BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Quebec Writers' Federation - ECPv6.15.17.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://qwf.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Quebec Writers' Federation
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20230312T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20231105T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240326T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240326T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T191130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193433Z
UID:10003626-1711476000-1711483200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Exploring Childhood Through Stories: Writing Picture Books and Early Chapter Books
DESCRIPTION:This is a workshop for writers interested in writing picture books and early chapter books\, and also for illustrators who would like to hone their writing skills. \n\n\n\nWriting a good picture book requires the storytelling ability of a novelist and close attention to a clear\, simple\, and often poetic language pared down to arrive at the essential. \n\n\n\nIn this workshop we will explore: \n\n\n\n\nVisual literacy as well as verbal literacy\, since picture books and early readers rely heavily on both.\n\n\n\nShort writing exercises in class to inspire ideas\, to reignite the emotions of childhood\, and to revisit the landscapes of childhood.\n\n\n\nLonger writing exercises at home.\n\n\n\nReading and studying picture books for their structure and the balancing act of words and pictures.\n\n\n\nRevising\, editing\, and submitting manuscripts\, including the state of the children’s book publishing industry and new technologies.\n\n\n\n\nParticipants should emerge with one or two drafts of a picture book or a first chapter of an early reader. \n\n\n\nBring one or two of your all-time favorite picture books to the first meeting. Be prepared to present each book\, read a short passage and explain why it appeals to you. \n\n\n\nBring writing materials. We will be doing short writing exercises that will test your imagination and creativity and awake the visual awareness of childhood. \n\n\n\nIf you have a picture book manuscript in progress that you would like to submit for discussion and comments\, please send a copy (four pages maximum) to riley@qwf.org by March 1. The subject line should read “For Marie-Louise Gay.” \n\n\n\nMarie-Louise Gay studied graphic design at L’institut des arts graphiques\, animation at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts School\, and illustration at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. She has written and/or illustrated over seventy books for children: board books\, picture books\, and chapter books. Her books have been published in twenty languages and have won many awards. \n\n\n\nShe has also written three puppet plays for which she created the sets\, puppets\, and costumes. Marie-Louise worked as a creative consultant on the scripts and animation of the television series that was created based on her Stella and Sam books. Over the years she has given writing and illustration workshops to children and adults.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/exploring-childhood-through-stories-writing-picture-books-and-early-chapter-books/2024-03-26/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Gay-photo_Credit_Gilbert-Duclos.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240326T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240326T220000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T192452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193639Z
UID:10003636-1711483200-1711490400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Unlock Your Filmmaking Dreams: A Short Film Screenwriting Workshop
DESCRIPTION:This workshop is not just about dreaming—it’s about doing. It’s about equipping you with the tools to transform your creative ideas into compelling short films. Here’s what you can expect to gain from this cooperative experience: \n\n\n\nLearn the fundamental skills of crafting engaging and impactful short film screenplays; the principles of character development\, plot structure\, and dialogue that will make your narrative resonate. Gain insights into the anatomy of a successful screenplays\, receive hands-on guidance on structuring your ideas\, ensuring your story flows seamlessly from start to finish and receive constructive feedback in a safe environment designed to cultivate a supportive community of fellow aspiring writers. \n\n\n\nAs you share your thoughts and insights\, you will develop the skill of giving and receiving positive\, constructive feedback to elevate your work and cultivate a supportive community of fellow writers. This will allow you to articulate your vision effectively\, convey the essence of your screenplay with impact and hone the art of pitching your ideas confidently and persuasively. \n\n\n\nHow to apply? \n\n\n\nSubmit your CV\, a paragraph detailing your previous creative writing experience and a paragraph describing the story you would like to develop as a screenplay of no more than ten script pages – equivalent to ten minutes of screen time. Adaptations of stories from other forms is encouraged. Send all your submissions materials in one email to Riley at riley@qwf.org with the subject line “For Jacob Potashnik” by Friday\, February 16. \n\n\n\nThrough a series of ten\, two-hour sessions\, you will identify and refine the core elements of your story and develop your ideas and receive constructive group feedback. You will progress from story idea to an outline\, treatment\, a dialogued version\, to your final draft screenplay. There is an emphasis on oral presentation of ideas and active participation for all participants. \n\n\n\nSeize Your Spot! Spaces are limited\, so act now to secure your place in this exciting QWF Short Film Screenwriting Workshop. \n\n\n\nJacob Potashnik is a screenwriter and producer and line-producer of documentaries\, television series\, commercials\, web content and films of every genre. In 2019\, Jacob co-produced\, “Pink Lake\,” a feature film which screened at international festivals in Vancouver\, Hamilton\, and Durban. Jacob won the WGC award for the best screenplay for\, “Stardom\,” co-written and directed by Denys Arcand. He is the author of\, “The Golem of Hampstead\, and Other Stories\,” a collection short-listed for the QWF/Concordia University First Book prize.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/unlock-your-filmmaking-dreams-a-short-film-screenwriting-workshop/2024-03-26/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Potashnik-by-Carla-Clarke_light.jpeg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240327T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240327T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231213T182544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193636Z
UID:10003672-1711562400-1711569600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Edit Your Own Prose: The Art of Rewriting
DESCRIPTION:You’ve written a first draft of your novel or your memoir. You know you need to rework it\, but you’re stuck. It doesn’t quite work\, but you are not sure why. Rewriting the opening over and over isn’t helping. So\, what should you do?     \n\n\n\nIn this workshop\, you’ll learn how to see your own work with an editor’s eye using tips\, tricks\, and hands-on exercises. \n\n\n\nThe workshop will focus on big-picture issues\, including story line\, character development\, and genre expectations\, and help you bring the story alive on the page through rhythm\, effective dialogue\, and language choices. \n\n\n\nThrough the course of the workshop\, you’ll learn how to: \n\n\n\n\nSpot common big-picture problems (info dumping\, “as you know\, Bob” explanations\, insufficient conflict\, misunderstanding genre conventions\, etc.)\n\n\n\nTrack character development (goals and motivation)\n\n\n\nSee the advantages and pitfalls of different points of view\n\n\n\nMake the most out of dialogue\n\n\n\nPlay with language and develop your imagination\n\n\n\n\nThis workshop is geared toward fiction and creative nonfiction book-length manuscripts. \n\n\n\nBy the end of the workshop\, you’ll better understand what isn’t working in your manuscript and how to fix it\, and\, hopefully\, have learned to love the rewriting process.   \n\n\n\nMaria Schamis Turner is a freelance editor specializing in developmental editing and line editing for fiction and creative nonfiction. She is a founding editor and previous editor-in-chief and creative nonfiction editor of the literary magazine carte blanche. She worked for 10 years on literary projects for CBC Radio\, including as an editor for Canada Writes. She was also the producer of the true-story storytelling series This Really Happened and has taught numerous workshops on storytelling\, writing\, and editing.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/edit-your-own-prose-the-art-of-rewriting/2024-03-27/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Turner-photo_Owen-Egan.jpeg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240327T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240327T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240221T153733Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240221T153737Z
UID:10003750-1711566000-1711573200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Writers Read Presents Canisia Lubrin and Christina Sharpe
DESCRIPTION:On Wednesday\, March 27th\, Writers Read will be joined for a reading by Griffin Prize-winning poet and novelist Canisia Lubrin and writer\, Professor\, and Canadian Research Chair member in Black Studies in the Humanities at York University Christina Sharpe. The event will take place in Concordia University’s John Molson Building (1600 Boulevard De Maisonneuve Ouest)\, Room 9D from 7pm-9pm. This event is free and open to all.  \nCanisia Lubrin is an acclaimed poet\, editor\, and writer. Her books of poetry include Voodoo Hypothesis (2017)\, which was named a CBC Best Poetry Book and was shortlisted for the Raymond Souster Award\, and The Dyzgraph*st (2020)\, which won the Griffin Poetry Prize. Lubrin’s fiction debut\, Code Noir (2024)\, has been described by Dionne Brand as “storytelling at its deepest and most intimate.” Lubrin’s writings explore ideas of social justice and the relationship between limitation and possibility in regards to art\, form\, and language. \nChristina Sharpe is a writer\, professor\, and Canada Research Chair in Black Studies in the Humanities at York University in Toronto. She is also a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Race\, Gender & Class (RGC) at the University of Johannesburg\, and a Matakyev Research Fellow at the Center for Imagination in the Borderlands at Arizona State University. She is the author of In the Wake: On Blackness and Being (Duke University Press\, 2016)—named by the Guardian and the Walrus as one of the best books of 2016 and a nonfiction finalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award—Monstrous Intimacies: Making Post-Slavery Subjects (Duke University Press\, 2010)\, and Ordinary Notes (Knopf Canada\, 2023)\, which won the 2023 Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction and was a finalist for The National Book Award. \nWriters Read is part of Concordia University’s Creative Writing program and is supported by the Department of English and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Writers Read\, directed by Professor Sina Queyras since 2011\, invites renowned and emerging authors\, both Canadian and international\, to read from and discuss their work with students and local audiences. In addition to readings\, the series includes Master Classes and professional developmental activities spanning the school year. For updates\, follow our Instagram @writersreadconcordia \n*Credit for the photograph of Canisia Lubrin goes to Rachel Eliza Griffiths
URL:https://qwf.org/event/writers-read-presents-canisia-lubrin-and-christina-sharpe/
LOCATION:Concordia University\, John Molson Building\, Room 9D\, 1600 Rue de Maisonneuve Ouest\, Montreal\, Quebec\, H3H 1J5\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/75FEF4F7-41CE-4943-AA5E-B62263E93A4D.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240327T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240327T220000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231213T183644Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193634Z
UID:10003680-1711569600-1711576800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Speaking Truth to Power: How to Write Non-Didactic Political Poetry
DESCRIPTION:This 8-week poetry workshop focuses on writing poetry that engages with social justice and politics without leaning too far into didacticism and prescriptiveness\, without sounding too preachy or like a chant in a march. This workshop intends to show writers how to subtly pack a punch into a poem that leaves the reader breathless\, surprised\, and moved. We will be doing this by exploring different formal approaches that will help add nuance and singularity to the poems we will be writing. \n\n\n\nEach week\, we’ll be discussing a different formal approach\, including: \n\n\n\n\nDirect address/letter poems\n\n\n\nFiltering through a lens\n\n\n\nWriter as expert\n\n\n\nResearch\n\n\n\nFound poetry/Erasure poetry\n\n\n\nVillanelle\, the ghazal\, and the power of repetition\n\n\n\nExperimental poetry\n\n\n\n\nWe will be doing so by reading and discussing poems that utilize specific formal approaches based on the topic set for the week. Some of the writers we will be reading include Hanif Abdurraqib\, Chen Chen\, Canisia Lubrin\, Trish Salah\, Tommy Pico\, Kay Gabriel\, Dionne Brand\, and Hala Alyan. \n\n\n\nFurthermore\, each week\, workshop participants will be given writing prompts that will help them learn about the different forms and formal approaches discussed. The prompts will guide the participants in attempting to write poems using that week’s form. Finally\, 1-2 writers will have their poems workshopped each week. Attendees will be asked to send in their poems a week in advance so that their peers can start workshopping the pieces at home a week in advance.This workshop is open to poets in any stage of their development\, whether they are new to writing or already have a writing practice. The goal of the workshop is for participants to leave the workshop with a deeper understanding of the ways form and craft can be used to write more impactful and unique poems that engage with social justice and undermine the white\, cis\, colonial patriarchal status quo. This workshop will be especially useful for writers who feel they have something to say but don’t know how to say it.Eli Tareq El Bechelany-Lynch is a writer\, translator\, and acquisitions editor at Metonymy Press living in Tio’tia:ke. Their work has appeared in The Best Canadian Poetry 2018 anthology\, The New Quarterly\, Arc Poetry Magazine\, and elsewhere. Their book\, knot body\, published by Metatron Press in 2020\, was shortlisted for the QWF Concordia First Book Award\, and their second book\, The Good Arabs\, published by Metonymy Press in 2021\, was received honorary mention for the Arab American Book Awards and the Khayrallah Prize\, and won the Grand Prix du Livre de Montréal. Their translation of Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay’s La fille d’elle-même from the French was published in Spring 2023. With co-editor Samia Marshy\, they are editing El Ghourabaa\, an anthology of queer and trans writing by Arab and Arabophone writers\, forthcoming Spring 2024.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/speaking-truth-to-power-how-to-write-non-didactic-political-poetry/2024-03-27/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/El-Bechelany-Lynch-photo_Credit_-Kris-Lynch-scaled.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240328T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240328T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240322T140225Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240322T140229Z
UID:10003794-1711616400-1711659600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:SpeakUp
DESCRIPTION:SpeakUp​\nThe Montreal Inter-Active Poetry Exchange \nPoets : Norman Cristofoli\, Lucia De Luca \n​Join us at Phoenix Books in NDG (5928 Sherbrooke St W\, Montreal\, Quebec H4A 1X7)\non Thursday\, March 28 @ 7 PM\n​for a poetry reading with a difference\, AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT \nEach audience member receives a copy of the poems.\nEach poet reads their poem\, followed by a 15 to 20-minute discussion.\nThe poet reads their poem a final time. \n​For more info or details contact us by\nemail MTLSpeakUp@gmail.com or on Facebook @MtlSpeakUp \nGRATUITE\nSpeakUp\nL’Échange Interactif de Poésie de Montréal \nPoètes : Norman Cristofoli\, Lucia De Luca \navec SpeakUp le public est engagé\nChaque membre de l’auditoire recevra une copie du poème.\nChaque poète lira leur poème\, suivi d’une discussion de 15-20 minutes.\nLe poète lira leur poème une dernière fois.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/speakup-11/
LOCATION:Phoenix Books\, 5928 Sherbrooke Street West\, 5928 Sherbrooke St W\, Montreal\, QC\, H4A 1X7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Reading
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SpeakUp_March_EN.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240328T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240328T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T194005Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193630Z
UID:10003646-1711648800-1711656000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Getting Weird: Crafting Surreal Short Stories
DESCRIPTION:Getting Weird is an 8-week short fiction workshop that focuses on writing strangeness into the everyday\, as a method for exploring and disrupting questions of race\, gender\, sexuality\, climate change\, capitalism\, and other big topics. Participants will read a wide range of writers who delve into the weird\, such as Paige Cooper\, Giada Scodellaro\, Renee Gladman\, Hiromi Goto\, Mariana Enriquez\, Carmen Maria Machado\, and Callum Angus. They will be given an array of writing prompts\, designed to investigate different aspects of surreal fiction\, and will also have the opportunity to give and receive feedback on short pieces of writing. \n\n\n\nWeird fiction contains elements of the eerie\, the uncanny\, and the surreal\, and encourages high levels of playfulness and perceptiveness\, two key elements of compelling storytelling. Weird fiction can also serve as a strong vehicle for writers from underrepresented groups to remake the world in ways that decenter white\, colonial\, hetero-cis-normative worldviews. Prompts will include the following topics: \n\n\n\n\nWeird micro-fiction\n\n\n\nEngaging the senses\n\n\n\nWeirdness at work (parsing the rituals of capitalism and labour)\n\n\n\nGender euphoria/queer weirdos\n\n\n\nReworking ancestral mythologies\n\n\n\nDream logics\n\n\n\n\nParticipants will receive prompts the week before each session (except before the first meeting)\, and will be given a rota (workshopping schedule) in advance. Each participant will have at least one opportunity to submit one piece of writing (up to 2000 words) to the group\, which will be discussed in-session by their peers\, with additional feedback provided by the instructor. These submissions should be based on one or more of the prompts given in the workshop. Participants should be prepared to do the following homework between sessions: responding to writing prompts\, reading one assigned piece of fiction\, providing feedback to their peers. \n\n\n\nThis workshop is open to new fiction writers\, as well as writers who already have a developed fiction practice. Participants should emerge from the workshop with one or two solid short story drafts\, and a confidence in their ability to unsettle the status quo on the page. \n\n\n\nH Felix Chau Bradley is the author of Personal Attention Roleplay (Metonymy Press)\, which was a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and the Kobo Rakuten Emerging Writer Prize in 2022; and the chapbook Automatic Object Lessons (House House Press). Their writing has appeared in carte blanche\, ESPACE art actuel\, the Humber Literary Review\, Maisonneuve Magazine\, the Montreal Review of Books\, PRISM International\, Weird Era\, Xtra and elsewhere. They live in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal)\, and work as an editor for Metonymy Press\, This Magazine\, and Le Sigh. They were recently awarded QWF’s carte blanche Prize.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/getting-weird-crafting-surreal-short-stories/2024-03-28/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Chau-Bradley-Photo_Credit-Eli-Tareq-El-Bechelany-Lynch-scaled.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240328T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240328T220000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T195238Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193627Z
UID:10003654-1711656000-1711663200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Speculative Fiction Master Class: Readying Your Work for Publication
DESCRIPTION:As in all of my workshops\, speculative fiction is defined broadly to include anything from science fiction to fantasy to slipstream to magic realism. Participants are free to submit a short story\, an excerpt from a larger work\, a script\, speculative poetry\, a comic\, or graphic novel excerpt. \n\n\n\nThe workshop will consist of ten sessions so as to give each participant the opportunity to workshop their piece twice: once for initial feedback and a second time once revisions have been made. We will begin by having each workshop member introduce themselves and their project\, including their intentions. Following these introductions\, I will give a brief presentation on different vectors of analysis in evaluating a piece\, including: \n\n\n\n\n         story\, plot arc\, and pacingworldbuildingcharacter\, POV\, voice\, and tonedescriptions and other issues of language and writing qualitytheme and meaning/intention\n\nbeginnings and endings\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn week 1\, we will workshop a very short story that participants should read before we meet: Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.” In discussing this story\, participants will have the opportunity to practice both the workshopping method and vectors of analysis that we will be employing during subsequent sessions. \n\n\n\nIn weeks 2 through 9\, we will workshop two to three submissions at each session. There will also be discussions and exchanges on a topic or topics related to one or more of the vectors of analysis mentioned in the first session. These topics will not be determined in advance\, but will flow organically from the submissions discussed that particular week. \n\n\n\nThe last session will be reserved for an in-depth presentation on maximizing your chances of publication\, including a list of resources\, and a guest presentation by a speculative fiction publisher. I will also answer any new questions that may have arisen in previous sessions. \n\n\n\n*This workshop will take place at the QWF Office (Room 3\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Westmount\, Quebec) with up to 2 virtual spots for participants who are unable to attend in-person. By default\, all workshop registrations are for in-person spots. If you would like to attend the workshop via Zoom\, first email Riley (riley@qwf.org) to see if online spots are still available for this workshop\, and then wait for confirmation. Virtual spots are limited and are reserved for people who either live outside Montreal or have a medical condition. \n\n\n\nSu J  Sokol is a writer of speculative and interstitial fiction as well as an editor. Xe is the author of three novels: Cycling to Asylum\, long-listed for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic and optioned for a film; Run J Run; and Zee\, a finalist for the Janet Savage Blachford Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Les lignes invisibles\, the French translation of Cycling to Asylum\, was published in 2022 by VLB Imaginaire. Sokol’s short fiction and essays have appeared in various magazines and anthologies.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/speculative-fiction-master-class-readying-your-work-for-publication/2024-03-28/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Sokol-photo-by-Cassandra-Cacheiro.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240330T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240330T123000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240305T161351Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240305T161458Z
UID:10003772-1711792800-1711801800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Shut Up & Write! with QWF (Virtual)
DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, March 30\, 10:00 am–12:30 pmOnline via Zoom—RSVP below to receive the Zoom link\n\n\n\nLooking for some dedicated\, quiet writing space? \n\n\n\nRegister below to do all that writing you’ve been meaning to do. Using the Pomodoro technique\, participants write in 25 minute bursts\, with 5 minutes break in between. \n\n\n\nThis event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.  \n\n\n\nThe Zoom link will be sent out a day or two before the session. \n\n\n\nPlease note that these sessions are designed for silent writing\, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work. \n\n\n\n10:00–10:25: Writing 110:25–10:30: Break10:30–10:55: Writing 210:55–11:00: Break11:00–11:25: Writing 311:25–11:30: Break11:30–11:55: Writing 411:55–12:00: Break12:00–12:25: Writing 5 \n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom link\, RSVP below. You will receive the Zoom link a few days before the session. \n\n\n\nNote: RSVPs for virtual Shut Up & Write! sessions close 24 hours before the session. If there is no option to RSVP\, RSVPs are closed.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/shut-up-write-with-qwf-virtual-7/
LOCATION:Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
CATEGORIES:Shut Up & Write!
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shut-Up-Write.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240401T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240401T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T181837Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193648Z
UID:10003613-1711994400-1712001600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Writing Comic Poetry: Seriously?!
DESCRIPTION:Can a poem be funny? Can we balance the light and the dark\, find hilarity in a haiku? What is the value of play in creation? In this workshop\, participants will be encouraged to explore the place of humour in their work\, through guided readings\, discussions\, and exercises. \n\n\n\nWriters of all levels\, from beginner to seasoned\, are welcome\, and you may use whatever tools you prefer\, from laptops to paper and a pen. Each workshop will begin with a reading and discussion of a poem provided by the workshop leader\, followed by a writing session. Participants are encouraged but not required to share their works-in-progress with the group. You are also encouraged to bring to our meetings drafts of poems-in-progress\, or any writing you may wish to shape into a poem. \n\n\n\nIdentifying what makes you laugh is key to sharpening your own wit\, so a week prior to the workshop you will be asked to select a poem from a provided list. During the first meeting\, be prepared to explain why this poem made you guffaw\, laugh\, or perhaps just chuckle. Was it the surprising wordplay? An unexpected juxtaposition? The poet’s subversion of your expectations? \n\n\n\nThrough writing prompts and exercises (both collaborative and individualized)\, we will play with form\, persona\, and language. While humour is subjective\, this workshop will be a safe space\, with respectful feedback provided by the instructor and the group. \n\n\n\nRebecca Păpucaru‘s first novel\, As Good a Place as Any\, will be published by Guernica Editions in 2025. Her first book\, The Panic Room (Nightwood Editions) was awarded the 2018 Canadian Jewish Literary Award for Poetry and was also a finalist for the A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry and longlisted for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. Her short story “Yentas” won The Malahat Review’s 2020 Novella Prize. Her work has also appeared in The Best Canadian Poetry in English\, Arc\, EVENT\, Grain\, The Literary Review of Canada\, Canadian Literature\, and The New Quarterly\, among others.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/writing-comic-poetry-seriously/2024-04-01/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Papucaru-photo_Credit_Alexia-Cassidy-and-Beatrice-Thomassin-Demers-scaled-e1702405728935.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240401T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240401T220000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T183633Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193641Z
UID:10003621-1712001600-1712008800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Memoir: How to Tell Your Story
DESCRIPTION:Each of us has a story to tell. We all have memories. But how do you take what you’ve experienced and turn it into something more than a conversation in a bar? How do you find the weight that is in each of our lives and stories? \n\n\n\nIn this workshop we’ll focus on transforming the personal into something that reaches beyond. \n\n\n\nHere’s a loose outline of how we’ll approach it. \n\n\n\nWeek 1 \n\n\n\nWhat is a story? What makes the telling a story and not just words spilling onto a page? \n\n\n\nWeek 2 \n\n\n\nHow to get at that story that burns within? \n\n\n\nWeek 3 \n\n\n\nThe hook\, part 1: First impressions are critical \n\n\n\nWeek 4 \n\n\n\nThe hook\, part 2: Developing the critical eye \n\n\n\nWeek 5 \n\n\n\nBeyond copy editing: How do you know which voice is the right voice? You have to listen carefully. The story knows. \n\n\n\nWeek 6 \n\n\n\nAttack 1: You’ve written your story. We’re here to tell you we don’t like it. What are you going to do about it? \n\n\n\nWeek 7 \n\n\n\nAttack 2: Why is the story not working – or\, better still\, why is it working? \n\n\n\nWeek 8 \n\n\n\nWriter vs Author: writing to write or writing to get published. Why it matters. \n\n\n\nAlong the way\, there will be exercises\, discussions\, writing\, revising\, reading of each other’s work\, and good fun. \n\n\n\nEddy L. Harris is a perpetual traveler\, a filmmaker and the author of seven critically acclaimed books\, all of which partake of memoir\, adventure tale\, travelogue and cultural reportage. \n\n\n\nHe spent four years as Writer-in-Residence at Washington University teaching Black American Literature and writing classes structured as workshops. That was followed by a stint on the Nez Perce Indian reservation in northern Idaho and a documentary project he wrote and presented for BBC-Wales: Roots In Wales. \n\n\n\nIn 2014 he repeated his canoe journey along the Mississippi River which resulted in the award-winning documentary film River to the Heart\, which he wrote\, produced\, and directed. \n\n\n\nHe has worked most recently as professor of English and Writer-in-Residence at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg\, Virginia \n\n\n\nAs USA Today put it: “Eddy Harris isn’t your everyday tourist. His travels almost always have a purpose\, and that purpose is to write about not only what he sees\, but what he feels.”
URL:https://qwf.org/event/memoir-how-to-tell-your-story/2024-04-01/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/bmp:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Harris-photo.bmp
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240402T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240402T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T191130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193433Z
UID:10003627-1712080800-1712088000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Exploring Childhood Through Stories: Writing Picture Books and Early Chapter Books
DESCRIPTION:This is a workshop for writers interested in writing picture books and early chapter books\, and also for illustrators who would like to hone their writing skills. \n\n\n\nWriting a good picture book requires the storytelling ability of a novelist and close attention to a clear\, simple\, and often poetic language pared down to arrive at the essential. \n\n\n\nIn this workshop we will explore: \n\n\n\n\nVisual literacy as well as verbal literacy\, since picture books and early readers rely heavily on both.\n\n\n\nShort writing exercises in class to inspire ideas\, to reignite the emotions of childhood\, and to revisit the landscapes of childhood.\n\n\n\nLonger writing exercises at home.\n\n\n\nReading and studying picture books for their structure and the balancing act of words and pictures.\n\n\n\nRevising\, editing\, and submitting manuscripts\, including the state of the children’s book publishing industry and new technologies.\n\n\n\n\nParticipants should emerge with one or two drafts of a picture book or a first chapter of an early reader. \n\n\n\nBring one or two of your all-time favorite picture books to the first meeting. Be prepared to present each book\, read a short passage and explain why it appeals to you. \n\n\n\nBring writing materials. We will be doing short writing exercises that will test your imagination and creativity and awake the visual awareness of childhood. \n\n\n\nIf you have a picture book manuscript in progress that you would like to submit for discussion and comments\, please send a copy (four pages maximum) to riley@qwf.org by March 1. The subject line should read “For Marie-Louise Gay.” \n\n\n\nMarie-Louise Gay studied graphic design at L’institut des arts graphiques\, animation at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts School\, and illustration at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. She has written and/or illustrated over seventy books for children: board books\, picture books\, and chapter books. Her books have been published in twenty languages and have won many awards. \n\n\n\nShe has also written three puppet plays for which she created the sets\, puppets\, and costumes. Marie-Louise worked as a creative consultant on the scripts and animation of the television series that was created based on her Stella and Sam books. Over the years she has given writing and illustration workshops to children and adults.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/exploring-childhood-through-stories-writing-picture-books-and-early-chapter-books/2024-04-02/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Gay-photo_Credit_Gilbert-Duclos.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240402T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240402T220000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T192452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193639Z
UID:10003637-1712088000-1712095200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Unlock Your Filmmaking Dreams: A Short Film Screenwriting Workshop
DESCRIPTION:This workshop is not just about dreaming—it’s about doing. It’s about equipping you with the tools to transform your creative ideas into compelling short films. Here’s what you can expect to gain from this cooperative experience: \n\n\n\nLearn the fundamental skills of crafting engaging and impactful short film screenplays; the principles of character development\, plot structure\, and dialogue that will make your narrative resonate. Gain insights into the anatomy of a successful screenplays\, receive hands-on guidance on structuring your ideas\, ensuring your story flows seamlessly from start to finish and receive constructive feedback in a safe environment designed to cultivate a supportive community of fellow aspiring writers. \n\n\n\nAs you share your thoughts and insights\, you will develop the skill of giving and receiving positive\, constructive feedback to elevate your work and cultivate a supportive community of fellow writers. This will allow you to articulate your vision effectively\, convey the essence of your screenplay with impact and hone the art of pitching your ideas confidently and persuasively. \n\n\n\nHow to apply? \n\n\n\nSubmit your CV\, a paragraph detailing your previous creative writing experience and a paragraph describing the story you would like to develop as a screenplay of no more than ten script pages – equivalent to ten minutes of screen time. Adaptations of stories from other forms is encouraged. Send all your submissions materials in one email to Riley at riley@qwf.org with the subject line “For Jacob Potashnik” by Friday\, February 16. \n\n\n\nThrough a series of ten\, two-hour sessions\, you will identify and refine the core elements of your story and develop your ideas and receive constructive group feedback. You will progress from story idea to an outline\, treatment\, a dialogued version\, to your final draft screenplay. There is an emphasis on oral presentation of ideas and active participation for all participants. \n\n\n\nSeize Your Spot! Spaces are limited\, so act now to secure your place in this exciting QWF Short Film Screenwriting Workshop. \n\n\n\nJacob Potashnik is a screenwriter and producer and line-producer of documentaries\, television series\, commercials\, web content and films of every genre. In 2019\, Jacob co-produced\, “Pink Lake\,” a feature film which screened at international festivals in Vancouver\, Hamilton\, and Durban. Jacob won the WGC award for the best screenplay for\, “Stardom\,” co-written and directed by Denys Arcand. He is the author of\, “The Golem of Hampstead\, and Other Stories\,” a collection short-listed for the QWF/Concordia University First Book prize.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/unlock-your-filmmaking-dreams-a-short-film-screenwriting-workshop/2024-04-02/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Potashnik-by-Carla-Clarke_light.jpeg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240403T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240403T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231213T182544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193636Z
UID:10003673-1712167200-1712174400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Edit Your Own Prose: The Art of Rewriting
DESCRIPTION:You’ve written a first draft of your novel or your memoir. You know you need to rework it\, but you’re stuck. It doesn’t quite work\, but you are not sure why. Rewriting the opening over and over isn’t helping. So\, what should you do?     \n\n\n\nIn this workshop\, you’ll learn how to see your own work with an editor’s eye using tips\, tricks\, and hands-on exercises. \n\n\n\nThe workshop will focus on big-picture issues\, including story line\, character development\, and genre expectations\, and help you bring the story alive on the page through rhythm\, effective dialogue\, and language choices. \n\n\n\nThrough the course of the workshop\, you’ll learn how to: \n\n\n\n\nSpot common big-picture problems (info dumping\, “as you know\, Bob” explanations\, insufficient conflict\, misunderstanding genre conventions\, etc.)\n\n\n\nTrack character development (goals and motivation)\n\n\n\nSee the advantages and pitfalls of different points of view\n\n\n\nMake the most out of dialogue\n\n\n\nPlay with language and develop your imagination\n\n\n\n\nThis workshop is geared toward fiction and creative nonfiction book-length manuscripts. \n\n\n\nBy the end of the workshop\, you’ll better understand what isn’t working in your manuscript and how to fix it\, and\, hopefully\, have learned to love the rewriting process.   \n\n\n\nMaria Schamis Turner is a freelance editor specializing in developmental editing and line editing for fiction and creative nonfiction. She is a founding editor and previous editor-in-chief and creative nonfiction editor of the literary magazine carte blanche. She worked for 10 years on literary projects for CBC Radio\, including as an editor for Canada Writes. She was also the producer of the true-story storytelling series This Really Happened and has taught numerous workshops on storytelling\, writing\, and editing.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/edit-your-own-prose-the-art-of-rewriting/2024-04-03/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Turner-photo_Owen-Egan.jpeg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240403T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240403T203000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240314T145139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240314T145204Z
UID:10003786-1712170800-1712176200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:A Moderated Discussion with Two Canadian Jewish Writers
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, April 3\, 7:00–8:30 PM ESTOnline via Zoom (link to register below)\n\n\n\nNora Gold\, a native Montrealer\, will introduce her two new novellas\, In Sickness and In Health and Yom Kippur in a Gym. Nora is the author of five books and editor of the literary journal JewishFiction.net. \n\n\n\nGina Roitman\, a Montreal author\, will discuss her own literary thriller Don’t Ask (2022). Gina is the creator and subject of the documentary film My Mother\, the Nazi Midwife and Me. \n\n\n\nGold and Roitman will read excerpts\, talk about their books (which share common themes)\, and introduce listeners to a trove of Jewish writing.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/a-moderated-discussion-with-two-canadian-jewish-writers/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Book Club,Reading
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Final-April-3rd-Book-Club-Ad-5-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240403T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240403T220000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231213T183644Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193634Z
UID:10003681-1712174400-1712181600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Speaking Truth to Power: How to Write Non-Didactic Political Poetry
DESCRIPTION:This 8-week poetry workshop focuses on writing poetry that engages with social justice and politics without leaning too far into didacticism and prescriptiveness\, without sounding too preachy or like a chant in a march. This workshop intends to show writers how to subtly pack a punch into a poem that leaves the reader breathless\, surprised\, and moved. We will be doing this by exploring different formal approaches that will help add nuance and singularity to the poems we will be writing. \n\n\n\nEach week\, we’ll be discussing a different formal approach\, including: \n\n\n\n\nDirect address/letter poems\n\n\n\nFiltering through a lens\n\n\n\nWriter as expert\n\n\n\nResearch\n\n\n\nFound poetry/Erasure poetry\n\n\n\nVillanelle\, the ghazal\, and the power of repetition\n\n\n\nExperimental poetry\n\n\n\n\nWe will be doing so by reading and discussing poems that utilize specific formal approaches based on the topic set for the week. Some of the writers we will be reading include Hanif Abdurraqib\, Chen Chen\, Canisia Lubrin\, Trish Salah\, Tommy Pico\, Kay Gabriel\, Dionne Brand\, and Hala Alyan. \n\n\n\nFurthermore\, each week\, workshop participants will be given writing prompts that will help them learn about the different forms and formal approaches discussed. The prompts will guide the participants in attempting to write poems using that week’s form. Finally\, 1-2 writers will have their poems workshopped each week. Attendees will be asked to send in their poems a week in advance so that their peers can start workshopping the pieces at home a week in advance.This workshop is open to poets in any stage of their development\, whether they are new to writing or already have a writing practice. The goal of the workshop is for participants to leave the workshop with a deeper understanding of the ways form and craft can be used to write more impactful and unique poems that engage with social justice and undermine the white\, cis\, colonial patriarchal status quo. This workshop will be especially useful for writers who feel they have something to say but don’t know how to say it.Eli Tareq El Bechelany-Lynch is a writer\, translator\, and acquisitions editor at Metonymy Press living in Tio’tia:ke. Their work has appeared in The Best Canadian Poetry 2018 anthology\, The New Quarterly\, Arc Poetry Magazine\, and elsewhere. Their book\, knot body\, published by Metatron Press in 2020\, was shortlisted for the QWF Concordia First Book Award\, and their second book\, The Good Arabs\, published by Metonymy Press in 2021\, was received honorary mention for the Arab American Book Awards and the Khayrallah Prize\, and won the Grand Prix du Livre de Montréal. Their translation of Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay’s La fille d’elle-même from the French was published in Spring 2023. With co-editor Samia Marshy\, they are editing El Ghourabaa\, an anthology of queer and trans writing by Arab and Arabophone writers\, forthcoming Spring 2024.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/speaking-truth-to-power-how-to-write-non-didactic-political-poetry/2024-04-03/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/El-Bechelany-Lynch-photo_Credit_-Kris-Lynch-scaled.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T170000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240313T175230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T175438Z
UID:10003782-1712217600-1712250000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Poets for Palestine
DESCRIPTION:April 4 & April 18\, 7:00 pm\n\n\n\nTwo evenings of poetry on Thursday April 4th and 18th at 7 pm. Each evening\, four Quebec poets will not only read their own poems but those of Palestinian poets as well. The Palestinian Poets are Abu Toha\, Remi Kanazi\, Hala Alyan\, Ahlam Bsharat\, Dalia Taha  and Refaat Alareer.  \n\n\n\nThe aim of the event is to raise consciousness about the role of the poet in the ongoing struggle for peace and justice and to show that the creative act is also an act of giving voice to those who can’t. \n\n\n\nCurated by Carolyn Marie Souaid and Endre Farkas. \n\n\n\nFeaturing\n\n\n\nApril 4 \n\n\n\n\nFortner Anderson\n\n\n\nMisha Solomon\n\n\n\nCarolyn Marie Souaid\n\n\n\nMeryem Yildiz\n\n\n\n\nApril 18 \n\n\n\n\nEndre Farkas\n\n\n\nLiz Howard\n\n\n\nZeina Jhais\n\n\n\nSteve Luxton\n\n\n\n\nThere will also be a raffle and a passing of a hat for donations. All proceeds will go to the PCRF (Palestinian Children Relief Fund).
URL:https://qwf.org/event/poets-for-palestine/2024-04-04/1/
LOCATION:Librairie Pulp Books & Cafe\, 3952 Wellington Street\, Montreal\, Quebec\, H4G1V3\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Reading
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1-copy.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T194005Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193630Z
UID:10003647-1712253600-1712260800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Getting Weird: Crafting Surreal Short Stories
DESCRIPTION:Getting Weird is an 8-week short fiction workshop that focuses on writing strangeness into the everyday\, as a method for exploring and disrupting questions of race\, gender\, sexuality\, climate change\, capitalism\, and other big topics. Participants will read a wide range of writers who delve into the weird\, such as Paige Cooper\, Giada Scodellaro\, Renee Gladman\, Hiromi Goto\, Mariana Enriquez\, Carmen Maria Machado\, and Callum Angus. They will be given an array of writing prompts\, designed to investigate different aspects of surreal fiction\, and will also have the opportunity to give and receive feedback on short pieces of writing. \n\n\n\nWeird fiction contains elements of the eerie\, the uncanny\, and the surreal\, and encourages high levels of playfulness and perceptiveness\, two key elements of compelling storytelling. Weird fiction can also serve as a strong vehicle for writers from underrepresented groups to remake the world in ways that decenter white\, colonial\, hetero-cis-normative worldviews. Prompts will include the following topics: \n\n\n\n\nWeird micro-fiction\n\n\n\nEngaging the senses\n\n\n\nWeirdness at work (parsing the rituals of capitalism and labour)\n\n\n\nGender euphoria/queer weirdos\n\n\n\nReworking ancestral mythologies\n\n\n\nDream logics\n\n\n\n\nParticipants will receive prompts the week before each session (except before the first meeting)\, and will be given a rota (workshopping schedule) in advance. Each participant will have at least one opportunity to submit one piece of writing (up to 2000 words) to the group\, which will be discussed in-session by their peers\, with additional feedback provided by the instructor. These submissions should be based on one or more of the prompts given in the workshop. Participants should be prepared to do the following homework between sessions: responding to writing prompts\, reading one assigned piece of fiction\, providing feedback to their peers. \n\n\n\nThis workshop is open to new fiction writers\, as well as writers who already have a developed fiction practice. Participants should emerge from the workshop with one or two solid short story drafts\, and a confidence in their ability to unsettle the status quo on the page. \n\n\n\nH Felix Chau Bradley is the author of Personal Attention Roleplay (Metonymy Press)\, which was a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and the Kobo Rakuten Emerging Writer Prize in 2022; and the chapbook Automatic Object Lessons (House House Press). Their writing has appeared in carte blanche\, ESPACE art actuel\, the Humber Literary Review\, Maisonneuve Magazine\, the Montreal Review of Books\, PRISM International\, Weird Era\, Xtra and elsewhere. They live in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal)\, and work as an editor for Metonymy Press\, This Magazine\, and Le Sigh. They were recently awarded QWF’s carte blanche Prize.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/getting-weird-crafting-surreal-short-stories/2024-04-04/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Chau-Bradley-Photo_Credit-Eli-Tareq-El-Bechelany-Lynch-scaled.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T190000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240313T175230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T175438Z
UID:10003783-1712255400-1712257200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Poets for Palestine
DESCRIPTION:April 4 & April 18\, 7:00 pm\n\n\n\nTwo evenings of poetry on Thursday April 4th and 18th at 7 pm. Each evening\, four Quebec poets will not only read their own poems but those of Palestinian poets as well. The Palestinian Poets are Abu Toha\, Remi Kanazi\, Hala Alyan\, Ahlam Bsharat\, Dalia Taha  and Refaat Alareer.  \n\n\n\nThe aim of the event is to raise consciousness about the role of the poet in the ongoing struggle for peace and justice and to show that the creative act is also an act of giving voice to those who can’t. \n\n\n\nCurated by Carolyn Marie Souaid and Endre Farkas. \n\n\n\nFeaturing\n\n\n\nApril 4 \n\n\n\n\nFortner Anderson\n\n\n\nMisha Solomon\n\n\n\nCarolyn Marie Souaid\n\n\n\nMeryem Yildiz\n\n\n\n\nApril 18 \n\n\n\n\nEndre Farkas\n\n\n\nLiz Howard\n\n\n\nZeina Jhais\n\n\n\nSteve Luxton\n\n\n\n\nThere will also be a raffle and a passing of a hat for donations. All proceeds will go to the PCRF (Palestinian Children Relief Fund).
URL:https://qwf.org/event/poets-for-palestine/2024-04-04/2/
LOCATION:Librairie Pulp Books & Cafe\, 3952 Wellington Street\, Montreal\, Quebec\, H4G1V3\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Reading
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1-copy.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T220000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T195238Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193627Z
UID:10003655-1712260800-1712268000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Speculative Fiction Master Class: Readying Your Work for Publication
DESCRIPTION:As in all of my workshops\, speculative fiction is defined broadly to include anything from science fiction to fantasy to slipstream to magic realism. Participants are free to submit a short story\, an excerpt from a larger work\, a script\, speculative poetry\, a comic\, or graphic novel excerpt. \n\n\n\nThe workshop will consist of ten sessions so as to give each participant the opportunity to workshop their piece twice: once for initial feedback and a second time once revisions have been made. We will begin by having each workshop member introduce themselves and their project\, including their intentions. Following these introductions\, I will give a brief presentation on different vectors of analysis in evaluating a piece\, including: \n\n\n\n\n         story\, plot arc\, and pacingworldbuildingcharacter\, POV\, voice\, and tonedescriptions and other issues of language and writing qualitytheme and meaning/intention\n\nbeginnings and endings\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn week 1\, we will workshop a very short story that participants should read before we meet: Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.” In discussing this story\, participants will have the opportunity to practice both the workshopping method and vectors of analysis that we will be employing during subsequent sessions. \n\n\n\nIn weeks 2 through 9\, we will workshop two to three submissions at each session. There will also be discussions and exchanges on a topic or topics related to one or more of the vectors of analysis mentioned in the first session. These topics will not be determined in advance\, but will flow organically from the submissions discussed that particular week. \n\n\n\nThe last session will be reserved for an in-depth presentation on maximizing your chances of publication\, including a list of resources\, and a guest presentation by a speculative fiction publisher. I will also answer any new questions that may have arisen in previous sessions. \n\n\n\n*This workshop will take place at the QWF Office (Room 3\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Westmount\, Quebec) with up to 2 virtual spots for participants who are unable to attend in-person. By default\, all workshop registrations are for in-person spots. If you would like to attend the workshop via Zoom\, first email Riley (riley@qwf.org) to see if online spots are still available for this workshop\, and then wait for confirmation. Virtual spots are limited and are reserved for people who either live outside Montreal or have a medical condition. \n\n\n\nSu J  Sokol is a writer of speculative and interstitial fiction as well as an editor. Xe is the author of three novels: Cycling to Asylum\, long-listed for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic and optioned for a film; Run J Run; and Zee\, a finalist for the Janet Savage Blachford Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Les lignes invisibles\, the French translation of Cycling to Asylum\, was published in 2022 by VLB Imaginaire. Sokol’s short fiction and essays have appeared in various magazines and anthologies.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/speculative-fiction-master-class-readying-your-work-for-publication/2024-04-04/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Sokol-photo-by-Cassandra-Cacheiro.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240405T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240405T150000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240308T190718Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240308T190824Z
UID:10003778-1712320200-1712329200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
DESCRIPTION:Friday\, April 5\, 12:30 pm–3:00 pmFree\, In PersonQWF Office (Room 3\, 1200 Atwater Ave.\, Westmount)\n\n\n\nRegister for the session by filling out the RSVP form below. \n\n\n\nLooking for some dedicated\, quiet writing space? \n\n\n\nJoin us for an in-person Shut Up & Write session at the QWF office! \n\n\n\nDo all that writing you’ve been meaning to do\, and meet a few of your fellow QWF members. Using the Pomodoro technique\, participants write in 25 minute bursts\, with 5-minute breaks in between. \n\n\n\nThis event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.  \n\n\n\nPlease note that these sessions are designed for silent writing\, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work. \n\n\n\n12:30–12:55: Writing 112:55–1:00: Break1:00–1:25: Writing 21:25–1:30: Break1:30–1:55: Writing 31:55–2:00: Break2:00–2:25: Writing 42:25–2:30: Break2:30–2:55: Writing 5 \n\n\n\nTo register\, RSVP below. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGetting to the QWF Office\n\n\n\nOur office is located on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre\, in Room 3. \n\n\n\nAddress: 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3Westmount\, QC H3Z 1X4 \n\n\n\nClosest Metro: Atwater Station \n\n\n\nClosest Bus lines: 24\, 63\, 90\, 104\, 138\, 144\, 150 \n\n\n\nAccessibility:\n\n\n\nThe QWF Office is fully accessible by wheelchair from the side entrance on Tupper Street. Once inside\, there is an elevator to the second floor\, where the QWF office is. \n\n\n\nLearn more about the office location and accessibility.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/shut-up-write-with-qwf-in-person-11/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Shut Up & Write!
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Shut-Up-Write.png
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240405T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240405T190000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240306T181513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240311T144114Z
UID:10003774-1712336400-1712343600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Three Books\, Three Authors\, Three Journeys of Discovery: Book Signing
DESCRIPTION:Friday\, April 5\, 5:00–7:00 pmIndigo Place Montreal Trust \n\n\n\nA viking queen chooses between survival and destruction. A blues-harp player sets out on a motorcycle ride into the land of myth. And thousands of years in the future\, a novice space engineer discovers that the question of gender remains as fraught as ever. \n\n\n\nFeaturing:  \n\n\n\n\nRichard Andrews (Key to the Highway)\n\n\n\nGeoffreyjen Edwards (Plenum: The First Book of Deo)\n\n\n\nMary Thaler (Ulfhildr)
URL:https://qwf.org/event/three-books-three-authors-three-journeys-of-discovery-book-signing/
LOCATION:Indigo\, Place Montreal Trust\, 1500 McGill College Ave\, Montréal\, Quebec\, H3A 3J5\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Book Launch
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image4.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240406T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240406T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T203220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240103T163242Z
UID:10003663-1712399400-1712421000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Unleashing the Power of Your Podcasting Voice
DESCRIPTION:Are you captivated by the art of storytelling? Do you yearn to share your unique voice and narratives with the world? Join us for a dynamic and immersive one-day workshop designed for aspiring podcasters who wish to embark on a literary podcasting journey. Led by established podcasters\, Linda Morra and Marco Timpano\, this workshop delves into the intricacies of designing compelling podcast episodes that represent your individuality and passion. Together\, they will explore the fundamental elements that bring your stories to life\, from shaping a captivating narrative arc to mastering the nuances of your voice. In this workshop\, you will acquire the essential skills necessary to create podcast episodes that resonate with your audience and leave a lasting impact. Drawing from their extensive experience\, Marco and Linda will guide you through the following learning objectives: \n\n\n\n\nBuilding the Foundations: Discover how to construct the template and elements of a captivating podcast episode. You will gain invaluable insights into the art of episode development\, from brainstorming your season to building your show template.\n\n\n\n\n\nProducing Your Show: Learn a few secrets of production as you delve into the aspects of creating a polished episode. While this workshop primarily focuses on the creative aspects of podcasting\, we will also provide you with a cursory understanding of the technical requirements for launching your own podcast. Gain insight into the essentials of equipment\, recording spaces\, and distribution platforms\, setting you on the path to podcasting success.\n\n\n\n\n\nMastering the Art of Voice: Uncover the power of your voice and its potential to captivate audiences. You will delve into the nuances of vocal delivery\, tone\, pacing\, and inflection\, unlocking the true potential of your storytelling abilities.\n\n\n\n\nDon’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to unlock the storytelling potential within you. Whether you’re an aspiring author\, a literature enthusiast\, or simply someone who yearns to share their unique voice\, this workshop will equip you with the knowledge and skills to embark on a captivating podcasting journey. Come prepared with an idea for the kind of podcast you’d like to undertake and join us for a transformative day filled with inspiration\, creativity\, and the art of storytelling in podcast form.   \n\n\n\nLinda Morra is a settler scholar\, professor\, writer\, and podcaster who works on the unceded territory of the Abenaki. She writes\, hosts\, and co-produces with Marco Timpano Getting Lit With Linda\, entering its fifth season; it was a Finalist for the People’s Choice Podcasting Awards (2023) and the Canadian Podcasting Awards (CPA) in the Arts Category (2022)\, and won in the Outstanding Education Category in 2022. Linda published the Routledge Introduction to Gender and Sexuality in Literature in Canada in 2023 and\, with Sarah Henzi\, co-edited On the Other Side(s) of 150—the 2022 Canadian Studies Network Prize winner. \n\n\n\nMarco Timpano is multi-award winning podcaster\, author\, speaker\, and voice artist. He is known for his five podcasts and his definitive guide to podcasting\, 25 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started My Podcast\,in which he shares his successes\, insights\, and challenges in this field. Marco and his podcasts have been featured in The Globe & Mail\, CTV Morning Live\, SiriusXM\, and international magazines. With five successful podcasts produced and over two million listens\, Marco creates content that his fans love.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/unleashing-the-power-of-your-podcasting-voice/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Morra-Timpano_credit-Nadia-Zhang.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240407T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240407T150000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240315T143148Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240315T143231Z
UID:10003789-1712502000-1712502000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:A Little Bit Pregnant
DESCRIPTION:April 7 at 3pm MainLine Theatre3997 Boul. Saint-Laurent\, Montréal\, QC H2W 1Y4\n\n\n\nBuy tickets: https://montrealfringe.online.red61.ca/event/2030:399/2030:1905/ \n\n\n\nBack by popular demand\, A Little Bit Pregnant performs at the MainLine Theatre for one day only.  \n\n\n\nSex\, drugs\, rock ‘n’ roll… and a baby? A Little Bit Pregnant is a dramatic comedy with a feminist twist. With punchy dialogue\, dynamic actors\, and characters that feel like they could be your next-door neighbors\, A Little Bit Pregnant gives audiences an intimate look at the highs and lows of four young people trying to adult.  \n\n\n\nWritten by Kate Lavut\, directed by Rana Liu\, featuring Julia Pye\, Joshua Bilbao\, Aidan Cottreau\, and Casey Marie Ecker.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/a-little-bit-pregnant-2/
LOCATION:Mainline Theatre\, 3997 St Laurent Blvd\, Montreal\, Quebec\, H2W 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Performance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-Little-Bit-Pregnant-500x500-for-MLT.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240408T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240408T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T181837Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193648Z
UID:10003614-1712599200-1712606400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Writing Comic Poetry: Seriously?!
DESCRIPTION:Can a poem be funny? Can we balance the light and the dark\, find hilarity in a haiku? What is the value of play in creation? In this workshop\, participants will be encouraged to explore the place of humour in their work\, through guided readings\, discussions\, and exercises. \n\n\n\nWriters of all levels\, from beginner to seasoned\, are welcome\, and you may use whatever tools you prefer\, from laptops to paper and a pen. Each workshop will begin with a reading and discussion of a poem provided by the workshop leader\, followed by a writing session. Participants are encouraged but not required to share their works-in-progress with the group. You are also encouraged to bring to our meetings drafts of poems-in-progress\, or any writing you may wish to shape into a poem. \n\n\n\nIdentifying what makes you laugh is key to sharpening your own wit\, so a week prior to the workshop you will be asked to select a poem from a provided list. During the first meeting\, be prepared to explain why this poem made you guffaw\, laugh\, or perhaps just chuckle. Was it the surprising wordplay? An unexpected juxtaposition? The poet’s subversion of your expectations? \n\n\n\nThrough writing prompts and exercises (both collaborative and individualized)\, we will play with form\, persona\, and language. While humour is subjective\, this workshop will be a safe space\, with respectful feedback provided by the instructor and the group. \n\n\n\nRebecca Păpucaru‘s first novel\, As Good a Place as Any\, will be published by Guernica Editions in 2025. Her first book\, The Panic Room (Nightwood Editions) was awarded the 2018 Canadian Jewish Literary Award for Poetry and was also a finalist for the A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry and longlisted for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. Her short story “Yentas” won The Malahat Review’s 2020 Novella Prize. Her work has also appeared in The Best Canadian Poetry in English\, Arc\, EVENT\, Grain\, The Literary Review of Canada\, Canadian Literature\, and The New Quarterly\, among others.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/writing-comic-poetry-seriously/2024-04-08/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Papucaru-photo_Credit_Alexia-Cassidy-and-Beatrice-Thomassin-Demers-scaled-e1702405728935.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240408T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240408T220000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T183633Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193641Z
UID:10003622-1712606400-1712613600@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Memoir: How to Tell Your Story
DESCRIPTION:Each of us has a story to tell. We all have memories. But how do you take what you’ve experienced and turn it into something more than a conversation in a bar? How do you find the weight that is in each of our lives and stories? \n\n\n\nIn this workshop we’ll focus on transforming the personal into something that reaches beyond. \n\n\n\nHere’s a loose outline of how we’ll approach it. \n\n\n\nWeek 1 \n\n\n\nWhat is a story? What makes the telling a story and not just words spilling onto a page? \n\n\n\nWeek 2 \n\n\n\nHow to get at that story that burns within? \n\n\n\nWeek 3 \n\n\n\nThe hook\, part 1: First impressions are critical \n\n\n\nWeek 4 \n\n\n\nThe hook\, part 2: Developing the critical eye \n\n\n\nWeek 5 \n\n\n\nBeyond copy editing: How do you know which voice is the right voice? You have to listen carefully. The story knows. \n\n\n\nWeek 6 \n\n\n\nAttack 1: You’ve written your story. We’re here to tell you we don’t like it. What are you going to do about it? \n\n\n\nWeek 7 \n\n\n\nAttack 2: Why is the story not working – or\, better still\, why is it working? \n\n\n\nWeek 8 \n\n\n\nWriter vs Author: writing to write or writing to get published. Why it matters. \n\n\n\nAlong the way\, there will be exercises\, discussions\, writing\, revising\, reading of each other’s work\, and good fun. \n\n\n\nEddy L. Harris is a perpetual traveler\, a filmmaker and the author of seven critically acclaimed books\, all of which partake of memoir\, adventure tale\, travelogue and cultural reportage. \n\n\n\nHe spent four years as Writer-in-Residence at Washington University teaching Black American Literature and writing classes structured as workshops. That was followed by a stint on the Nez Perce Indian reservation in northern Idaho and a documentary project he wrote and presented for BBC-Wales: Roots In Wales. \n\n\n\nIn 2014 he repeated his canoe journey along the Mississippi River which resulted in the award-winning documentary film River to the Heart\, which he wrote\, produced\, and directed. \n\n\n\nHe has worked most recently as professor of English and Writer-in-Residence at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg\, Virginia \n\n\n\nAs USA Today put it: “Eddy Harris isn’t your everyday tourist. His travels almost always have a purpose\, and that purpose is to write about not only what he sees\, but what he feels.”
URL:https://qwf.org/event/memoir-how-to-tell-your-story/2024-04-08/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/bmp:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Harris-photo.bmp
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T131500
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20240314T182434Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240409T144108Z
UID:10003788-1712664000-1712668500@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Lunch & Learn with QWF
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, April 9\, 12:00-1:15 pmOnline via ZoomFree\, open to all (registration required)\n\n\n\nLooking to learn more about QWF\, what we do\, and how we can help you? \n\n\n\nJoin us for the next Lunch & Learn with QWF on Tuesday\, January 9! \n\n\n\nIn this 75-minute online session\, we’ll provide a deep dive into all our programs and services. Whether you’re new to QWF\, want to find out about a particular program\, or simply want to meet the team\, we welcome you to join us. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRiley Palanca (Membership Services Coordinator) will discuss QWF programs and services for emerging and aspiring writers\, including our mentorship program\, Shut Up & Write writing sessions\, and writing workshops.Lori Schubert (Executive Director) will explain QWF programs and services for more established writers\, including the Writers in the Community program\, the Hire a Writer Directory\, and the QWF Awards.John Wickham (Communications Officer) will provide a brief tour of the website\, highlighting sections and resources that are particularly useful to QWF members. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFree and open to all.To get the Zoom link: Register by filling out the RSVP form below. After filling out the RSVP form\, you will receive the Zoom link by email the day before the event. \n\n\n\nNote: RSVPs will close at 11:00 am on Tuesday\, January 9. For help getting the Zoom link\, please contact John Wickham at john@qwf.org \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLunch & Learn with QWF is our quarterly orientation series to welcome new members and provide an overview of QWF’s activities. The next one after April 9 will be in July 2024. Learn more about our Lunch & Learn series.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/lunch-learn-with-qwf-3/
CATEGORIES:Lunch & Learn,QWF Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Lunch-Learn-with-QWF1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T191130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193433Z
UID:10003628-1712685600-1712692800@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Exploring Childhood Through Stories: Writing Picture Books and Early Chapter Books
DESCRIPTION:This is a workshop for writers interested in writing picture books and early chapter books\, and also for illustrators who would like to hone their writing skills. \n\n\n\nWriting a good picture book requires the storytelling ability of a novelist and close attention to a clear\, simple\, and often poetic language pared down to arrive at the essential. \n\n\n\nIn this workshop we will explore: \n\n\n\n\nVisual literacy as well as verbal literacy\, since picture books and early readers rely heavily on both.\n\n\n\nShort writing exercises in class to inspire ideas\, to reignite the emotions of childhood\, and to revisit the landscapes of childhood.\n\n\n\nLonger writing exercises at home.\n\n\n\nReading and studying picture books for their structure and the balancing act of words and pictures.\n\n\n\nRevising\, editing\, and submitting manuscripts\, including the state of the children’s book publishing industry and new technologies.\n\n\n\n\nParticipants should emerge with one or two drafts of a picture book or a first chapter of an early reader. \n\n\n\nBring one or two of your all-time favorite picture books to the first meeting. Be prepared to present each book\, read a short passage and explain why it appeals to you. \n\n\n\nBring writing materials. We will be doing short writing exercises that will test your imagination and creativity and awake the visual awareness of childhood. \n\n\n\nIf you have a picture book manuscript in progress that you would like to submit for discussion and comments\, please send a copy (four pages maximum) to riley@qwf.org by March 1. The subject line should read “For Marie-Louise Gay.” \n\n\n\nMarie-Louise Gay studied graphic design at L’institut des arts graphiques\, animation at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts School\, and illustration at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. She has written and/or illustrated over seventy books for children: board books\, picture books\, and chapter books. Her books have been published in twenty languages and have won many awards. \n\n\n\nShe has also written three puppet plays for which she created the sets\, puppets\, and costumes. Marie-Louise worked as a creative consultant on the scripts and animation of the television series that was created based on her Stella and Sam books. Over the years she has given writing and illustration workshops to children and adults.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/exploring-childhood-through-stories-writing-picture-books-and-early-chapter-books/2024-04-09/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Gay-photo_Credit_Gilbert-Duclos.jpg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T220000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231212T192452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193639Z
UID:10003638-1712692800-1712700000@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Unlock Your Filmmaking Dreams: A Short Film Screenwriting Workshop
DESCRIPTION:This workshop is not just about dreaming—it’s about doing. It’s about equipping you with the tools to transform your creative ideas into compelling short films. Here’s what you can expect to gain from this cooperative experience: \n\n\n\nLearn the fundamental skills of crafting engaging and impactful short film screenplays; the principles of character development\, plot structure\, and dialogue that will make your narrative resonate. Gain insights into the anatomy of a successful screenplays\, receive hands-on guidance on structuring your ideas\, ensuring your story flows seamlessly from start to finish and receive constructive feedback in a safe environment designed to cultivate a supportive community of fellow aspiring writers. \n\n\n\nAs you share your thoughts and insights\, you will develop the skill of giving and receiving positive\, constructive feedback to elevate your work and cultivate a supportive community of fellow writers. This will allow you to articulate your vision effectively\, convey the essence of your screenplay with impact and hone the art of pitching your ideas confidently and persuasively. \n\n\n\nHow to apply? \n\n\n\nSubmit your CV\, a paragraph detailing your previous creative writing experience and a paragraph describing the story you would like to develop as a screenplay of no more than ten script pages – equivalent to ten minutes of screen time. Adaptations of stories from other forms is encouraged. Send all your submissions materials in one email to Riley at riley@qwf.org with the subject line “For Jacob Potashnik” by Friday\, February 16. \n\n\n\nThrough a series of ten\, two-hour sessions\, you will identify and refine the core elements of your story and develop your ideas and receive constructive group feedback. You will progress from story idea to an outline\, treatment\, a dialogued version\, to your final draft screenplay. There is an emphasis on oral presentation of ideas and active participation for all participants. \n\n\n\nSeize Your Spot! Spaces are limited\, so act now to secure your place in this exciting QWF Short Film Screenwriting Workshop. \n\n\n\nJacob Potashnik is a screenwriter and producer and line-producer of documentaries\, television series\, commercials\, web content and films of every genre. In 2019\, Jacob co-produced\, “Pink Lake\,” a feature film which screened at international festivals in Vancouver\, Hamilton\, and Durban. Jacob won the WGC award for the best screenplay for\, “Stardom\,” co-written and directed by Denys Arcand. He is the author of\, “The Golem of Hampstead\, and Other Stories\,” a collection short-listed for the QWF/Concordia University First Book prize.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/unlock-your-filmmaking-dreams-a-short-film-screenwriting-workshop/2024-04-09/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Potashnik-by-Carla-Clarke_light.jpeg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240410T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240410T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T145850
CREATED:20231213T182544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240118T193636Z
UID:10003674-1712772000-1712779200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Edit Your Own Prose: The Art of Rewriting
DESCRIPTION:You’ve written a first draft of your novel or your memoir. You know you need to rework it\, but you’re stuck. It doesn’t quite work\, but you are not sure why. Rewriting the opening over and over isn’t helping. So\, what should you do?     \n\n\n\nIn this workshop\, you’ll learn how to see your own work with an editor’s eye using tips\, tricks\, and hands-on exercises. \n\n\n\nThe workshop will focus on big-picture issues\, including story line\, character development\, and genre expectations\, and help you bring the story alive on the page through rhythm\, effective dialogue\, and language choices. \n\n\n\nThrough the course of the workshop\, you’ll learn how to: \n\n\n\n\nSpot common big-picture problems (info dumping\, “as you know\, Bob” explanations\, insufficient conflict\, misunderstanding genre conventions\, etc.)\n\n\n\nTrack character development (goals and motivation)\n\n\n\nSee the advantages and pitfalls of different points of view\n\n\n\nMake the most out of dialogue\n\n\n\nPlay with language and develop your imagination\n\n\n\n\nThis workshop is geared toward fiction and creative nonfiction book-length manuscripts. \n\n\n\nBy the end of the workshop\, you’ll better understand what isn’t working in your manuscript and how to fix it\, and\, hopefully\, have learned to love the rewriting process.   \n\n\n\nMaria Schamis Turner is a freelance editor specializing in developmental editing and line editing for fiction and creative nonfiction. She is a founding editor and previous editor-in-chief and creative nonfiction editor of the literary magazine carte blanche. She worked for 10 years on literary projects for CBC Radio\, including as an editor for Canada Writes. She was also the producer of the true-story storytelling series This Really Happened and has taught numerous workshops on storytelling\, writing\, and editing.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/edit-your-own-prose-the-art-of-rewriting/2024-04-10/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://qwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Turner-photo_Owen-Egan.jpeg
GEO:45.4886431;-73.5864377
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=QWF Office 1200 Atwater Avenue Room 3 Westmount QC H3Z 1X4 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3:geo:-73.5864377,45.4886431
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR