Atlantic Canada Mondays - Anne C. Kelly

Featuring an Atlantic Canada based writer

In the Atlantic Canada Mondays features we interview residents of the Atlantic Canadian provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. Today’s interview features a Nova Scotia based writer, Anne Kelly.

Anne Kelly’s first published novel is Jacques’ Escape, released by Trap Door Books in 2019. But she has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. She got her first taste of sharing her writing in grade four, when she wrote a class newspaper with a friend. Anne is an avid reader, and especially enjoys reading historical fiction, crime novels and stories from Atlantic Canada. As well as being a writer, Anne is an English teacher at heart. She taught English-as-an-Additional-Language (EAL) to adult newcomers to Canada for over twenty years, and loves learning about different cultures and traditions. She currently works as a language assessor with Learn English Nova Scotia. You can find her on Facebook or on her writing.network website.

Here’s Anne!

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When you were a teenager, what did you want to become when you grew up?

A teacher. I wanted to be a teacher all my life. My mom, whom who I idolized, was an elementary school teacher, so I wanted to be just like her. I loved reading and school, even in high school. I was writing then, mostly poems, but writing was a private activity at that time. I didn’t think of it as a career choice.

Do you prefer writing by keyboard, do you prefer pen and paper, or do you have another favourite method?

I write with both pen and paper and keyboard, but mostly for different reasons. Writing longhand (with pen and paper) directly connects my heart and my hand—I often say the words skip my head altogether! I write with pen and paper when I am journalling, writing stream-of-consciousness, or trying to work out a tricky problem in my plots or characterizations. I use a keyboard to actually write my stories. It’s easier to manipulate the text, to make changes and to delete stuff I’m not happy with!

What’s the story of how you came to publish your first novel.

My novel, Jacques’ Escape, was a long time in the making! It began as a writing assignment. I was taking a class on writing for children, and I was supposed to write a non-fiction article. Instead, I wrote a short story about an Acadian boy named Jacques living in Grand Pre just before the Deportation. I always loved historical fiction, and personally found I learned more that way than through history books! Fortunately, my instructor was good with that!

Shortly afterwards, I submitted my short story to a writers’ competition. The comments I received back encouraged me to develop the story into a novel, which I did, over the next twenty years or so! While the “completed” version won the Joyce Barkhouse Writing for Children Prize in 2001, I couldn’t find a publisher willing to publish it. After innumerable rejections, I decided to consider all the advice given by various publishers and rewrote the novel again.

Finally, in 2018, a new publishing company in Lunenburg, Nevermore Press, agreed to publish Jacques’ Escape. I worked closely with them to edit and prepare the manuscript, including adding a new final chapter. The book was released in June 2019.

What’s one thing about being an author that most people don’t understand?

That being a writer is part of who you are—a gift or talent like the ability to paint or sing or dance. At the same time, it’s a craft which requires a lot of hard work, learning and practice.

I also think that many people don’t realize that being published is NOT what makes you a writer. Writing is. It’s hard to get published—it takes determination and endurance. But not being published does not mean you aren’t a writer. There are many other ways to share your stories.

Do you do any writing exercises or other work to further develop your writing skills?

I usually do “warm up” exercises before I start working on my current project. Often this is some form of stream-of-consciousness or journalling, but I also play around with different writing prompts, write poetry and nonsense rhymes, or focus on exercises to develop and strengthen some of my weaker skills. For example, I am not strong on writing descriptions, so I may choose to describe the room I’m in from a dog’s perspective. Or make a list of all the things I can hear or feel. Or describe how the street outside my window has changed since yesterday.

I read lots of books about writing and take workshops through the Writer’s Federation of NS. As I mentioned before, writing is a craft, and I enjoy learning how to improve my skills.

How are the advantages in modern technology (computers, Internet, etc.) affecting the teaching profession?

I saw a huge change in the use of technology in the classroom during my career. I taught English-as-an-additional-language (EAL) to adult newcomers to Canada. When I first started teaching, everything was book-based, which was both expensive and limiting for the teacher. When I first began to use the internet, it was primarily to find new resources and/or additional exercises for my students. Eventually, however, I was able to design tasks for the learners to do online, not only searching for information but also practicing various language skills, such as pronunciation and literacy skills. When the COVID pandemic hit, classes were moved onto Zoom, and teachers and students alike had to adapt to a new way of being in school!

Do you make use of social media to promote your writing?   Why (or why not?)

Yes. I have a Facebook, Instagram and Twitter account which I use for promotion. I think it is important these days to have a social media presence—there are lots of books and authors and publishers out there and fewer chances for interviews and readings and other traditional marketing opportunities. But I find it challenging to balance the time and effort needed to keep these accounts interesting and up-to-date with the time and effort needed to produce new writing. Fortunately, I have my daughter as my “social media manager”; her assistance is invaluable!

What's the writing community like in Nova Scotia?  Is it primarily clustered in Halifax or is it more widespread?

There is a strong and vibrant writing community in Nova Scotia. For a long time, most activities, including workshops, literary festivals, and readings were based in Metro Halifax. Nowadays, however, you can find writers sharing their writing and their craft right across the province, through the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (which offers both online and in-person opportunities), through our amazing library systems, and through literary festivals such as Read by the Sea, the Cabot Trail Writers Festival and the Hackmatack Festival of Reading.

Are there any particular books or resources that you would recommend to new writers?

Most of my favourite writing resources focus less on craft and more on the psychological and spiritual aspects of writing. The ones I love best include The Artist’s Way and The Write to Write by Julia Cameron, Life’s Companion by Christina Baldwin, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, and the War of Art by Steven Pressfield.

Pretend you wake up one morning and you learn that the Internet has been destroyed.  What's the first thing that you do?

Dig out my address book, buy some photo albums, and make sure I still have my library card! I use the internet mainly to keep connected with family and friends across Canada and around the world. I also use it to find quick answers to my questions and/ or to check my facts. However, I still use books and museums for most of my primary research.

I think my emotional response to losing the internet would be a mix of relief and loss. I like being connected; I like finding information quickly. On the other hand, I find it can be stressful and draining-- answering emails and messages, being constantly “on call”, conducting internet searches which suck you in and yet leave you not much wiser at the end…

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Thanks to Anne for agreeing to be interviewed!