Reading time: About 2 minutes
Edythe Anstey Hanen takes inspiration from the words of Toni Morrison: “Don’t try to write through it, to force it…Just wait, it will come…”
The short fiction of Edythe Anstey Hanen has been published in literary magazines, anthologies and in the Globe & Mail, National Post and the Hamilton Bay Observer. She has been a contributor to Mexconnect, an online magazine for travellers to Mexico, and was the writer and editor of the Bowen Island community newspaper for many years. Her debut novel Nine Birds Singing was a finalist in the 2019 Whistler Independent Book Awards and she has just completed her second novel The Language of Leaving. She is currently working on a memoir.
I was excited to talk to Edythe about how she approaches writing.
Q. Roughly how much time do you spend writing every day?
When I’m working on a book, I spend four to six hours a day, usually three to four days a week. I continue to write as often as I can when I’m travelling.
Q. What’s a simple activity or habit that makes you a better writer?
Staying connected to the world of nature nourishes my soul and feeds my imagination. Reading someone whose work I love is also a great inspiration. When I read anything by Toni Morrison my imagination takes flight.
Q. What interferes with your writing?
Obligations that unexpectedly arise just as I am fully immersed in what I’m working on. Also, letting myself become distracted by whatever shiny thing calls to me.
Q. How do you persuade yourself to sit down to write on days when you really, really DON’T feel like doing it?
On days when I don’t want to write, I don’t. However, I always sit down at my computer for a few minutes, even if I don’t write a word. It feels like I’m honouring the process even if I’m doing nothing.
Q. Is there a particular motto or saying that you’ve found helpful for writing?
Toni Morrison says, “Don’t try to write through it, to force it…Just wait, it will come…”
Q. Which stage of the writing process do you enjoy the most: researching, writing or editing/rewriting and why?
Although I love the writing, I enjoy the editing and rewriting even more, because I always find that the deeper I go, the more gold there is to discover. I keep a notebook close by and make notes, even if it means getting up in the middle of the night and jotting down three words.
Q. What’s one of the best books you’ve read (either fiction or non) in the last five years?
Two (very different) books that I have particularly enjoyed recently are Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood and The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté.
Q. What book are you reading right now?
In the evenings I’m currently reading Kin by Tayari Jones and my morning reading these days is All in This Together by Jack Kornfield.
Q. What do you think is the biggest misperception that new writers have about the act of writing?
Many new writers are nervous about sharing their work, fearing that they will be discouraged. Never underestimate the value of feedback from trusted sources: writers’ groups, workshops, and classes.
