BUILDING NEW WORLDS
Writing is all about world building, but you don’t have to do it alone! When Emma started working with her mentor Jenny, they worked together on development of early works and explored different avenues of promotion for published pieces.
Read on for more about Emma’s experiences with her mentor Jenny O’Kell in Creative Manitoba’s Professional Mentorship Program!
Emma Porter
Emma Porter (she/they) is a Queer, Bipoc, and neurodivergent little goblin whose practice is centred on joy! Intersectionality is incredibly important to her; humans are complex and fluid- she wants her art to reflect that in some small way.
An indie author and dream documentarian; she weaves stories from the unconscious. Cliche? Yes. Accurate? Absolutely!
Jenny O'Kell
Jenny O’Kell (she/her) is an independent author of fantasy and historical fiction featuring older, bisexual protagonists. Her debut novel The Maker of Spells was published in December 2024.
Her next novel, The Highwayman of Hethbrae, will come out in September 2026.
Mentee Emma Porter (left) and mentor Jenny O’Kell (right).
How long have you been a practicing artist?
Technically speaking, I’ve been writing and creating visual art since I was a child. A highlight of which being a fully illustrated story romantic tragedy about a farmer and his wife which my 2nd grade teacher insisted I present to the class. I got my professional indie start in high school, creating the manuscript that would be finalized and published in 2019 during my early uni years.
- Emma
I’ve been writing all my life, but I started to pursue it with serious intent in 2023.
- Jenny
What have you been working on together?
Our initial focus was increasing readership, body of published works, and visibility. We then pivoted from submitting short pieces to expanding and developing them into the novel manuscripts the characters and subject matter deserved.
- Emma
We started out talking about building sustainable momentum while working a full time “day job.” From there, we gradually shifted into workshopping the early stages of a novel that Emma is working on. We also spent a fair bit of time talking about the professional side of being an author, e.g. social media marketing and publication routes.
- Jenny
“Having someone who sees the value in, and expresses genuine excitement in your work, goes a long way to silencing the doubt and imposter syndrome that kills creative momentum.”
- Emma, on the benefits of Professional Mentorship
What aspect of your work brings you joy?
I love character creation and world building, to craft intricate spaces and people beyond the eclectic colours in my head. Hours of research and chatting about fictional characters like they’re old friends, become living worlds and tangible stories.
- Emma
I love watching my characters come to life, and “getting to know them” as I write.
- Jenny
What have been your most positive takeaways from this mentorship session? Any favourite results or moments?
Having someone who sees the value in, and expresses genuine excitement in your work, goes a long way to silencing the doubt and imposter syndrome that kills creative momentum. To know there are people out there that appreciate your work and unique voice is indescribable. Writing is such an individualistic art that, connecting with other authors and their circle of connection, brings in a community to uplift, share, and develop that I never realized was so important. Working with someone in your craft who’s experienced the highs and lows and come up with solutions is invaluable; learning new techniques, answering questions you never thought to ask, building up the tools to get your readers to discover you, bettering future launches, etc.
I’m excited to continue to be a part of a writer’s circle!
- Emma
I also love watching Emma’s characters come to life! The protagonists of Emma’s novel are SCRUMPTIOUSLY quirky and loveable. I can’t wait for the world to meet them.
