Listen:
Rona Maynard and I share backgrounds that few writers or writing teachers possess — we are both former print magazine editors-in-chief. In Rona’s case, she sat at the helm of the popular magazine Chatelaine for years, and I knew of her at the time because I was the editor-in-chief of Woman’s Own, which had a similar woman-focused demographic profile, though her publication was in Canada and mine was the United States. That’s why I was delighted to connect with Rona over her memoir Starter Dog, and also reminisce about some of the aspects of the kind of positional power we both once held, and how Rona found new meaning through loving and living with a dog like Casey.
In This Episode
- The important step Rona took while looking for her next chapter
- Living in the moment with a dog and how Rona applied that to her life
- Working as an editor-in-chief at Chatelaine and what that showed her about herself
- Discovering what makes her day glow and finding purpose
- Mining the conflict in your story
- Rona’s advice for organizing your writing and effectively using tools like Scrivener
- How she tests the waters by sharing mini stories on Facebook
- Why she doesn’t do the “vomit” draft
- Giving your reader a reason to turn the page
- Why beautiful writing isn’t enough
- Writing your stories, even when the memories are hard
- Inviting readers into the book with your sense of mission
Watch on YouTube
About Rona Maynard
Rona Maynard found happiness at 65—a story she tells in her new memoir Starter Dog: My Path to Joy, Belonging and Loving This World. She first broke into print at 14 with a short story about bullying and still receives fan mail from teens who are reading it in class. Rona capped a stellar career in magazines with a decade at the helm of Chatelaine, Canada’s leading magazine for women. Her editor’s column won a loyal following. When she disclosed a struggle with depression, she helped kickstart a national conversation about mental health. After Chatelaine, Rona had to learn to unwind—and found that her best teacher was a rescue mutt who had received his basic training in a prison. She has been married more than 50 years and is a firm believer that road trips go better with a dog in the back seat.
Connect with Rona
New AMA to discuss substack, getting your work noticed by editors, writing advice, your pressing questions and more.
Sign up for our September 5th free Zoom AMA with yours truly and journalist Aly Walansky (who has around 10K substack subscribers) from 4:30-5:30 PM ET, where we will discuss pitching, publishing, grabbing an editor’s attention, working with editors, and getting noticed by pr people, and so much more. Email me at [email protected] with your question for the AMA and to secure your spot
Also
I love this new post that ASJA just put up about 8 Things You Don’t Know About Abigail Thomas and Estelle Erasmus and how much fun it was to write my part and read Abby’s amazing revelations.
