Six Questions interview #175 : Michelle Sinclair

Michelle Sinclair worked as a policy analyst on human rights issues for many years. She studied international development and social work at McGill University and creative writing at Chatham University in Pittsburgh. Her work has appeared in The Antigonish Review and other journals in Canada and the United States. Her first novel, Almost Visible, was published in 2022 and won The Miramichi Reader Award for Best Fiction. It was also chosen as one of the top Editor’s picks by 49th Shelf. She lives in Ottawa with her husband, three children and three pets.

Q: How long have you been in Ottawa, and what first brought you here?

My parents are both from the Maritimes (New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, respectively), and likely would have stayed in Halifax or Fredericton to be close to their large families if my dad hadn’t been offered a job in the foreign service. I was born in Ottawa for that reason, though we moved every few years, so I only spent a few years in Ottawa while I was growing up. I studied  in Montreal and travelled internationally for internships, but work brought me back to Ottawa when I was hired with the public service. I thought we were settled, but no! My husband’s studies and work moved us to Paris for a year, and then to Pittsburgh for four years. We’ve been back in Ottawa since 2016, and I think I can safely say that we’re staying put.

Q: How did you first get involved in writing, and subsequently, the writing community here?

I have always loved to write, and as a kid I enjoyed a certain notoriety as a “good writer” in my grade 2 class when my teacher announced to the class that I had written a good story.

About ten years ago, when we moved to the outskirts of Paris, my husband was working, my four year old daughter was at kindergarten, and I was at home with a four month old baby. I found a writing class in English in the heart of the city, and was overjoyed at the prospect of having something to do and an excuse to go into Paris every week. I brought my son on the train every week to those classes, and he would sit on my lap smiling at everyone (he was uncommonly easy-going) as we wrote. As an exercise, we were even instructed to write a story from his perspective.

In Ottawa, I found a group of writers through a colleague in the public service. We still meet as often as we can, and they’ve been tremendously helpful. I also started working at Books on Beechwood during the pandemic, and writers are good shoppers! One day an Ottawa author came into the store and we got to chatting, and he kindly invited me to an event where I was able to meet some other fiction and mystery writers. I’ve tried reaching out to more experienced authors for advice and support, and I’ve been bowled over by their kindness and generosity in sharing their expertise.

I only published my first book last fall, so I still feel like the new kid in the class. I have more work to do to discover writing communities in Ottawa!

Q: How did being in such a community of writers shift your thinking about writing, if at all? 

It helps to know many of your goals, concerns, and fears are shared by others. Being part of a community can also help answer practical, financial, and logistical questions, particularly around marketing and self-promotion. I hadn’t thought about this at all before I was published - I thought getting published was the end goal. Also, there are more opportunities and events in Ottawa than I expected. It’s helpful to know about them, and to have advice from more experienced writers. It’s also lovely to be part of a community, because writing can feel lonely!

Q: What do you see happening here that you don’t see anywhere else? What does Ottawa provide, or allow?

The CBC All in a Day book panel is wonderful, as is the new CBC All in a Day book club, which is doing a great job to highlight and promote Ottawa authors and booksellers. I also want to point out how wonderful the Ottawa Public Library is (as a support to writers), as is the Ottawa International Writers’ Festival. The pandemic slowed things down but I’m so impressed with the number of creative events, which highlight Ottawa’s rich linguistic and cultural diversity. I hope this will continue and expand.

As the capital city, Ottawa has access to political writers, politicians and diplomats. For example, the Politics and the Pen event – a fundraiser for the Writers’ Trust – brings together political and literary circles. There is a unique group of writers in Ottawa – those who’ve had careers in the foreign service or in politics, writers from foreign Embassies, former Governor Generals, or the current Viceregal Consort, for example.

Q: Have any of your projects responded directly to your engagements here? How have the city and its community, if at all, changed the way you approached your work?

My first book was written with university students in mind, but working at Books on Beechwood has shifted my perspective slightly. Readers in Ottawa have a broad range of experience, and while Ottawa readers are discerning and well-read, so many are looking for an escape - something that will speak to their experience and also allow them to dream.  Now when I write, I’m thinking of the bookstore customers. I want to write something they’ll enjoy!

Q: What are you working on now?

I have a short story coming out with my former university, which I might try to extend into a novella or novel at some point. I’m also working on a second novel (very early stages!) and some random short stories.