Pushing creative writing’s boundaries: Writer’s work shaped by life transformations and climate crisis

On Creative Writing

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29d ago 16:02

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Audio essay from poet and novelist Kim Fahner

On Creative Writing is extremely fortunate to publish an informative and engaging audio essay from acclaimed poet, playwright, novelist, and teacher Kim Fahner.

Based in Sudbury, Ontario, Kim's first novel The Donoghue Girl was published in 2024 by Latidute 46 Publishing. In this episode, she gives listeners an close look at her evolution from a poet focused on the precision and lyricism of verse to a writer who now embraces hybrid literary forms. Kim explores how this transition has enriched her creative practice and expanded her understanding of storytelling.Studying the craft of writing and reading a lot are essential to her growth as a writer.

Poet Laureate for the City of Greater Sudbury from 2016-18, Kim delves into her latest collection of poetry, The Pollination Field, published by Turnstone Press and available from Aug. 8, 2025. It is already in many good bookstores, and the ebook will be available Aug. 15, 2025.

The Pollination Field has already received attention for its innovative use of bees—particularly the queen bee—as metaphors. Kim explains how bees serve as symbols of transformation, female leadership, and the intricate web of ecological interconnectedness that binds all living things. Through her poetry, Kim invites readers to consider the parallels between the structure of a beehive and the dynamics of human communities, highlighting the importance of co-operation, adaptability, and resilience.

Eco-poetry and the urgent realities of the climate crisis

Kim considers the broader context of eco-poetry and the urgent realities of the climate crisis. She touches on the responsibility of writers and artists to engage with environmental themes, and how poetry can serve as both a form of activism and a means of fostering empathy for the natural world. She shares her views on the role of art in raising awareness about ecological issues, and how her work is informed by a deep connection to the environment.

Visual art plays a role Kim’s creative process. She often schedules visits to art galleries while on holiday in different cities and countries, and viewing paintings, photographs, and sculptures are significant influences. For example, in her work with ekphrasis, when images from the Australian wildfires of January 2020 populated social media feeds, they led her to create a suite of poems about Australia's Burning Times.

Kim encourages listeners to remain open to transformation, to trust in their own creative instincts, and to find inspiration in the cycles of growth and renewal that surround us.

This episode is a rich exploration of creativity, environmental consciousness, and the unending growth of artistic self-discovery. Whether you are a writer, an artist, or simply someone who appreciates thoughtful reflection on the creative process, Kim's audio essay offers valuable insights and inspiration.

Author Kim Fahner

Kim has published two chapbooks, You Must Imagine the Cold Here (Scrivener, 1997) and Fault Lines and Shatter Cones (Emergency Flash Mob Press, 2023), as well as five full books of poetry, including: braille on water (Penumbra Press, 2001), The Narcoleptic Madonna (Penumbra Press, 2012), Some Other Sky (Black Moss Press, 2017), These Wings (Pedlar Press, 2019), and Emptying the Ocean (Frontenac House, 2022). Kim is the First Vice-Chair of The Writers' Union of Canada (2023-25), a full member of the League of Canadian Poets, and a supporting member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada.

10 episodes

#Arts #Sheelagh Caygill