Writer, blogger and travel enthusiast Jenny Cressman tells Open Book about the buzzing community of writers and book-lovers living and working in Muskoka. If you live in the area you may be interested in joining the networking list Muskoka Ink, the creative and supportive writing group Word Swap (which meets at the delicious Soul Sista's café in Hunstville) or even the Write in Cuba retreat planned for April 14th-21st. Find out more by following Jenny Cressman on her blog, Cubana de Corazón.
Open Book:
Tell us about Muskoka Ink, the writing group you are involved with.
Jenny Cressman:
At this point, Muskoka Ink has essentially defaulted to being an e-mail list to serve writers, most of whom are in some way affiliated with Muskoka. It is an information-sharing tool about anything pertaining to writing, including events, activities, contests and updates about copyright legislation, for instance. I use it to publicize a group I host called Word Swap.
My memory of dates is fuzzy but I believe Muskoka Ink — M'Ink, as it is fondly called — was founded close to a decade ago, around the time I was editor of Muskoka Magazine. It was an active group for several years, usually meeting in the Bracebridge home of the primary instigator, Karen Hood-Caddy. It subsequently morphed into a monthly "Poetry Night in Muskoka" event, capably led by the inimitable Martin Avery. When he moved out of Muskoka, however, that venue for presenting one's work dissolved. So, I decided to start Word Swap. I based it in Huntsville, selfishly saving myself from driving south each month. Also, there were, and still are, other writers' groups meeting in Bracebridge and Gravenhurst; northern Muskoka was underserved at that time.
OB:
What does an average meeting with Word Swap look like, and how often do you get together?
JC:
Word Swap presently meets on the third Thursday of most months at Soul Sista's, a charming restaurant in downtown Huntsville with a very accommodating owner, Lorraine Morin. She opens her doors to us after hours, allowing us to have a private party to discuss writing and share some of our current work. We typically order food, have a glass of wine, make announcements about upcoming events we think other group members would be interested in, and then eat, drink and merrily take turns reading.
The gatherings are open to pretty much anyone — writers and people who are interested in writing — and any form of writing is acceptable. We will give feedback, if solicited, but we don't really do any hard-core critiquing of each other's work. Word Swap is more of a social group, mainly intended as a forum for presenting one's writing aloud; there aren't many opportunities to practice reading to a group and a lot of people aren't comfortable doing that, so this fills a niche. There is no pressure to read, just an open invitation to do so, if you wish. Our only requirement is that you applaud after someone else has read.
Sometimes, as an amusing diversion, we'll write a group poem by circulating a page with a title and topic, letting each person add a line. Other than that, we don't generally indulge in group activities, and we certainly eschew assignments of any ilk. We usually disband during the throes of summer's busyness and try to have a party at someone's cottage or home in autumn, before regularly reconvening.
OB:
How does being part of Muskoka Ink and Word Swap benefit you as a writer?
JC:
The M'Ink e-mail link helps keep me connected with other writers and informed about what's happening in the world of writing beyond the comfortable isolation of my home office. Word Swap is beneficial in that it allows me to see how people react to my writing — for example, I might learn some line or passage is LOL funny, even though I had barely smirked at it myself.
OB:
Do you have any advice for writers who might be interested in starting up a writing group in their own communities?
JC:
Just go for it! Pick a date and find a comfortable place to meet, in a home, quiet restaurant, library or whatever. Talk with interested people and figure out what format would be preferred by the majority — a casual social gathering, a full-out critiquing group or something in between? I'd also suggest having more than one person in the group who is comfortable chairing a meeting, in case the key convener has to go to Cuba, for instance.
OB:
On your blog, Cubana de Corazón, you describe how a recent visit to Cuba left you captivated by the country. Can you identify what it was about this country that so captivated you?
JC:
The people stole my heart! Their genuine warmth and welcoming attitude is unsurpassed, compared to anywhere in the world I've visited or lived. Of course, the natural beauty of the land — ocean, mountains, sun and sand — is a big hook, as is the intriguing culture and interesting history. However, the sociability and openness of most average Cubans, their willingness to help and support each other as well as visitors, is wonderful. It makes me want to keep going back and interacting with them, and it inspires me to figure out ways I can assist them.
OB:
Tell us about the Write in Cuba trip that you're planning for April of this year.
JC:
This trip, set for April 14-21, is my first experience in organizing a thematic group. Although it's called “Write in Cuba,” it is open to anyone, including people who abhor grammar and can't spell their way out of a beehive.
Those who want to work on enhancing their writing skills can participate in a variety of different activities, which will be ably led by Karen Wehrstein. She is putting together workshops that will be tailored to fit the needs and desires of those who sign up. There's a list of options in one of my blog posts. (I should hasten to add that there will be plenty of time to relax and have fun in the sun, too!) Workshopping will not supersede all other things but will be deftly woven into other optional experiences, such as off-site excursions.
I'd like to point out that, although there was a deadline (Feb. 21) for booking at the publicized price of $598/week per person for the VIP Cabana package, I will still be able to add more people right up until the beginning of April. The $598 rate is not guaranteed beyond Feb. 21 but, in my experience, the come-lately price for add-ons should not be too much different. The fee for taking part in the writing workshops is additional and is on a sliding scale, starting at $60, based on what the participant can afford.
One of the out-of-resort excursions I'm hoping we'll be able to go on is an overnight trip to Bayamo, a small but culturally rich city a few hours from our base, Club Amigo Marea del Portillo. The plan is that we'll peruse some of the local art, enjoy a bit of the music and night life, stay in an affiliated hotel in Bayamo and, the next morning, trek to La Plata, headquarters of the Revolution. Historically significant, La Plata has been preserved like a little pioneer village. I think it will be very interesting to walk in the footsteps of Che Guevera and the Castro brothers and imagine their voices planning how they would oust Batista. That should prove very inspirational for writers in the group, I would think!
OB:
How have your travels to Cuba influenced your writing?
JC:
Cuba has imbued me with new writing energy and has led me in an entirely unexpected direction. After visiting there a time or so, it was as if a flame had been lit in my soul, and I simply had to keep stoking it. I began writing about all manner of things related to Cuba, from poetry to travel tips, and even an unsent letter to Fidel. I read some of what I was producing at Word Swap but had no other outlet for it until my unfailingly supportive husband, Gord Baker, suggested I start a blog. Thus, Cubana de Corazon, which loosely means "Cuban-hearted woman," was born.
My dream is to be able to visit Cuba for extended periods to write my brains out, in between delighting in the ocean and dancing the night away. So far, I've only been able to stay for two weeks at a time, twice a year, but one can never know what opportunities will present themselves. I certainly had not anticipated that I would fall so profoundly in love with a country and its people, or even enjoy spending time at an all-inclusive resort; I usually prefer exploring new places, independently. I ended up at Marea del Portillo by happy fluke and was completely surprised by how comfortable I felt in this laid-back, off-the-beaten-track community. It now fires my creativity!
OB:
What writing projects will you be working on during Write in Cuba and beyond?
JC:
It's hard to say. Because I will be helping to arrange activities for the group, as well as visiting my Cuban friends and working on non-writing projects while I'm there, I may not have time for very much writing until I return home.
When I'm at Marea del Portillo, one of the things I will be doing is working on plans for future group trips. The general concept is that, each October, I will organize groups for women only (last year's inaugural All-Girl Posse ended up with 45 amigas) and, every April, I will put together a loosely themed trip. For April 2012, I think we will have a tandem theme of art and spirituality.
Who knows what will evolve beyond that? Dreaming aloud...maybe one day I will have a place there, where writers can come for retreats, relaxation and inspiration. As long as doors keep opening for me in that beautiful part of the world, I'll keep walking through them and welcoming others to join me!
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Jenny Cressman lives with her husband and best friend, Gord Baker, in the semi-wild woods of Muskoka, near Huntsville. She is a writer, editor, photographer, social worker, entrepreneur, arts promoter, nature lover and travel enthusiast. When she recently began visiting Cuba, the country and its people quickly captured her heart and fired up her writing, which you can sample on her blog, Cubana de Corazón. If you are interested in participating in Muskoka Ink, Word Swap or the Write in Cuba getaway planned for this April, please contact her through her blog.
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