rain, and cattle from a neighbouring farm.
14 - DavidW. McFadden once said that books come from books, but are there any other formsthat influence your work, whether nature, music, science or visual art?
I sometimes listen toinstrumental music that captures a dramatic mood present in a scene I’mwriting. Also, once I develop the characters in my story, I’ll search for paintingsor vintage photographs of people who embody their energy. Because I’m drawn to writeabout rural or small-town settings in past eras, walking our rural sideroads orhiking trails helps me visualize aspects of my stories. I’ve amassed acollection of antique books that help me see into the past as well.
15 - Whatother writers or writings are important for your work, or simply your lifeoutside of your work?
There are so manymarvelous writers whose books I enjoy. These are authors whose work nourishes mywriting life: Lauren Groff, Louise Erdrich, Alissa York, Maggie O’Farrell,Michael Crummey, Elif Shafak, Alix Hawley, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Margaret Atwood, Heather O’Neill, and Zadie Smith.
16 - Whatwould you like to do that you haven't yet done?
Writing my next book will always be the answer to thatquestion. The opportunity to inhabit another era and lives of new characters willopen my mind further to the experiences of women before me. I can’t wait to getstarted.
17 - Ifyou could pick any other occupation to attempt, what would it be? Or,alternately, what do you think you would have ended up doing had you not been awriter?
I’m so married towriting that it pains me to think of doing something else. But if pressed, I’dhave continued as an educator.
18 - Whatmade you write, as opposed to doing something else?
I came to writing inmy 40s, so I did other things first like fulltime parenting, clerical work andteaching. Once my children were in school every day, I returned to universitywhere I studied psychology and became a teacher. Through it all, I loved thetransporting possibilities of reading. It was through an experience in myteaching days, as mentioned earlier, that I came to writing. So, in a strangeway, the writing life chose me. Regardless, there’s no other professionalpursuit I’d prefer.
19 - Whatwas the last great book you read? What was the last great film?
I’d have to choose thenovel There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak and the film Women Talking which was based on Miriam Toews novel of the same name and directedby Sarah Polley.
20 - Whatare you currently working on?
I’m currently writing anew historical novel set against the backdrop of Canada’s past.
12 or 20 (second series) questions;
[GT1]Scratched lines:The honest answer is, I say this with a smile, that I don’t knowwhat a “theoretical concern behind my writing” is. I’m happy about that. I’drather not paralyse my creativity by thinking about what it might be.
