"Focus on the why, not the what. It's about getting to the heart of the story and exploring what motivates characters (including myself). I think that's where you find the juiciest 'stuff.' And while details — aka 'the what' — are surely important, it's 'the why' that makes a story transformative."

Christie Pashby is a professional writer and content creator who lives with her young daughter in Canmore, Alta. For 15 years, she was a travel writer based between Patagonia, Argentina and the Canadian Rockies. Her story River Dreams — Learning to Fly-fish in Patagonia made the longlist for the 2017 CBC Nonfiction Prize.