Location: Westport, Ontario

Lead Organization: Westport Senior Living

Featured GrandPal: Sue Villeneuve

Partner School: St. Edward's Catholic School

A GrandPal Who Writes

Across the GrandPals Network, older adults share stories in many different ways. Some bring artifacts. Some tell stories from memory. Others encourage students through conversation, creativity, and mentorship.

One GrandPal recently shared a written reflection with students about imagination, storytelling, and the writing process itself. We are grateful to share her words here.

Sue's Reflection

The following reflection is shared as originally written by Sue Villeneuve.

On Being a Writer

So, you have come up with a story idea. But, you know what? They have all been written before. All the love stories, mysteries, adventures, stories about space and astronauts -- all written.

That's where you, my friends, come in.

You come up with twists and turns and -- don't blush -- love interests, and marvelous, amazing scenery -- mountains and lakes, spooky forests and monsters peeking their heads out, and then snatching children as they walk by! Oh, my gosh!

Yes, I took courses in writing at Algonquin College and courses with The Children's Institute of Writing in Massachusetts, but the best advice I was given was by a retired teacher, who was also a writer.

She read the first draft of The Secrets of Willow Castle and said:

"No, no, no. You have to SHOW, not TELL."

With a quizzical look I said:

"Huh?"

(Don't forget that for a living I was editing speeches by Prime Ministers, Premiers, First Nations Chiefs and judges, so the material was -- well, for the most part -- pretty boring.)

My retired teacher friend said:

"Jennifer tore the letter off her locker…"

NOT:

"Jennifer took the letter off her locker…"

Of course!

"Tore" was a much better descriptor and far more interesting than "took."

All right, here is a challenge!

What descriptor would you use? Tore, or…?

(I will ask for hands as to who would like to share… and you will share adjectives)

USE THOSE WONDERFUL ADJECTIVES! They will never let you down.

Keep a Notebook

The second most important thing to remember is to keep a notebook beside your bed.

The best ideas happen at 3:00 a.m. -- and, NO, you won't remember them in the morning.

Whether it's 3:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m., always have something handy to jot down notes. Most of you will have electronic devices at the ready, so use them to keep story ideas that are triggered.

Just as an aside, I was reading a book the other night and the phrase:

"Charity of the winds"

came up.

I jumped out of bed and wrote it down immediately, before it was forgotten.

"Charity of the winds."

You could ponder that little ditty for hours, I'm sure.

I also have a glossary of interesting names.

If someone on the street says, "Hey, Annalisa," and I like the name and think it will work for a character in my story, I write it down.

My great-nephew's name is Owen.

Now that he's in the Terrible 2s we call him No-wen!

Your Writing Environment

Your writing environment should be relaxing and inspirational -- in a garden, by a lake.

There are lots of opportunities to find inspiration in Westport and the surrounding area.

And enjoy the process!

A relaxed writer is an imaginative writer.

Close your eyes and dream.

Or, as my inspirational friend says:

"Slow down to the speed of joy!"

Publishing Your Story

With respect to publishing your story, you can decide to go it alone and self-publish, like I did, but the process can be pretty arduous.

You have to keep editing and reading for continuity and looking for grammatical errors, while still keeping the voice or the tone of your book authentic.

You don't want Huckleberry Finn sounding like a rocket scientist, or astronauts sounding like farmhands.

I also asked some of my dear friends to read the rough drafts.

Some made suggestions, but most just urged me to keep writing.

I also wanted help editing, where I could get it.

It isn't hard to find people who are willing to read your drafts because all writers are avid readers, in all genres.

The ideal situation is for you to find yourselves a literary agent.

There are lots of literary agents in Canada, especially in the Toronto area.

Agents don't charge you anything unless and until your book sells.

And of course it will!

They also provide content editors and copy editors for grammar, and they help with the graphics, if you want pictures to emphasize a point, or for the front and back covers.

But it's totally your choice.

Personally, I like the Wordsmith down the street.

I think I would take my story to him and ask him to print and bind it -- which I will do if I EVER get around to it!

(Yeah, don't procrastinate. Get it done! Set yourself a timeline and try to achieve your goal within that timeline.)

Writer's Block

And if you get stuck -- also called writer's block -- close your eyes, relax and dream.

Go for a swim or paddle your kayak.

Take a break.

The breakthrough idea will hit you -- probably at 3 o'clock the next morning.

AND, VERY IMPORTANT -- remember the 5Ws:

• where
• when
• why
• who
• what
• and maybe "how"

Just asking these simple questions can help to bring your story to life and give it colour!

On AI and Writing

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don't use AI -- Artificial intelligence.

It's okay to do Google searches while you are researching a topic, but don't let technology do the work for you.

That's just cheating.

You have a wonderful imagination, so use it.

And write about everything -- what you love, or don't like so much, or what you ate for breakfast.

Write about your feelings, your thoughts, your environment.

And, please, use proper grammar ALL THE TIME, even when sending a friend a text.

None of this "U" "R" stuff.

The English language is alive and well -- yes, it is -- and it morphs all the time, but try to be correct in all writing.

How I Came Up With the Story Idea

I have lots of nieces and for quite a few summers I would take two or three of them at a time to go to Bolt Castle in the Thousand Islands.

A story began to germinate, but I was too busy with work and could never get to the actual writing.

However, my husband's heart was not all that great and I spent a lot of time at The Ottawa Heart Institute.

When he was asleep, I would take out my notebook and write.

The nurses started reading my stuff and thought it was great, so I just kept going, a little bit at a time.

It took me years to finally complete it, but I'm glad I did.

I am also working on the sequel to The Secrets of Willow Castle, which I started a couple of years ago.

I am hoping that I can find some children to help me create a medieval theme park.

There is nothing like a child's imagination!

Ms. Pierman and I may have a project put together soon for those of you who would like to try your hand at helping with the sequel, but we can talk about that later.

Words of Wisdom

The number of wonders and possibilities I failed to grasp when I was your age is as limitless as the stars in the night sky.

So, keep your eyes and ears open and rely on your good senses.

When that little voice inside your head -- or your heart -- says that you should try something, go for it!

You have a wonderful life to live, so live it to the fullest!

In the words of the great Saint Catherine of Siena:

"Just be yourself and you will set the world on fire. A spark is all that's needed!"

Why Pieces Like This Matter

One of the beautiful things about GrandPals is that students are not only hearing stories from older adults. They are also encountering writers, artists, mentors, teachers, and creators.

Sue's reflection reminds us that storytelling is not simply about producing polished writing. It is about paying attention, preserving memory, noticing beauty, and having the courage to share your imagination with others.

Sometimes the most meaningful thing a young person receives is permission to believe that their own writing matters too.

About the GrandPals Network

GrandPals is a growing network of schools, residences, libraries, charities, and community organizations working together to strengthen intergenerational connection across Canada.

Communities like Westport and Westport Senior Living demonstrate how the model can be adapted to fit the unique interests, relationships, and strengths of each community, while preserving the relational heart of the program.

Interested in exploring GrandPals in your community? Visit the GrandPals Contact Page to start a conversation with the Network.