Arts·Q with Tom Power

Aminder Dhaliwal on A Witch's Guide to Burning, burnout and protecting your creativity

The Canadian cartoonist talks to Q's Tom Power about her new graphic novel, which uses a witch being burnt at the stake as a metaphor for burn out.

The Canadian cartoonist's new graphic novel uses a witch being burnt at the stake as a metaphor for burn out

A composite image of a red and orange book cover beside a portrait of a South Asian woman looking into the camera.
A Witch’s Guide to Burning is a graphic novel by Aminder Dhaliwal. (Drawn & Quarterly, Alison Maxwell)

After working at some of the biggest animation studios in the world and breaking out with her own art, the Canadian cartoonist Aminder Dhaliwal is reflecting on what it means to protect your creativity (and your sanity) in a world that's always demanding that we work harder and faster. The result is her new graphic novel, A Witch's Guide to Burning, which tells a fairy tale-like story about how to find your magic again when you're feeling burnt out. Dhaliwal talks to Q's Tom Power about the book and what burnout feels like to her.

The full interview with Aminder Dhaliwal is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.


Interview with Aminder Dhaliwal produced by Vanessa Greco.