Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory’s Gin Sexsmith was one of 24 First Nations, Inuit and Métis writers selected to take part in the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle.
The unique opportunity allowed her to receive one-on-one mentorship from First Nation poet and novelist Joshua Whitehead.
For Sexsmith, who published her first novel In The Hands Of Men in May, the opportunity to speak with an accomplished author was invaluable.
“I find that he really helps me get to the root of what I’m trying to say,” Sexsmith said of talking with Whitehead. “He’ll help me flesh out my ideas and help me think deeply about what message are you trying to portray here, which is wonderful. Also he’s just hilarious, I feel like we’re like-minded. We’ll be on our calls just laughing and having a good time, so it’s wonderful.”
The writers’ circle allows young authors a chance to not only hone their writing skills but to learn about all facets of the business, such as discovering the various tools available to them to help fund and promote their work.
“I just wanted that sense of Indigenous community combined with my writing,” Sexsmith said of why she applied to the program, noting she had applied two times previously before finally getting the call this year. “That has been the most wonderful aspect of having other Indigenous writers you can bounce ideas off of and just have that sense of community which is wonderful, I was really happy to get in this year. The funny thing is I had actually set an alarm on my phone to meet the deadline (to apply). I was really busy with the release of my novel and that morning of the deadline the alarm went off and I thought ‘oh my goodness, I hadn’t prepared my submission yet’. But I had actually had a dream that night about my great-grandfather and he was speaking Mohawk in the dream and I just did a little essay about it and that’s what I submitted and this was the year I got it. It felt meant to be.”
Networking with other authors has also taught her a lot and given her a sense of belonging.
“Just having the sense of community, I find in all the workshops I feel so seen and held,” she said. “There’s just this beautiful sense of community. I find in the outside world I’m having to explain that I am indeed Mohawk. Within the Indigenous Writers’ Circle I’m just accepted. I don’t have to bother with all of that, we can just get into the root of what we want to say.”
For her first work, she drew inspiration from the horrors of the many missing and murdered Indigenous women, an issue she felt wasn’t getting enough attention beyond a few headlines.
“ I like to write in a way that’s going to really make people think and feel and it’s going to resonate deeply with them, even if it’s maybe things they haven’t given thought to,” said Sexsmith. “I found with In The Hands of Men, a lot of women will say they’re reading thoughts that they’ve had but they actually haven’t spoken out loud. To have that connection, that’s the place that I write from. To create a bigger sense of connection amongst people.”
Through the help of the mentorship program, she’s already working on ideas for a sequel novel, as well as another project.
“Because the world is left in a certain way, I’ve had a lot of people say what would the world look like then? Once I started thinking about it I thought let’s actually pick it up and see what the world would look like,” she said of her first novel. “So I’m continuing that. I’m also working on a non-fiction project called Mutt, which is about being white passing Indigenous and finding culture and claiming your identity amongst all of the imposter syndrome.”
As for advice for other young Indigenous writers, she says applying to the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle is a great first step.
“There’s so many stories that need to be told and voices that need to be heard,” she said of the Indigenous community. “So having the resources to have the stories out is amazing.”
Her other piece of advice would be to just stick to it, no matter how difficult the process can be.
“I would say write. Just keep going,” she said. “You’re going to be rejected. You’re going to doubt yourself for sure. Just keep working away.”
To get a copy of her debut novel, visit https://www.ginsexsmith.com/.