Virtual NOT Recorded This workshop will focus on setting in fiction and on how the writer can make “time and place” come alive for the reader, especially through using all of one’s senses for descriptions and in avoiding clichés. It will equally examine the relationship between characters, pl
Virtual and Recorded Interviewing is not just something done in the news, but a fundamental form of research that when done well, gives insights into other people’s lives, emotions and stories. Whether you’re a content creator or author, interviewing can be a stepping stone in getting in
Virtual and Recorded Advertising on one of the biggest platforms in the world can seem a daunting task. Much like a writing a book, Facebook Ads require a gameplan and purpose behind each decision. We’ll break down marketing on Facebook and simplify your approach to find winning ads to transfo
Virtual and Recorded The best fantasy worlds immerse the reader in deeply constructed characters, places, and culture, while also maintaining a compelling and resonant story. But the world in which a story takes place is not separate from the story itself. This intensive breaks down the pieces of wo
Virtual and Recorded You’ve built a big world – now how do you fit it into your short story? In this workshop, we’ll go over how to determine which worldbuilding and setting elements are most important to your story and how to put them on the page to make the most impact on your reader.
Virtual and Recorded First chapters are crucial in hooking your reader, especially in middle grade novels. In this workshop, bestselling author Janae Marks will discuss the elements that every middle grade first chapter needs, as well as things to avoid. Workshop attendees will also study examples o
Virtual and Recorded You’ve got a story and a compelling protagonist, but are your other characters screaming at you about wanting a little more time in the limelight? Writing from multiple points of view can be one of the most challenging aspects of craft for writers to master. This workshop will
Virtual and Recorded The World Health Organization reports that over a billion disabled people are alive today, yet disabled characters are relatively rare in fiction. Award-winning disabled author John Wiswell will teach about how to begin researching disabilities and cultural attitudes towards dis
In Person NOT Recorded Ace Baker has used motifs on more than one occasion to catch a contest judge’s or publisher’s eye (including those at SIWC). Several of the short stories in his collection, The Killing Jar, make use of it, including more than a few award winners. In this workshop, he will
In Person NOT Recorded What’s a memoir if the mind refuses to keep a memory? Where do you write from, if you have to fill the gaps of your stories with your own speculations? How can you write a novel based on your real lived experience? How can you write a memoir based on stories […]
In Person NOT Recorded This workshop will dip a toe into the world of taxes for Canadian writers, but also have some frank conversations about what it is to be a writer in Canada and the simple things that can be done to create—and protect—writing time. How do writers work smarter not harder? Ho
In Person NOT Recorded Learn how writers can dig deeper into memory (even a character’s memory) to unearth subtexual treasures. Whether memoirist, novelist, poet or screenwriter, this workshop will help you to both avoid smothering your imagery and prune done to the potent.
In Person NOT Recorded All good writing begins with strong imagery, regardless of the genre. In this workshop, we’ll study how authors and poets handle sensory detail (how much to use and when), and how to write about the big topics (love, war, happiness) without resorting to abstractions and
In Person NOT Recorded Finding an agent is a huge hurdle for all writers, and yet if you want your manuscript to be read by the top publishers, you can’t get through the door without one. In this workshop, we’ll talk about why it’s so hard to find an agent, what you can expect an […
In Person NOT Recorded According to recent rumblings online, there seems to be a disconnect between the YA novels that are being published and the YA books that teens are actually looking for. In this workshop, we’ll examine several of the charges that have been laid against YA authors and add
In Person NOT Recorded A primer on the mechanics of writing genre fiction, presented by an award-winning author of SF, fantasy, crime, and historical fiction. How the elements of storymaking fit together to deliver the satisfying experience readers and movie-goers are looking for. This is a hands-on
In Person NOT Recorded Whether you are writing an historical recounting of Genghis Khan, or the career of a shoplifter in Burnaby, facts – the raw ingredients of your writing – will need to be discovered and dealt with. The pressure to get them ‘right’ is enormous, as writers imagi
In Person NOT Recorded Join Michael Slade for a high-energy class on how to write tension into your thriller to ratchet suspense up to screaming pitch.
In Person NOT Recorded When you read articles about writing, they act as if plot and character are two separate acts, but the truth is, it’s not that simple. Plot and Character are two sides of the same coin, and in this workshop we explore a new paradigm for taking everything you’ve learned so
In Person NOT Recorded Tolu’s belief is that craft in poetry is simply a vehicle for the force animating the poet in the moments of writing. Collections of poetry may not overtly demonstrate a protagonist’s journey in the way that narrative structures can make possible in prose. Many poe