It Began With a Story About a Groundhog / November 23, 2022 by Lena Scholman

Growing up on a farm, with many cousins and brothers, sometimes an aspiring writer just needs an escape to the city.

Ha ha.

I write this as a city woman now, escaping to the country, so that I can write. Life is funny.

Will They Like Me & Other Back to School Adult Anxiety / September 8, 2021 by Lena Scholman

The first day of school has always been so full of emotion for me. As a teacher, the night before meeting my new students, my stomach would be in knots that would not release until the last person filed out of the classroom and I could lay my head on the desk for a moment and breathe. Thank you God, we all survived. I was never a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants teacher. Extreme preparedness was my armour, because somehow in the back of my mind I must have believed the classroom was some kind of battleground. In the evening after the first day, I’d always crave KFC; fried food is good for an unsettled stomach, right? It was an unapologetic indulgence I’d earned having survived that first day of teenagers, whom, to my knowledge, didn’t hate me. And, as much as it is embarrassing to admit, no matter what lofty ambitions I might have had about what I was going to teach, I was still very much like a child who just wanted to live through the day, hoping to make a connection and not an enemy. I wanted to be liked.

Years later, without a classroom of my own, the first day of school is still kind of painful.

Dear B – Ten Things I’ve Learned About Writing / December 14, 2020 by Lena Scholman

Dear B,

Yesterday we went for a long walk together through your neighbourhood, admiring the panoramic view of the city below, moving swiftly to keep warm and talking even faster – we had nine months of news to catch up on.

And then you told me a secret.

All these months of hibernation and contemplation had germinated a seed within you. A whole world took shape in your imagination. At first, you didn’t know what it was or what to do with this flickering flame of an idea. You had imagined a world wherein an epic series of stories unfolded in layers that would roll out over many years. I listened quietly, envious of that giddy feeling one gets when the muse visits and ideas are fresh, unblemished by editing or writer’s block, nebulous and not yet fully formed, like a tightly furled dandelion, something pure, unadulterated by doubt, despair or the unsolicited opinions of others; not yet a threat to your energy, your soul or your relationships. Ah, the sweetness of a new idea!

I wanted to share with you right then and there everything I’ve learned in almost ten years of writing, but our bodies were freezing and darkness was descending. So, in case we don’t have the chance to walk again anytime soon, here’s everything I know about writing so far, in a top ten list my friend Cat and I compiled last winter for a speech we gave to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Writer’s Circle. I hope it gives you a bit of encouragement for the adventure ahead.

North of Us / April 27, 2019 by Lena Scholman

Today’s the day the Toronto Star publishes my story, “North of Us”, in the Insight section. You can also read it here or listen to it by clicking on the link below.

Hugs from Strangers / April 17, 2019 by Lena Scholman

Yesterday morning I woke up wishing I had been born a Buddhist. I practiced yoga (release!) and went for a run in the woods, trying to let go of a desire that was occupying way too much space in my mind. A week or so earlier, I’d been packing up at work, when my cellphone rang. The students wanted to answer it.

“It’s just the dentist,” I said. (Who else calls during the day?)

“Let us say hi,” they chirped.

Hmmm. That would be kind of funny, but no, I was there so they would get an education! No phones in the classroom! I checked the message later that afternoon, only to start shaking.

“Hello, Lena. This is the Toronto Star calling. You’ve placed in the top three finalists for the Short Story Contest.”

On Setting: Amsterdam, Westerbork & a Storybook Castle (Moat Included) / July 5, 2018 by Lena Scholman

In Amsterdam, we were so fortunate to have the best tour guides, remember I mentioned the Jewish girls who lived on my grandmother’s farm during the war? Now 85 and 80 years old, spending time with them was a huge privilege. I explained that I wanted to make my setting ring true, and they were happy to give me the local’s tour. I’d written a scene where two of my characters take the train from the Centraal Station towards the Waterlooplein (a.k.a the old Jewish quarter) and I wanted to retrace those steps to see how far it was, to imagine the barriers, the smells, the vendors. Today it’s impossible to compare the black and white photographs to the current neighbourhood as much of the area has been torn down and rebuilt, but the Jewish Historical Museum helped to fill many of the gaps.

If you want to be loved, get a dog (and other great advice on writing) / December 18, 2017 by Lena Scholman

It's been several years since I first decided to take a creative writing course. I signed up for the continuing education class "Writing the Novel Part 1" at Sheridan College in Oakville. Since then, I've amassed enough notes to light a fire and keep myself warm for decades, or at least roast a few marshmallows.

Here's are some of my favourite bits of advice:

Chastised By the Lady With the Mary Magdalene Tattoo / September 21, 2017 by Lena Scholman

I’m not that into sermons, but I love to be put in my place. These days it happens less and less from the pulpit and more via Memoir. You might think that if I wanted guidance, the place to start might be the Christian Living or Spiritual Growth shelf, but you’d be wrong, because those books read like self-help or Hallmark Cards. They lack the essential ingredient I need to engage: story. Just like the Bible is story, and Judeo-Christian celebration is always about re-visiting what God has done, Memoir reminds me how to live. Lately, I’ve read a number of thoughtful, personal memoirs, but I connected particularly with this one.