Why did you choose creative writing at Concordia?
The short, honest-to-goodness answer is money. Concordia offered me the most.
I was initially interested in the program, however, because of the variety of work it allows me to do. When I was an undergraduate, I thrived while writing poetry and fiction while studying American literature, music, and history in academic courses. When I was exploring graduate programs, I wanted to write, but I didn’t want to give up the academic work, since it had fueled my creative work. For the unique opportunity to work in multiple creative genres, and to study American literature, Concordia’s program is really the only option in Canada.
I should also note the great asset that the Concordia University Student Parent (CUSP) Centre has been to me. I have four young kids, and the centre has been amazing for the biweekly Sunday Study Breaks alone, where they provide free childcare and space to work in the centre. There are also monthly potlucks, art education programs, holiday parties, and a school supplies program, where each school-aged child gets a backpack and supplies. This is a tremendous resource.
What is special about writing in and from Montreal?
Montreal offers writers all kinds of opportunities to bring their work to the public, and to participate in attentive, active communities. The LitPop and Resonance readings, Kafein Poetry nights, and the wide array of arts activities in every neighbourhood of the city disprove any silly notion that writers work in isolation.
For me, an Anglophone with virtually no French, living in the polyglot environment of Montreal also provides endless immersion in a boiling cauldron of culture that does not rely on a single language. The setting provides unique pressures and opportunities for those of us who work with words. This surprisingly led me to write a series of poems about walking from downtown to NDG, where I live, and trying to communicate in a language I don’t know. The experience has given me a lot of humility as a writer, yet also new challenges and a sense of excitement I haven’t felt in other contexts.
How has the program helped your writing?
My poetry workshop this year pushed me to revise my work much more thoroughly than I had in the past. While I was always pretty willing to start from square one in successive drafts of short stories, for some reason my poetry has only ever seemed to need light touches and tweaks in revision. The combination of Stephanie Bolster’s instruction and the regular attention of my classmates was invaluable to me.
What advice do you have for other students before beginning their MA?
Ask a lot of questions. Go to any orientation sessions, GradProSkills seminars, and talks. There are all kinds of resources around to set you up for success in the program.
I wish I had taken some time in my first term to get help with researching longer papers. A twenty-page paper is really different genre from a ten-page paper, and it’s worth learning how to approach the research as soon as possible.
What's your current writing project?
I am working on a short story collection called “Behold the Man,” which features male narrators and protagonists, occupying both traditional and non-traditional social roles, who have varying abilities to understand the effects of their actions on women and children. In addition to the many short fiction writers I’ve learned from, the project is heavily influenced by feminist philosophers who critically address masculinity such as bell hooks, Patrick D. Hopkins, Larry May, and Robert Strikwerda.
What are your plans for the future?
In addition to writing both fiction and poetry, I am planning on working in education and publishing. In addition to teaching opportunities in the department, I am also working as the managing editor for a literary magazine. Work experiences like this are another exciting component of the creative writing program.
Is there anywhere we can find your work online?
My poem “Holiday” was published in the great print journal Impressment Gang and is featured on their website.
And I wrote my flash story “Incline,” for Word and Colour.
