Image use purchased from Adobe Stock. Writer or reader, which am I? The first story in my collection was by far the hardest to write and I did not feel okay about moving on to another story until it was at least partially in place. In my mind, “Secret Workings” set the tone and subject…… Continue reading Never forget the reader
Author: Debbie Bateman
Debbie Bateman is a graduate of The Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University. Her short stories and personal essays have been published in anthologies and literary magazines. She works as an editor for Thompson Rivers University and was formerly the fiction interviews editor for The Artisanal Writer. Her collection of linked short stories about peri-menopausal women, "Your Body Was Made for This," was published by Ronsdale Press. A proud mother of three sons, Debbie lives in Quw’utsun (Cowichan) on Vancouver Island with her husband and soulmate. She is a Buddhist of Scottish/Irish descent and a quiet rebel.
Step Off the Merry-Go-Round
Image use purchased from Adobe Stock. Motion sickness When I was a child, playgrounds were not as safe as they are today, especially playgrounds in small towns. My grandmother and grandfather lived in small-town Alberta. A town named Breton in case you’re curious. Wanting to be weekend farmers and spend more time with extended family,…… Continue reading Step Off the Merry-Go-Round
Go Home and Start Writing
Image use purchased from Adobe Stock Sharing the stage Not so long ago, I was at a festival listening to a series of writers read from their recently published books. As can happen at these events, the writers slated to share their work that evening were at various stages of their career. A first-time author…… Continue reading Go Home and Start Writing
The Distorting Lens of Self
Image use purchased from Adobe Stock Touching something real Recently, I was working on a deeply personal and difficult to write nonfiction piece. Before starting, I had a fair amount of anxiety about the topic. I said to myself that I would try, and that I would be gentle with myself. I was prepared to…… Continue reading The Distorting Lens of Self
Getting to Know Your Characters
Image use purchased from Adobe Stock We would never expect to know everything about a friend after only a few meetings. It takes months and years to really get to know a person. Even then, they might surprise us. If they are multi-layered and realistic, why should the characters in our stories be any different?…… Continue reading Getting to Know Your Characters
The Story Below the Surface
Image use purchased from Adobe Stock Untold depths If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-ninth of it being above water. – Ernest Hemingway, “Death in the Afternoon ” I heard this message…… Continue reading The Story Below the Surface
Thinking Is Also Work, So There
Image use purchased from Adobe Stock When words don’t come easily Not long ago, my esteemed mentor Stella Harvey wrote in her blog that she was feeling like she was in a rut. She was showing up at her desk, but words did not come easily. It’s a common experience that happens to writers at all stages…… Continue reading Thinking Is Also Work, So There
Carving Out the Writer/Editor Relationship
Image use purchased from Adobe Stock The controversy Recently, I discovered an editing controversy related to one of my favourite writers of fiction, Raymond Carver. I’m particularly fascinated by his collection called “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”. It’s one of my go-to sources for inspiration on realistic, sharp-edged stories. His work…… Continue reading Carving Out the Writer/Editor Relationship
My Favourite Books on Writing
Image use purchased from Adobe Stock More than paper Some might call my love for books hoarding. It’s true that I have trouble parting with even a single one and I continually yearn for more. If I have a hoarding disorder, it’s beyond treatment because I refuse to change. Words are comfort to me. Books…… Continue reading My Favourite Books on Writing
The Writing Muscle: Strength Building
Image use purchased from Adobe Stock A while ago, I completed The Writer’s Studio offered by Simon Fraser University. When I signed up for the program, I was interested in fiction writing skills and how to improve the words on the page. I didn’t expect to learn about something that is probably more essential—how to…… Continue reading The Writing Muscle: Strength Building
Debbie Bateman 