Sub-series consists of records relating to the conception, development, writing, editing, and publishing of Timothy Findley's novels. The sub-series variously contains notes, outlines, research material, manuscripts, drafts (handwritten and typescript), annotated computer printouts, copyedited manuscripts, corrected page proofs, advanced reading copies, publicity material, final manuscripts, some correspondence and other records related to the following novels: The Last of the Crazy People (1967); The Butterfly Plague (1969, rev. 1985); The Wars (1977); Famous Last Words (1981); Not Wanted On the Voyage (1986); The Telling of Lies (1989); Headhunter (1993); the Stillborn Lover (1993);The Piano Man's Daughter (1995); You Went Away (1996); Pilgrim (1999); Spadework (2001); and adaptations of Nobody Waved Goodbye, Famous Last Words, and Not Wanted on the Voyage as well as an article for an unwritten novel that was to be titled Where Are We Now. The records also relate to untitled work, and unpublished work such as a novel titled variously 'Desperadoes' (parts of which were incorporated into the writing of Headhunter), 'Genesis 126', etc., and another titled 'Whimper' or 'Through the River Singing'. The sub-series also contains Findley's copy of Heart of Darkness, which was annotated by him and used in the writing of Headhunter. The sub-series is arranged chronologically by date of publication and by date of writing (for the unpublished works).
Photographic material in the sub-series includes 2 albums consisting of 106 b/w stills from screen adaptation of "The Wars" (1983) and 7 b&w stills from the stage adaptation of "Not Wanted on the Voyage" (1992).
There are also 6 b&w photographs that were used as inspiration for the Timothy Findley's novella "You Went Away". The photographs are affixed to pages that were removed from a personal journal/scrap book belonging to Timothy Findley's father Alan Findley. The pages also include cut-outs from magazines and newspapers and writings by Alan Findley. The pages seem to be dated 1943 when Alan Findley was serving in the air force during the Second World War.