Barb Hopper hiking the Inca Trail
I’ve been working with Barb Hopper for about a year and a half. Barb got in touch after retiring from a demanding corporate career in Toronto. She wanted to explore her voice and life story through writing. We set to work on monthly goals for her writing and connected often to discuss what came up in the writing and how to incorporate writing craft and storytelling approaches to her work. It’s been a privilege and joy to work with Barb over these months, seeing her commitment to going deeper into her writing and incorporating new strategies along the way. Over this time, Barb has produced a complete memoir manuscript, which we are now working on together. I recently asked Barb a few questions about what’s it’s been like working together and she graciously offered the following. Thanks, Barb…you made me blush!
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Trevor,
Working with you to uncover my voice has been one of the most unexpected and joyful experiences in my life.
The idea of just ‘writing’ ten pages the first time was daunting, partly because I was told as a child that I was a ‘bad writer’ and because I’d never thought of writing as fun.
At 65, my life was focused on raising kids, growing corporate businesses and searching for my creative joy. I succeeded in accomplishing the first two but never felt like I found ‘my groove’ in the latter. Writing might just be the creative outlet and joyful activity that I’ve been searching for.
Initially, I intended on writing about how to navigate egomaniacs in the workplace, but when I started writing, my focus shifted quickly from helping others in business to writing about my unique experience in business. I learned that the stories I used to shock people when told verbally translated well in my writing. Plus, I found myself having fun sharing the idiosyncrasies of those moments.
My career focused on telling stories, through numbers. It’s been surprisingly helpful in my writing journey. As a finance and operations executive, I was constantly telling stories that I hoped would resonate with my colleagues, attempting to persuade them to ‘feel’ so that they’d ‘act’. In my writing, I want the reader to ‘feel’ my experience and realize they are not alone.
Your approach has been perfect for me. You didn’t pressure me to identify what I wanted to write and decide who my audience was. I simply wanted to hear ‘what my written voice’ sounded like, and you encouraged that. My first, second, third, fourth and fifth submissions covered many unrelated topics and various lengths. With your support, praise, and suggestions, I built up the confidence to ‘show’ my stories, rather than ‘tell’ them. Through dozens of essays and poems, and more than 100,000 words, you’ve shown me that I don’t have to use ‘big’ words to express myself.
Some writers hate the idea of writing every day, but I love it. I look forward to it and make it a priority. It’s as important to me as spending time with my grandsons. Both bring a smile to my face.
With your help, encouragement and feedback, I’ve experimented in small bites with new techniques and learned what I feel comfortable with. After 12 months of ‘playing’, I know what story I want to tell, and who I want to read it. I am writing it.
Over the course of my life, I’ve had many different teachers and coaches. You are by far the best. You listen to what I say explicitly and tease out what lies beneath the surface. You have encouraged my curiosity and taught me to trust my judgement. You’ve helped me tell my story, my way.
You have been my trusted partner on this journey of discovery, courage and finding my voice. I’m thrilled that our paths crossed.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Barb