How Shane Koyczan saved my life a little bit

Sometimes writers don’t get along so well with their words. Either they have a hard time finding them, sifting through veritable Word Pools where nothing will join up and make sense. Or they have to write too many of them and the relationship degenerates like a friendship with a guess who’s overstayed their welcome. There are times when the right word dances around the periphery of your mind, taunting, and refusing to be caught and put in its place.

Sometimes writers are inspired by things, things that refill the cup and make it a little easier to bear, this heavy burden of The Storyteller. During the early part of the year I was juggling equal parts burnout and winter blahs. The words were particularly merciless in their mockery of my feeble attempts to mash them onto the page. Then Shane Koyczan. As a fan, I was completely geeked out to have a chance to interview him about an upcoming tour. As a writer, I was honoured to weave our conversation into something that would (hopefully) make more fans, helping him share his work. As a tired human I was invigorated, grateful for the opportunity to fall in love with my craft all over again as I developed the piece. Check out Shane’s website for the glossy stuff, but for the words of an unadulterated fangirl, here’s my feature from the Navigator Newspaper.

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