Name: Eleanor Gang
Age: 50
Location: Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada
Occupation: Soprano, singing teacher, music copyist
Writer/Reader/Agent? Writer and Reader

A bit about [Eleanor]

With a heart in music and singing Eleanor gradually enter the world of writing starting with blogging, detailing her personal thoughts and views on whatever topic intrigued her most at the time. It wasn’t until she joined a writing group in a used book store that she actually started writing fiction. Now a member of WritersCo welcomes the incentive that it can provide, through contests held by its members. Now our keen grammar and style whiz she is sure to be able to help when ever you are stuck at a full stop.

So tell us a bit about your writings:

I haven’t really been writing all that long, at least not things that I would ever have considered sharing publicly. First I started by blogging, so everything I wrote was from my own personal point of view. I would write long essays on subjects that intrigued me and that I felt I could contribute to in some unique way. Then I joined a writing group run by the owner of the used-book store in my town and discovered that, if given sufficient inspiration, I could actually write fiction. That is one of the reasons I enjoy the contests at WritersCo so much, because they provide me with the incentive to write things I wouldn’t otherwise consider. It is important to me to communicate clearly with my reader; hence grammar and punctuation and correct spelling are paramount.


How long have you been writing, have you ever come across a piece you wrote when you were younger?

I kept diaries when I was younger, and came across one dating from my teens several years ago and was appalled at how terrible it was. However, the writing I did for others to read, i.e. school essays and compositions, even now I have to admit wasn’t too shoddy.

Are there any techniques, writing aids that you use, or do you use anything to help inspire you such as images or music?

I cannot work with music on. My writing group leader often gives us exercises where she puts on a song or other piece of music and we are to take inspiration from it, but because I am primarily a musician, I tend to listen to the music instead of writing. She has used all sorts of techniques to inspire us, such as giving us photographs where we write the dialogue or write a poem describing the scene. One very useful technique which I like a lot is to get a first line from elsewhere and then build a whole new story out of it.

Are there any writers that you would aspire to, or look up to?

Oh, yes, tons. A.S. Byatt, Charles Dickens, Robertson Davies, Anita Shreve, Charles de Lint, Clive Barker, Ursula K. Leguinn, Salman Rushdie, Patrician McKillip, Umberto Eco, Neil Gaiman. The list is veritably endless.

What is your favourite book?

I have so many favourite books. I think Obsession by A.S. Byatt was brilliant, as were Weaveworld by Clive Barker, The Little Country by Charles de Lint, and Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie. If there weren’t so many books to read out there that I haven’t yet read, I would be rereading my favourites all the time.

you have any tips that you could pass on to other members?

Learn to use the language in which you are writing well. It’s not enough to have great plot ideas and character development; you have to be able to articulate them to your reader and if he gets bogged down in poor spelling, grammar and syntax, then there is no point. I have read some very fine writing here which was made all the better because it followed the rules of English, and other writing where the authors were obviously talented but unable to express their ideas coherently. Read lots and have others correct your work for you. Reread and proofread and ask yourself: Am I getting my point across? Would I pay money to read this?

Anything you'd like to add or promote? ;)

Thank you [Font] for featuring me, and thank you WritersCo for providing me and others with a place where we can meet other aspiring writers and present our compositions in a supportive atmosphere.


Read the full interview at: FM:Nov2007

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