About The Author:
Clare Marshall grew up in rural Nova Scotia with very little television and dial up internet, and yet, she turned out okay. She has a combined honours degree in journalism and psychology from the University of King’s College, and is a graduate from Humber College’s Creative Book Publishing Program. She founded Woulds & Shoulds Editing and Design in 2010 for self-published authors looking for quality editing and design services. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing the fiddle and making silly noises at cats.
Guest Post:
Becoming a Writer
AKA: A look at how people’s expectations and assumptions influence us, and how sometimes, they don’t.
Maybe it’s a cliche to say that there wasn’t ever a defining moment where I became a writer. It was always assumed I’d be an author, both my myself, and by my family and friends. When a creative writing assignment came around, I would write pages and pages (by hand) because I couldn’t yet control the story stream. And then they’d have to be re-written because you had to have a rough draft and a final draft, even though substantive changes were rarely made. Exceptions were made if I passed it in a day late, because in my class, I was the Story Girl.
But what would’ve happened if I wasn’t encouraged to write? Would I still be a writer?
Writing was my thing growing up. I had other things too. I’m from a small community on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, and my sister and I were known as the “Marshall Girls” or the “Marshall Sisters” because we played the fiddle at local events. While we were encouraged to play at every community function possible since I was eight years old, and played a couple of professional gigs, I’m not a professional musician. I still play sometimes for the odd event and I busk on occasion.
So how is it that I was encouraged to be a writer and a musician, but I only do one professionally?
Like I said, I’m from a small town. Small towns = small classes. My graduating grade 12 class was 32 people. Everyone knew everyone, and when you’re around the same people from age 5 to age 18, it’s hard to break that first impression or mold that people have made for you. Since “writing” was always part of this makeup, it was familiar. Familiarity is encouraged. It was one of the positive things I got out of school: my writing was always encouraged because it was expected of me. And I liked to write. A lot.
In some ways, my fiddle playing caused a bit of a rift between me and pop culture in my pre-teen and teen years. I always felt like I was behind in pop culture references, TV shows, song lyrics...because a) we only had two channels and b) we only listened to folk music at home and c) between practicing the fiddle, attending lessons, writing, going to school, and other extra-circulars, there wasn’t a lot of time for pop culture indulgences. I was surrounded by music played by people carrying on a tradition. To me, that held meaning. While I tried to connect as best I could with the popular songs--just so that I could have some frame of reference to share with my peers--I always felt two steps behind.
And when you’re a young girl trying to figure out your place, you don’t want to be behind. You want to fit in. A theme so popular and rampant in teen fiction today, because it is a primary concern for girls aged 12-17.
This isn’t to say that people didn’t encourage the music. Music was encouraged all the time, by family, the community, and occasionally by my peers. This also isn’t to say that I’m not a professional musician because I felt out of sync with my peers. But I wonder: if more of my friends played an instrument, if I had brought my fiddle to school more, if music was worked into the curriculum instead of writing (we didn’t have a music program past grade 6; my mom drove us 1.5 hours to Halifax and back for lessons each week)--would I be arranging a music tour instead of a blog tour right now? Would I be recording albums instead of penning novels? I doubt I’d be able to balance the two--I’d have to pick one and excel, and keep the other as a semi-professional hobby, if that.
The post isn’t about a girl who was forced to become a writer because she couldn’t escape the expectations held by her community. One time, when my sister and I were interviewed for the community newspaper (I was in grade 12 or maybe the first year of university), I was asked why I was studying journalism instead of music. That wasn’t the only time we were asked. This post is a study of what people expect of us, and how these expectations play in our sociological and psychological makeup.
I’ve never felt like I’ve become a writer, because it’s something that I am. Combining the undying belief that I would somehow, someday succeed with a small community that encouraged my talents, that is why I am writing you this blog today.
AKA: A look at how people’s expectations and assumptions influence us, and how sometimes, they don’t.
Maybe it’s a cliche to say that there wasn’t ever a defining moment where I became a writer. It was always assumed I’d be an author, both my myself, and by my family and friends. When a creative writing assignment came around, I would write pages and pages (by hand) because I couldn’t yet control the story stream. And then they’d have to be re-written because you had to have a rough draft and a final draft, even though substantive changes were rarely made. Exceptions were made if I passed it in a day late, because in my class, I was the Story Girl.
But what would’ve happened if I wasn’t encouraged to write? Would I still be a writer?
Writing was my thing growing up. I had other things too. I’m from a small community on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, and my sister and I were known as the “Marshall Girls” or the “Marshall Sisters” because we played the fiddle at local events. While we were encouraged to play at every community function possible since I was eight years old, and played a couple of professional gigs, I’m not a professional musician. I still play sometimes for the odd event and I busk on occasion.
So how is it that I was encouraged to be a writer and a musician, but I only do one professionally?
Like I said, I’m from a small town. Small towns = small classes. My graduating grade 12 class was 32 people. Everyone knew everyone, and when you’re around the same people from age 5 to age 18, it’s hard to break that first impression or mold that people have made for you. Since “writing” was always part of this makeup, it was familiar. Familiarity is encouraged. It was one of the positive things I got out of school: my writing was always encouraged because it was expected of me. And I liked to write. A lot.
In some ways, my fiddle playing caused a bit of a rift between me and pop culture in my pre-teen and teen years. I always felt like I was behind in pop culture references, TV shows, song lyrics...because a) we only had two channels and b) we only listened to folk music at home and c) between practicing the fiddle, attending lessons, writing, going to school, and other extra-circulars, there wasn’t a lot of time for pop culture indulgences. I was surrounded by music played by people carrying on a tradition. To me, that held meaning. While I tried to connect as best I could with the popular songs--just so that I could have some frame of reference to share with my peers--I always felt two steps behind.
And when you’re a young girl trying to figure out your place, you don’t want to be behind. You want to fit in. A theme so popular and rampant in teen fiction today, because it is a primary concern for girls aged 12-17.
This isn’t to say that people didn’t encourage the music. Music was encouraged all the time, by family, the community, and occasionally by my peers. This also isn’t to say that I’m not a professional musician because I felt out of sync with my peers. But I wonder: if more of my friends played an instrument, if I had brought my fiddle to school more, if music was worked into the curriculum instead of writing (we didn’t have a music program past grade 6; my mom drove us 1.5 hours to Halifax and back for lessons each week)--would I be arranging a music tour instead of a blog tour right now? Would I be recording albums instead of penning novels? I doubt I’d be able to balance the two--I’d have to pick one and excel, and keep the other as a semi-professional hobby, if that.
The post isn’t about a girl who was forced to become a writer because she couldn’t escape the expectations held by her community. One time, when my sister and I were interviewed for the community newspaper (I was in grade 12 or maybe the first year of university), I was asked why I was studying journalism instead of music. That wasn’t the only time we were asked. This post is a study of what people expect of us, and how these expectations play in our sociological and psychological makeup.
I’ve never felt like I’ve become a writer, because it’s something that I am. Combining the undying belief that I would somehow, someday succeed with a small community that encouraged my talents, that is why I am writing you this blog today.
The Violet Fox:
Author: Clare C. Marshall
Publisher: Faery Ink Press (http://www.faeryinkpress.com)
Release date: October 13, 2012
Genre: YA Fantasy
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Teaser blurb:
Run.
That’s what instinct tells me.
But in order to save the secrets of my people
and to protect my brother
I have to become the enemy.Long blurb:There are two kinds of people in the land of Marlenia.
The Marlenians, who live on the surface, and the Freetors, who are forced to live underground.
The war between them ended two hundred years ago, but the Freetors still fight for the right to live under the sun. Fifteen-year-old Kiera Driscoll embodies the Freetors' hopes as the Violet Fox. In a violet cape and mask, she sneaks around Marlenia City stealing food and freeing her people from slavery.
Then the Elders task her with a secret mission: retrieve a stolen tome that contains the secrets of Freetor magic, something the Marlenians both fear and covet. Kiera must disguise herself as a noblewoman and infiltrate the Marlenian castle.
Before the Freetor-hating Advisor finds out her real identity.
Before her brother is imprisoned because of the secrets he hides.
And before she falls any more in love with the prince she's supposed to hate.
More is happening in the castle than she realizes, and Kiera is faced with a difficult choice. Will she be loyal to her people and their fight for freedom, or will she be loyal to her heart?
Find The Violet Fox Online:
Happy reading until next time!
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