Camryn Mackiewich started writing her book, Phoenix Rising, when she was nine-years-old. She was still working on it when she turned 14 earlier this year. The book had evolved over those five years, but now she and it felt stuck.
鈥淚n order to move forward with the book, I needed help,鈥� said Mackiewich.
Enter the marvel of mentorship, and one of the reasons Mackiewich likes being a part of the Vernon Community School. She explains: 鈥淰CS offers unique experiences that school doesn鈥檛 usually offer, like getting help editing my book.鈥�
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Mackiewich went to Murray Sasges鈥攐ne of the founding teachers of VCS and a 2018 winner of the Premier鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Education鈥攆or assistance in finding a mentor. Sasges called Janice Love, who had already been a mentor in editing for recent VCS graduate, Cole MacKay. Love, a professional freelance editor, was available and happy to help Mackiewich get her book unstuck.
鈥淐amryn is a delight to work with,鈥� says Love. 鈥淪he鈥檚 keen to learn how to improve her writing, communicates promptly, and is patient when there are delays. And we鈥檝e figured out she鈥檚 actually written two books, not just one! Mentoring is fun and really satisfying.鈥�
When asked what she鈥檚 learned about editing and writing from the mentorship so far, Mackiewich talks about how the editing鈥檚 focus on the reader鈥檚 point of view reveals what is working well and what is unclear or confusing, and that 鈥測ou don鈥檛 just go over your book once, but many, many times.鈥�
She鈥檚 learned that using fewer words can sometimes add more meaning, that the rules she gets to make up as the writer have to be followed, and that it鈥檚 helpful to have even more background for her story than what she will use. Also, that taking breaks from writing helps her see her story with new eyes when she returns to it.
Mentorships are an important part of the learning that happens at VCS, and have included everything from singing to sewing, film making, video editing, car mechanics, engineering.
It鈥檚 writing though that has captured Mackiewich.
鈥淚鈥檓 not getting away from this,鈥� she says, smiling.
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