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“Bless thee, Bottom … Thou Art translated!”: A Workshop on Poetry Across the Disciplines with poet Amanda Jernigan and singer Daniel Cabena
Robert Frost famously defined poetry as that which is lost in translation. But what happens when poetry is translated not between languages but from the page to the voice? Or from one voice to another? What is lost? What is gained? In this workshop we will experiment with these sorts of translation, passing our poems from one form into another, from one voice to another. (How do you hear your poem differently when you read it aloud? When someone else reads it aloud? When you imagine it’s in the voice of a queen, or a fool, or a tow-truck driver, or a unicorn …) We will talk about and experiment with contrafactum — the practice of devising new words for old tunes. Participants should come prepared with a poem by someone else that they would like to experiment with; they should also expect to do some writing of their own. Introduced by Barb Carter
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$10 Donation
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$100 Donation
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$25 Donation
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$5 Donation
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$50 Donation
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A Long Look Back: Reimagining History in Your Writing
with Alysia Kolentsis, Jean McNeil, and Kathleen Winter.
Why do we return to the past as a way of understanding the present?
Alysia Kolentsis speaks to Kathleen Winter (Undersong) and Jean McNeil (Day for Night) about their use of real-life characters in fiction. Tune in to hear their process of reimagining historical figures as a way of exploring relationships, loss, trust. What do we learn when we recast history?
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Aging and Creativity
with Jane Buyers, Susan Swan, and Emily Urquhart
How does art evolve as we age?
When Emily Urquhart and her family celebrated the eightieth birthday of her father, the illustrious painter Tony Urquhart, she found it remarkable that, although his pace had slowed, he was continuing his daily art practice of drawing, painting, and constructing large-scale sculptures, and was even innovating his style. Was he defying the odds, or is it possible that some assumptions about the elderly are flat-out wrong? Is it possible that our best work is ahead of us? Is there an expiry date on creativity?
Join Emily Urquhart and the artists that have inspired her to unpack these questions and more. Recommended Reading: Emily Urquhart’s newly launched memoir, The Age of Creativity: Art, Memory, My Father, and Me.
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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All-Access Pass to the 2018 Wild Writers Festival
Your All-Access Pass includes:
Friday, November 2
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Opening Showcase with Sharon Bala and Rawi Hage. Moderated by Jael Richardson.
Saturday, November 3
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3 Writer's Craft Classes OR 1 Masterclass + 1 Writer's Craft Class
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Gourmet Boxed Lunch from EVO Kitchen
Sunday, November 4
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The Literary Brunch with Katherine Ashenburg, Claire Cameron, and Michael Redhill. Moderated by Sharron Smith.
+ One Year Subscription to The New Quarterly!
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All-Inclusive Pass to the 2019 Wild Writers Festival
Why choose when you can have it all?
Book your All-Inclusive Pass today and enjoy:
✔ Entrance to the Opening Showcase with Kathy Page, Elizabeth Hay & Eufemia Fantetti
✔ 3 Writer's Craft Classes OR 1 Masterclass + 1 Writer's Craft Class
✔ A Gourmet Boxed Lunch from EVO Kitchen
✔ Entrance to The Literary Brunch with David Bezmozgis & Michael Crummey
✔ A One-Year Subscription to The New Quarterly, a national literary magazine based in Waterloo!
Early Bird $135 • Online $140 • Not Available at the Door!
SOLD OUT
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Autofictions: Pushing our Truths to Tell Better Stories with Brent van Staalduinen
Our lives are full of great fictions and great truths, and the lines between them are hazy. Some people fear this uncertainty, but the writer should not: every memory and experience is valuable, and can seed great writing. In this workshop, participants will discover how the elements of great fiction are synonymous with the best ways to use and tell their own truths, and explore new ways to craft them to make their stories better. Bring pen, paper, and some of your own truths to explore.
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Beyond Ear Candy—Making Podcasts That Matter
with Chioke I'Anson, Waubgeshig Rice, and Claire Tacon.
A great podcast can memorialize, mobilize, and inspire.
Join Chioke I’Anson, Waubgeshig Rice, and Claire Tacon as they discuss the opportunities that podcasting presents for anyone looking to share essential stories. They will discuss how they use podcasts in education, writing, and community-building. Plus: hear their hot tips on getting started (even if you’re not an audio producer).
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Bird Song: Finding a New, Natural Voice
with Susan Bryant and Julia Zarankin
For Julia Zarankin, birding ultimately lead her to uncover a new language.
When Julia Zarankin saw her first red-winged blackbird at the age of thirty-five, she didn’t expect that it would change her life. Recently divorced and auditioning hobbies during a stressful career transition, she stumbled on birdwatching, initially out of curiosity for the strange breed of humans who wear multi-pocketed vests, carry spotting scopes and discuss the finer points of optics with disturbing fervour. What she never could have predicted was that she would become one of them. Join Julia Zarankin and Susan Bryant for a conversation on how a new hobby can cast a new perspective in your writing.
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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Body of Correspondence: Finding Connections Through Letters
with Ivan Coyote, Brian Francis, and Vinh Nguyen
Writing, at its core, is a tool for communication. Can the communication itself create story?
Join Vinh Nguyen as he talks to Ivan Coyote, author of Care Of, about how they connected with their fans by answering letters, Facebook messages and emails they collected over the years. Ivan is joined by Brian Francis, who wrote about responding to thirteen replies to a personal ad placed almost thirty years ago in his book Missed Connections. Join us for an exploration in finding connection through correspondence and discover how these writers changed by reaching out to strangers.
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Book signing
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Character Reinvention in Fiction Writing
with Philip Huynh, Nadja Lubiw-Hazard, Casey Plett, Claire Tacon & Jessica Westhead
Online ticket sales are closed. Limited tickets will be available at the door.These authors grapple with issues that challenge the inhabitants of their story in unique and unforeseen ways—family secrets, anxiety, displacement, abandonment, addiction, grief, the struggle for identity. Through discussions and readings from their work, we learn how these authors navigate complex realities and find ways for their characters to reinvent themselves in the process. Moderated by Claire Tacon. -
Characterizing Climate Change
with Catherine Bush and Mahak Jain
“I don’t know how to write any more not in relation to the ecological crisis going on around us. How do we write now – this feels like the essential question.”How can a work of fiction mobilize fact-based science? What are the powers—and perils—of stories about science? Join Catherine Bush and Mahak Jain as they discuss the research and writing process behind Catherine Bush’s latest novel, Blaze Island. This live conversation picks up where their interview with The New Quarterly left off.
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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Childhood and Intuition as Literary Inspiration with Kathleen Winter
The participatory lecture, titled Childhood and Intuition as Literary Inspiration, will use anecdotes and illustrations from Kathleen’s own experiences. She will talk about the role of childhood memory, walking, and intuitive use of a small daily notebook. Kathleen will invite participants to write a short piece (about 500 words) that can stand alone or go on to become the seed for a longer piece to be completed independently after your time together.
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Crafting the Poem with Evelyn Lau
introduced by Barb Carter
In this workshop, renowned poet Evelyn Lau will help students appreciate the editing process required to craft a polished poem. Evelyn will workshop six poems supplied by workshop attendees. With the help of the participants, Evelyn will give an editorial assessment of the poems and make suggestions for how the poems can move forward. All attendees of the workshop will benefit from the discussion and will come away form the workshop with a keener understanding of the editorial process.
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Creating Character
with Kathy Page
SOLD OUT!
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Creative Nonfiction with Jael Richardson
This nonfiction workshop explores the creative side of creative nonfiction and will help writers, both established and emerging, turn the story they know into a story everyone will love reading. The workshop will include short writing exercises that will help nonfiction writers think not only about the story they’re telling but the way it needs to be told. Introduced by Susan Scott
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Different Worlds and Different Bodies
with Amanda Leduc
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Displacement Narratives with Kyle Edwards, Beth Gebreyohannes, Zainab Mahdi, and Maša Torbica. Moderated by Lamees Al Ethari
From immigrant and refugee narratives to suppressed voices from Indigenous communities, the concept of displacement has incited discussions on migrations, lost homelands, and new ideas of belonging and identity. Meet writers who are finding a language to express their experiences, and who are leading the way, showing how to engage in conversation.
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Editing Bootcamp with Katia Grubisic
Bring your sorry syntax, your lousy line breaks, your dopey dialogue or pathetic pace, and we’ll boot them into shape. In this short, intensive literary editing workshop, participants will learn tricks and tips to make substantive improvements to their work and fine-tune their close reading and critiquing skills. All genres welcome; please email a short draft/work-in-progress of no more than one page (prose should be double spaced; poetry can be single spaced) by November 1, 2018, to info@newquarterly.net
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Facing Your Fear of Poetry
with Sarah Tolmie
Early Bird $20 • Online $22 • At the Door $25
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Finding Home: Stories My Father Never Told Me with Tamas Dobozy and Pasha Malla. Moderated by David Worsley
There are stories that are passed on through generations and there are those that are never told but must be elicited through observation, family lore, or imagination. In Stories my Father Never Told Me award winning authors Tamas Dobozy and Pasha Malla discuss the influence of family history on their work and explore the possibility that the stories they write stem from generations past.
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Finding Solace: Retreats and Reading
With Kirsteen MacLeod, Susan Olding, and Susan Scott.
Join this intimate, lively chat with leading stylists in creative nonfiction. Kirsteen MacLeod’s In Praise of Retreat and Susan Olding’s Big Reader lead us into territory that’s uncommonly strange and uncannily familiar. From monks and hermits to poetic geniuses and long lost loves, we’ll explore how nonfiction writers navigate the wild terrain they’re committed to exploring. Learn about wrangling controversial topics, packing for research trips, pitching to publishers, and the secret to producing work that is timely, beautiful, and arresting.
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First Word, First Sentence, First Paragraph with Robert Rotenberg
This seminar focuses on the crucial first sentence and paragraph of a novel. Participants are invited to bring with them examples of their own writing (first page only) and examples of first paragraphs of one novel that they admire. Bring pen and paper and leave your defences at the door.
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Forming First Collections
With Shashi Bhat, Kate Cayley, Carrie Snyder, and Katie Zdybel.
How does a group of stories become a collection?
Join Carrie Snyder as she talks to Shashi Bhat, Kate Cayley, and Katie Zdybel about their experience in publishing their debut, newly launched short story collections. Did these writers set out to create collections of short stories, or did the collections naturally form? What links the stories together? Tune in to unpack these questions and more, as they reveal the story behind their stories.
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From Plants to Pages: Helen Humphreys on Field Studies
With Helen Humphreys.
Helen Humphreys spent a year working in an herbarium—and walked out with her latest book.
Fans of Helen Humphreys know that she has a knack for finding inspiration in unexpected places, from the Thames river to the apple. In Field Study, she takes a deep look at the forgotten world of herbariums and the people who amassed collections of plant specimens. How does Helen embark on her field studies, and how does she turn these sources into such captivating creative works?
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From Stage to Page
With Nam Nguyen and Vinh Nguyen.
How can a writer inject the magic of the theatre into a written work?
Nam Nguyen was named one of NOW Magazine’s Breakthrough Stage Artists of 2019 for the production of his musical “A Perfect Bowl of Pho.” Nam has since transformed his inventive, energetic musical into a book. Join Vinh Nguyen as they dicuss this transformation, along with the story’s celebration of culture and food through performance and song. Tune in for a special showcase of work from the musical!
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Gift of Fire: What to Look for in a Mentor with Lamees Al Ethari, Anita Chong, Antonio Michael Downing, and Tasneem Jamal. Moderated by Leonarda Carranza.
The world of publishing can be taxing, exclusive, and intimidating. One model of engagement and support is a seeking mentorship. Our panel will advise us how to search for the right kind of mentor, and why the right mentor is key. Other issues for discussion include: power-sharing, knowledge-exchange, advocacy, transparency, and accountability. What is the true value of mentoring at different stages of one’s career? How do you know when the relationship is working, or failing, or if it’s simply time for both parties to move on?
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Gourmet Boxed Lunches
from EVO Kitchen
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Gourmet Boxed Lunches from EVO Kitchen
Each Gourmet Boxed Lunch contains a main course, side, fresh cut fruit, dessert and a bottle of San Pellegrino.
If you have any dietary restrictions, please contact
admin [at] tnq.ca -
Home and Away: A Roundtable Conversation
with Lamees Al Ethari, Helen Knott, Vinh Nguyen & Ayelet Tsabari
Online ticket sales are closed. Tickets will be available at the door.
How do displaced writers locate themselves in their writing? Refugee, immigrant, and Indigenous writers have pushed the boundaries of language to express their experiences. But they’re also challenging expectations of what it means to be a displaced writer in Canada. Join this intimate roundtable conversation to traverse these topics and more.
Please note: Helen Knott is unable to attend this event and sends her sincere regrets.
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How to Create a Successful Writing Group
with Ashley-Elizabeth Best, Nancy Jo Cullen, Y.S. (Ying) Lee, Kirsteen MacLeod, Susan Olding, and Sarah Tsiang
This is the dream team of writing groups.
These poets represent different styles, generations, and communities. How did they find each other and stick together? Join their roundtable discussion to see what makes this group a success. Learn their tips for:
- Forming your own writing group
- Keeping motivated
- Offering informed critiques
- Developing your craft at your pace
- Finding your voice and standing behind it
- Experimenting in different styles
- Banishing self-doubt!
Featuring an all-star lineup of poetry readings.
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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How to Promote Yourself
with Casey Plett
SOLD OUT!
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How to Turn the Written Word into Podcast Magic
with Michelle Parise
Online ticket sales are closed. Limited tickets will be available at the door.
Want to know tips and tricks for lifting your words off the page and into the ears of millions*? Find out how to write for the most intimate medium with award-winning journalist, writer and performer Michelle Parise, who adapted her memoir, Alone: A Love Story into a hit international podcast. In this workshop, she will share her process, thoughts on craft, and get you to think about writing with your ears.
*millions not guaranteed
Early Bird $20 • Online $22 • At the Door $25
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Inspired by True Stories
with Helen Humphreys and Nicole Smith
How does a writer create fiction from history?
1947: a lonely boy in a small farming town befriends the local tramp. He then witnesses a murder. In her latest book, Rabbit Foot Bill: A Novel, Helen Humphreys tells the stories of Leonard Flint and Rabbit Foot Bill, examining the frailty and resilience of the human mind. How did she unearth the inner lives of these characters? What motivated her research and writing process? And what advice does she have for writers who are similarly inspired by true stories?
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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Interactive Possibilities of Creative Nonfiction with Betsy Warland
In 2007, I decided to write with a very different set of assumptions. I began my new manuscript without the goal of a print book. In 2012, I decided to create an online salon comprised of my work-in-progress excerpts, guest artists and writers’ works, readers’ comments, and images. Oscar’s Salon ran for nine years. Was liberating! I loved every minute of it. Attracting considerable readership, in 2016, a publisher sought me out and Oscar of Between – A Memoir of Identity and Ideas was published by Caitlin Press. This workshop will inspire you to think outside-the-box regarding new ways to: write; encourage readers to discover and interact with your work; and find new paths to publication.
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Love and Loss: Reflecting on Your Roots
With Lamees Al Ethari and Kamal Al-Solaylee.
A homecoming can take place in an airport terminal. It can also take place at your keyboard.
Join Lamees Al Ethari and Kamal Al-Solaylee as they discuss confronting national histories and personal stories in memoir. From Iraq to Yemen, both writers have tackled stories of devastating loss, balanced with reflections of love and peacefulness. How do they achieve this balance? And how did they maintain self-care while writing honestly and artfully about these stories?
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Lunch
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Main Character, Same Character? with Ian Hamilton in conversation with David Worsley
In his award-winning Ava Lee series, mystery novelist Ian Hamilton presents Ava Lee, a forensic accountant with a specialty in dangerous massive debt recovery. In Hamilton’s new upcoming series, one of Ava Lee’s contacts— Uncle—takes centre stage. Join Words Worth Books owner and thriller aficionado David Worsley for a discussion on how to introduce new locales and secondary characters while keeping existing characters fresh and compelling.
(Formerly “Writing Incognito” with Naben Ruthnum)
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Making a Living as a Writer
With Doretta Lau.
Writing is an art, but it is also a business. This workshop will reveal the key actions you must complete to set yourself up for financial success, with an emphasis on using digital tools to your advantage. Rest assured, if you hate Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, there are plenty of solutions to build community and cultivate an audience for your work. Put the stereotype of the starving writer behind you and take control of your career, one simple step at a time.
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Making Room for Disability: Mining Folklore and Fairytales
with Amanda Leduc and Emily Urquhart
How do the stories we know—and tell—(mis)represent the body?In familiar formulas, the beautiful princess seems entitled to her Happy Ending. The ogre? Rightfully doomed to obscurity. Why should a character’s physical appearance—their abilities and disabilities—dictate their fate? How can readers and writers become more mindful of the language that continues to haunt the characters in our stories today? Join Amanda Leduc and Emily Urquhart to unpack the effects of ableism in fairy tales, folklore, and popular culture. Discover how a disabled lens can disrupt those familiar formulas, produce fuller stories, and allow every body their Happy Ending.
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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Memoir’s Companions
with Anita Lahey
Memory. Reflection. Craft. Fellow writers. Beloved books.
We imagine memoir writers undertaking brave, solitary excursions into personal history. In some ways, they do. But few worthwhile books emerge fully formed from hidden garrets. The five “companions” listed above proved essential to Anita Lahey as, over many years, she wrote and rewrote The Last Goldfish: A True Tale of Friendship. In this session, she’ll discuss elements of self, craft, and community that go into transforming one’s own potent experience into a story that will resonate with readers.
Click Here For The Workshop Handout
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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Mentorship Fee
Congratulations on being accepted into the 2021 Wild Writers Mentorship Program!
To continue with the process, you can make your payment of $150 on this page.
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Mentorship: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
with Evelyn Lau, Susan Scott, and Isabella Wang.
The right mentor can mean the difference between a writer struggling with invisibility and finally feeling heard. But what does “right” even mean? Is chemistry important? What are the signs of a mentorship that is transformative versus transactional? How do you know when you’re ready for mentoring—or to step up as a mentor? Join Evelyn Lau, Susan Scott, and Isabella Wang in exploring the ethics, joys, perks, and benefits of this vital relationship in the writing world.
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Narrating Identity, Memory, and (Dis)Belonging
with Lamees Al Ethari and Antonio Michael Downing
How do writers tell their stories while they are still finding their place in the world?
Antonio Michael Downing’s SAGA BOY is a memoir of creativity and transformation. He narrates a deeply personal account of a young immigrant’s search for belonging and black identity. At the heart of his odyssey: a longing for home. Join Lamees Al Ethari and Antonio Michael Downing to explore how writers navigate complicated personal histories amid the long-lasting effects of cultural dislocation.
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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On Character with Sharon Bala
In the domain of fiction, character is king. Long after we’ve forgotten the plot twists and turns, the particulars of settings, and even the narrative styles, of our favourite books, it is the characters we remember. In this workshop we will investigate the difference between what Forster called flat and rounded characters, talk about arcs and epiphanies, and learn how to create imaginary humans who feel true enough to be real. Introduced by Pamela Mulloy
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On Character with Alison Pick
Good character development is a critical part of writing both fiction and nonfiction (and can also be surprisingly relevant to poetry!). This workshop will help you get to know the characters you are writing about in new and fun ways. Come prepared to brainstorm, to play games, to write hard, and to learn how understanding your characters deeply can take your writing project to a whole new level.
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On Holding Attention
with Jack Wang
What kinds of narrative strategies earn attention in fiction?According to Will Storr in The Science of Storytelling, all writers face the challenge of “grabbing and keeping the attention of other people’s brains.” What can evolutionary psychology and neuroscience tell us about the kinds of stories that engage us most? Through evolutionary scholarship and literary examples, this lecture will explore the art of captivating readers through fiction.
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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Opening Showcase
Opening Showcase with Sharon Bala and Rawi Hage. Moderated by Jael Richardson.
+Winners of The New Quarterly’s contests: to be announced August 31st!
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Opening Showcase with Alison Pick and Kathleen Winter. Moderated by Craig Norris
+Winners of the The New Quarterly‘s contests: Shannon Blake (Peter Hinchcliffe Short Fiction Award for “The Mataram Miracle”), Susan Olding (Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest for “A Different River”), Fiona Tinwei Lam (Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest for “Test”)
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Opening Showcase: Parental Guidance Advised
with Elizabeth Hay, Kathy Page & Eufemia Fantetti
Online ticket sales are closed. Tickets will be available at the door.
Parents make for great source material. Award-winning writers Elizabeth Hay and Kathy Page know this all too well. Kathy Page’s Dear Evelyn grew from her father’s war-time love letters to her mother. Elizabeth Hay’s All Things Consoled details the decline of her ferociously independent elderly parents.
Source material isn’t the only thing that links these writers. Both earned Writers’ Trust Prizes in November, 2018—Kathy Page for fiction, Elizabeth Hay for nonfiction. Almost exactly one year later, Kathy Page and Elizabeth Hay unite onstage to reflect on their process and tackle tough questions. Why do we return to stories about our parents? Why do these stories continue to draw such attention and acclaim?
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Placing the Perfect / Line Break
with Paul Vermeersch
A well-placed line break can be the most effective tool
in the poet’s toolbox. Poet and editor Paul Vermeersch
will discuss what line breaks do and how they do it.
From end-stops to enjambment, from pacing to polysemy,
this workshop will cover it all.A well-placed line break can be the most
effective tool in the poet’s toolbox. Poet
and editor Paul Vermeersch will discuss what
line breaks do and how they do it. From
end-stops to enjambment, from pacing
to polysemy, this workshop will cover it all.A well-placed line break can be
the most effective tool in the poet’s
toolbox. Poet and editor Paul
Vermeersch will discuss what line
breaks do and how they do it.
From end-stops to enjambment,
from pacing to polysemy, this
workshop will cover it all.Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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Poetry and Healing: In Conversation
with George Elliott Clarke
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Poetry in Communication with Daniel Cabena, Cori Martin, Richard Sanger, and Karen Schindler. Moderated by Amanda Jernigan.
A panel discussion about the many and various ways that poetry can reach an audience, communicate, across the usual boundaries of the art—through participation in music and performance, in the hand-crafted form of a beautiful book, through performance in the theatre… In all of these ways, poetry enters into community—and it makes community, dissolving our solitudes, asking us to enter into relation with one another in new ways.
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Poetry Masterclass
with George Elliott Clarke
SOLD OUT!
George Elliott Clarke believes that poetic mastery consists in having command of too-often-overlooked or taken-for-granted basics: Vocabulary/Diction (incl. English “roots” and “routes”), Rhythm/Meter, and Forms/Constraints. He will offer a series of exercises (developed over 36 years of praxis), both of his own invention or borrowed–with acknowledgment–from others, all introduced with a discussion of the underlying theory, and all intended to help the participating writer or poet, at whatever stage of creative “mastery,” to range further, stretch, advance. Clarke has offered courses in Creative Writing at Duke University and the University of Toronto, and has also taught at Banff and at Green College (UBC) and in writing workshops from coast to coast. He promises participants increased excellence in craft and a charged atmosphere of due humility before the Muse(s) and irreverent humour for all (mere) mortals.
Early Bird $40 • Online $42
SOLD OUT!
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Quantum Physics, Biology, Genetics: How Three Women Use Science in Writing
With Madhur Anand, Erin Bow, Krista Foss, and Margaret Nowaczyk.
She blinded me with science…and creative writing!
Madhur Anand, Krista Foss, and Margaret Nowaczyk are in conversation with poet, novelist and science writer Erin Bow about how science informs their fiction, poetry, and nonfiction writing. Join us to explore how these three writers use science lyrically, creatively and intellectually without writing science fiction. We will consider the advantages (and disadvantages) of having scientific training, the limits of research, how scientific themes work in different forms, and the lyrical potential of the scientific lexicon.
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Recklessness and Revision in Poetry with Chris Banks
introduced by Tristanne Connolly
In this master’s class workshop, Chris Banks will be talking about the twin forces of recklessness and revision, how they pull in opposite directions, and how to silence one’s inner editor so a poem can move in surprising, unexpected ways. With examples and sharp insights pulled from contemporary poetry, Banks will lead workshop participants through a variety of exercises meant to help them “unleash” their writing potential.
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Self-Care for Writers 101
with Maya Ameyaw, Eufemia Fantetti, Kathy Friedman, Stuart Ross & Leanne Toshiko Simpson
SOLD OUT!
SOLD OUT!
Mental health and wellness concerns can be particularly acute in the writing community, as writers navigate creative and professional highs and lows. This roundtable discussion focuses on how writers can build strong self-care practices, boundaries, and support systems. It will also touch on the risks involved in writing about mental illness, including what it means to go public with our stories and the challenges of writing about traumatic personal histories.
The discussion will be led by special guests from InkWell Workshops. InkWell runs free creative-writing workshops for people with mental health and addictions issues facilitated by award-winning writers with lived experience.
Early Bird $10 • Online $12 • At the Door $15
If you want to attend this session but are facing financial barriers, please reach out to ebednarz[at]tnq.ca.
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Self-Publishing
with Paul Vermeersch.
This is not a how-to self-publish workshop, or a how-to get published seminar.
Instead, Vermeersch will discuss the historical and present-day contexts of self-publishing, its uses and usefulness, as well as its promises and inevitable pitfalls. Armed with a knowledge of self-publishing from Gutenberg to Instagram—a history rich with revolution, community-building, craftwork, and scams—attendees will be better able to decide for themselves if self-publishing is right for them and their writing project, or if pursuing traditional publishing might be more suitable.
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Shaming or Celebrating? Challenging Norms in Personal Nonfiction
with Carolina Echeverria, Sheniz Janmohamed, Amanda Leduc, Heidi Reimer & Susan Scott
Online ticket sales are closed. Tickets will be available at the door.It’s hard to write deeply personal nonfiction, harder still to get it published. Yet there is a crying need, we know, to confront what is hidden and taboo. What to do in the face of standoff? Are there strategies we can all adopt, conversations we can each initiate—and with whom? Join us in celebrating how one wildly unpopular topic (spiritual memoir) could become a beloved book (Body & Soul from Caitlin Press) that breaks down barriers for others—and possibly, for you. Moderated by Susan Scott.
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Tamas Dobozy on Building the Perfect, Decrepit Utopia
With Tamas Dobozy and Ágnes Vashegyi MacDonald.
From its Greek origins, “utopia” is both a “great place” and “no place.” How do writers contend with this alluring, contradictory space? Join Tamas Dobozy and Ágnes Vashegyi MacDonald as they explore the fallible utopias of Dobozy’s work. Dive deep into discussions of unsettled histories, unearthed secrets, and that gnawing feeling…that something has been left unresolved.
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Ten Tips For Writing Great Creative Nonfiction
with Ayelet Tsabari
SOLD OUT!
Early Bird $20 • Online $22 • At the Door $25
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Test Comp
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The Art of the Shelfie: Marketing Yourself as a Writer with Amanda Leduc
Once upon a time, marketing and publicity rested solely in the hands of the publisher. Today, self-promotion is a necessary survival skill—something that can often strike fear into the heart of a writer who is used to disappearing behind their computer screen. But marketing yourself as a writer needn’t be terrifying! Join writer and Twitter devotee Amanda Leduc for a candid information session as she takes you through some of the dos, the don’ts, and the dares of making a name for yourself online and IRL.
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The Fiction Panel with Trevor Corkum, Alicia Elliott, Lori McNulty, and Rebecca Rosenblum. Moderated by Claire Tacon
Tough Choices. Literary fiction by its nature tends to seek out topics that make us feel uncomfortable, make us think, allow us to explore emotional territory that we might want to stray from, and yet this is the very territory that makes us feel more human. Join us for readings and discussions with authors who have each considered difficult subjects and written thought-provoking, elegant pieces as a result.
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The Literary Brunch
with David Bezmozgis, Michael Crummey & K.D. Miller
SOLD OUT!
Join us for a refreshing Sunday morning with award-winning authors David Bezmozgis, Michael Crummey, and K.D. Miller who will discuss their latest work, writing process, and lives as a writers. Intimate, casual, engaging – an ideal way to spend a Sunday morning. Moderated by Sharron Smith.
Hosted at Rhapsody Barrel Bar (179 King Street West, Kitchener). Doors open and coffee is served at 9:30am. Brunch is served piping hot at 10:15am sharp. Mimosas and dessert served at 11:00am. Brunch is your choice between Rhapsody Benedict, Cinnamon Crunch French Toast, and Mixed Berry Parfait.
Early Bird $38 • Online $40 • At the Door $45
SOLD OUT!
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The Literary Brunch with Katherine Ashenburg, Claire Cameron, and Michael Redhill. Moderated by Sharron Smith.
Coffee will be served at 9:30 followed by breakfast fare. The writers will discuss their latest work, the writing process, and life as a writer. Intimate, casual, engaging – an ideal way to spend a Sunday morning. Mimosas served at 11:00 am.
Brunch is your choice between Rhapsody Benedict, Cinnamon Crunch French Toast, and Mixed Berry Parfait
Dessert will be an assortment of pies.
If you have any dietary restrictions, please contact
admin [at] tnq.ca -
The Literary Brunch with Karen Connelly, Helen Humphreys and Wayne Johnston. Moderated by Sharron Smith
Coffee with the authors begins at 9:30 followed by breakfast fare. The writers will discuss their latest work, the writing process, and life as a writer. Intimate, casual, engaging — an ideal way to spend a Sunday morning. Mimosas served at 11:00am. Doors open at 9:00.
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The Nonfiction Panel: Risk, Rejection, and the Personal Essay with Kyle Edwards, Alicia Elliott, Susan Olding, and Betsy Warland. Moderated by Tasneem Jamal
The New Yorker has declared the personal essay in “decline.” TNQ says it is alive and well, thanks to risk-takers who are willing to weather rejection, controversy, and critique. Meet emerging and established essayists who can help us understand why writing that is powerful for the reader can also be so dangerous for the writer. (Psst: of special interest to fans of the Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest.)
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The Path to Publication
with Chelene Knight, Pamela Mulloy, Russell Smith, and Brent van Staalduinen
De-mystifying the process, one question at a time.The publication process shouldn’t be a mystery to writers. Join this collective Q&A with a panel of experts representing each step of the journey. Ask your finicky formatting questions, your big picture book deal questions. Our experts are here to help!
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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The Publication Process: Writer, Editor, and Agent Connect
With Jackie Kaiser, Pamela Mulloy, Jack Wang, and Janie Yoon.
How do you become a successful debut author? (And how long does it take?)
Join Jack Wang as he talks about the long and winding road to getting his collection of stories We Two Alone published. Jack will compare notes with his editor, Janie Yoon, and his agent Jackie Kaiser, who will help demystify the process. Tune in for a discussion about the small steps that have a big impact, the rejection along the way, and how Jack ultimately landed a publication contract.
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The Publishing Panel: The Joy of Litmags with Emily Donaldson (Canadian Notes and Queries), Laurie D. Graham (Brick), Anna Ling Kaye (Ricepaper and PRISM international), and Pamela Mulloy (The New Quarterly). Moderated by Susan Scott
Join our lively panel of editors in celebrating the unsung role that literary magazines play, introducing writers and poets to the world. What do magazine editors do and what are they looking for when they open your submissions? What role do lit mags play in securing the interest of book publishers and agents in your work? Sip your morning java while our panelists muse, opine, advise—and encourage our decoding the mysteries of the masthead.
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The Shape-Shifters: Writing in Multiple Genres with Evelyn Lau, Amanda Leduc, Pasha Malla, and Fiona Tinwei Lam. Moderated by Anna Ling Kaye.
Society loves to pigeonhole: by genre, by culture, by past work. Many authors, however, defy definition. Join acclaimed authors Evelyn Lau, Amanda Leduc, Pasha Malla, and Fiona Tinwei Lam in a discussion with TNQ Guest Editor Anna Ling Kaye on the joys and challenges of writing across fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and everything in between.
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The Short Story: Getting In Between Spaces
with Vinh Nguyen, Souvankham Thammavongsa, and Jack Wang
Short stories are a snapshot; the space between Points A and B.
This “in-between” genre seems perfectly suited to stories about in-between spaces. How do writers capture these complicated spaces? What are their strategies for using the short story to its full advantage? Vinh Nguyen hosts this conversation with Souvankham Thammavongsa and Jack Wang to delve into the tricky, efficient, and effective nature of short story telling.
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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Three of These Things Belong Together: The 2019 Publishing Panel
with Noelle Allen, Marilyn Biderman, Hazel Millar, Pamela Mulloy & Susan Scott
SOLD OUT!
SOLD OUT!
The sing-song title says it all: some groupings are just a perfect fit. The publishing panel celebrates agents, small magazines, and small presses: why and how they belong together, and why understanding their linked roles and relationships is vital if you want to publish, or deepen your connection to publishing in general. Ideal for writers, editors, agents, and anyone who wonders about the rhythm and rhyme of literary fortunes. Moderated by Susan Scott.
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Top 10 Tips for Building Your Literary Community Online
with Isabella Wang
Now, more than ever, it’s important to know how to connect online.Isabella Wang has been tending her literary community (in person and online) for years. Her engagement in the reading and writing community is an example for anyone looking to engage with literature. As she says in her interview with The New Quarterly magazine, “There is something special about reading someone’s work when you know them as a person—when you know their life, when you know their dogs!” Join Isabella to discover her top tips for nurturing the “ecology” of your literary community.
Donate today to support Wild Writers!
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What You Know: How Research Shapes a Story With Liz Harmer, David Huebert, Pamela Mulloy, and Claire Tacon. Moderated by Brent van Staalduinen.
The adage, “write what you know” serves many writers, but it’s only one way to tell a story. Another is to write what you want to know. In a world where autofiction is trending in literature, these writers share how they used research to shape the narrative in their novels. They will share research tips and discuss how to integrate the research so that it’s not begging for attention.
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Whose Voice Is It Anyway: The Translation Panel with Leonarda Carranza, Morteza Deghani, and Katia Grubisic. Moderated by Lamees Al Ethari.
Focusing on French, Farsi, Spanish and one from an Indigenous group, this panel will look at the translator’s role in preserving and interpreting the language, content, and intent of written texts while keeping in mind the response of the audience and their perspective. Some of the topics that we will discuss address the influence of the translator’s voice on the construction of the text, difficulties of cultural interpretations and concepts of trust on the side of the writer who might never ever fully know how their work has been presented.
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Wreckage, Remix, and Recycling: Writing New Poems from the Rubble of the Old with Paul Vermeersch
This masterclass will concentrate on several forms, both ancient and modern, that scavenge and recombine existing texts in order to construct new poems from the fragments of the past. These forms include centos, erasures, glosas, text collages, and more. We will investigate the history of these practices, and examine their contemporary resurgence. Time will also be devoted to writing and work-shopping new poems using these techniques. Participants are asked to bring along three or four favourite books of poetry (of any genre or vintage) as well as some unfinished poems of their own. Introduced by Chris Banks
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Writing for a Young Adult Audience
with Erin Bow, Sara Martin, Sarah Raughley, and Heather Smith.
YA is a genre defined by its audience. So what does it mean to write Young Adult literature?
This session is for those who are interested in writing for the Young Adult market. Sara Martin will talk to Erin Bow, Heather Smith, and Sarah Raughley about their own experiences, challenges, and successes in writing YA fiction. They will explore how to define this sprawling genre, how they were drawn to it, and how they approach writing for their audience. Join us to hear their tips on writing for Young Adult readers and finding success in this competitive market.
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Writing Raw: How to Explore Personal Material That Is Touchy, Dark, Intimate, Tangled, Problematic, Risky, Taboo or Downright Radioactive with Mike Barnes
Having written about mental illness and, now, about dementia caregiving, I’m well-acquainted with the rewards and perils of exploring raw personal material. “Raw” in any of its many senses: intimate; painful; exposed; unprocessed; undiluted….
It’s easy to get swamped by the dilemmas: Why am I writing this? What do I write (which parts)? How—what genre? structure? language? What are the costs—to me, to others? Should I share it—with whom, and how? This workshop will use a collaborative approach to explore some of the ways this tricky, transformative work can be done.
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Writing with Style
With Shashi Bhat.
As fiction writers, we aim to bring stories to life with language, while making them sound good, too. But how does a writer decide which details to include? What tools are available to give a story texture, specificity, and musicality without weighing down the narrative?
In this session, Shashi Bhat, author of The Most Precious Substance on Earth, will discuss some of her favourite techniques and strategies for writing with intention and style. Participants will leave with some exercises to try on their own.
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Young Creators Masterclass with Carrie Snyder
Join Carrie Snyder for a writing adventure, a workshop that invites you to write fiction using a variety of imaginative techniques, loosely based on the teachings of Lynda Barry, who asks us to consider “the perishable images about the day you didn’t notice you’d noticed at all.” All you need is a notebook and a black pen. Come prepared to write and sketch by hand. For writers aged 13 to 17.
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Youth Writers Workshop
With Paul Coccia and Natasha Deen.
This workshop series is free to attend for youth aged 14-18, but applications are required and registration is limited. Applications are due by Tuesday, November 2 at 11:59 PM EST.
APPLY TODAY!Workshop Schedule:
Saturday, November 6 at 1:00 PM EST
COMPARE & CONTRAST: Character Crush!
There are a myriad of ways to build characters. Join Paul and Natasha and see how their different—and sometimes, overlapping—styles can help you when it comes to creating characters that readers will never forget.Saturday, November 13 at 1:00 PM EST
COMPARE & CONTRAST: Plot Pick-Up!
Think there’s only one way to outline—think you HAVE TO outline? Join Paul and Natasha and learn the myriad of ways to bring plotting—and outline flexibility—to your manuscript.Saturday, November 20 at 1:00 PM EST
The final meeting will offer youth writers the chance to share their work with the group!
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Youth Writing Masterclass (Ages 13-18)
with Francine Cunningham
Online ticket sales are closed. Limited tickets will be available at the door.
For writers aged 13-18.
Led by award-winning Indigenous writer Francine Cunningham, this masterclass will help you learn to connect with your memories to create a visceral piece of writing that springs alive with sensory details. We will then be using our writing to craft personal zines that showcase the words we have carefully crafted. Francine has over ten years experience teaching writing, visual art, and zine making. If you feel inspired please bring any art making supplies to enhance your zine with some visual art.
Early Bird $40 • Online $42 • At the Door $45
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Youth Writing: An Interactive Workshop Series
with Erin Bow and Heather Smith
This is a limited registration workshop series for writers aged 14-18.Youth writers will join award-winning writers Erin Bow and Heather Smith for three workshop sessions over two weekends in November. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, discuss writing techniques, and workshop creative writing material with their instructors. This workshop series will be held on Zoom and will be recorded.
Placements in this workshop will be offered free-of-charge to successful applicants. Donate to support youth writing!
Saturday, November 7 from (11AM-12PM)
Heather Smith will talk about crafting beginnings and endings—what makes them great, and why they matter.
Sunday, November 8 from (11AM-12PM)
Erin Bow will talk about pacing, when to pause for details and when to leave them out.
Writing Break
After the first two workshops, Heather Smith and Erin Bow will provide students with writing prompts. The workshop participants can use these prompts to develop a piece of writing of up to 1500 words to send to the Heather and Erin for feedback. The workshop participants will then give their piece some extra polish in preparation for a “read-around” at the final workshop.
Saturday, November 21 (11AM-12PM)
Workshop participants will present their creative writing for a reading of up to three minutes each.
Applications are now closed.
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Zeitgeist Poetry: Writing That Speaks to the Moment
With Selina Boan, Evelyn Lau, Jen Sookfong Lee, and Sarah Tsiang.
As any given presidential inauguration shows, poetry can tap into the moment.
In their new poetry collections, Selina Boan, Evelyn Lau, and Jen Sookfong Lee set the tone in ongoing and powerful conversations. Join these thoughtful, provocative poets as they explore how poetry speaks to the issues that matter most to them. What is it about poetry that makes it so uniquely suited to tackling these topics? And how do they keep their writing so timely, even after the “moment” has passed?
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Young Creators Masterclass with Erin Bow. For 13- to 17-year-olds.
Some details will win your readers’ hearts forever—and some will make them skim and sigh impatiently. Which ones are which, and how do you know? Award-winning author Erin Bow will walk you through it, using lots of examples from current teen books.
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Contests and Honours and Prizes, Oh My! With Anita Chong (M&S; The Journey Prize), Pamela Mulloy (TNQ), Emily Urquhart (WLU Edna Staebler-in-Residence), Janice Zawerbny (Biblioasis). Moderated by Susan Scott.
The phrase “award-winning” might roll right off the tongue, but what does it mean—who benefits from accolades and laurels, and why should writers care? Is it worth submitting to a raft of contests and applying for residencies? What does a healthy/unhealthy adjudication process look like, and how transparent should that process be? What are the politics of who is asked to judge? Pitch your questions to our Wild Writers panelists, and we’ll all leave this morning’s session better informed about what’s at stake with competitions in the CanLit world.
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