When Gabrielle Drolet started her MFA in creative writing, she had one plan: write a novel.
“I had this really specific idea of what that book was going to be,” she says. “And it just wasn’t coming out that way.”
Halfway through the program, a sudden onset of chronic pain made it nearly impossible for her to use her hands. “It went from being kind of bad and painful to—I couldn’t type anymore.”
What followed was a total creative upheaval: “Because I was in school, I had to suddenly adapt and learn to use voice-to-text, but I didn’t learn to use it well. The way we speak is just different, fundamentally, from the way we write.”
Unlock Montreal’s stories. Join The Main community.
Read this story free.
Enter your email to unlock your first article and get The Bulletin — our weekly roundup of food, art, and local culture.
- 5 free articles per month
- Save your favourite places & guides
- Weekly newsletter The Bulletin
- Stay connected to Montreal culture
Become an Insider.
Join a community that supports independent Montreal stories and celebrates the people shaping its culture.
Subscribe- Unlimited access to all stories
- Exclusive features & local insights
- Special offers and event invites
- 10% off in our shop
- Support local storytelling
Already a member? Sign in
