8 Questions for... Rona Maynard

Amazement Seeker

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Rona Maynard

is the author of two memoirs, Starter Dog and My Mother’s Daughter. Raised by an ambitious literary mother and nationally published since her teens, Rona did her best to dodge the family business. Her long editing career culminated in a decade at the helm of Canada’s premier women’s title, Chatelaine. At 70 she embraced writing as her destiny. Rona’s newsletter, Amazement Seeker, celebrates her discoveries in everyday beauty and the moment as it flies.

1. Why Substack?

Every writer needs a tribe of fellow word folk. Substack is my portal to the most generous, committed and craft-conscious readers I’ve yet found, many of them admirable writers. Before Substack, I used to post essays on Facebook, where they garnered a loyal following. Instant feedback nourished me, but no one goes to Facebook in search of good writing. Substack gives me deeply thoughtful, real-time reactions without the ads, bots, sleazy politics and platform police. Facebook rapped my knuckles for posting Alice Neel’s tender painting of a naked newborn boy. That would never happen on this platform.

2. How long did it take you to find your groove?

A couple of months. By paying close attention to the comments and answering every one, I came to know my readers. Amazement Seeker became an ongoing conversation between me and my tribe. Now I watch for the names of my active commenters. I notice when new readers chime in. I never publish anything that doesn’t give me pleasure, but delighting readers amplifies the joy. Every post is a letter to my readers, and I can’t wait to hear back. What keeps me writing isn’t praise but proof that my words have made a difference to others.

3. How has it changed you?

Substack challenges me to be generous, a trait that doesn’t come naturally to me. Someone will always be attracting more attention or paid subscribers. There’s a tension on Substack between the ever-present drumbeat of grow, grow, grow and the undeniable evidence that we flourish here by supporting one another. A recommendation from

Rob Tourtelot

who until lately was a secret all over the literary block, brought me more than 50 subscribers the day he was featured in The Substack Post. Envy whispered, “Why not me?” but I gave it the boot. I’ve been restacking and recommending Rob for some time. It’s exciting to see his talent recognized.

4. What mistakes have you made?

I waited too long to start publishing for fear that I hadn’t figured out all the details. Anyone who’s lurking: Jump in and find your tribe. Celebrate excellence, share knowledge, build relationships. I learned more engaging with Substack readers and writers than I could fretting all by myself.

Substack provides a wealth of metrics that seduced me. I looked for proof that I was going up, up, up, but that’s rarely how it works. Remember Hemingway’s “one true sentence?” I’m looking for one true reader who connects with my words and cares enough to write back now and then or tell a friend. Better one true reader than 100 disengaged subscribers.

5. To pay or not to pay?

After a long career in the magazine business, I’ve earned the right to make art for the joy of it. I decided early not to paywall a thing. It’s not that I don’t value the best work of my life, just that I prize connection with readers over money. I’m like Joni Mitchell’s one-man band at the quick-lunch stand, writing real good for free. My paying subscribers don’t receive any perks, and it gladdens me to know they’re with me for the words. Of all the ways they could have spent 50 dollars, they picked my writing. Free subscribers cheer me on in other ways—recommending, restacking, commenting. Every click of the heart says, “Nice work.”

6. What artistic and technical choices have you made?

I play to my strength, the personal essay. If reader interest alone dictated my choice of topic, I’d stick with aging and family relationships. But I write the piece that’s waving its hand in the air, calling, “Write me!” If I don’t care, the reader won’t either. And if I build a bridge for the reader, I can spark interest in Maria Lassnig, a brilliant Austrian painter (who, come to think of it, had a fair bit to say about aging). Technical choices? None, really. My gift to the reader is words—first, last and always.

My gift to the reader is words—first, last and always—so video doesn’t interest me. I do record every essay for readers who would rather listen than read. They don’t mind the occasional stumble. I’m often tempted to skip this step, but readers like hearing my voice.

7. What’s been the effect on your writing?

It’s both sobering and thrilling to write in community with so many prodigiously gifted peers, some of them complete unknowns. Substack gives me an incentive to refine a piece until it’s ready to share in exacting company. I’ve been publishing since my teens--about 60 years, on and off—and arrived here proud of my work. The sense of standards, coupled with community-wide celebration of first-rate writing, has made me a more precise, courageous writer. The way to improve my game is not to take workshops but to engage with readers who know the difference between a solid piece and a standout.

8. In it for the long haul?

You bet. Substack is the best antidote I’ve found to the discouragement of marketing words. The magazines that once made me a decent living have shrunk or disappeared. Book publishers won’t take you on unless they see bestseller potential. But thanks to Substack, it’s never been so easy for a writer to build a tribe. We support one another’s books along with our stacks.

I didn’t come to Substack in search of friends, but friendship blooms here between like-minded writers. We keep one another on the path.

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Rona Maynard