Storytelling is all about people, Stuart McLean insisted
I didn’t know Stuart McLean, but like many in Canada, his voice was as familiar as the next-door neighbour’s. It was the early days of the Vinyl Café, sometime in the mid’90s, and already the characters he brought to life were classic, his stories humorous yet always warm and poignant.
I had recently been handed the training portfolio at the Montreal Gazette with a mandate to raise the level of the writing and editing.
I called Stuart and introduced myself to his answering machine. He eventually called back and I asked whether he would consider spending a few days talking to the newsroom about writing. He seemed unsure, but something told me this was a person who found it difficult to say no. I pressed on, citing his Montreal roots and his exceptional storytelling skills.
He finally agreed. We discussed his visit, chose dates and talked at length about writing. When we finally met, he wasn’t at all like the persona I had fashioned from his radio personality. He was soft-spoken, warm and kind. He was always asking questions. He had a smile that never seemed to go away.
Those were times of great transition in the newsroom. The era of rewrite desks and wire service style were giving way to writers’ voices. But how do you manage such a transition, which often led to clashes between reporters and copy editors?
How do you turn a fairly dry and fact-filled news story into a pleasant read?
You tell a story, was Stuart’s mantra. And stories need people. Not just quotes and names, but characters. Even in a short piece, readers can get a sense of the person if you describe something about him or her that makes them real. A simple paragraph, or even just a sentence: “She sat very still, hands together, fingers intertwined as if in prayer.” See, you’ve created a real person, not just someone to be quoted.
Somewhere, I probably have a list of reporters and editors who attended his sessions. It was 20-odd years ago now, and details have crawled deep into the brain stem. But I remember the message, and it remained with me for the rest of my career as a journalist.
Tell stories and readers will pay attention. Eventually, the writer’s voice did rise to prominence in the newsroom. The message was embraced and nurtured by key editors and continues to be passed on. Although staff has been greatly diminished, the Montreal Gazette continues to produce good writers and editors, many having been recruited to other newsrooms across the country.
Stuart McLean was a fleeting but important part of that tradition.
We promised to keep in touch. He wanted to hear more about how I came to Montreal. But like many things, life intervenes. Death, too.
I thought about that promise when I heard the news this week. I can’t shake the image of that smile on a younger man’s face.
Funny how a fleeting moment in time can have such a profound impact.
Rest in peace, my friend.