In this exclusive interview with Evadne Macedo, author of The 29^th Day, Kim Moritsugu speaks about her four novels and her experience as a teacher of writing.

1. You have written four novels: The Restoration of Emily; The Glenwood Treasure (shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Best Crime Novel Award); Old Flames; and Looks Perfect (shortlisted for the Toronto Book Award). You have a tremendous ability to reflect the lives and thoughts of women as they are, and this seems to be a common element in your novels. Are there any themes, techniques or characters that unite these novels, or did you purposely try to avoid anything that might link these novels? Which parts of your novels do you most enjoy writing – the romantic, humorous or mysterious. Do you aim to include all of these elements in each of your novels? Could you tell us about the current projects you are working on and how these compare to your past novels?

All four novels feature first person female narrators who are trying to find a fulfilling life path, each in her way; all are set in Toronto, and all the main characters sound at least a little like me, I suppose, but the novels are meant to be one-off’s, and are not linked.

I would call three of them comedies of manners, though, which leaves The Glenwood Treasure – a literary mystery – as the one that is unlike the others. In The Glenwood Treasure, I consciously tried to use less humour, profanity and sex than I had in my previous novels because I was trying to capture the vibe of a classic English suspense novel, only set in Toronto in the present day. I like being funny though – and am drawn to and admire comic writers – so I did include, even in that novel, some observations that are intended to be wry.

As far as which parts do I most enjoy writing, I’m inclined to agree with Dorothy Parker, who said, “I hate writing. I love having written.” And what I love having written most is the kind of story I like to read: a story that’s clever, funny, touching, entertaining, resonant and true.

Currently, I am struggling with a new novel that if it would behave, might be a sort of psychological suspense novel. I’m also working on a libretto for a jukebox musical comedy based on my second novel Old Flames, which I would dearly love to see developed for the theatre.

2. At the October 26, 2009 Humber Writers’ Circle, Miriam Toews spoke of the importance of having someone in your life who believes that writing is a legitimate use of your time. The first person to see potential in me as a writer was award-winning author, Terry Fallis – his encouragement helped me make space in my life to write my novel, The 29^th Day. When did you first start to feel that writing was the right occupation for you? Have you been mentored or encouraged by someone? If so, in what ways was this helpful to you? Which authors have you mentored?

The first professional validation I received for my writing was from the novelist Paul Quarrington, with whom I studied creative writing through The Humber School for Writers, where I now teach. I had been writing fulltime for three years without much success or recognition when he told me, after reading a few of my stories, that my writing was good enough to be published. I took that as inspiration enough to finish my first novel – which I worked on under his guidance – and he provided me with a lovely blurb that I sent out with the manuscript to editors and agents a few years later.

Paul died of lung cancer very recently, at the young age of 56. He was a man of many stellar accomplishments in a variety of creative fields, and not least, he was a knowledgeable, generous and inspiring teacher and mentor.

3. Racialization is a human rights term referring to the process by which people are viewed as unequal because of race, a social construct. As with all other areas of social activity, the dynamics of racialization also play out in writing and the literary world. White authors writing on topics like slavery are criticized for appropriating voice, even though they may be bringing consideration of historical inequities into the mainstream. Conversely, racialized writers who write about their own cultures are viewed by publishers as presenting “other perspectives” and are marginalized – these stories are viewed as having limited appeal to mainstream audiences. On top of this, there are racialized authors who want to write what they want to write without regard to their own skin colour or cultural background. Yet, they may be discouraged from doing so – they are told that their stories should connect more directly to the ethnic origin or culture they are perceived as belonging to. If the idea of fiction is to enable us, as writers and readers, to get inside someone else’s skin, why is there still such a focus on the writer’s own race?  As we discussed in the January 16, 2010 Humber Writers’ Circle, a writer needs to put forward an original story with a convincing voice. If this is done effectively, why should a writer’s race ever be relevant to the analysis of book’s merit or suitability for publication?

I wrote a personal essay for the Globe and Mail in 2003 called Not Playing the Race Card that pretty well summarized my feelings about racialization in all aspects of life, including the writing one. In the piece, I wrote about dreaming of the day when the mixing through intermarriage of races and cultures would result in future generations whose pan-ethnic backgrounds defied easy categorization and stereotyping. However, judging by the fact that my two sons, who are ¼ Asian and ¾ Caucasian, and are now in their twenties, are often referred to as Asian by their contemporaries –  as if that were their sole identifying characteristic – that day has not yet come and probably never will.

4. How do you develop your ideas into novels? Do you prepare outlines like Terry Fallis and Joy Fielding or do you have an idea and then develop it by writing drafts, as Don LePan and June Hutton do? Do you let concepts build up in your mind until the story overtakes you, like Miriam Toews? Thomas Trofimuk writes a little bit every day, even on his birthday and holidays – do you aim for this too? Gina Buonaguro and Janice Kirk write collaboratively – have you ever tried this? Do you consider each word carefully or do you just write what comes to you and then revise later, like Deborah Willis? What are your goals in terms of plot, character development or the craft of writing itself?

In principle, my approach is to plan a novel on paper in broad strokes before I write – I identify the main character in some detail, assign her a problem or issue to be resolved, figure out some plot lines, decide on a few major events that will act as a framework for the character’s narrative arc, and then start writing. When I teach creative writing, I give my students a one page, fill-in-the-blanks plotting model sheet to help them analyse and structure their stories, and I try to complete one for my own work too, though it could take me years to fill in the blanks for a new novel, years when no writing of that novel is happening at all. I do not write a detailed outline before I start writing, because I find it too difficult to come up with all the plotting in one go, and I’m more likely to think of new angles and ideas for a story when I’m not trying to – when I’m in an exercise class, for instance, or driving to the grocery store. When it comes to writing a scene, I would make a few point-form notes as to what will happen in the scene and who will be present and then I try to write it.

I have never collaborated on fiction and can’t imagine doing so, though if my musical comedy script ever gets developed, I’ll have to collaborate because that’s how theatre works. And I’m ready for that!

I don’t write without self-censorship and revise later, I revise as I go along, and revise later, and revise some more. I could revise forever and still not be happy.

My goals in writing are to write the kind of story I described in #1 above, in the paragraph about Dorothy Parker.

5. You have developed the Humber Writers’ Circles for writers to learn from established writers, network with other writers and obtain feedback on written samples from agents and editors. These critical assessments of writing samples are invaluable to developing writers. Because of my job, I am used to seeking out constructive criticism and revising my written work to address stated concerns and I have done the same with my novel. The manuscript for The 29th Day has been gradually improving based on feedback from 3 different sets of readers who reviewed successive versions. I know that I am not unusual in sharing multiple drafts with early readers. Yet, there are authors (including Pasha Malla), who feel it is important not to be influenced by others during the writing process. Do you involve readers at any stage in your writing process? If so, who are they and how do you use their comments? Are you part of a network of writers? If so, how do you support each other?

In my aspiring writer stage, when I was taking courses all over and learning about the craft wherever I could, I belonged to a writers’ group, made up of fellow aspiring writers, that met monthly to critique each other’s work. After two years, I left the group – the feedback of the individuals in the group had become less and less helpful to me, mostly because they did not like or know the genre of fiction I was writing.

I have shown my last few novels to 3 or 4 trusted readers (some family, some writer friends) when I have completed what I call a showable draft – which would be my 2^nd or 3^rd complete draft. I ask these readers for feedback on specific aspects of the writing: did the story make sense, did they notice plot holes or dropped threads, is the character likeable, are the events and characters’ actions plausible, was any part boring or too slow, and so on. Then I revise based on their feedback. I have also made major revisions when I have realized – during a fitness class or a trip to the grocery store – that I wanted to change or add something substantial after I’ve handed the manuscript over to the readers but before they got back to me on it.

6. You have been on the faculty at the Humber School for Writers for many years. How would you define success in the field of fiction writing? From your experience, what are the defining skills, characteristics or approaches used by students who have achieved their own goals or success as you define it? What common factors result in manuscripts being left unfinished, or unpublished?

I would define success as being published by a reputable publisher, getting positive feedback from reviewers and readers, and selling more books than one has friends and family members. I think that successful fiction should 1) contain a well-crafted, interesting story, 2) be well written, and 3) be written in a distinctive and engaging style. The successful writer needs to have talent, perseverance, luck, timing, a willingness to work hard, and the ability to learn from criticism. In my experience, most of the manuscripts that don’t succeed aren’t written well enough at the word and sentence level.

7. As a teacher of writing, what guides would you recommend for students seeking to develop their craft in relation to voice, character and plot?

Self Editing for Fiction Writers, by Rennie Browne & Dave King

8. I have heard Canadian literature being criticized as too “regional”- the implication being that Canadian authors tend to set novels in Canada and thereby limit their appeal in markets outside Canada. The underlying idea is that people in the United States, Britain or other countries are not particularly interested in the lives of Canadians (they  don’t know what they’re missing!). On the other hand, if Canadian writers do not produce literature about us, and for us, it is certain that no one else will. In addition, setting a novel in Canada may be the easiest way for a new writer to start off; an application of the axiom, “Write what you know.”  Do you agree that new writers tend to set their first novels in Canada and then branch out with subsequent books? How have you resolved this dilemma in your writing – are you drawn to depicting life in Canada or do you consciously try to avoid it?

Cases can be made for and against setting a story in Canada in terms of its marketability both within Canada and elsewhere; there is no easy answer to that question. International  bestsellers, especially of literary fiction, have been set in Canada, and international bestsellers written by Canadian authors have been set in locales other than Canada too. I have set all four of my novels in Toronto because I know it well and specific neighbourhoods of Toronto are where I envisioned those particular stories unfolding, but my next novel may be set in a city outside Canada if that’s where the story takes place.

9. At the December 12, 2009 Writers’ Circle, Kate Cassaday and Michael Redhill spoke about the importance of really being ready before submitting a manuscript to an agent or publisher. In his January 20, 2010 interview, Terry Fallis took this advice one step further and encouraged writers to focus their efforts on improving their manuscripts for traditional publication rather than self-publishing. This is good advice. The challenge is knowing when a piece of work has met the requisite standard. What are key signs that a manuscript is ready to submit, and what resources can help writers identify this?

I wouldn’t consider a manuscript ready to submit to an agent or editor until it’s as finished, and as perfect, as I can make it, even knowing that I will never think it finished. To know when a manuscript is ready, show it to someone who will give you a fair assessment of its quality. And/or put it in a drawer for a month and look at it again with fresh eyes. Also, read a book like Self Editing for Fiction Writers, by Renni Browne and Dave King, and apply its wisdom to the manuscript – correct those errors!

10. At every writing event I have gone to, there is always a question about the mechanics of an author’s writing. Could you please comment on the practicalities behind your writing? For example, do you keep notes in a notebook? If so, at what point do you transfer them to a computer? Do you write on a laptop or a desktop? Do you hide yourself away in a quiet room or write at cafés? And the biggest question of all: Do you use a Mac or a PC?

Mac. I have always written on a desktop but recently bought a laptop to replace my aging desktop. I hook it up to a large monitor and a large ergonomic keyboard (both not made by Apple!) when I’m at home in my study, and take the laptop, plus a different separate keyboard, when I travel. I keep a computer journal on my work-in-progress where I work out problems and record ideas and I have physical file folders around (often where I can’t find them) that contain hard copies of research material.

11a. I am interested in fiction as a force for positive social change. Do you have any messages or social goals that you try to bring out in your writing? Do you use your fiction writing to draw attention to charities or issues that are important to you?

Sorry but no. I think social messages are for non-fiction, and fiction should be about telling a story.

11b. I wonder if I could expand my question. I believe that all novels and novelists have the capacity to provoke social change and that this is one of many goals that we share, at least to some degree. As Deborah Willis noted, when we read and write, we feel empathy – a critical element of being alive. Joy Fielding’s novels have high entertainment value, and yet she consciously tries to model women as strong and capable characters in them. Terry Fallis’s hilarious satire, The Best Laid Plans, makes people think about politics and decorum in government in between chuckles while Kim Echlin’s The Disappeared confronts the reader with the brutal reality of genocide within the context of an engaging story of lost love. June Hutton’s Underground stuns us with the simplicity of language while teaching us a little history, making war real to us.  Pasha Malla makes no overt statement in his stories but supports worthy causes, such as a recent fundraiser for Frontier College (his answer to a similar question will be coming soon!). Don LePan’s Animals disturbs us with the brutality of factory farming viewed through the eyes of a human victim and makes a very strong statement about meat-eating throughout the book and in the afterword. And then there is Margaret Atwood. No one is better at using fiction to support social change than Margaret Atwood, who embeds social commentary throughout her novels and uses her “celebrity” to raise awareness and funds for causes she cares about (her book launch for The Year of the Flood was a fundraiser for Nature Canada.) I am trying to follow Margaret Atwood’s approach with The 29th Day both in terms of provoking thought in the novel and discussion/direct action on the issues raised. Your most recent novel, The Restoration of Emily was entertaining, and a story I could relate to, as an average woman. Yet, I think it also provides opportunities to think about stereotypes about race and aging, the practical realities of raising a child with celiac disease, and the challenges of parenting a teen. Is there really such a distance between good fiction and social change?

Let me answer you this way: if I ruled the world, would there be less sexism, ageism, and racism and more openmindedness, colour blindness, and consideration of people as individuals rather than stereotypes? Yes! And if my novels nudge anyone who reads them even a little in that direction, hurray. But my intention when I write fiction is not to proselytize, or to convey a moral or message. My intention is to write a good, entertaining story, well-told, of the kind I like to read.

12. Your hungry novelist blog artfully combines your flair for language and fine cuisine with well-composed photographs. Since I started my blog “Evadne Macedo on Writing” the most common comment from my friends and acquaintances is to ask if I have seen Nora Ephron’s movie, Julie & Julia – about a writer/blogger/foodie. Given your obvious love of cooking, I wonder how well you relate to Julie Powell’s experience in cooking Julia Child’s dishes as described in the movie, Julie Powell’s book, Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen or the Julia/Julia Project blog itself. I have also written about the connections I see between knitting and writing, and imagine (being rather inept when it comes to culinary matters) that you might find parallels between your written work and your gourmet creations.

I’ve read only parts of Julie Powell’s original blog and book – both were not my cup of tea, in tone and manner; I’m not a big fan of confessional memoirs. But I admire how she came up with the career-making idea of the blog at a time when blogs were uncommon, followed through on its execution – without using photos! – and became such a success. I very much enjoyed the movie, especially the Julia Child parts, and now that I have a food blog of my own, I certainly related to the scenes in which Julie Powell writes the blog even when she’s tired and depressed, and wonders if anyone is reading it, and so on. Also, a blog post I wrote about recreating the bruschetta that’s featured in an early scene in the movie (which is not a recipe of Julia Child’s) has earned me thousands of page views.

As for parallels between writing and cooking, I don’t find the processes to be very similar, not the way I cook, anyway, which involves adapting recipes devised by others in accordance with my own whims and preferences. I do like writing about food in my fiction though, and have done so in all my novels – I think it’s an effective and evocative way to do characterization. So I’ve had some fun giving some of my food obsessions to my characters, and making two of the male interests in my novels (Max, the food shop owner in Looks Perfect, and Patrick, the baker/pastry chef in The Glenwood Treasure) men who are good cooks.

13. Do you have any final words of advice or encouragement for aspiring writers?

Read widely in your chosen genre. Know what books your writing is similar to, and where you work would fit in the current marketplace. But know that it’s very difficult to become a published fiction writer, and the rewards are few for the majority of those who do get published. So only try to become a writer if you want it really badly, are willing to work your ass off over long time frames, have talent, can learn the craft skills and apply them, and are prepared to face near constant rejection. If you meet all those criteria, go ahead and give it a try, and good luck beating the odds.

This interview was originally posted by Evadne Macedo at http://books.macedo.ca on February 3, 2010. Follow Evadne Macedo on Twitter.

Follow Kim Moritsugu on Twitter. For more information about Kim Moritsugu, please visit: http://kimmoritsugu.com

Take a look at Kim Moritsugu’s delicious blog about eating, cooking, writing, restaurants and musicals at http://hungrynovelist.wordpress.com/

See “Not Playing the Race Card,” Kim’s essay about racial identity, published May 29, 2003 in The Globe & Mail and Kim Moritsugu’s other essays at  http://www.kimmoritsugu.com/Other_Writings.html#Essays

When you visit http://books.macedo.ca, see also Evadne Macedo’s previous interviews and profiles:

• Terry Fallis: The Best Laid Plans (January 20, 2010)
• June Hutton: Underground (January 6, 2010)
• Thomas Trofimuk: The 52nd Poem, Doubting Yourself to the Boneand Waiting for Columbus (December 16, 2009)
• Gina Buonaguro & Janice Kirk: Ciao Bella and The Sidewalk Artist(December 9, 2009),
• Don LePan: Animals (December 2, 2009)
• Ray Robertson: David (November 25, 2009)
• Deborah Willis: Vanishing and Other Stories (GG Finalist) (November 19, 2009)
• Joy Fielding: Still Life & many other novels (November 14, 2009)

Check back for upcoming interviews with Pasha Malla (The Withdrawal Method – winner of the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and the 2009 Trillium Award ), Anar Ali (Baby Khaki’s Wings), John Bemrose (The Island Walkers; The Last Woman) and Priscila Uppal (Ontological Necessities; To Whom it May Concern: A Novel).