Editing With the Seasons: Indigenous Storytelling and the Rhythm of the Land

Written by Kaitlinn Littlechild on behalf of the Indigenous Editors Association

In Indigenous communities, storytelling is not just a method of sharing knowledge — it is a living relationship. Stories are shaped by land, language, kinship and the cycles of the natural world. There is a time and a place for certain stories. To authentically and respectfully edit Indigenous writing means understanding these relationships and respecting the rhythms that guide them. Seasonality, in particular, offers a powerful lens for how we hold, shape and share stories.

For many Indigenous Nations, time is understood not as a straight line but as a circle. Seasons are more than weather patterns; they are teachings: times for movement, for gathering, for ceremony, for reflection. Storytelling itself often follows these cycles. Winter is a time to gather together and create warmth; it is a time of quiet and deep listening, when many traditional stories can be shared. Spring brings renewal, when new ideas and relationships grow. Summer is active and outward, while autumn brings reflection and preparation.

When we think about editing through this lens, the work becomes more than a technical task. It becomes relational and respectful. Editing is not just about polishing sentences — it is about tending to the story as something alive.

Story as a living being

In many Indigenous worldviews, stories have agency. They are not owned by any one person; they are carried and passed along. An editor working in this space needs to understand that stories arrive with their own shape and breath. The goal is not to fit a story into a Western literary model, but to help ensure that the story is understood on its own terms.

This means listening to the voice of the storyteller, the land from which they come and the cultural teachings they may carry. It means knowing how to offer guidance respectfully and when to step back. It also means acknowledging that some knowledge is not meant for print at all. 

Following the pace of the seasons

Mainstream publishing often moves at a pace of urgency — fast deadlines, quick revisions, constant output. Editing Indigenous texts, however, may require a pace that aligns with seasonal rhythms.

What does this mean?

• Allowing stories the time they need to develop, instead of rushing revisions.
• Recognizing when the writer needs a pause, time for reflection or community input before moving forward.
• Understanding cultural calendars, including ceremonial seasons where creative work may slow or temporarily stop.
• Honouring the ebbs and flows of creative work.

This approach grounds the work. It allows the story to emerge fully and authentically.

Editing as relationship and reciprocity

Indigenous editing acknowledges that stories are created within networks of relationship. The editor and storyteller are not in a hierarchical exchange; they are collaborators. Trust is essential.

Respectful editing practices may include:

• Asking about community permissions or teachings connected to the story.
• Confirming proper representation of language, place names and cultural references.
• Checking in, not just about structure or clarity, but about intention.
• Creating space for Indigenous voice without altering it for mainstream audiences.

In this view, editing becomes an act of care — one that supports both the storyteller and the story itself.

Returning to the circle

Seasonality reminds us that every story and every editing process has phases: emergence, growth, sharing, reflection and rest. When we edit in alignment with these cycles, we honour deeper Indigenous understandings of balance and time.

This approach does not simply change how a story reads — it shifts how the story lives in the world.

Indigenous editing grounded in seasonality is ultimately an invitation: to slow down, to listen, to remember where stories come from and to nurture them so they continue to grow, generation after generation.

The Editors’ Weekly is the official blog of Editors Canada. Contact us.

___

Bio: Kaitlin Littlechild is the founder of both Kaitlin Littlechild Editing and Juno Communications and is the executive director of the Indigenous Editors Association. She is committed to furthering the rights and interests of Indigenous Peoples in Canada through her work. Kaitlin holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Waterloo and multiple professional certifications, including strategic public relations and project management from the University of Toronto and editing from Simon Fraser University.

Websites:

https://www.kaitlinlittlechildediting.ca

https://www.junocommunications.ca

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlin-littlechild-90843715b/