The Writing Life, Powning Style
written by Marilyn Lerch; photography by Deborah Carr
Recently I attended a unique workshop during the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick’s WordsFall in Sussex. In all the many years attending informative workshops, this one brought another dimension of meaning.
Ten of us were welcomed into the home of Beth Powning, one of New Brunswick’s most well-known and beloved authors. Powning was the recipient in 2017 of the first-ever New Brunswick Book Awards for Fiction for her new novel, “A Measure of Light”.
Her 1870’s farm house sits at the bottom of a long, steep, dirt road, surrounded by high sprawling hills. I felt the deep seclusion of the place, perfect for Powning who has lived and written here for over forty years. The house is old and has remade and added to itself many times. It holds a wonderful collection of art and hand-crafted objects and sculptures, whimsical, beautiful, cherished things. That is the strong feeling I got as we walked from room to room, everything in the house is cherished.
In the same way, I sensed that the different parts of Powning’s life cohere organically, writer, gardener, mother, spouse, photographer, keeper of pet chickens.
She invited us into her writing room through a door maybe four feet high, and yes, it was like stepping through the looking glass. What Beth gave us on the other side of that door was the most profound insight into the commitment to the writing life that I have ever been privileged to hear.
From idea to publication, she led us through her process. A lot of time is spent thinking once a conception for a novel comes clear. She inhabits her characters, talks to them, becomes them in her mind.
But it was when she pulled out pages of handwritten notes, historical charts, graphs of plotlines and stack after stack of drafts, all for one novel that her meticulous and disciplined work habits came to light, and then the many edits and rewriting. She has worked for years with the same editor, a relationship that is based on give and take, enormous trust and respect.
It became clear as she picked up each stack lovingly that there was no part of the process that was easy and that she did not truly love.
I thought it quite an extraordinary display of humility when Powning read us corrections from her editor even in final drafts. For the younger writers present this was an inspiring but sobering lesson.
There was much more. On a shelf were journals from childhood to the present, written in her close, neat script. Powning grew up writing or perhaps I would say grew herself writing.
She brought out a packet of correspondence between her grandparents which was discovered after she wrote” Hatbox Letters”. It was as if her creativity brought the letters to light, or so this poet likes to think.
And finally on one shelf were all her books, literary nonfiction and fiction, from “Home: Chronicle of a North Country Life” to “Shadow Child” to her latest novel,” A Measure of Light”. What a feeling of accomplishment must come in passing one’s hand down the length of a life’s work. And that work continues as she begins a new novel.
One of Powning’s favorite sayings is “Journey and destination are one and the same”. Those of us who spent the afternoon with her have a much better understanding of what these words entail.
