About Me
I spent most of my working years in high school English
classrooms where I learned the crafts of the teacher, the jeweller and the
private eye so that when I became an editor about ten years ago, I would be
able to give my best to my clients.
Although I live on Vancouver Island and am influenced by the
rhythms of the water, the forest and the mountains and most of my writers also
live on the Island, I have worked with clients in several parts of the US, in Britain
and across Canada. They have ranged in age from their early twenties to their
mid-nineties.
About twenty years ago, I, along with my wife and some
literary-minded colleagues, founded Words on the Water, a writers’ festival
that has proven true to its name – a presentation of writers who themselves are
influenced by the environment of Canada’s West Coast.
I also helped establish the Haig-Brown Writer in Residence
program, a national residency now managed by the Museum at Campbell River, in
the home of writer and conservationist Roderick Haig-Brown and his wife Ann.
I am a member of the Professional Editors Association of
Vancouver Island (PEAVI).
And, in our AI-crazed time, I need to say this: I am not a
robot.
I am a reader. Being near books creates a warm, tranquil sensation in my body and mind. In particular, I am warmed by the work of the late Polish journalist, Ryszard Kapuscinski. I describe his work as journalistic travel memoir, flavoured with the historical and political.
Here is a sample from The Shadow of the Sun, his 2001 book about living in Africa in the early 1960s.
A wild elephant intrudes on an outdoor dinner party, then Kapuscinski writes this:
... So the elephant sauntered about, looked at the set tables, at the flickering lights, at the motionless people. One could see by his movements, by the way he swayed his head, that he was hesitating, that he hadn't yet reached a decision. This went on and on, seemingly forever, an icy eternity. At a certain moment I intercepted his gaze. He was watching us attentively, heavily, and in his eyes was a profound, unwavering sadness.
Finally, having made his rounds of the tables and the clearing several times, the elephant left us, simply walked away and was swallowed up by the darkness. When the ground ceased rumbling, and the dark grew still again, one of the Tanzanians sitting next to me asked: "Did you see?"
"Yes," I answered, not quite daring to move yet. "It was an elephant."
"No," he replied. "The spirit of Africa always appears in the guise of an elephant. Because no other animal can vanquish an elephant. Not a lion, not a buffalo, not a snake."
Everyone walked in silence to their huts, and the boys snuffed out the lights on the tables. It was still night, but Africa's most dazzling moment was approaching – the break of day.
Books I Recommend for Writers
Writing well is not about sounding clever. It is about clarity, intent and discipline. These books are reliable resources for all writers.
The Elements of Style
William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White
A short, direct guide to writing with clarity and precision. It teaches you to strip language down to what matters and remove anything that gets in the way of meaning.
Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process
John McPhee
A detailed look at how strong nonfiction is researched, structured, drafted and revised. McPhee uses examples from his own work to show how structure is built on purpose and how multiple drafts refine clarity and meaning.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Stephen King
Part memoir, part practical guide. It focuses on discipline, craft, and the importance of reading widely. It is valued because it is direct about the work required to improve and stay consistent.
First You Write a Sentence: The Elements of Reading, Writing...and Life
Joe Moran
A thoughtful book about sentences and why they matter. It connects writing to reading and everyday communication.