In today’s post we’re hearing from Cadence Mandybura, writer and editor located in Victoria, British Columbia. Cadence tells us about her free write practice, describes the writing-for-publication process from her early writing days, and recommends resources for new writers.
Cadence, in addition to being a published writer, you are a contract fiction editor. What drew you to become a professional editor? What insights have you gained from the editor’s seat that emerging Canadian writers should know about publishing?
I’ve loved editing since high school, when I was recruited to help with the school newspaper and started taking the craft of writing seriously. As someone who’s always been drawn to writing, I loved learning how to take a good piece of writing and make it even stronger.
My advice for writers is to understand what type of editing is appropriate for their project and writing stage. For example, a developmental edit will focus on structure and story arc (useful for earlier drafts), whereas copy editing offers granular, sentence-level adjustments (best when the manuscript is almost final). Editors Canada has a good list of terms here. Starting with a critique or manuscript evaluation can help you assess if an editor is a good fit for your work.
Publishers vary in how much editing support they can offer their authors, and most will expect manuscripts to be polished before submission. For book-length projects, it’s often worth it to have your work professionally edited before you start submitting. Grants can help if cost is a barrier.
When you’re editing your own work, don’t try to fix everything in one go. Writing is complicated! Do several passes through your manuscript so you can focus on one element at a time. For example, you could do one pass looking for adjectives you could cut, another pass reading dialogue out loud, another pass reviewing scene transitions, etc.
Finally, be patient with yourself as you move through successive drafts. You’re making progress with every iteration!
Your fictional stories span multiple genres—speculative, science fiction, and fantasy. You also manage to add a dash of humour in places where we’d least expect. What inspires your stories and how do you stay upbeat while working through a writing project?
I’m more attracted to the ordinary than to big splashy stories. I like to poke at everyday experiences and make them strange and ridiculous (like, say, doing your taxes or donating blood). So the humour comes from a mindset of curiosity and irreverence more than any direct attempt to be funny, and that’s why it shows up even in my more serious stories.
The writing process doesn’t always feel upbeat, however. Sometimes I feel the literary pressure for every aspect of a piece to Mean Something and Be Symbolic, but then I remind myself that some of my favourite parts of the stories I love are the details that sweeten the worldbuilding or make me laugh out loud. Adding a bit of delight makes the writing more enjoyable.
Tell us about your fifteen-minute free write practice. When did you implement this into your routine and what are some of the benefits you’ve experienced? Do you have any advice to share with an early career writer looking to adopt a similar practice?
I started this in 2017 and have refined the practice over the years. It’s usually the first thing I do in the morning: I make myself tea, set a timer, and handwrite a bit of fresh fiction in a dedicated journal.
This daily practice isn’t about making progress on any of my current writing projects—quite the opposite, in fact. I preserve it as a free creative space where there are no stakes and no expectations. I do these free writes to stay in tune with the visceral pleasure of inking words on paper, experimenting with language, and stretching imaginative muscles. Doing it daily helps reinforce what Seth Godin calls the “habit of identity”—even when I’m struggling with self-doubt or frustration, I prove to myself daily that I am still a writer.
After I fill a journal completely, I reread my entries and often find a few gems that I can turn into longer pieces. In a world of screens, it’s satisfying to hold a book of handcrafted words.
If other writers are interested in trying this, I’d encourage them to get in touch with what they enjoy most about writing. Get yourself a fancy pen and a notebook you’ll love to write in. Find a reliable time for the practice (it doesn’t have to be daily if that’s not realistic for you). Don’t put pressure on yourself to be good. Don’t even put pressure on yourself to have fun (we all have days when we’re tired and cranky, and that’s okay). Just show up, do the writing, and do it again, and do it again.
Cadence, your fiction is published in a variety of journals, such as Agnes and True, Orca, and Pulp Literature. What are some of your favourite Canadian literary magazines and writing-related resources? When did you first decide to send your writing out to submission calls? How and where did you start?
Some of my favourite Canadian lit mags are Pulp Literature, Augur, Tales & Feathers, Exile, On Spec and FreeFall. In terms of resources and organizations doing good work, I’m a fan of AugurCon, Authors Publish, the Federation of BC Writers, the Festival of Literary Diversity, and SFU’s Writer’s Studio. The Surrey International Writers’ Conference is also on my literary to-do list—I can’t make it this year, so perhaps in 2026 I’ll finally attend!
I started submitting early, as an ambitious and naïve fourteen-year-old. As one of those kids who always wanted to be a writer, sending out my work simply seemed like a logical step. This was back in the days when you had to mail hard copies to journals, and so while my first attempt was to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (I kept the rejection slip!), I mainly stuck to Canadian markets because the postage was less complicated.
It’s been glorious to see how literary markets have grown more accessible and diverse in recent years. In my earlier submitting days, I felt quite constrained by the Canadian market, as there weren’t many magazines that seemed like a good fit for my spec/lit/weird style. Today, there are so many more options—Canadian and otherwise—for all types of writers.
For writers who are interested in submitting their work and don’t know where to start, I highly recommend Authors Publish’s free newsletter to learn about submission opportunities. They’re wide-ranging and succinct, and focus on opportunities that don’t charge for submissions.
Who are your all-time favourite Canadian writers? Which contemporary writer(s) do you recommend checking out?
It’s tough to pick favourites, but I love Richard Wagamese’s emotional depth, Margaret Atwood’s prescience, and Jonathan Goldstein’s mix of humour and pathos.
Some other Canadian writers I enjoy are: Kate Beaton, Francine Cunningham, Cherie Dimaline, Cory Doctorow, Emma Donoghue, Kim Fu, Amorina Kingdon, Premee Mohamed, Drew Hayden Taylor, Chelsea Wakelyn, Natalie Zina Walschots, and Jack Wang.
Besides writing, tell us about another art form you currently practice.
Drumming! I performed with a community taiko group for many years, and I have recently returned to playing West African and Latin instruments. Music provides a great flow state—challenging yet soothing, and it’s restful to step away from the world of words for a while.
Cadence, you served as associate producer for the fiction anthology podcast The Truth, which, sadly, has transmitted its last episode. What’s next on the horizon for you? Do you have any upcoming collaborative projects on the go? What can we expect to see from you in the near future?
My focus this year continues to be on short fiction, and readers can find my latest publication in the Quantum Shorts Vol. 2 anthology, available as a free e-book. I’ll share new publications on my website’s fiction page as they come up.
Fans of The Truth may be interested in the BBC show The Missed Lives of Max and Judy. I wasn’t involved, but Truth producer Jonathan Mitchell did the direction, sound design, and original music for this two-part series. Check it out!
Looking ahead, I’m excited to attend a spring retreat organized by the Federation of BC Writers. This will be my first proper writing retreat! I’m looking forward to making good creative progress and connecting with new and familiar writing friends.
More Cadence Mandybura online:
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Pauline Shen 