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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211017T090000
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UID:10002747-1634461200-1634468400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Nuts and Bolts of Self-Editing for Writers
DESCRIPTION:Producing crisp\, error-free prose presents a polished image and helps you stand out in a crowd of writers. If you have a great editor\, they’ll appreciate a clean draft. And if you’re working without a net\, editing yourself is crucial. We’ll talk tips and tricks\, whether you’re writing for a publication\, submitting a manuscript\, or re-reading your own words before you hit post.  \n  \nThe goal of this workshop is to give you tools to become a better editor for your own work. We’ll see how to spot glitches\, what to question\, and where to find answers. We’ll cover typos\, grammar\, and usage. We’ll talk common pitfalls and frequent flubs. Toward the end of the workshop\, we’ll put into practice a bit of what we’ve learned: I’ll provide a few brief writing samples and we’ll tackle the editing\, addressing questions as they arise. \n  \nDaniel Shumski is a Montreal-based writer and editor. He has worked as a copy editor at the Chicago Sun-Times and as a digital news editor at the Chicago Tribune. His food and travel writing has brought readers ramen in Tokyo\, pizza in Chicago\, and ice cream in Buenos Aires. As a cookbook author\, he has sold more than 400\,000 copies in Canada and the United States. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University. \n  \nwww.danielshumski.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/nuts-and-bolts-of-self-editing-for-writers/2021-10-17/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211018T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211018T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T184100Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204137Z
UID:10002691-1634580000-1634587200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Storytelling-In Your Own Voice\, In Your Own Words
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \n  \nTell us a story of your hopes\, dreams and fears. \n  \nWhether yours is a love story or an adventure\, a true-life story or one that’s totally imagined\, you will be free to improvise and adapt as you are guided through the creative process of bringing a story to life and telling it In Your Own Voice and Your Own Words. \n  \nThis six-week online workshop is an invitation to explore not only the process of creative writing\, but also a brief introduction to the essential elements of oral and nonverbal communication necessary to assimilate (as opposed to memorizing) an original story for a traditional style oral transmission\, i.e.\, a telling vs. a reading. \n  \nUnleashing the imagination \n  \n\nUsing images and working within allotted time limits\, your will be guided through the basic steps and elements of creative story writing (these elements being the key to any storytelling project\, written or oral).\n\n  \n\nThe writing sessions will include exercises in creative thought\, improvisation\, situation\, and character motivation as well as the ongoing transition and adaptation of your story.\n\n  \n\nThroughout the workshop\, you will continue to experiment and improvise\, and the ongoing transition and adaptation of your written text (Your Words) will gradually evolve into a story made to tell (Your Voice).\n\n  \n\nStorytelling exercises will cover creating the storyboard\, incorporating senses and emotions\, and using both voice and gesture to bring the story to life.\n\n  \n\nFreedom of creative voice and individual style are encouraged!\n\n  \nThrough the sharing of stories\, we may see past our differences; stimulate interaction between generations\, languages\, and cultures; strengthen our confidence\, identity\, and sense of community. \nWith laughter and tears\, participants will share their thoughts and ideas\, memories and emotions\, in a positive\, enjoyable\, and non-judgmental environment designed to encourage growth and well-being. . . simply for the pleasure of it!\n \n  \nPatti Warnock\, aka La Contesse\, travels the globe\, collecting and sharing her stories. She has participated in festivals and cultural activities throughout Quebec\, Canada\, the Caribbean\, France\, Iran\, and China\, \nreceiving commendations for her storytelling and writing work. Her repertoire (for the young at heart of all ages) consists not only of traditional style tales\, but also of her own creations\, where reality and fiction walk hand in hand\, and which are based on the reality of everyday life events\, and on her own childhood in rural Quebec and in northern Canada. \n  \nW.R.I.T.E.® Workshops: Culture in the Schools – ELAN ArtistsInpire – QWF programs. \nhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/patti-warnock-13a7a83b/
URL:https://qwf.org/event/storytelling-in-your-own-voice-in-your-own-words/2021-10-18/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211018T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211018T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204117Z
UID:10002697-1634587200-1634594400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Creating Compelling Non-Fiction
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nCreative non-fiction has been breaking out of its niche to become an increasingly central component of the literary scene. For those wishing to enter this vibrant and thriving field\, having one’s work read and constructively critiqued by an established writer and a group of one’s peers is an invaluable experience. Creating Compelling Non-Fiction is precisely such an opportunity.  \n  \nOur workshopping will be done from the ground up. Analysis will be rigorous\, readings will be close\, group feedback will be thorough\, supportive\, and respectful. As workshop leader I will provide advice and critique that is both pertinent to the type of non-fiction being addressed and applicable to the genre as a whole. I’ll strive to provide practical and creative tips drawn from my extensive experience with short- and long-form journalism and book-length non-fiction.    \n  \nAlong the way\, numerous questions will be confronted and addressed: \n  \n\nWhat are the qualities and writing options unique to this form? \nWhat are the lines between non-fiction\, creative non-fiction\, and fiction? \nAre some subjects and narrative strategies better suited to a non-fiction treatment than others? \nWhat distinguishes memoir from autobiography? \nWhat is the writer’s responsibility to factual rigour in non-fiction? \nHow much research is too much research? \nWhat are some of the ways to invest non-fiction writing with the narrative pull of good fiction? \nPrecisely what story does the writer wish to tell? \nWhat are the choices—sentence by sentence\, paragraph by paragraph\, page by page—that will best serve that story\, and lead to effective and engaging non-fiction? \nFinally\, how do writers know when their piece is done?\n\n  \nThroughout the workshop I will stress the mutual\, collective nature of our undertaking. Offering one’s work to the eyes of others is an essential step in the journey of all writers\, and attaining a degree of comfort with that process is its own reward.  \n  \nTo complement and underpin our workshopping\, a short list of works by some of the contemporary masters of the form will be read and discussed. I will emphasize the general importance of reading as deeply as possible\, especially in the area in which one wishes to write; where useful\, I will provide personally tailored suggestions-for-further-reading lists for participants. A guest appearance by a prominent Montreal-based writer and journalist will be incorporated.  \nIan McGillis has been writing about books and visual arts for the Montreal Gazette for more than twenty years. His critically acclaimed novel A Tourist’s Guide to Glengarry was shortlisted for the QWF’s Hugh MacLennan Prize For Fiction and McAuslan First Book Prize\, and was a finalist for the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/creating-compelling-non-fiction/2021-10-18/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211019T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211019T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T201404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204134Z
UID:10002707-1634666400-1634673600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Poetry: An Act of Mischief
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nAmerican poet Theodore Roethke (1908-1963) once called poetry ‘an act of mischief.’ In this online\, hands-on workshop participants will be encouraged to ‘play’ outside the boxes they habitually construct for themselves\, to venture into dubious territory\, to be mischievous. Sessions will be tailored to meet the needs and interests of the group\, with writing triggers designed to coax out your dormant little ‘gems.’ Some of the topics we will explore include imagery\, line breaks\, and poetic language. What makes a good poem? What are some practical ways of incorporating this knowledge into your own writing? Roughly half of each class will be devoted to theoretical concerns and/or writing exercises; the second half\, to workshopping the pieces produced in class and tweaked at home. No texts are specifically required\, but you are strongly encouraged to read poetry and/or essays on poetics outside class time and share materials that might be of interest to the group. Beginning\, emerging\, and intermediate poets welcome. \nCarolyn Marie Souaid is the author of eight poetry books and an award-winning novel. She has performed at festivals and literary events in Canada and abroad\, and her work has been featured on CBC Radio and in a variety of national and international publications. Her controversial videopoem\, Blood is Blood\, won a top prize at the 2012 Zebra International Poetry Film Festival in Berlin.  Other books have been shortlisted for the Pat Lowther Memorial Award and the QWF’s A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry.  Carolyn has been guest faculty in creative writing at Bishop’s University and has led several previous QWF workshops. 
URL:https://qwf.org/event/poetry-an-act-of-mischief/2021-10-19/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211019T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211019T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T202551Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204128Z
UID:10002715-1634673600-1634680800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Suspended Meaning: Making Filmpoems
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nWhat happens when image and sound and poetry collide? The experience of a filmpoem is suspended somewhere between what is seen\, what is heard\, and what is ‘read.’ Learn how to create your own filmpoems with Rachel McCrum\, from conception to writing to filming to editing to production. \n  \nThis 8-week workshop is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience in writing poetry and/or making films. Support will be tailored to whatever participants already have access to\, and to their needs. \n  \nWe’ll set the foundation by introducing the basics of filming\, video-editing\, soundtracks\, post-production\, and writing poems suitable for short films. Along the way\, we will explore and discuss examples of filmpoems\, from the Surrealist experiments of the 1920s to videopoetry of the 1980s\, to performance\, animation\, and digital art in the 1990s and 2000s. By the end of the workshops\, each participant will have their own original DIY\, guerilla-style filmpoem to showcase. \n  \nOver the workshop\, we will cover \n  \n\nIntroduction to the genre\, exploring how filmpoetry has evolved since the start of the 20th century\, and how to break down elements of text\, image and sound.\nCritiques to explore how each element influences our perceptions of the finished piece\, including pacing\, framing etc.\nExploring the types of poems that make good filmpoems (and those that do not).\nDeveloping your own visual language.\nWriting original poems.\nUse of archival footage and sound (including rights).\nIntroduction to various editing suites.\nEditing techniques and post-production work.\nSound effects and soundtracks; use of music.\nFinishing a film.\n\n  \nEquipment requirements: There is no need for expensive technology or software\, although those with access to more sophisticated equipment are welcome to use it. The basic requirements will be a digital camera or cameraphone (a basic cameraphone is enough); a PC or Mac computer with basic editing software installed\, and a good Wifi connection. We will use WeTransfer and Google Drive to share documents\, resources\, and large video files. There will be some homework set between sessions (no more than 2 hours per week). \n  \nIf you are curious about the genre ahead of signing up for the website\, you could check out https://movingpoems.com/ and http://motionpoems.org/ for examples. \nRachel McCrum is a poet\, performer\, event organizer\, and workshop facilitator. Originally from Northern Ireland\, between 2010 and 2016 she lived in Edinburgh\, Scotland\, where she was the first BBC Scotland Poet in Residence and recipient of a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship. Her debut collection The First Blast to Awaken Women Degenerate was published in a bilingual edition with Mémoire d’encrier in Fall 2020. She has produced filmpoems in Scotland\, Ireland\, and Canada\, and coordinated the international collaborative projects ‘cinepoems Quebec-UK’ (2016) and ‘Moving Pictures and Borders’ (2017) – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkKtEfsozu9cZELX6QO8KCQ
URL:https://qwf.org/event/suspended-meaning-making-filmpoems-2/2021-10-19/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211020T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211020T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T203623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204127Z
UID:10002723-1634752800-1634760000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Life Writing: An Introductory Memoir Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \n“Part of the art of memoir is seeing and recognizing the story itself.  Life is messy. Art gathers up the chaos and gives it form.” Dani Shapiro. \n  \nOur lives are filled with stories—experiences of joy\, heartbreak\, or transformative change. If you’ve always wanted to write down true stories from your life\, here’s a place to begin. Whether you’re writing family tales for the next generation or describing life-changing moments for a wider audience\, this workshop will help you find your voice and polish your prose.  \n      Building a writer’s toolbox of basic narrative techniques helps shape personal episodes into stories that engage readers. Sessions will include discussion of short readings and tips for getting stories from your head and heart onto the page. Each week\, two or three participants will be asked to email their drafts of a life-based story for peer feedback the following session. You will learn how to offer supportive feedback to your fellow writers in accordance with workshop guidelines. The workshop leader will provide written comments on submissions to help writers lift their first drafts to the next level.             \n  \nKaren Zey’s creative nonfiction stories\, personal essays and craft articles have been widely published in literary magazines. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net\, and featured in Getting to the Truth: The Craft and Practice of Creative Nonfiction (Hippocampus Books\, 2021). Karen has led writing workshops and hosted literary events at her local West Island library. She belongs to a monthly writing group whose members first met in 2013 at a QWF workshop. Karen believes that emergent writers thrive by finding community in which they can explore craft and share writerly talk. \nVisit: www.karenzey.com       \n(Twitter @zippyzey)   http://twitter.com/zippyzey
URL:https://qwf.org/event/life-writing-an-introductory-memoir-workshop/2021-10-20/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211020T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211020T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T145404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204116Z
UID:10002731-1634760000-1634767200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Story Technique – A Hands-on Investigation
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \n“The only way … to learn to write short stories is to write them\, and then to try to discover what you have done.”  Flannery O’Connor \n  \nThis eight-week workshop will investigate the short story form. Using five truly great realist and speculative short stories as reference\, we’ll do a quick review of the basic building blocks of story-writing: things like detail\, narrative point of view\, and elements of time and place. Then we’ll investigate technical innovations with an eye to attempting something new in our own fiction. Workshop time will be split between discussing technique in published models\, and reading and discussing our own stories.  \n  \nAs soon as you have registered for this workshop\, please submit a single WORD document containing the following information to workshops@qwf.org with the subject line “For Claire Rothman”:  \n\nA short paragraph about yourself.\nA sentence about what you hope to get from this workshop.\n\n  \nStory Technique will be taught online on Zoom. You’ll need a computer and a decent online connection. We will keep things interactive\, with participants pairing up in break-out rooms for one-on-one exchanges\, and also giving short presentations to the group.  \n  \nYou will receive links to the five stories we’ll be using as models. Reading them before our start date is strongly recommended.  \n  \nClaire Holden Rothman is a Montreal writer\, translator\, and fiction editor\, whose third novel\, Lear’s Shadow (2018) won the 2019 Vine Award for Jewish Canadian Fiction and was short-listed for the 2020 Jacob Isaac Segal Award. Other novels include My October (2014)\, shortlisted for a Governor General’s Award and nominated for a Scotiabank Giller prize\, and The Heart Specialist (2009)\, also nominated for the Giller. She has taught fiction workshops at McGill and Bishop’s Universities. For many years\, she taught English literature and creative writing at Marianopolis College in Montreal.  \n  \nwww.claireholdenrothman.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/story-technique-a-hands-on-investigation/2021-10-20/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211021T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211021T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T150206Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204116Z
UID:10002739-1634839200-1634846400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Teen Spirit: Writing YA
DESCRIPTION:Young adult fiction is a genre that has exploded in popularity in the last few decades\, but it is a genre that is often hard to define. Many people want to write stories about adolescence\, with teenaged protagonists. Does that automatically make the work YA? What exactly is YA? That is one of the questions we will seek to answer in this workshop as we look at the genre and talk about what makes it great. YA is exciting\, explorative\, and highly creative\, allowing writers to experiment with novel structure and narrative voice. It is also challenging\, in that the story must be engaging to young readers and speak to them in a way that is never condescending or pedantic. The writer must do all this with plots that are fast-paced and original\, and with characters that are believable and never clichéd. \nIn this workshop\, we will look at the components of the YA novel\, including character\, voice\, plot\, structure\, setting\, dialogue and figurative language. We will also discuss how to generate ideas\, the writing and editing process\, marketing and working with editors.  Participants will learn how to deal appropriately with sensitive topics such as sex\, violence and profanity. We will explore various forms of the YA novel\, such as traditional narrative\, journal form and the verse novel. We will also talk about different sub-genres\, such as fantasy\, historical\, mystery\, reluctant reader\, and others. We will use John Truby’s book\, The Anatomy of Story\, as a support and guide to the process of storytelling. It is recommended that participants purchase this book. \nParticipants will have the opportunity to workshop their own writing on a designated night by sharing up to 20 double-spaced pages with the group. Fellow participants will read the work in advance and offer critiques in a supportive round table forum. Writers can then ask questions on their work and gain valuable advice for revision. \nThe schedule below shows the main topic of each session. Writing exercises\, examples taken from published works\, and discussion will be also part of each session.  \nWeek 1: Introductory session Participants will introduce themselves and their work; they can also share their expectations for the workshop. Lori will introduce herself and her work to the group and provide an overview of the units that will be covered during the upcoming sessions. We will also lay out the workshopping schedule.  \nWeek 2: Plot\, structure\, pacing.  \nWeek 3: Character and voice.  \nWeek 4: Setting\, symbolism and figurative language.  \nWeek 5: Dialogue.  \nWeek 6: Publishing\, submissions\, expectations etc.  \nWeek 7: Workshopping. \nWeek 8: Workshopping. Wrapping up loose ends\, final questions. \nLori Weber is a native Montrealer who has written eight young adult novels\, including Deep Girls and Yellow Mini; a middle grade novel called Lightning Lou; and one picture book\, My Granny Loves Hockey. A ninth young adult novel\, The Ribbon Leaf\, is forthcoming with Red Deer Press in 2022. She has also published poetry\, short fiction\, and essays in various Canadian journals. She taught English Literature and Creative Writing at John Abbott College for twenty-six years\, and has been a QWF mentor five times\, as well as workshop leader several times. She lives in Dorval\, Quebec.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/teen-spirit-writing-ya/2021-10-21/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211021T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211021T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T181544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204105Z
UID:10002758-1634846400-1634853600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Way Out: Developing Long-Form Fiction Already in Progress
DESCRIPTION:Open by application to writers with a novel or novella in progress \nLimited to 10 participants \n  \nThis workshop is intended for writers who are looking for guidance and encouragement while working on a novel or novella already in progress. Ideally\, you’ll have a significant portion (about 30–50 pages) of your novel or novella already completed\, as well as a solid grasp of the story you’re working on. \n  \nWriting long-form fiction on your own or with few readers can be exhilarating\, but can also leave you with abandoned drafts\, half-written chapters\, and the sinking feeling that there’s no way out. Gaining insight from unbiased readers—myself and the other members of the group—in a supportive\, creative atmosphere will help you identify issues\, clarify your intent\, and find real ways to improve your manuscript. To this end\, our primary focus will be on workshopping sections of each participant’s novel or novella. Each week\, one or two participants will be invited to submit 10–15 pages from their work-in-progress in order to receive feedback and notes from each person in the group. You’ll also be encouraged to include one or two questions about your work with your submission\, and will have the opportunity to engage in informal question and answer sessions in each workshop. \n  \nWorkshopping will be combined with lectures and writing exercises to help you gain new insight to constructing and completing your novel or novella. We’ll explore ways to reinforce the structure of your existing manuscript\, gain deeper understanding of characters\, fix plot holes\, tie up storylines\, and approach publishers and editors. We’ll also work on developing another skill invaluable to any writer: The ability to pinpoint what might not be working—and cut or rework if need be. Because writing a novel or novella takes as long as it takes\, this workshop is designed to help you stay motivated and focused through the difficult parts of writing a long piece and aims to give you the tools to finish your manuscript in your own time.  \n  \nPlease submit the following to workshops@qwf.org\, with the subject line “For Maya Merrick\,” by Monday\, September 13.  \n\nA short summary of your novel or novella (about one or two lines). \n\n\nA maximum of 10 pages from your novel or novella\, double-spaced (if these are not the opening pages\, please include a brief note to let me know where we are in the story).\n\n\nOne or two questions about your novel\, the process of completing a long work\, and/or what to do with it once you’ve finished. \n\nYou will be notified about whether you’ve been selected for the workshop by Monday\, November 20. \nMaya Merrick’s novel\, Sextant (Conundrum Press)\, was released to critical acclaim in 2005\, followed by The Hole Show (Conundrum Press) in 2007. She works with the Quebec Writers’ Federation as a mentor and workshop/master-class facilitator\, has been an instructor at Concordia University’s Centre for Continuing Education\, and has served as the editorial and administrative assistant at Conundrum Press. She is an active writing coach/mentor\, editor\, copyeditor\, and manuscript consultant. Maya is currently completing her third novel\, Colour Radio\, and is working on The Ride\, a book of microfiction.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/way-out-developing-long-form-fiction-already-in-progress/2021-10-21/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211022T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211029T030000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210907T143401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210907T143401Z
UID:10002776-1634900400-1635476400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Writeaway in Italy
DESCRIPTION:How do you become the writer you’ve always wanted to be? It takes a villa. \nRediscover the writer in yourself as you listen to the lyrical lilt of Italian\, taste pasta prepared by a traditional Tuscan chef\, and explore the ancient towns of Italy. During this weeklong writing retreat in Italy\, you’ll immerse yourself in writing\, cooking and adventure in a 17th century villa in the heart of Tuscany. Includes writing consultations and daily writing workshops\, cooking class and excursions\, and all meals\, wine and after-dinner drinks. \nOur Writeaways in Italy are located at Villa Cini and Villa Casanova near the village of Bucine in the Chianti region\, between Siena and Arezzo\, an hour from Florence.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/writeaway-in-italy/
LOCATION:Villa Cini\, Località Villa Cini\, 52021\, Bucine AR\, Italy
CATEGORIES:Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Italy-Cini-front2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211022T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211022T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210903T164012Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210903T164012Z
UID:10002772-1634929200-1634932800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:APP Online - stephanie roberts & Yusuf Saadi
DESCRIPTION:APP Online with stephanie roberts & Yusuf Saadi\nFriday\, 22 October 2021\n7 – 8pm (ET) \nCrowdcast link: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/app-online-stephanieroberts-yusufsaadi \nIn October\, APP presents two Quebec-based poets who published their celebrated debut collections in 2020. We are delighted to present stephanie roberts\, whose book rushes from the river disappointment (MQUP\, 2020) was a finalist for the 2020 A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry from the Quebec Writers’ Federation\, and YUSUF SAADI\, who was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize and the Concordia University First Book Prize with Pluviophile (Nightwood Editions\, 2020). Join us on Crowdcast for readings and discussion with these exciting new voices!
URL:https://qwf.org/event/app-online-stephanie-roberts-yusuf-saadi/
LOCATION:Crowdcast
CATEGORIES:Community Events,Performance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/APP-Online-stephanieroberts-Yusuf-Saadi.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211023T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211023T120000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T152811Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204149Z
UID:10002749-1634983200-1634990400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Freelance Boot Camp What You Need to Know to Be a Freelance Writer
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nWhen you are building a freelance writing career\, talent\, and drive are important\, but a basic tool kit of freelancing skills is essential. In this series of three\, 2-hour online sessions\, author and journalist Julie Barlow draws on lessons from her 25-year career as a freelance writer to explain the fundamental skills and knowledge freelance writers need to get their business off the ground: selling ideas\, working with editors\, and understanding how the writing industry works.  \n  \nIn session 1\, Julie will explain how to:  \n  \n\ncome up with writing ideas;\nfigure out where to sell them;\nwrite convincing story pitches.\n\n  \nParticipants will be encouraged to bring query letters or outlines for writing projects that they can share and workshop with their fellow participants\, and Julie will supply sample query letters of her own for the class to read. \n  \nIn Session 2\, Julie will explain:  \n  \n\nwhat editors are looking for;\nhow to approach editors;\nhow to work with editors and build strong relationships with them.\n\n  \nParticipants will continue to read and critique the query letters of their fellow workshop participants. \n  \nIn Session 3\, Julie will explain: \n  \n\nhow to negotiate deadlines and contracts;\nwhat freelancers need to know about copyright\, fees\, and other conditions in contracts;\nhow to negotiate so you get what you need to write.\n\n  \nParticipants will continue to critique fellow classmates’ query letters and can ask questions and share experiences about their specific projects. \n  \nThe workshop is designed for beginners and intermediate writers. While it draws on Julie’s 25-year experience career as a freelance journalist\, book author\, ghostwriter\, translator\, radio documentary producer\, writing coach\, editor\, and speaker\, the focus will be on participants’ own projects and goals. Participants will be expected to develop and pitch a story idea (real or hypothetical) to a media outlet.  \n  \nJulie Barlow is a freelance magazine writer\, translator\, and author of seven nonfiction books\, including The Story of French and The Bonjour Effect: The Secret Codes of French Conversation Revealed. She has also published books on medicine and energy\, including her latest\, Charging Ahead: Hydro-Quebec and the Future of Electricity (October 2019). Julie has been a regular contributor to Quebec’s public affairs magazine L’actualité for over two decades and publishes articles in French and English in magazines\, newspapers\, and online media in Canada\, the U.S.\, and Europe.  \n  \nWebsite: www.nadeaubarlow.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/freelance-boot-camp-what-you-need-to-know-to-be-a-freelance-writer/2021-10-23/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211023T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211023T160000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T154103Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204156Z
UID:10002752-1634997600-1635004800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:The Self-Publishing Blueprint
DESCRIPTION:You’ve written your book! Now what?  \n  \nHave you been procrastinating about taking the next step toward publishing your book? Are you unsure about the benefits of self-publishing versus traditional publishing? Have you watched numerous YouTube videos on self-publishing only to be left confused about how to do it?  \n  \nThis workshop will provide you with comprehensive material that you can use to guide you through the process of becoming a self-published author. \n  \nThe Self-Publishing Blueprint is a two-part workshop that discusses and explains topics such as \n\nSelf- vs traditional vs hybrid publishing;\nThe 5 major self-publishing platforms;\nHow to upload your book to a self-publishing platform;\nThe importance of understanding your goals and how they affect your marketing and branding as an author;\nThe many jobs of a self-publisher;\nWhy royalty percentages matter;\nHow to create an effective budget as a self-publisher.\n\nFive reasons why this workshop might be just what you need: \n  \n\nYou’ll save time.\n\nHaving the right information will help you to publish your book the right way on the right platform without spending countless hours doing research. I have done that! Let me help you! \n\nYou’ll get a step-by-step guide and see a live upload.\n\nIn addition to showing you the steps to successful self-publishing\, I’ll do a live demonstration of the uploading process to two of the major self-publishing platforms. \n\nYou’ll learn to avoid unnecessary hassles and expenses.\n\nI’ll help you organize a budget and provide useful resources and links that will help you to allocate your money intelligently. \n\nYou’ll get straight\, to-the-point information.\n\nNo gimmicks\, no tricks\, no long-winded wind-up only to say join the masterclass for more. This is an honest self-publisher giving an honest insight to the self-publishing process. I have been there and done that! \n\nIt’s a small step on the way to the giant leap of maintaining creative control.\n\nThe best thing about learning how to self-publish successfully is the beauty of being able to maintain creative control over your work. I experience this every time I publish a book on my own and you can too! \nBefore the first session\, please complete the Author’s Goals Self-Reflective activity which you’ll receive shortly after registering. \n  \nLatoya Belfon is a three-time Amazon best-selling author in Children’s Books and Journals\, a McGill graduate\, and a teacher with the English Montreal School Board. She is a motivational speaker\, an entrepreneur and in 2021 received a Women of Merit Award from the Playmas Montreal Cultural Association for  Black Excellence and Community Development.  \n  \nLatoya has written\, illustrated\, and self-published 13 books. \n  \nAs CEO of Labworks Publishing Inc.\, Latoya is working with several authors to realize their publishing dreams\, Her first published author\, Oluwanifemi\, is now an Amazon best-selling author in the Consumer Guides and Skincare categories.  \n  \n“But without honesty and the willingness to bare one’s soul\, we cannot truly harness the power of narration.” \nLatoya Belfon \n  \nWebsites: \n www.latoyabelfon.com \nwww.labworkspublishing.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/the-self-publishing-blueprint/2021-10-23/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211025T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211025T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T184100Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204137Z
UID:10002692-1635184800-1635192000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Storytelling-In Your Own Voice\, In Your Own Words
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \n  \nTell us a story of your hopes\, dreams and fears. \n  \nWhether yours is a love story or an adventure\, a true-life story or one that’s totally imagined\, you will be free to improvise and adapt as you are guided through the creative process of bringing a story to life and telling it In Your Own Voice and Your Own Words. \n  \nThis six-week online workshop is an invitation to explore not only the process of creative writing\, but also a brief introduction to the essential elements of oral and nonverbal communication necessary to assimilate (as opposed to memorizing) an original story for a traditional style oral transmission\, i.e.\, a telling vs. a reading. \n  \nUnleashing the imagination \n  \n\nUsing images and working within allotted time limits\, your will be guided through the basic steps and elements of creative story writing (these elements being the key to any storytelling project\, written or oral).\n\n  \n\nThe writing sessions will include exercises in creative thought\, improvisation\, situation\, and character motivation as well as the ongoing transition and adaptation of your story.\n\n  \n\nThroughout the workshop\, you will continue to experiment and improvise\, and the ongoing transition and adaptation of your written text (Your Words) will gradually evolve into a story made to tell (Your Voice).\n\n  \n\nStorytelling exercises will cover creating the storyboard\, incorporating senses and emotions\, and using both voice and gesture to bring the story to life.\n\n  \n\nFreedom of creative voice and individual style are encouraged!\n\n  \nThrough the sharing of stories\, we may see past our differences; stimulate interaction between generations\, languages\, and cultures; strengthen our confidence\, identity\, and sense of community. \nWith laughter and tears\, participants will share their thoughts and ideas\, memories and emotions\, in a positive\, enjoyable\, and non-judgmental environment designed to encourage growth and well-being. . . simply for the pleasure of it!\n \n  \nPatti Warnock\, aka La Contesse\, travels the globe\, collecting and sharing her stories. She has participated in festivals and cultural activities throughout Quebec\, Canada\, the Caribbean\, France\, Iran\, and China\, \nreceiving commendations for her storytelling and writing work. Her repertoire (for the young at heart of all ages) consists not only of traditional style tales\, but also of her own creations\, where reality and fiction walk hand in hand\, and which are based on the reality of everyday life events\, and on her own childhood in rural Quebec and in northern Canada. \n  \nW.R.I.T.E.® Workshops: Culture in the Schools – ELAN ArtistsInpire – QWF programs. \nhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/patti-warnock-13a7a83b/
URL:https://qwf.org/event/storytelling-in-your-own-voice-in-your-own-words/2021-10-25/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211025T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211025T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204117Z
UID:10002698-1635192000-1635199200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Creating Compelling Non-Fiction
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nCreative non-fiction has been breaking out of its niche to become an increasingly central component of the literary scene. For those wishing to enter this vibrant and thriving field\, having one’s work read and constructively critiqued by an established writer and a group of one’s peers is an invaluable experience. Creating Compelling Non-Fiction is precisely such an opportunity.  \n  \nOur workshopping will be done from the ground up. Analysis will be rigorous\, readings will be close\, group feedback will be thorough\, supportive\, and respectful. As workshop leader I will provide advice and critique that is both pertinent to the type of non-fiction being addressed and applicable to the genre as a whole. I’ll strive to provide practical and creative tips drawn from my extensive experience with short- and long-form journalism and book-length non-fiction.    \n  \nAlong the way\, numerous questions will be confronted and addressed: \n  \n\nWhat are the qualities and writing options unique to this form? \nWhat are the lines between non-fiction\, creative non-fiction\, and fiction? \nAre some subjects and narrative strategies better suited to a non-fiction treatment than others? \nWhat distinguishes memoir from autobiography? \nWhat is the writer’s responsibility to factual rigour in non-fiction? \nHow much research is too much research? \nWhat are some of the ways to invest non-fiction writing with the narrative pull of good fiction? \nPrecisely what story does the writer wish to tell? \nWhat are the choices—sentence by sentence\, paragraph by paragraph\, page by page—that will best serve that story\, and lead to effective and engaging non-fiction? \nFinally\, how do writers know when their piece is done?\n\n  \nThroughout the workshop I will stress the mutual\, collective nature of our undertaking. Offering one’s work to the eyes of others is an essential step in the journey of all writers\, and attaining a degree of comfort with that process is its own reward.  \n  \nTo complement and underpin our workshopping\, a short list of works by some of the contemporary masters of the form will be read and discussed. I will emphasize the general importance of reading as deeply as possible\, especially in the area in which one wishes to write; where useful\, I will provide personally tailored suggestions-for-further-reading lists for participants. A guest appearance by a prominent Montreal-based writer and journalist will be incorporated.  \nIan McGillis has been writing about books and visual arts for the Montreal Gazette for more than twenty years. His critically acclaimed novel A Tourist’s Guide to Glengarry was shortlisted for the QWF’s Hugh MacLennan Prize For Fiction and McAuslan First Book Prize\, and was a finalist for the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/creating-compelling-non-fiction/2021-10-25/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211026T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211026T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T201404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204134Z
UID:10002708-1635271200-1635278400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Poetry: An Act of Mischief
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nAmerican poet Theodore Roethke (1908-1963) once called poetry ‘an act of mischief.’ In this online\, hands-on workshop participants will be encouraged to ‘play’ outside the boxes they habitually construct for themselves\, to venture into dubious territory\, to be mischievous. Sessions will be tailored to meet the needs and interests of the group\, with writing triggers designed to coax out your dormant little ‘gems.’ Some of the topics we will explore include imagery\, line breaks\, and poetic language. What makes a good poem? What are some practical ways of incorporating this knowledge into your own writing? Roughly half of each class will be devoted to theoretical concerns and/or writing exercises; the second half\, to workshopping the pieces produced in class and tweaked at home. No texts are specifically required\, but you are strongly encouraged to read poetry and/or essays on poetics outside class time and share materials that might be of interest to the group. Beginning\, emerging\, and intermediate poets welcome. \nCarolyn Marie Souaid is the author of eight poetry books and an award-winning novel. She has performed at festivals and literary events in Canada and abroad\, and her work has been featured on CBC Radio and in a variety of national and international publications. Her controversial videopoem\, Blood is Blood\, won a top prize at the 2012 Zebra International Poetry Film Festival in Berlin.  Other books have been shortlisted for the Pat Lowther Memorial Award and the QWF’s A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry.  Carolyn has been guest faculty in creative writing at Bishop’s University and has led several previous QWF workshops. 
URL:https://qwf.org/event/poetry-an-act-of-mischief/2021-10-26/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211026T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211026T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T202551Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204128Z
UID:10002716-1635278400-1635285600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Suspended Meaning: Making Filmpoems
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nWhat happens when image and sound and poetry collide? The experience of a filmpoem is suspended somewhere between what is seen\, what is heard\, and what is ‘read.’ Learn how to create your own filmpoems with Rachel McCrum\, from conception to writing to filming to editing to production. \n  \nThis 8-week workshop is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience in writing poetry and/or making films. Support will be tailored to whatever participants already have access to\, and to their needs. \n  \nWe’ll set the foundation by introducing the basics of filming\, video-editing\, soundtracks\, post-production\, and writing poems suitable for short films. Along the way\, we will explore and discuss examples of filmpoems\, from the Surrealist experiments of the 1920s to videopoetry of the 1980s\, to performance\, animation\, and digital art in the 1990s and 2000s. By the end of the workshops\, each participant will have their own original DIY\, guerilla-style filmpoem to showcase. \n  \nOver the workshop\, we will cover \n  \n\nIntroduction to the genre\, exploring how filmpoetry has evolved since the start of the 20th century\, and how to break down elements of text\, image and sound.\nCritiques to explore how each element influences our perceptions of the finished piece\, including pacing\, framing etc.\nExploring the types of poems that make good filmpoems (and those that do not).\nDeveloping your own visual language.\nWriting original poems.\nUse of archival footage and sound (including rights).\nIntroduction to various editing suites.\nEditing techniques and post-production work.\nSound effects and soundtracks; use of music.\nFinishing a film.\n\n  \nEquipment requirements: There is no need for expensive technology or software\, although those with access to more sophisticated equipment are welcome to use it. The basic requirements will be a digital camera or cameraphone (a basic cameraphone is enough); a PC or Mac computer with basic editing software installed\, and a good Wifi connection. We will use WeTransfer and Google Drive to share documents\, resources\, and large video files. There will be some homework set between sessions (no more than 2 hours per week). \n  \nIf you are curious about the genre ahead of signing up for the website\, you could check out https://movingpoems.com/ and http://motionpoems.org/ for examples. \nRachel McCrum is a poet\, performer\, event organizer\, and workshop facilitator. Originally from Northern Ireland\, between 2010 and 2016 she lived in Edinburgh\, Scotland\, where she was the first BBC Scotland Poet in Residence and recipient of a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship. Her debut collection The First Blast to Awaken Women Degenerate was published in a bilingual edition with Mémoire d’encrier in Fall 2020. She has produced filmpoems in Scotland\, Ireland\, and Canada\, and coordinated the international collaborative projects ‘cinepoems Quebec-UK’ (2016) and ‘Moving Pictures and Borders’ (2017) – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkKtEfsozu9cZELX6QO8KCQ
URL:https://qwf.org/event/suspended-meaning-making-filmpoems-2/2021-10-26/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211027T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211027T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T203623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204127Z
UID:10002724-1635357600-1635364800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Life Writing: An Introductory Memoir Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \n“Part of the art of memoir is seeing and recognizing the story itself.  Life is messy. Art gathers up the chaos and gives it form.” Dani Shapiro. \n  \nOur lives are filled with stories—experiences of joy\, heartbreak\, or transformative change. If you’ve always wanted to write down true stories from your life\, here’s a place to begin. Whether you’re writing family tales for the next generation or describing life-changing moments for a wider audience\, this workshop will help you find your voice and polish your prose.  \n      Building a writer’s toolbox of basic narrative techniques helps shape personal episodes into stories that engage readers. Sessions will include discussion of short readings and tips for getting stories from your head and heart onto the page. Each week\, two or three participants will be asked to email their drafts of a life-based story for peer feedback the following session. You will learn how to offer supportive feedback to your fellow writers in accordance with workshop guidelines. The workshop leader will provide written comments on submissions to help writers lift their first drafts to the next level.             \n  \nKaren Zey’s creative nonfiction stories\, personal essays and craft articles have been widely published in literary magazines. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net\, and featured in Getting to the Truth: The Craft and Practice of Creative Nonfiction (Hippocampus Books\, 2021). Karen has led writing workshops and hosted literary events at her local West Island library. She belongs to a monthly writing group whose members first met in 2013 at a QWF workshop. Karen believes that emergent writers thrive by finding community in which they can explore craft and share writerly talk. \nVisit: www.karenzey.com       \n(Twitter @zippyzey)   http://twitter.com/zippyzey
URL:https://qwf.org/event/life-writing-an-introductory-memoir-workshop/2021-10-27/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211027T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211027T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T145404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204116Z
UID:10002732-1635364800-1635372000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Story Technique – A Hands-on Investigation
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \n“The only way … to learn to write short stories is to write them\, and then to try to discover what you have done.”  Flannery O’Connor \n  \nThis eight-week workshop will investigate the short story form. Using five truly great realist and speculative short stories as reference\, we’ll do a quick review of the basic building blocks of story-writing: things like detail\, narrative point of view\, and elements of time and place. Then we’ll investigate technical innovations with an eye to attempting something new in our own fiction. Workshop time will be split between discussing technique in published models\, and reading and discussing our own stories.  \n  \nAs soon as you have registered for this workshop\, please submit a single WORD document containing the following information to workshops@qwf.org with the subject line “For Claire Rothman”:  \n\nA short paragraph about yourself.\nA sentence about what you hope to get from this workshop.\n\n  \nStory Technique will be taught online on Zoom. You’ll need a computer and a decent online connection. We will keep things interactive\, with participants pairing up in break-out rooms for one-on-one exchanges\, and also giving short presentations to the group.  \n  \nYou will receive links to the five stories we’ll be using as models. Reading them before our start date is strongly recommended.  \n  \nClaire Holden Rothman is a Montreal writer\, translator\, and fiction editor\, whose third novel\, Lear’s Shadow (2018) won the 2019 Vine Award for Jewish Canadian Fiction and was short-listed for the 2020 Jacob Isaac Segal Award. Other novels include My October (2014)\, shortlisted for a Governor General’s Award and nominated for a Scotiabank Giller prize\, and The Heart Specialist (2009)\, also nominated for the Giller. She has taught fiction workshops at McGill and Bishop’s Universities. For many years\, she taught English literature and creative writing at Marianopolis College in Montreal.  \n  \nwww.claireholdenrothman.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/story-technique-a-hands-on-investigation/2021-10-27/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211028T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211028T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T150206Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204116Z
UID:10002740-1635444000-1635451200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Teen Spirit: Writing YA
DESCRIPTION:Young adult fiction is a genre that has exploded in popularity in the last few decades\, but it is a genre that is often hard to define. Many people want to write stories about adolescence\, with teenaged protagonists. Does that automatically make the work YA? What exactly is YA? That is one of the questions we will seek to answer in this workshop as we look at the genre and talk about what makes it great. YA is exciting\, explorative\, and highly creative\, allowing writers to experiment with novel structure and narrative voice. It is also challenging\, in that the story must be engaging to young readers and speak to them in a way that is never condescending or pedantic. The writer must do all this with plots that are fast-paced and original\, and with characters that are believable and never clichéd. \nIn this workshop\, we will look at the components of the YA novel\, including character\, voice\, plot\, structure\, setting\, dialogue and figurative language. We will also discuss how to generate ideas\, the writing and editing process\, marketing and working with editors.  Participants will learn how to deal appropriately with sensitive topics such as sex\, violence and profanity. We will explore various forms of the YA novel\, such as traditional narrative\, journal form and the verse novel. We will also talk about different sub-genres\, such as fantasy\, historical\, mystery\, reluctant reader\, and others. We will use John Truby’s book\, The Anatomy of Story\, as a support and guide to the process of storytelling. It is recommended that participants purchase this book. \nParticipants will have the opportunity to workshop their own writing on a designated night by sharing up to 20 double-spaced pages with the group. Fellow participants will read the work in advance and offer critiques in a supportive round table forum. Writers can then ask questions on their work and gain valuable advice for revision. \nThe schedule below shows the main topic of each session. Writing exercises\, examples taken from published works\, and discussion will be also part of each session.  \nWeek 1: Introductory session Participants will introduce themselves and their work; they can also share their expectations for the workshop. Lori will introduce herself and her work to the group and provide an overview of the units that will be covered during the upcoming sessions. We will also lay out the workshopping schedule.  \nWeek 2: Plot\, structure\, pacing.  \nWeek 3: Character and voice.  \nWeek 4: Setting\, symbolism and figurative language.  \nWeek 5: Dialogue.  \nWeek 6: Publishing\, submissions\, expectations etc.  \nWeek 7: Workshopping. \nWeek 8: Workshopping. Wrapping up loose ends\, final questions. \nLori Weber is a native Montrealer who has written eight young adult novels\, including Deep Girls and Yellow Mini; a middle grade novel called Lightning Lou; and one picture book\, My Granny Loves Hockey. A ninth young adult novel\, The Ribbon Leaf\, is forthcoming with Red Deer Press in 2022. She has also published poetry\, short fiction\, and essays in various Canadian journals. She taught English Literature and Creative Writing at John Abbott College for twenty-six years\, and has been a QWF mentor five times\, as well as workshop leader several times. She lives in Dorval\, Quebec.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/teen-spirit-writing-ya/2021-10-28/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211028T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211028T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T181544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204105Z
UID:10002759-1635451200-1635458400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Way Out: Developing Long-Form Fiction Already in Progress
DESCRIPTION:Open by application to writers with a novel or novella in progress \nLimited to 10 participants \n  \nThis workshop is intended for writers who are looking for guidance and encouragement while working on a novel or novella already in progress. Ideally\, you’ll have a significant portion (about 30–50 pages) of your novel or novella already completed\, as well as a solid grasp of the story you’re working on. \n  \nWriting long-form fiction on your own or with few readers can be exhilarating\, but can also leave you with abandoned drafts\, half-written chapters\, and the sinking feeling that there’s no way out. Gaining insight from unbiased readers—myself and the other members of the group—in a supportive\, creative atmosphere will help you identify issues\, clarify your intent\, and find real ways to improve your manuscript. To this end\, our primary focus will be on workshopping sections of each participant’s novel or novella. Each week\, one or two participants will be invited to submit 10–15 pages from their work-in-progress in order to receive feedback and notes from each person in the group. You’ll also be encouraged to include one or two questions about your work with your submission\, and will have the opportunity to engage in informal question and answer sessions in each workshop. \n  \nWorkshopping will be combined with lectures and writing exercises to help you gain new insight to constructing and completing your novel or novella. We’ll explore ways to reinforce the structure of your existing manuscript\, gain deeper understanding of characters\, fix plot holes\, tie up storylines\, and approach publishers and editors. We’ll also work on developing another skill invaluable to any writer: The ability to pinpoint what might not be working—and cut or rework if need be. Because writing a novel or novella takes as long as it takes\, this workshop is designed to help you stay motivated and focused through the difficult parts of writing a long piece and aims to give you the tools to finish your manuscript in your own time.  \n  \nPlease submit the following to workshops@qwf.org\, with the subject line “For Maya Merrick\,” by Monday\, September 13.  \n\nA short summary of your novel or novella (about one or two lines). \n\n\nA maximum of 10 pages from your novel or novella\, double-spaced (if these are not the opening pages\, please include a brief note to let me know where we are in the story).\n\n\nOne or two questions about your novel\, the process of completing a long work\, and/or what to do with it once you’ve finished. \n\nYou will be notified about whether you’ve been selected for the workshop by Monday\, November 20. \nMaya Merrick’s novel\, Sextant (Conundrum Press)\, was released to critical acclaim in 2005\, followed by The Hole Show (Conundrum Press) in 2007. She works with the Quebec Writers’ Federation as a mentor and workshop/master-class facilitator\, has been an instructor at Concordia University’s Centre for Continuing Education\, and has served as the editorial and administrative assistant at Conundrum Press. She is an active writing coach/mentor\, editor\, copyeditor\, and manuscript consultant. Maya is currently completing her third novel\, Colour Radio\, and is working on The Ride\, a book of microfiction.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/way-out-developing-long-form-fiction-already-in-progress/2021-10-28/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211030T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211030T120000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T152811Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204149Z
UID:10002750-1635588000-1635595200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Freelance Boot Camp What You Need to Know to Be a Freelance Writer
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nWhen you are building a freelance writing career\, talent\, and drive are important\, but a basic tool kit of freelancing skills is essential. In this series of three\, 2-hour online sessions\, author and journalist Julie Barlow draws on lessons from her 25-year career as a freelance writer to explain the fundamental skills and knowledge freelance writers need to get their business off the ground: selling ideas\, working with editors\, and understanding how the writing industry works.  \n  \nIn session 1\, Julie will explain how to:  \n  \n\ncome up with writing ideas;\nfigure out where to sell them;\nwrite convincing story pitches.\n\n  \nParticipants will be encouraged to bring query letters or outlines for writing projects that they can share and workshop with their fellow participants\, and Julie will supply sample query letters of her own for the class to read. \n  \nIn Session 2\, Julie will explain:  \n  \n\nwhat editors are looking for;\nhow to approach editors;\nhow to work with editors and build strong relationships with them.\n\n  \nParticipants will continue to read and critique the query letters of their fellow workshop participants. \n  \nIn Session 3\, Julie will explain: \n  \n\nhow to negotiate deadlines and contracts;\nwhat freelancers need to know about copyright\, fees\, and other conditions in contracts;\nhow to negotiate so you get what you need to write.\n\n  \nParticipants will continue to critique fellow classmates’ query letters and can ask questions and share experiences about their specific projects. \n  \nThe workshop is designed for beginners and intermediate writers. While it draws on Julie’s 25-year experience career as a freelance journalist\, book author\, ghostwriter\, translator\, radio documentary producer\, writing coach\, editor\, and speaker\, the focus will be on participants’ own projects and goals. Participants will be expected to develop and pitch a story idea (real or hypothetical) to a media outlet.  \n  \nJulie Barlow is a freelance magazine writer\, translator\, and author of seven nonfiction books\, including The Story of French and The Bonjour Effect: The Secret Codes of French Conversation Revealed. She has also published books on medicine and energy\, including her latest\, Charging Ahead: Hydro-Quebec and the Future of Electricity (October 2019). Julie has been a regular contributor to Quebec’s public affairs magazine L’actualité for over two decades and publishes articles in French and English in magazines\, newspapers\, and online media in Canada\, the U.S.\, and Europe.  \n  \nWebsite: www.nadeaubarlow.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/freelance-boot-camp-what-you-need-to-know-to-be-a-freelance-writer/2021-10-30/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211101T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211101T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T184100Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204137Z
UID:10002693-1635789600-1635796800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Storytelling-In Your Own Voice\, In Your Own Words
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \n  \nTell us a story of your hopes\, dreams and fears. \n  \nWhether yours is a love story or an adventure\, a true-life story or one that’s totally imagined\, you will be free to improvise and adapt as you are guided through the creative process of bringing a story to life and telling it In Your Own Voice and Your Own Words. \n  \nThis six-week online workshop is an invitation to explore not only the process of creative writing\, but also a brief introduction to the essential elements of oral and nonverbal communication necessary to assimilate (as opposed to memorizing) an original story for a traditional style oral transmission\, i.e.\, a telling vs. a reading. \n  \nUnleashing the imagination \n  \n\nUsing images and working within allotted time limits\, your will be guided through the basic steps and elements of creative story writing (these elements being the key to any storytelling project\, written or oral).\n\n  \n\nThe writing sessions will include exercises in creative thought\, improvisation\, situation\, and character motivation as well as the ongoing transition and adaptation of your story.\n\n  \n\nThroughout the workshop\, you will continue to experiment and improvise\, and the ongoing transition and adaptation of your written text (Your Words) will gradually evolve into a story made to tell (Your Voice).\n\n  \n\nStorytelling exercises will cover creating the storyboard\, incorporating senses and emotions\, and using both voice and gesture to bring the story to life.\n\n  \n\nFreedom of creative voice and individual style are encouraged!\n\n  \nThrough the sharing of stories\, we may see past our differences; stimulate interaction between generations\, languages\, and cultures; strengthen our confidence\, identity\, and sense of community. \nWith laughter and tears\, participants will share their thoughts and ideas\, memories and emotions\, in a positive\, enjoyable\, and non-judgmental environment designed to encourage growth and well-being. . . simply for the pleasure of it!\n \n  \nPatti Warnock\, aka La Contesse\, travels the globe\, collecting and sharing her stories. She has participated in festivals and cultural activities throughout Quebec\, Canada\, the Caribbean\, France\, Iran\, and China\, \nreceiving commendations for her storytelling and writing work. Her repertoire (for the young at heart of all ages) consists not only of traditional style tales\, but also of her own creations\, where reality and fiction walk hand in hand\, and which are based on the reality of everyday life events\, and on her own childhood in rural Quebec and in northern Canada. \n  \nW.R.I.T.E.® Workshops: Culture in the Schools – ELAN ArtistsInpire – QWF programs. \nhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/patti-warnock-13a7a83b/
URL:https://qwf.org/event/storytelling-in-your-own-voice-in-your-own-words/2021-11-01/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211101T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211101T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204117Z
UID:10002699-1635796800-1635804000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Creating Compelling Non-Fiction
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nCreative non-fiction has been breaking out of its niche to become an increasingly central component of the literary scene. For those wishing to enter this vibrant and thriving field\, having one’s work read and constructively critiqued by an established writer and a group of one’s peers is an invaluable experience. Creating Compelling Non-Fiction is precisely such an opportunity.  \n  \nOur workshopping will be done from the ground up. Analysis will be rigorous\, readings will be close\, group feedback will be thorough\, supportive\, and respectful. As workshop leader I will provide advice and critique that is both pertinent to the type of non-fiction being addressed and applicable to the genre as a whole. I’ll strive to provide practical and creative tips drawn from my extensive experience with short- and long-form journalism and book-length non-fiction.    \n  \nAlong the way\, numerous questions will be confronted and addressed: \n  \n\nWhat are the qualities and writing options unique to this form? \nWhat are the lines between non-fiction\, creative non-fiction\, and fiction? \nAre some subjects and narrative strategies better suited to a non-fiction treatment than others? \nWhat distinguishes memoir from autobiography? \nWhat is the writer’s responsibility to factual rigour in non-fiction? \nHow much research is too much research? \nWhat are some of the ways to invest non-fiction writing with the narrative pull of good fiction? \nPrecisely what story does the writer wish to tell? \nWhat are the choices—sentence by sentence\, paragraph by paragraph\, page by page—that will best serve that story\, and lead to effective and engaging non-fiction? \nFinally\, how do writers know when their piece is done?\n\n  \nThroughout the workshop I will stress the mutual\, collective nature of our undertaking. Offering one’s work to the eyes of others is an essential step in the journey of all writers\, and attaining a degree of comfort with that process is its own reward.  \n  \nTo complement and underpin our workshopping\, a short list of works by some of the contemporary masters of the form will be read and discussed. I will emphasize the general importance of reading as deeply as possible\, especially in the area in which one wishes to write; where useful\, I will provide personally tailored suggestions-for-further-reading lists for participants. A guest appearance by a prominent Montreal-based writer and journalist will be incorporated.  \nIan McGillis has been writing about books and visual arts for the Montreal Gazette for more than twenty years. His critically acclaimed novel A Tourist’s Guide to Glengarry was shortlisted for the QWF’s Hugh MacLennan Prize For Fiction and McAuslan First Book Prize\, and was a finalist for the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/creating-compelling-non-fiction/2021-11-01/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211102T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211102T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T201404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204134Z
UID:10002709-1635876000-1635883200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Poetry: An Act of Mischief
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nAmerican poet Theodore Roethke (1908-1963) once called poetry ‘an act of mischief.’ In this online\, hands-on workshop participants will be encouraged to ‘play’ outside the boxes they habitually construct for themselves\, to venture into dubious territory\, to be mischievous. Sessions will be tailored to meet the needs and interests of the group\, with writing triggers designed to coax out your dormant little ‘gems.’ Some of the topics we will explore include imagery\, line breaks\, and poetic language. What makes a good poem? What are some practical ways of incorporating this knowledge into your own writing? Roughly half of each class will be devoted to theoretical concerns and/or writing exercises; the second half\, to workshopping the pieces produced in class and tweaked at home. No texts are specifically required\, but you are strongly encouraged to read poetry and/or essays on poetics outside class time and share materials that might be of interest to the group. Beginning\, emerging\, and intermediate poets welcome. \nCarolyn Marie Souaid is the author of eight poetry books and an award-winning novel. She has performed at festivals and literary events in Canada and abroad\, and her work has been featured on CBC Radio and in a variety of national and international publications. Her controversial videopoem\, Blood is Blood\, won a top prize at the 2012 Zebra International Poetry Film Festival in Berlin.  Other books have been shortlisted for the Pat Lowther Memorial Award and the QWF’s A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry.  Carolyn has been guest faculty in creative writing at Bishop’s University and has led several previous QWF workshops. 
URL:https://qwf.org/event/poetry-an-act-of-mischief/2021-11-02/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211102T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211102T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T202551Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204128Z
UID:10002717-1635883200-1635890400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Suspended Meaning: Making Filmpoems
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \nWhat happens when image and sound and poetry collide? The experience of a filmpoem is suspended somewhere between what is seen\, what is heard\, and what is ‘read.’ Learn how to create your own filmpoems with Rachel McCrum\, from conception to writing to filming to editing to production. \n  \nThis 8-week workshop is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience in writing poetry and/or making films. Support will be tailored to whatever participants already have access to\, and to their needs. \n  \nWe’ll set the foundation by introducing the basics of filming\, video-editing\, soundtracks\, post-production\, and writing poems suitable for short films. Along the way\, we will explore and discuss examples of filmpoems\, from the Surrealist experiments of the 1920s to videopoetry of the 1980s\, to performance\, animation\, and digital art in the 1990s and 2000s. By the end of the workshops\, each participant will have their own original DIY\, guerilla-style filmpoem to showcase. \n  \nOver the workshop\, we will cover \n  \n\nIntroduction to the genre\, exploring how filmpoetry has evolved since the start of the 20th century\, and how to break down elements of text\, image and sound.\nCritiques to explore how each element influences our perceptions of the finished piece\, including pacing\, framing etc.\nExploring the types of poems that make good filmpoems (and those that do not).\nDeveloping your own visual language.\nWriting original poems.\nUse of archival footage and sound (including rights).\nIntroduction to various editing suites.\nEditing techniques and post-production work.\nSound effects and soundtracks; use of music.\nFinishing a film.\n\n  \nEquipment requirements: There is no need for expensive technology or software\, although those with access to more sophisticated equipment are welcome to use it. The basic requirements will be a digital camera or cameraphone (a basic cameraphone is enough); a PC or Mac computer with basic editing software installed\, and a good Wifi connection. We will use WeTransfer and Google Drive to share documents\, resources\, and large video files. There will be some homework set between sessions (no more than 2 hours per week). \n  \nIf you are curious about the genre ahead of signing up for the website\, you could check out https://movingpoems.com/ and http://motionpoems.org/ for examples. \nRachel McCrum is a poet\, performer\, event organizer\, and workshop facilitator. Originally from Northern Ireland\, between 2010 and 2016 she lived in Edinburgh\, Scotland\, where she was the first BBC Scotland Poet in Residence and recipient of a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship. Her debut collection The First Blast to Awaken Women Degenerate was published in a bilingual edition with Mémoire d’encrier in Fall 2020. She has produced filmpoems in Scotland\, Ireland\, and Canada\, and coordinated the international collaborative projects ‘cinepoems Quebec-UK’ (2016) and ‘Moving Pictures and Borders’ (2017) – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkKtEfsozu9cZELX6QO8KCQ
URL:https://qwf.org/event/suspended-meaning-making-filmpoems-2/2021-11-02/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211103T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211103T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210809T203623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204127Z
UID:10002725-1635962400-1635969600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Life Writing: An Introductory Memoir Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \n“Part of the art of memoir is seeing and recognizing the story itself.  Life is messy. Art gathers up the chaos and gives it form.” Dani Shapiro. \n  \nOur lives are filled with stories—experiences of joy\, heartbreak\, or transformative change. If you’ve always wanted to write down true stories from your life\, here’s a place to begin. Whether you’re writing family tales for the next generation or describing life-changing moments for a wider audience\, this workshop will help you find your voice and polish your prose.  \n      Building a writer’s toolbox of basic narrative techniques helps shape personal episodes into stories that engage readers. Sessions will include discussion of short readings and tips for getting stories from your head and heart onto the page. Each week\, two or three participants will be asked to email their drafts of a life-based story for peer feedback the following session. You will learn how to offer supportive feedback to your fellow writers in accordance with workshop guidelines. The workshop leader will provide written comments on submissions to help writers lift their first drafts to the next level.             \n  \nKaren Zey’s creative nonfiction stories\, personal essays and craft articles have been widely published in literary magazines. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net\, and featured in Getting to the Truth: The Craft and Practice of Creative Nonfiction (Hippocampus Books\, 2021). Karen has led writing workshops and hosted literary events at her local West Island library. She belongs to a monthly writing group whose members first met in 2013 at a QWF workshop. Karen believes that emergent writers thrive by finding community in which they can explore craft and share writerly talk. \nVisit: www.karenzey.com       \n(Twitter @zippyzey)   http://twitter.com/zippyzey
URL:https://qwf.org/event/life-writing-an-introductory-memoir-workshop/2021-11-03/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211103T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211103T220000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T145404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204116Z
UID:10002733-1635969600-1635976800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Story Technique – A Hands-on Investigation
DESCRIPTION:Open to all \nLimited to 12 participants \n  \n“The only way … to learn to write short stories is to write them\, and then to try to discover what you have done.”  Flannery O’Connor \n  \nThis eight-week workshop will investigate the short story form. Using five truly great realist and speculative short stories as reference\, we’ll do a quick review of the basic building blocks of story-writing: things like detail\, narrative point of view\, and elements of time and place. Then we’ll investigate technical innovations with an eye to attempting something new in our own fiction. Workshop time will be split between discussing technique in published models\, and reading and discussing our own stories.  \n  \nAs soon as you have registered for this workshop\, please submit a single WORD document containing the following information to workshops@qwf.org with the subject line “For Claire Rothman”:  \n\nA short paragraph about yourself.\nA sentence about what you hope to get from this workshop.\n\n  \nStory Technique will be taught online on Zoom. You’ll need a computer and a decent online connection. We will keep things interactive\, with participants pairing up in break-out rooms for one-on-one exchanges\, and also giving short presentations to the group.  \n  \nYou will receive links to the five stories we’ll be using as models. Reading them before our start date is strongly recommended.  \n  \nClaire Holden Rothman is a Montreal writer\, translator\, and fiction editor\, whose third novel\, Lear’s Shadow (2018) won the 2019 Vine Award for Jewish Canadian Fiction and was short-listed for the 2020 Jacob Isaac Segal Award. Other novels include My October (2014)\, shortlisted for a Governor General’s Award and nominated for a Scotiabank Giller prize\, and The Heart Specialist (2009)\, also nominated for the Giller. She has taught fiction workshops at McGill and Bishop’s Universities. For many years\, she taught English literature and creative writing at Marianopolis College in Montreal.  \n  \nwww.claireholdenrothman.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/story-technique-a-hands-on-investigation/2021-11-03/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211104T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211104T190000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20211021T204027Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211021T204027Z
UID:10002796-1636047000-1636052400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:From the Classics to Pop Culture: An Evening with Daniel Mendelsohn
DESCRIPTION:F.R. Scott Lecture 2021 (Virtual)\nFrom the Classics to Pop Culture: An Evening with Daniel Mendelsohn \nThursday\, November 4\, 2021 at 5:30PM (ET) \nThe Friends of the McGill Library are delighted to welcome Daniel Mendelsohn\, internationally bestselling critic\, essayist\, translator\, and author of\, among many others\, The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million (2006); An Odyssey: A Father\, A Son\, and An Epic (2017); Ecstasy and Terror: From the Greeks to Game of Thrones (2019); and Three Rings: A Tale of Exile\, Narrative\, and Fate (2020). \nThe evening will feature a virtual conversation between Daniel Mendelsohn and Allan Hepburn\, James McGill Professor of Twentieth-Century Literature at McGill University. Professor Hepburn’s research focuses on the novel – British\, American\, Irish\, Canadian. His areas of interest include twentieth-century fiction\, contemporary literature\, and aesthetics. \nAudience questions can be emailed in advance or during the event to info.library@mcgill.ca. \nThe F.R. Scott Lecture is generously supported by Donald Walcot. \nWorks by Daniel Mendelsohn and Allan Hepburn will be available for purchase at Paragraphe Books.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/from-the-classics-to-pop-culture-an-evening-with-daniel-mendelsohn/
LOCATION:Online – Please RSVP
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/600x400_Daniel-Mendelsohn.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211104T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211104T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T105527
CREATED:20210810T150206Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210816T204116Z
UID:10002741-1636048800-1636056000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Teen Spirit: Writing YA
DESCRIPTION:Young adult fiction is a genre that has exploded in popularity in the last few decades\, but it is a genre that is often hard to define. Many people want to write stories about adolescence\, with teenaged protagonists. Does that automatically make the work YA? What exactly is YA? That is one of the questions we will seek to answer in this workshop as we look at the genre and talk about what makes it great. YA is exciting\, explorative\, and highly creative\, allowing writers to experiment with novel structure and narrative voice. It is also challenging\, in that the story must be engaging to young readers and speak to them in a way that is never condescending or pedantic. The writer must do all this with plots that are fast-paced and original\, and with characters that are believable and never clichéd. \nIn this workshop\, we will look at the components of the YA novel\, including character\, voice\, plot\, structure\, setting\, dialogue and figurative language. We will also discuss how to generate ideas\, the writing and editing process\, marketing and working with editors.  Participants will learn how to deal appropriately with sensitive topics such as sex\, violence and profanity. We will explore various forms of the YA novel\, such as traditional narrative\, journal form and the verse novel. We will also talk about different sub-genres\, such as fantasy\, historical\, mystery\, reluctant reader\, and others. We will use John Truby’s book\, The Anatomy of Story\, as a support and guide to the process of storytelling. It is recommended that participants purchase this book. \nParticipants will have the opportunity to workshop their own writing on a designated night by sharing up to 20 double-spaced pages with the group. Fellow participants will read the work in advance and offer critiques in a supportive round table forum. Writers can then ask questions on their work and gain valuable advice for revision. \nThe schedule below shows the main topic of each session. Writing exercises\, examples taken from published works\, and discussion will be also part of each session.  \nWeek 1: Introductory session Participants will introduce themselves and their work; they can also share their expectations for the workshop. Lori will introduce herself and her work to the group and provide an overview of the units that will be covered during the upcoming sessions. We will also lay out the workshopping schedule.  \nWeek 2: Plot\, structure\, pacing.  \nWeek 3: Character and voice.  \nWeek 4: Setting\, symbolism and figurative language.  \nWeek 5: Dialogue.  \nWeek 6: Publishing\, submissions\, expectations etc.  \nWeek 7: Workshopping. \nWeek 8: Workshopping. Wrapping up loose ends\, final questions. \nLori Weber is a native Montrealer who has written eight young adult novels\, including Deep Girls and Yellow Mini; a middle grade novel called Lightning Lou; and one picture book\, My Granny Loves Hockey. A ninth young adult novel\, The Ribbon Leaf\, is forthcoming with Red Deer Press in 2022. She has also published poetry\, short fiction\, and essays in various Canadian journals. She taught English Literature and Creative Writing at John Abbott College for twenty-six years\, and has been a QWF mentor five times\, as well as workshop leader several times. She lives in Dorval\, Quebec.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/teen-spirit-writing-ya/2021-11-04/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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END:VCALENDAR