Author: Pauline Shen

Pauline Shen’s work aims to showcase beauty and courage rooted in unexpected and challenging places. Her writing, art, and photography is published with Amethyst Review, Blank Spaces, Dreamers Creative Writing, Lighthouse Weekly, Quibble Lit, and The Signpost [Dorchester]. Pauline is located in London, Ontario.
Candid Talks, Nonfiction

Tips for a Successful Photography Session – PART ONE

Pauline Shen

Although I do photography, I’ve also posed for the camera. So, this blog post is from the prospective of the person sitting for the session. If you’re a freelance writer, it is important to have a high-quality headshot at the very minimum when you begin getting your work published. Many literary journals ask for a headshot, and it is always a good idea to have a professional-looking one on the homepage of your website. As you progress, you’ll want to have eye-catching photos to use with your marketing materials in addition to a basic headshot. Having your picture taken involves more than just posing for the camera. Let’s talk about it.

I’ve worked with a variety of photographers over the past decades. As a model, I posed in-studio within Toronto’s fashion district. I’ve had photos taken while on stage for fitness competitions. And I’ve also worked with many up-and-coming photographers who focused on a range of aesthetics from portraits through fine-art. So the tips I’m sharing here come from a culmination of all these experiences. And, no, it’s not the obvious stuff like “comb your hair,” or, “smile for the camera.”

Continue reading “Tips for a Successful Photography Session – PART ONE” →
Candid Talks, Nonfiction, Writing

On Time

Pauline Shen

The speech I delivered in eighth grade was all about time. It even included a line from the Alan Parsons song “Time.” I had gotten the idea from helping my teacher referee basketball games. It was my job to hold the stopwatch and call out, “Time!” at the end of each period. It was less pressure than being the score keeper, that’s for sure!

Photo by Digital Buggu on Pexels.com

That memory surfaced while brainstorming ideas for marking time in narrative. The objective is to move away from exact data measurements and dive deeper to reach the reader on an emotional level. This can apply to fiction, but can also be creatively incorporated into memoir. Sometimes using a numerical measurement just does not do enough to convey meaning. I mean, is it a story or a textbook? Yikes!

For example, “He started high school in 1997,” would be an accurate statement but falls flat. If the narrator marks the time with a scene, this same information could be told like:

Continue reading “On Time” →
Story Reviews

Desensitization. Commentary on Deron Eckert’s “The Spaceman”

Pauline Shen

How to tell an audience about a horrific encounter? Do it with a nonchalant-style narrative that drops details before the reader like loose change. In Deron Eckert’s “The Spaceman,” the first-person narrative does just that, “Everyone makes a big to-do about me, like I’m in shock or something…” With such a light touch on a heavy subject, Eckert draws the scene out to its fullest capacity, pulling the reader in without hesitation.

Continue reading “Desensitization. Commentary on Deron Eckert’s “The Spaceman”” →
Interviews

Interview with Chris Sadhill

Pauline Shen

In this post, we’ll be learning about Chris Sadhill, freelance writer, poet, and filmmaker. He tells us about his journey from filmmaking to prose writing and offers important guidance for fellow writers. Chris shares his thoughts on creative drive, authenticity, and promotion strategies.

Chris, after being immersed in the world of visual storytelling, what motivated you to begin writing prose?

Being an indie filmmaker meant I had to be a jack of all trades, especially when I had a small crew, which was often. I was involved in everything. I set up the lighting, tested camera shots, coached onscreen talent about the day’s scenes, occasionally I’d choreograph a fight, and there was always production paperwork, scheduling conflicts, and other aspects that required managing and organization. When I finally announced it was a wrap, the film was only halfway done and I moved into the post-production phase which involved sound design, editing, color grading, and music scoring to finalize the film. Making a film is not pointing and shooting a camera as some may think. It’s a collaboration between many creatives over an extended amount of time. It’s controlled chaos at best, and it’s not for the faint of heart.    

Continue reading “Interview with Chris Sadhill” →
Candid Talks, Nonfiction, Writing

Five Effective Practices from the Commuter Workforce that I Use as a Freelancer – PART TWO

Pauline Shen

Freelance writing is a long game. You’ll need to treat each new project with the long-term outcome in mind. When you’re working for yourself, accountability falls on you to organize your work in a productive manner. I have adopted five practices from my experience in the commuter workforce that help me as a freelance writer. In PART ONE of this topic, we covered:

  • Meditative Mornings and Active Afternoons
  • Chunking Non-billable Items

In this post, I’ll discuss:

  • Get Your Team on Board
  • No-Work Zones
  • Keep at it
Continue reading “Five Effective Practices from the Commuter Workforce that I Use as a Freelancer – PART TWO” →
Candid Talks, Nonfiction, Writing

Five Effective Practices from the Commuter Workforce that I Use as a Freelancer – PART ONE

Pauline Shen

In my prior collection of commuter jobs, I saw enough co-workers engaging in workplace shenanigans to know that dressing in business attire or a uniform isn’t quite enough to maintain professionalism. There are facets of human nature that always seep through no matter the front you put on. So why do so many work-from-home articles advise dressing-up just to sit in your own living room?

I have adopted five items from my personal experience in the commuter workforce that help me as a freelance writer. These five things keep my work running smoothly. And, no, it does not involve pulling on pantyhose or having to iron a blouse that no one will see. Let’s be practical.

Here’s my top five:

Continue reading “Five Effective Practices from the Commuter Workforce that I Use as a Freelancer – PART ONE” →
Story Reviews

The Scar Behind the Story. Commentary on Brecht De Poortere’s “Mango Fly”

Pauline Shen

Brecht De Poortere’s “Mango Fly” is a quick and masterful telling of losing one’s innocence. Besides the troubling realism contained in the opening line itself, you know the plot spells trouble when our young protagonist-narrator sums-up the family’s relationship with character Nepo by saying, “[w]e trusted him because he was handsome and strong as a gun.” If the narrative were a roller-coaster, this is the point at the highest part of the track just before you begin to feel the car tip over the edge. It’s a wild ride, but keep your eyes open.

Continue reading “The Scar Behind the Story. Commentary on Brecht De Poortere’s “Mango Fly”” →
Interviews

Interview with Max and Teona Bjork

Pauline Shen

In this post, we’ll be learning more about Max and Teona Bjork, the work they do in managing Writing Battle, and where this writing competition may be headed in the near future. Max Bjork is the Halifax-based creator of Writing Battle and runs it along with Teona Bjork who is a full-time mom and part-time Writing Battle administrator.

There were over 1200 stories in the recent Winter Flash Fiction Battle. What has been the most surprising thing about these tournaments so far?

Continue reading “Interview with Max and Teona Bjork” →
Story Reviews

Home is a Lifetime Away. Commentary on Taylor Thornburg’s “Come On, Come On, Come On”

Pauline Shen

Meet Jonah, an elderly man who decides to take a stroll, sit on a park bench, and then make his way home. But what is home, anyways? Is it something clearly defined? How do you know when you’ve recognized it? In Taylor Thornburg’s “Come On, Come On, Come On,” when is the key word indeed. Jonah searches, “…in the windows. They reflected an unfamiliar figure. Jonah had white hair and a crooked posture. His reflection had thick brown hair and stood upright. Bewildered, Jonah did not notice his reflection.” Juxtaposition signals a tangle of memories that flood Jonah’s mind and pull the reader’s attention in multiple directions.

Continue reading “Home is a Lifetime Away. Commentary on Taylor Thornburg’s “Come On, Come On, Come On”” →