News, essays and notes on writing
I used to think of myself as a dream-maker, someone who would champion unknown Canadian authors and give them voice. In some ways I still hold that belief, live by it. But I’ve also come to understand an inherent laziness in so many fellow writers, indeed creators. “Laziness?” you cry. Yes. Laziness.
In the past few weeks there has been a bit of a tremour run through the small press world in Canada, particularly in the SF&F community. First it started with discussion of lack of payment and royalty statements from one Alberta publisher, along with complaints of unfulfilled contracts, lack of communication, dismissive attitude.
It is with the greatest sadness I have to write about the passing today of one of Canada’s legendary SF&F writers, Dave Duncan.
It is amazing to me it’s been a decade since I published that first book, which was more about dipping my toes back into publishing waters than with a concept that 10 years on I would see Five Rivers Publishing having released over 70 titles.
Received news early this a.m. H.A. Hargreaves died, peacefully, wife Lee and daughter Alyson with him. His last hours were spent being read to, hugged, loved. A man so worthy of kindness, consideration, admiration. In everything he did he exercised those qualities without stint, without thought of any kind of return. He was just simply Hank.
It is always a matter of some surprise when I learn of an author, particularly one who writes SF, who refuses to embrace modern tools and technology. There are many of my colleagues who will disagree with my following assertions. That’s fine.
One of the most effective tools a writer has at her disposal is sharp, natural dialogue, conversation which flows as freely as the spoken word.
It happens all too often when manuscripts come across my desk, the author operates in a safe and sterile zone, moving characters across a stage with a green screen backdrop. Put another way, there is a palpable lack of environmental detail. Are there curtains on that window by which the character is standing? Is the window open?
It has been said all the stories were written millennia ago, that no new stories exist. There is some truth to that assertion, in that the stories we tell always illuminate human ability, or lack thereof, to deal with situations, whether those situations are technological, environmental or societal in nature.
To acknowledge this Canada Day, I thought I would explain a bit about Five Rivers’ mandate: publishing Canadian voices.
What is it about a story of fiction that sweeps you away? Aside from other key elements, I’m pretty sure it’s a fully developed character who speaks to you from the page or screen.
It is too often the case in many of the manuscripts I see, the author is in such a rush to tell his story the entire narrative devolves to exposition. In other words, the author is telling rather than showing.
My colleague, Robert Runté, and I read and edit a lot of manuscripts in the course of a year. We often see the same mistakes cropping up.
