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SUMMARY:Pursuing the Erotic
DESCRIPTION:This is an expanded version of the three-hour workshop “Identifying (with) the Erotic” offered in July 2022. It progresses from initial references to erotica by old hands (Anaïs Nin)\, incidental practitioners (James Baldwin) and newer writers (Ruel Johnson) to consider other select works in prose\, poetry\, and comics. You do not have to have attended the 2022 workshop to enroll in this one. \n\n\n\nThe workshop continues the exploration of what makes the erotic not only a sensual genre but a life-affirming one with participants contributing their own writing as well as sourcing that of other practitioners. While creating sexy characters and scenes with stimulating language is part of the process\, and knowing your audience is crucial (there is a difference between romance\, erotica and pornography)\, the emphasis remains on craft and telling a story that engages readers’ imagination\, exciting not only the body but all of the senses. And this without apology. \n\n\n\nRobert Edison Sandiford is the author of several books\, among them the award-winning The Tree of Youth & Other Stories\, And Sometimes They Fly (a novel) and Sand for Snow (memoir).  He has also written graphic novels for NBM Publishing.  In 2003\, he and the poet Linda M. Deane founded the Barbadian cultural resource ArtsEtc Inc.  He has worked as a publisher\, teacher and\, with Warm Water Productions\, producer.  His fiction and non-fiction have appeared in journals\, magazines and anthologies.  Currently working on another novel\,his most recent titleis Fairfield from DC Books.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/pursuing-the-erotic/2024-10-17/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241017T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20240730T151554Z
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SUMMARY:Poetry and the Tiny Sea in the Ear
DESCRIPTION:The tiny sea in the earand the moth wing in the mind\, which wait.— Don McKay\, “Early Instruments” \n\n\n\nThis workshop invites participants to explore our “early instruments” of imagination and experience through the language of poetry. \n\n\n\n“The excitement of metaphor\,” writes Don McKay\, “stems from the injection of wilderness into language.” Add to this idea the excitement of any element of poetic making. \n\n\n\nDuring these eight weeks\, we will draft and develop poems that tap the surprise of tension and release\, tease out what’s wild in the everyday\, refresh expectation and sharpen expression. \n\n\n\nIn each session\, we will respond to each other’s poems and work with one or more prompts. In most sessions we will look briefly at a strong contemporary poem and consider what we might borrow from it as a springboard to our writing. \n\n\n\nAll levels of experience are welcome. \n\n\n\nSusan Gillis (she/her) has taught Creative Writing at Concordia University and John Abbott College\, and has led poetry workshops with QWF\, Los Parronales (Chile)\, Blue Met\, in schools and in the community. Her four books have been nominated for several awards; Volta (2002) was awarded the A.M. Klein Prize. She is a founding member of the collaborative poetry group Yoko’s Dogs (Whisk\, 2013; Rhinoceros\, 2016; Caution Tape\, 2021). Her most recent book is Yellow Crane (Brick 2018). She works as a freelance editor and mentor.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/poetry-and-the-tiny-sea-in-the-ear/2024-10-17/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241017T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241017T190000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20241008T004746Z
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SUMMARY:Alyson and Su Read at Librairie Paragraphe
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, October 17\, 2024\, 5:00-7:00 pm ET\n\n\n\nLibrarie Paragraphe Bookstore and Renaissance Press present readings by Alyson Hope and Su J. Sokol. \n\n\n\nJoin us as authors Alyson Hope and Su J. Sokol discuss and sign their books The Smell of Rain and Run J Run. \n\n\n\nAdmission is free. \n\n\n\nAbout the Books\n\n\n\nThe Smell of Rain\n\n\n\nEach family has their story\, and each one is different\, depending on who tells it. \n\n\n\nFighting encroaching darkness\, Nina picks up a pencil and begins to write. Her deeply personal entries tell a story of love\, loss\, and learning how to piece it all back together. Weaving her way through past and present\, she spins a kaleidoscopic and increasingly fragmented narrative. \n\n\n\n“I am a person today\, but have no idea what will be left of me tomorrow\,” writes Nina. \n\n\n\nBoth delicate and iridescent\, The Smell of Rain is bound to make you think: what happens when the fragile thread of life begins to fray? \n\n\n\nRun J Run\n\n\n\nJeremy\, a high school English teacher coming to grips with a shattered marriage and haunted by the brother he lost\, unexpectedly falls in love with his best friend\, Zak. Attractive\, wildly unconventional\, and happy in an open relationship with his partner Annie\, Zak seems to embody everything missing from Jeremy’s life\, but when the arrest and death of a marginalized student at the Brooklyn high school where they both teach trigger Zak’s mental breakdown and slow descent\, Jeremy and Annie are compelled to cross boundaries\, both external and internal\, in a desperate attempt to save him. \n\n\n\nAbout the Authors\n\n\n\nAlyson Hope is a writer who currently lives in Montreal\, the island of Tiohtià:ke – unceded land of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation. In 2014\, Hope received her Master’s Degree in literature from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. Based largely on ecocritical theory\, her thesis examines the multi-faceted relationship between nature and the characters in John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. Hope’s love and respect for the natural world is what drew her to the study of ecocriticism. The Smell of Rain\, published by the brilliant folks of Renaissance Press\, is Hope’s debut fictional novel. \n\n\n\nSu J. Sokol is a social rights advocate and a writer of speculative and interstitial fiction. A former legal services lawyer from New York City\, xe now makes Montréal xyr home. Sokol is the author of three novels: Cycling to Asylum\, which was long-listed for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic and has been optioned for development into a feature-length film\, Run J Run (Renaissance Press 2019!) and Zee (2020). Sokol’s short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies. When xe is not writing\, battling slumlords\, bringing evil bureaucracies to their knees\, and smashing borders\, Sokol curates and participates in readings and literary events in Canada and abroad. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRSVP on FAcebook
URL:https://qwf.org/event/alyson-and-su-read-at-librairie-paragraphe/
LOCATION:Librairie Paragraphe Bookstore\, 2220 McGill College Ave\, Montreal\, Quebec\, H3A 3P9\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events,Panel,Reading
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241016T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241016T220000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20240730T150325Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T203300Z
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SUMMARY:The Vivid and Continuous Dream: A Short Story Workshop
DESCRIPTION:In March\, in 1918\, an Olympic swimmer accepts a job rehabilitating the Polio-ravaged legs of a rich young woman\, not knowing the mess of love and wreckage that await their future selves; in Western Australia\, a bullied adolescent watches his high school tormentor drown beneath the surface of an aquifer—he expects reprieve\, but all his life he will sense the boy\, resinous\, in the mist and the warm wet air; in Spokane\, a man embarks on a strange\, galvanizing quest to reclaim an heirloom headdress that once belonged to his grandmother\, and the journey leaves him wondering who he is\, or who he used to be\, or who he might yet become. \n\n\n\nThe best stories ask questions but don’t dare give all the answers; they take the reader on a journey and leave them with a brief sliver of enlightenment. Yes: love is worth the cost to body and soul\, in 1918 as much as now. No: there is no easy escape from regret\, and good people will suffer if they stoop to the level of their abusers. Perhaps what matters is not to complete the task or reclaim our past\, but to reassure ourselves that we tried. \n\n\n\nThis workshop is a guided discussion about the plot\, characters\, point of view\, structure\, and language (the mechanics or “craft”) of participants’ short stories\, as well as an investigation of each story’s aboutness\, patterns\, emotional plot\, and central question(s)—that is\, all those hard-to-define elements that make fiction what it is. \n\n\n\nAdditionally\, the workshop aims to foster community among the attendees\, to bring together writers of similar skill and drive\, and to encourage the kind of creative energy that crackles between new practitioners. \n\n\n\nSome Learning Objectives \n\n\n\n\nCritical reading\, and the ability to identify the roots of a story’s problems\, particularly with regard to dramatic structure and conflict. Conversely: the ability to identify the roots of a story’s successes\, especially when it seems intangible or difficult to pin down.\n\n\n\nClose reading\, even of your own work\, for strongest-possible sentences. (They are\, after all\, the building blocks of fiction.)\n\n\n\nTo immerse yourself in\, and engage with\, literature among a cohort of people who are similarly immersed and engaged in literature; to enjoy it.\n\n\n\n\nIn our first meeting\, we will establish a schedule\, review workshop etiquette\, spend some time meeting each other\, and do a few writing exercises. From then on\, each session will consist of detailed discussion and feedback on participants’ stories. The goal\, always\, is to offer the writer of each story constructive suggestions to help them improve the story and their craft. We are\, I always say\, in this together. \n\n\n\nIn preparation: Please bring a short story of no more than 2500 words to the first session. \n\n\n\nD. W. Wilson is the author of Once You Break a Knuckle\, a collection of short stories\, and Ballistics\, a novel. His work has appeared in lit mags across the globe\, and in 2011 he won the BBC National Short Story Award for “The Dead Roads.” Since then he has been shortlisted for numerous fiction prizes\, and has won the CBC Short Story Prize and the Manchester Fiction Prize. He taught creative writing at the University of Victoria and Brandon University and is currently a fiction mentor for the University of King’s College’s writing MFA.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/the-vivid-and-continuous-dream-a-short-story-workshop/2024-10-16/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241016T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241016T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20240729T192931Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171155Z
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SUMMARY:Hooked: Writing Compelling YA Fiction
DESCRIPTION:Get ready to unveil the gripping storyteller within you and keep readers turning those pages! Dive into an exciting eight-week workshop focused on techniques to captivate young adult readers. We’ll look at everything from crafting vibrant characters and heart-pounding conflicts to honing structure and pacing in YA fiction. \n\n\n\nFor our first session\, bring along a favorite YA novel to share with the group. By week two\, be sure to have the first chapter of your work-in-progress (up to 10 pages) for some feedback exchange. By the end of the workshop\, you’ll have a roadmap to your story\, completed scenes\, and an inciting hook for your novel-in-the-making. \n\n\n\nEach session will incorporate a mix of writing prompts\, critique sessions\, exploration of writing techniques\, sneak peeks into YA literature\, and lively group discussions. We’ll be reading various writing styles\, structuring vibrant dialogue\, and feeling all the YA vibes. We’ll even take a sneak peek into the Canadian publishing world. \n\n\n\nValuable feedback from both the workshop leader and your fellow writers on your opening chapter will keep you motivated and inspired. Together\, we’ll work at captivating readers. \n\n\n\nDon’t forget your writing tools for each session. All writers\, whether seasoned pros or fresh faces\, are welcome! Short story\, graphic novel and prose writers\, you’re invited too! \n\n\n\nThe following Suggested readings will sharpen your writing skills\, but are not necessary for the workshop: \n\n\n\nCorner-Bryant\, Helen\, and Kathryn Price. On Editing: How to Edit Your Novel the Professional Way. John Murray Learning\, 2018. \n\n\n\nProse\, Francine. Reading like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them. HarperCollins\, 2009. \n\n\n\nStrunk Jr\, William. The Elements of Style: Classic Edition. Spectrum Ink\, 2018. \n\n\n\nTruby\, John. The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller. Faber and Faber\, 2008. \n\n\n\nLea Beddia is the author of Take Off! (Rebel Mountain Press) and Outta Here (Lorimer). She is also a storyteller\, appearing regularly on stage with Confabulation. Born and raised in Montreal\, she now teaches in Joliette\, Quebec\, where she lives with her husband and three children. With a passion for supporting literacy among young adults\, especially for striving readers\, Lea is releasing two fresh YA novels set to hit bookshelves in 2025 and 2026. Find out more at www.leabeddia.com\, or say hi to Lea Beddia on Facebook or Instagram @BeddiaLea.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/hooked-writing-compelling-ya-fiction/2024-10-16/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241015T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241015T220000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20240729T185742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171223Z
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SUMMARY:Memoir: Turning Yourself into a Character
DESCRIPTION:The memoir used to be a large and weighty book\, often written by a man of power\, once he had stepped out of the limelight (or been cast out of it). Presidents and prime ministers wrote memoirs; the common people did not. \n\n\n\nFlash-forward to the present. People have discovered that they had and still have lives worth writing about. The classic memoir was about the exercise of power in times of crisis. The current memoir is often about a period of time during which the writer learned something about themselves. Which should make all of us potential memoirists. \n\n\n\nThe form contains a number of moral traps and rough spots. How much fiction can you put in a memoir? What happens when you forget something\, or misremember? How much can you reveal about yourself and others before you cross a line you might regret? \n\n\n\nWe’ll look at several examples of memoir\, from Harry Crews to Kyo Maclear and others. With Crews\, his story begins before his birth; is that still memoir? Mark Abley’s travel story is clearly designed to tell as little as possible about its author. In sociologist mode\, Daniel Allen Cox brings in a slew of outside sources to bolster his self-inquiry. Where do we want to situate ourselves? \n\n\n\nThat\, of course\, will depend on our inquiries. A memoir can be about someone else – how you did or did not live with that person. Memoirs can spring from a mystery – but not always. All of them involve the writer wanting to achieve greater self-understanding\, which means we have to turn ourselves into a character to do it. \n\n\n\nThe workshop will be a mixture of reading one another’s projects and proposals\, and considering excerpts from other books. Participants are free to submit material a week or two before the first workshop. This material will be part of class discussions. Please submit to David.Homel@concordia.ca. For the first submission\, please do not go beyond 5 or 10 standard pages. See you there! \n\n\n\nDavid Homel wrote 13 works of fiction – historical novels\, murder mysteries and domestic fiction – before his first memoir in 2020\, and he has gone on to work in that form since. The experience as a memoirist continues to bear upon his novel-writing\, enriching and expanding it. The moral aspects of the art of memory and disclosure continue to attract him\, along with the paradox of turning himself into a character in order to get at the truths of his past lives. He has also worked as a journalist and a documentary filmmaker\, both assets for memoir writing\,
URL:https://qwf.org/event/memoir-turning-yourself-into-a-character/2024-10-15/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241015T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241015T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20240729T181403Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171243Z
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SUMMARY:The Poet’s Toolbox
DESCRIPTION:Do you want to write poetry but have trouble getting started? Are you interested in stepping outside of your comfort zone to generate new pieces? This workshop will help you to develop your voice as a poet by kindling your creativity with the support of a variety of writing tools\, prompts\, poetic forms\, and other techniques. \n\n\n\nIn each session\, participants will be presented with some combination of readings\, writing constraints\, or guided prompts. These will include assignments to write new pieces using different poetic forms including ekphrastic poetry (verse inspired by visual art)\, erasure/blackout poetry\, OULIPO games\, centos\, prose poems\, and haiku. Participants will be encouraged to share their writing results and will have a chance to discuss each other’s poems.  \n\n\n\nBy the end of this 8-week generative poetry writing workshop\, participants will have a chance to produce a portfolio of approximately 8 new pieces of creative work. \n\n\n\nGreg Santos is a poet\, editor\, and educator. His most recent book is Ghost Face (2020) and he has published several other poetry collections. His writing has appeared in CBC First Person\, The Walrus\, Geist\, AGNI\, The Best American Poetry Blog\, and World Literature Today. He has worked with the QWF’s Writers in the Community Program\, Vallum Society for Education in Arts & Letters\, Poetry in Voice\, and the Thomas More Institute to spread the joy of verse and creative writing to diverse communities. He is the Editor in Chief of the QWF’s online literary journal carte blanche. He is an adoptee of Cambodian\, Portuguese\, and Spanish heritage. Greg lives in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal with his wife and two children.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/the-poets-toolbox/2024-10-15/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241012T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241012T123000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20240914T140000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240905T143408Z
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SUMMARY:Shut Up & Write! with QWF (Virtual)
DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, October 12\, 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-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\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-21/
LOCATION:Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
CATEGORIES:Shut Up & Write!
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T220000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20240730T154254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171128Z
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SUMMARY:Pursuing the Erotic
DESCRIPTION:This is an expanded version of the three-hour workshop “Identifying (with) the Erotic” offered in July 2022. It progresses from initial references to erotica by old hands (Anaïs Nin)\, incidental practitioners (James Baldwin) and newer writers (Ruel Johnson) to consider other select works in prose\, poetry\, and comics. You do not have to have attended the 2022 workshop to enroll in this one. \n\n\n\nThe workshop continues the exploration of what makes the erotic not only a sensual genre but a life-affirming one with participants contributing their own writing as well as sourcing that of other practitioners. While creating sexy characters and scenes with stimulating language is part of the process\, and knowing your audience is crucial (there is a difference between romance\, erotica and pornography)\, the emphasis remains on craft and telling a story that engages readers’ imagination\, exciting not only the body but all of the senses. And this without apology. \n\n\n\nRobert Edison Sandiford is the author of several books\, among them the award-winning The Tree of Youth & Other Stories\, And Sometimes They Fly (a novel) and Sand for Snow (memoir).  He has also written graphic novels for NBM Publishing.  In 2003\, he and the poet Linda M. Deane founded the Barbadian cultural resource ArtsEtc Inc.  He has worked as a publisher\, teacher and\, with Warm Water Productions\, producer.  His fiction and non-fiction have appeared in journals\, magazines and anthologies.  Currently working on another novel\,his most recent titleis Fairfield from DC Books.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/pursuing-the-erotic/2024-10-10/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20241008T010924Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241008T010927Z
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SUMMARY:Confabulation MTL Presents: Company's Coming
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, October 10\, 2024\, 8:00 pm ET\n\n\n\nConfabulation\, Montreal’s original autobiographical storytelling event is back for another night of stories\, true as we can tell them! \n\n\n\nFor October\, we’re presenting the suitably spooky theme Company’s coming — stories of house guests\, hauntings\, and other kinds of visitors. We’re expecting some unexpected takes on this theme. Visitors wanted and unwanted\, shocking arrivals\, and drop-ins of all kinds. \n\n\n\nWe’re looking for storytellers — so if you’ve got a story to pitch\, e-mail us at tellastory@confabulation.ca\, or check out our pitch form: confabulation.ca/tell-a-story. \n\n\n\nConfabulation stories are typically 6-8 minutes long. Whether you’re a seasoned storyteller or a nervous newbie\, our producers will be there to guide you and help you craft a powerful stage presence. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBuy Tickets
URL:https://qwf.org/event/confabulation-mtl-presents-companys-coming/
LOCATION:La Sala Rossa\, 4848 St. Laurent Boulevard\, Montreal\, Quebec\, H2T 2R5\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Performance,Storytelling
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T230000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20241001T174315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241001T174453Z
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SUMMARY:Launch of The Encore Poetry Anthology; In Dialogue
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, October 10\, 2024\, 7:00 pm ET\n\n\n\nJoin the Encore Poetry Project for the launch of the second edition of The Encore Poetry Anthology; In Dialogue. There will be readings by contributors\, charcuterie\, and live music! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGet Tickets
URL:https://qwf.org/event/launch-of-the-encore-poetry-anthology-in-dialogue/
LOCATION:Cardinal Tearoom\, 5326 St Laurent Blvd\, Montreal\, Quebec\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Book Launch,Performance,Reading
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073532
CREATED:20240730T151554Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171206Z
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SUMMARY:Poetry and the Tiny Sea in the Ear
DESCRIPTION:The tiny sea in the earand the moth wing in the mind\, which wait.— Don McKay\, “Early Instruments” \n\n\n\nThis workshop invites participants to explore our “early instruments” of imagination and experience through the language of poetry. \n\n\n\n“The excitement of metaphor\,” writes Don McKay\, “stems from the injection of wilderness into language.” Add to this idea the excitement of any element of poetic making. \n\n\n\nDuring these eight weeks\, we will draft and develop poems that tap the surprise of tension and release\, tease out what’s wild in the everyday\, refresh expectation and sharpen expression. \n\n\n\nIn each session\, we will respond to each other’s poems and work with one or more prompts. In most sessions we will look briefly at a strong contemporary poem and consider what we might borrow from it as a springboard to our writing. \n\n\n\nAll levels of experience are welcome. \n\n\n\nSusan Gillis (she/her) has taught Creative Writing at Concordia University and John Abbott College\, and has led poetry workshops with QWF\, Los Parronales (Chile)\, Blue Met\, in schools and in the community. Her four books have been nominated for several awards; Volta (2002) was awarded the A.M. Klein Prize. She is a founding member of the collaborative poetry group Yoko’s Dogs (Whisk\, 2013; Rhinoceros\, 2016; Caution Tape\, 2021). Her most recent book is Yellow Crane (Brick 2018). She works as a freelance editor and mentor.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/poetry-and-the-tiny-sea-in-the-ear/2024-10-10/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241010T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240914T183629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240914T184321Z
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SUMMARY:Book Launch: A Way to Be Happy by Caroline Adderson
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, October 10\, 2024\, 5:00 pm\n\n\n\nVancouver author Caroline Adderson will be reading from her Giller long-listed collection of short stories A Way to Be Happy at Librairie Paragraphe\, 2220 McGill College Avenue\, Thursday October 10th at 5pm.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/book-launch-a-way-to-be-happy-by-caroline-adderson/
LOCATION:Librairie Paragraphe Bookstore\, 2220 McGill College Ave\, Montreal\, Quebec\, H3A 3P9\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Book Launch
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241009T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241009T220000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240730T150325Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T203300Z
UID:10003925-1728504000-1728511200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:The Vivid and Continuous Dream: A Short Story Workshop
DESCRIPTION:In March\, in 1918\, an Olympic swimmer accepts a job rehabilitating the Polio-ravaged legs of a rich young woman\, not knowing the mess of love and wreckage that await their future selves; in Western Australia\, a bullied adolescent watches his high school tormentor drown beneath the surface of an aquifer—he expects reprieve\, but all his life he will sense the boy\, resinous\, in the mist and the warm wet air; in Spokane\, a man embarks on a strange\, galvanizing quest to reclaim an heirloom headdress that once belonged to his grandmother\, and the journey leaves him wondering who he is\, or who he used to be\, or who he might yet become. \n\n\n\nThe best stories ask questions but don’t dare give all the answers; they take the reader on a journey and leave them with a brief sliver of enlightenment. Yes: love is worth the cost to body and soul\, in 1918 as much as now. No: there is no easy escape from regret\, and good people will suffer if they stoop to the level of their abusers. Perhaps what matters is not to complete the task or reclaim our past\, but to reassure ourselves that we tried. \n\n\n\nThis workshop is a guided discussion about the plot\, characters\, point of view\, structure\, and language (the mechanics or “craft”) of participants’ short stories\, as well as an investigation of each story’s aboutness\, patterns\, emotional plot\, and central question(s)—that is\, all those hard-to-define elements that make fiction what it is. \n\n\n\nAdditionally\, the workshop aims to foster community among the attendees\, to bring together writers of similar skill and drive\, and to encourage the kind of creative energy that crackles between new practitioners. \n\n\n\nSome Learning Objectives \n\n\n\n\nCritical reading\, and the ability to identify the roots of a story’s problems\, particularly with regard to dramatic structure and conflict. Conversely: the ability to identify the roots of a story’s successes\, especially when it seems intangible or difficult to pin down.\n\n\n\nClose reading\, even of your own work\, for strongest-possible sentences. (They are\, after all\, the building blocks of fiction.)\n\n\n\nTo immerse yourself in\, and engage with\, literature among a cohort of people who are similarly immersed and engaged in literature; to enjoy it.\n\n\n\n\nIn our first meeting\, we will establish a schedule\, review workshop etiquette\, spend some time meeting each other\, and do a few writing exercises. From then on\, each session will consist of detailed discussion and feedback on participants’ stories. The goal\, always\, is to offer the writer of each story constructive suggestions to help them improve the story and their craft. We are\, I always say\, in this together. \n\n\n\nIn preparation: Please bring a short story of no more than 2500 words to the first session. \n\n\n\nD. W. Wilson is the author of Once You Break a Knuckle\, a collection of short stories\, and Ballistics\, a novel. His work has appeared in lit mags across the globe\, and in 2011 he won the BBC National Short Story Award for “The Dead Roads.” Since then he has been shortlisted for numerous fiction prizes\, and has won the CBC Short Story Prize and the Manchester Fiction Prize. He taught creative writing at the University of Victoria and Brandon University and is currently a fiction mentor for the University of King’s College’s writing MFA.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/the-vivid-and-continuous-dream-a-short-story-workshop/2024-10-09/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241009T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241009T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240729T192931Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171155Z
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SUMMARY:Hooked: Writing Compelling YA Fiction
DESCRIPTION:Get ready to unveil the gripping storyteller within you and keep readers turning those pages! Dive into an exciting eight-week workshop focused on techniques to captivate young adult readers. We’ll look at everything from crafting vibrant characters and heart-pounding conflicts to honing structure and pacing in YA fiction. \n\n\n\nFor our first session\, bring along a favorite YA novel to share with the group. By week two\, be sure to have the first chapter of your work-in-progress (up to 10 pages) for some feedback exchange. By the end of the workshop\, you’ll have a roadmap to your story\, completed scenes\, and an inciting hook for your novel-in-the-making. \n\n\n\nEach session will incorporate a mix of writing prompts\, critique sessions\, exploration of writing techniques\, sneak peeks into YA literature\, and lively group discussions. We’ll be reading various writing styles\, structuring vibrant dialogue\, and feeling all the YA vibes. We’ll even take a sneak peek into the Canadian publishing world. \n\n\n\nValuable feedback from both the workshop leader and your fellow writers on your opening chapter will keep you motivated and inspired. Together\, we’ll work at captivating readers. \n\n\n\nDon’t forget your writing tools for each session. All writers\, whether seasoned pros or fresh faces\, are welcome! Short story\, graphic novel and prose writers\, you’re invited too! \n\n\n\nThe following Suggested readings will sharpen your writing skills\, but are not necessary for the workshop: \n\n\n\nCorner-Bryant\, Helen\, and Kathryn Price. On Editing: How to Edit Your Novel the Professional Way. John Murray Learning\, 2018. \n\n\n\nProse\, Francine. Reading like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them. HarperCollins\, 2009. \n\n\n\nStrunk Jr\, William. The Elements of Style: Classic Edition. Spectrum Ink\, 2018. \n\n\n\nTruby\, John. The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller. Faber and Faber\, 2008. \n\n\n\nLea Beddia is the author of Take Off! (Rebel Mountain Press) and Outta Here (Lorimer). She is also a storyteller\, appearing regularly on stage with Confabulation. Born and raised in Montreal\, she now teaches in Joliette\, Quebec\, where she lives with her husband and three children. With a passion for supporting literacy among young adults\, especially for striving readers\, Lea is releasing two fresh YA novels set to hit bookshelves in 2025 and 2026. Find out more at www.leabeddia.com\, or say hi to Lea Beddia on Facebook or Instagram @BeddiaLea.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/hooked-writing-compelling-ya-fiction/2024-10-09/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241008T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241008T220000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240729T185742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171223Z
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SUMMARY:Memoir: Turning Yourself into a Character
DESCRIPTION:The memoir used to be a large and weighty book\, often written by a man of power\, once he had stepped out of the limelight (or been cast out of it). Presidents and prime ministers wrote memoirs; the common people did not. \n\n\n\nFlash-forward to the present. People have discovered that they had and still have lives worth writing about. The classic memoir was about the exercise of power in times of crisis. The current memoir is often about a period of time during which the writer learned something about themselves. Which should make all of us potential memoirists. \n\n\n\nThe form contains a number of moral traps and rough spots. How much fiction can you put in a memoir? What happens when you forget something\, or misremember? How much can you reveal about yourself and others before you cross a line you might regret? \n\n\n\nWe’ll look at several examples of memoir\, from Harry Crews to Kyo Maclear and others. With Crews\, his story begins before his birth; is that still memoir? Mark Abley’s travel story is clearly designed to tell as little as possible about its author. In sociologist mode\, Daniel Allen Cox brings in a slew of outside sources to bolster his self-inquiry. Where do we want to situate ourselves? \n\n\n\nThat\, of course\, will depend on our inquiries. A memoir can be about someone else – how you did or did not live with that person. Memoirs can spring from a mystery – but not always. All of them involve the writer wanting to achieve greater self-understanding\, which means we have to turn ourselves into a character to do it. \n\n\n\nThe workshop will be a mixture of reading one another’s projects and proposals\, and considering excerpts from other books. Participants are free to submit material a week or two before the first workshop. This material will be part of class discussions. Please submit to David.Homel@concordia.ca. For the first submission\, please do not go beyond 5 or 10 standard pages. See you there! \n\n\n\nDavid Homel wrote 13 works of fiction – historical novels\, murder mysteries and domestic fiction – before his first memoir in 2020\, and he has gone on to work in that form since. The experience as a memoirist continues to bear upon his novel-writing\, enriching and expanding it. The moral aspects of the art of memory and disclosure continue to attract him\, along with the paradox of turning himself into a character in order to get at the truths of his past lives. He has also worked as a journalist and a documentary filmmaker\, both assets for memoir writing\,
URL:https://qwf.org/event/memoir-turning-yourself-into-a-character/2024-10-08/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241008T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241008T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240729T181403Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171243Z
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SUMMARY:The Poet’s Toolbox
DESCRIPTION:Do you want to write poetry but have trouble getting started? Are you interested in stepping outside of your comfort zone to generate new pieces? This workshop will help you to develop your voice as a poet by kindling your creativity with the support of a variety of writing tools\, prompts\, poetic forms\, and other techniques. \n\n\n\nIn each session\, participants will be presented with some combination of readings\, writing constraints\, or guided prompts. These will include assignments to write new pieces using different poetic forms including ekphrastic poetry (verse inspired by visual art)\, erasure/blackout poetry\, OULIPO games\, centos\, prose poems\, and haiku. Participants will be encouraged to share their writing results and will have a chance to discuss each other’s poems.  \n\n\n\nBy the end of this 8-week generative poetry writing workshop\, participants will have a chance to produce a portfolio of approximately 8 new pieces of creative work. \n\n\n\nGreg Santos is a poet\, editor\, and educator. His most recent book is Ghost Face (2020) and he has published several other poetry collections. His writing has appeared in CBC First Person\, The Walrus\, Geist\, AGNI\, The Best American Poetry Blog\, and World Literature Today. He has worked with the QWF’s Writers in the Community Program\, Vallum Society for Education in Arts & Letters\, Poetry in Voice\, and the Thomas More Institute to spread the joy of verse and creative writing to diverse communities. He is the Editor in Chief of the QWF’s online literary journal carte blanche. He is an adoptee of Cambodian\, Portuguese\, and Spanish heritage. Greg lives in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal with his wife and two children.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/the-poets-toolbox/2024-10-08/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241008T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241008T131500
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20241001T194508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241001T194513Z
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SUMMARY:Lunch & Learn with QWF
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, October 8\, 12:00–1:15 pm ETOpen to all—register for Zoom link\n\n\n\nLooking to learn more about QWF\, what we do\, and how we can help you as a writer? \n\n\n\nJoin us for the next Lunch & Learn with QWF! \n\n\n\nIn this quarterly online orientation session\, we’ll provide a deep dive into our many programs and services and how we can help you in your writing journey. Whether you’re new to QWF\, want to learn 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. \n\n\n\nLori 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. \n\n\n\nJohn 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\nFree and open to all. We hope to see you there! \n\n\n\nTo get the Zoom link: Fill out the registration form. You’ll receive the Zoom link by email shortly thereafter. \n\n\n\nIf you have trouble registering or joining the meeting\, contact John 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 October 8 will be in January 2025. Learn more about our Lunch & Learn series. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNote: RSVPs close one hour before the event begins. To get the Zoom link after RSVPs close\, please contact John Wickham at john@qwf.org
URL:https://qwf.org/event/lunch-learn-with-qwf-oct-2024/
LOCATION:Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
CATEGORIES:Lunch & Learn,QWF Events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241007T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241007T220000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240812T164840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240813T181001Z
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SUMMARY:The Vivid and Continuous Dream: A Short Story Workshop
DESCRIPTION:In March\, in 1918\, an Olympic swimmer accepts a job rehabilitating the Polio-ravaged legs of a rich young woman\, not knowing the mess of love and wreckage that await their future selves; in Western Australia\, a bullied adolescent watches his high school tormentor drown beneath the surface of an aquifer—he expects reprieve\, but all his life he will sense the boy\, resinous\, in the mist and the warm wet air; in Spokane\, a man embarks on a strange\, galvanizing quest to reclaim an heirloom headdress that once belonged to his grandmother\, and the journey leaves him wondering who he is\, or who he used to be\, or who he might yet become. \n\n\n\nThe best stories ask questions but don’t dare give all the answers; they take the reader on a journey and leave them with a brief sliver of enlightenment. Yes: love is worth the cost to body and soul\, in 1918 as much as now. No: there is no easy escape from regret\, and good people will suffer if they stoop to the level of their abusers. Perhaps what matters is not to complete the task or reclaim our past\, but to reassure ourselves that we tried. \n\n\n\nThis workshop is a guided discussion about the plot\, characters\, point of view\, structure\, and language (the mechanics or “craft”) of participants’ short stories\, as well as an investigation of each story’s aboutness\, patterns\, emotional plot\, and central question(s)—that is\, all those hard-to-define elements that make fiction what it is. \n\n\n\nAdditionally\, the workshop aims to foster community among the attendees\, to bring together writers of similar skill and drive\, and to encourage the kind of creative energy that crackles between new practitioners. \n\n\n\nSome Learning Objectives \n\n\n\n\nCritical reading\, and the ability to identify the roots of a story’s problems\, particularly with regard to dramatic structure and conflict. Conversely: the ability to identify the roots of a story’s successes\, especially when it seems intangible or difficult to pin down.\n\n\n\nClose reading\, even of your own work\, for strongest-possible sentences. (They are\, after all\, the building blocks of fiction.)\n\n\n\nTo immerse yourself in\, and engage with\, literature among a cohort of people who are similarly immersed and engaged in literature; to enjoy it.\n\n\n\n\nIn our first meeting\, we will establish a schedule\, review workshop etiquette\, spend some time meeting each other\, and do a few writing exercises. From then on\, each session will consist of detailed discussion and feedback on participants’ stories. The goal\, always\, is to offer the writer of each story constructive suggestions to help them improve the story and their craft. We are\, I always say\, in this together. \n\n\n\nIn preparation: Please bring a short story of no more than 2500 words to the first session. \n\n\n\nD. W. Wilson is the author of Once You Break a Knuckle\, a collection of short stories\, and Ballistics\, a novel. His work has appeared in lit mags across the globe\, and in 2011 he won the BBC National Short Story Award for “The Dead Roads.” Since then he has been shortlisted for numerous fiction prizes\, and has won the CBC Short Story Prize and the Manchester Fiction Prize. He taught creative writing at the University of Victoria and Brandon University and is currently a fiction mentor for the University of King’s College’s writing MFA.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/the-vivid-and-continuous-dream-a-short-story-workshop-2/2024-10-07/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241007T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241007T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240729T174625Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171315Z
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SUMMARY:Writing the Personal Essay
DESCRIPTION:Have you ever wanted to see your words on the pages of your favourite newspaper\, magazine\, or website? The personal essay is a subgenre of creative nonfiction that focuses on unique stories with universal appeal told from a first-person perspective. In this 8-week course\, you’ll learn everything from how to generate ideas to how to structure your first and second drafts to how to pitch your completed piece. \n\n\n\nThe course will consist of teacher-led instruction\, at-home readings\, generative in-class writing exercises\, and guided peer feedback. You will also be expected to work on your essay at home\, between classes. By the end of this session\, you will have one completed personal essay. \n\n\n\nWeek 1: What is the personal essay? \n\n\n\nOverview of the genre and generating ideas. \n\n\n\nWeek 2: Structure \n\n\n\nDefining the elements of the personal essay and exploring structure. \n\n\n\nWeek 3: First Drafts\, Part I \n\n\n\nGetting words on the page. \n\n\n\nWeek 4: First Drafts\, Part II \n\n\n\nEmploying techniques from creative writing. \n\n\n\nWeek 5: Revision \n\n\n\nA step-by-step guide for revising your own work. \n\n\n\nWeek 6: Second Drafts \n\n\n\nHow to polish your essay and turn it into something publishable. \n\n\n\nWeek 7: Pitching and Publishing \n\n\n\nHow to find target outlets and write a great pitch. \n\n\n\nWeek 8: Ask-Me-Anything with a Working Editor \n\n\n\nGuest Editor (TBA) and wrap-up.Julie Matlin is a writer with pieces appearing in The New York Times\, The Washington Post\, Chatelaine\, The Globe and Mail\, Huffington Post\, CBC\, and other publications. She has one screenplay in development and is currently querying an essay collection\, Such a Nice Jewish Girl\, about the intersection of faith\, grief\, and identity\, which was supported by a Canada Council for the Arts grant. She has a weakness for puppies\, naps\, and the music of Jack White. You can follow her on twitter @jmatlin or Instagram and Threads @j.matlin. Portfolio:  www.juliematin.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/writing-the-personal-essay/2024-10-07/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241006T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241006T163000
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SUMMARY:Writing Real Life for Children: Conjuring Up Creative Non-fiction for Young Readers
DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, Oct 6\, 10:30am-4:30pmOpen to allLimited to 12 participantsHybrid Workshop* \n\n\n\nFrom a solid foundation of facts\, unleash your fancy…  \n\n\n\nThis workshop offers a framework for writers of any level of experience to explore their own passions\, interests\, and experiences through the concise format of a picture book manuscript. \n\n\n\nWhat fascinates you—and how can you write it to spark enthusiasm and imaginations among our children and youth? \n\n\n\nOver the course of the day\, we will  \n\n\n\n\nexamine superb examples of creative non-fiction picture books\, and\n\n\n\nengage in guided writing exercises that will encourage you to define your own key messages\, through topics such as current events\, history\, biography\, travel/culture\, science\, math\, art\, music\, movement\, sports\, family stories… \n\n\n\n\nYou’ll come away with inspiration\, drafted ideas\, and a plan to bring your creative non-fiction picture book manuscript to completion. \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\nRaquel Rivera’s books for children and young adults have won the QWF Prize for Children’s and YA Literature twice; been nominated for the Red Cedar Book Award\, Silver Birch\, Forest of Reading awards and the Rocky Mountain Book Award; and were selected for CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens (starred selection)\, USBBY Outstanding International Books)\, and Quill & Quire’s “Best of 2007.” Raquel has lived and worked in Washington DC\, Kuala Lumpur\, Singapore\, Barcelona\, and Toronto (where she was born and raised as a first-generation Canadian). Raquel’s own mixed heritage inspires her search for new ways of thinking and dreaming. Cultures in cooperation is the theme that runs through her writing. \n\n\n\n\nhttp://raquelriverawashere.com\n\n\n\nhttp://artistsinspire.ca\n\n\n\nhttp://hireawriter.ca\n\n\n\nhttp://facebook.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/writing-real-life-for-children-conjuring-up-creative-non-fiction-for-young-readers/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241004T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241004T150000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
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LAST-MODIFIED:20240905T143532Z
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SUMMARY:Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
DESCRIPTION:Friday\, October 4\, 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-24/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Shut Up & Write!
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241002T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241002T190000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
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SUMMARY:Book Launch: The Art of Being Irish in Hell's Kitchen: A Memoir on the Organizing of the Irish Arts Center in New York City\, 1972-78\, by Jim Olwell
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, October 2\, 2024\, 5:00-7:00 pm ET\n\n\n\nYouth is not wasted on the young. It is their learning playground for their early dramas. They learn who they are and who they are becoming\, by trying something new or not trying\, by succeeding or failing and usually both. \n\n\n\nIn the 1970s New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood\, then a slum\, these young Irish and other Americans created an environment where they could learn\, by supporting and learning from each other and by being inclusive. They taught each other and learned from skilled artists how to play music and dance\, how to act and do theatre\, how to sing songs they loved. They learned how to build an organization\, their own arts and cultural organization\, by their own doing.  \n\n\n\nThey were tin whistle players and uilleann pipers\, not to mention fiddlers and dancers\, penniless artists and aspiring poets\, hundreds of volunteers and dreamers of dreams. \n\n\n\nThat early activity helped initiate a vibrant\, living Irish culture there in New York and the US. 50 years later\, a magnificent new multi-faceted Irish Arts Center was built on 11th avenue in Manhattan right around the corner from and connected to in the back their original building on west 51st street \n\n\n\nThis memoir on how it all began is written by an Irish American from the Bronx who was the second director and 6 year organizer at the Center. He fell in love with a young French Canadian modern dancer from Montreal on a grant to study with Merce Cunningham\, and in 1978 he moved here to be with her. They had 2 bilingual children who were born and live here. He spent his professional life here as a community organizer with the CLSC Benny Farm where he helped citizens create organizations and services they needed and did not have. Author Jim Olwell will be launching his new memoir at the Benny Library in NDG in September. \n\n\n\nThis is a free event.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/book-launch-the-art-of-being-irish-in-hells-kitchen-a-memoir-on-the-organizing-of-the-irish-arts-center-in-new-york-city-1972-78-by-jim-olwell/
LOCATION:Benny Library 6400 Monkland Ave.\, 6400 Monkland Ave.\, Montreal\, Quebec\, Quebec\, H4B1H3\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Book Launch
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241001T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241001T220000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240729T185742Z
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SUMMARY:Memoir: Turning Yourself into a Character
DESCRIPTION:The memoir used to be a large and weighty book\, often written by a man of power\, once he had stepped out of the limelight (or been cast out of it). Presidents and prime ministers wrote memoirs; the common people did not. \n\n\n\nFlash-forward to the present. People have discovered that they had and still have lives worth writing about. The classic memoir was about the exercise of power in times of crisis. The current memoir is often about a period of time during which the writer learned something about themselves. Which should make all of us potential memoirists. \n\n\n\nThe form contains a number of moral traps and rough spots. How much fiction can you put in a memoir? What happens when you forget something\, or misremember? How much can you reveal about yourself and others before you cross a line you might regret? \n\n\n\nWe’ll look at several examples of memoir\, from Harry Crews to Kyo Maclear and others. With Crews\, his story begins before his birth; is that still memoir? Mark Abley’s travel story is clearly designed to tell as little as possible about its author. In sociologist mode\, Daniel Allen Cox brings in a slew of outside sources to bolster his self-inquiry. Where do we want to situate ourselves? \n\n\n\nThat\, of course\, will depend on our inquiries. A memoir can be about someone else – how you did or did not live with that person. Memoirs can spring from a mystery – but not always. All of them involve the writer wanting to achieve greater self-understanding\, which means we have to turn ourselves into a character to do it. \n\n\n\nThe workshop will be a mixture of reading one another’s projects and proposals\, and considering excerpts from other books. Participants are free to submit material a week or two before the first workshop. This material will be part of class discussions. Please submit to David.Homel@concordia.ca. For the first submission\, please do not go beyond 5 or 10 standard pages. See you there! \n\n\n\nDavid Homel wrote 13 works of fiction – historical novels\, murder mysteries and domestic fiction – before his first memoir in 2020\, and he has gone on to work in that form since. The experience as a memoirist continues to bear upon his novel-writing\, enriching and expanding it. The moral aspects of the art of memory and disclosure continue to attract him\, along with the paradox of turning himself into a character in order to get at the truths of his past lives. He has also worked as a journalist and a documentary filmmaker\, both assets for memoir writing\,
URL:https://qwf.org/event/memoir-turning-yourself-into-a-character/2024-10-01/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241001T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241001T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240729T181403Z
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SUMMARY:The Poet’s Toolbox
DESCRIPTION:Do you want to write poetry but have trouble getting started? Are you interested in stepping outside of your comfort zone to generate new pieces? This workshop will help you to develop your voice as a poet by kindling your creativity with the support of a variety of writing tools\, prompts\, poetic forms\, and other techniques. \n\n\n\nIn each session\, participants will be presented with some combination of readings\, writing constraints\, or guided prompts. These will include assignments to write new pieces using different poetic forms including ekphrastic poetry (verse inspired by visual art)\, erasure/blackout poetry\, OULIPO games\, centos\, prose poems\, and haiku. Participants will be encouraged to share their writing results and will have a chance to discuss each other’s poems.  \n\n\n\nBy the end of this 8-week generative poetry writing workshop\, participants will have a chance to produce a portfolio of approximately 8 new pieces of creative work. \n\n\n\nGreg Santos is a poet\, editor\, and educator. His most recent book is Ghost Face (2020) and he has published several other poetry collections. His writing has appeared in CBC First Person\, The Walrus\, Geist\, AGNI\, The Best American Poetry Blog\, and World Literature Today. He has worked with the QWF’s Writers in the Community Program\, Vallum Society for Education in Arts & Letters\, Poetry in Voice\, and the Thomas More Institute to spread the joy of verse and creative writing to diverse communities. He is the Editor in Chief of the QWF’s online literary journal carte blanche. He is an adoptee of Cambodian\, Portuguese\, and Spanish heritage. Greg lives in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal with his wife and two children.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/the-poets-toolbox/2024-10-01/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240930T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240930T220000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240812T164840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240813T181001Z
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SUMMARY:The Vivid and Continuous Dream: A Short Story Workshop
DESCRIPTION:In March\, in 1918\, an Olympic swimmer accepts a job rehabilitating the Polio-ravaged legs of a rich young woman\, not knowing the mess of love and wreckage that await their future selves; in Western Australia\, a bullied adolescent watches his high school tormentor drown beneath the surface of an aquifer—he expects reprieve\, but all his life he will sense the boy\, resinous\, in the mist and the warm wet air; in Spokane\, a man embarks on a strange\, galvanizing quest to reclaim an heirloom headdress that once belonged to his grandmother\, and the journey leaves him wondering who he is\, or who he used to be\, or who he might yet become. \n\n\n\nThe best stories ask questions but don’t dare give all the answers; they take the reader on a journey and leave them with a brief sliver of enlightenment. Yes: love is worth the cost to body and soul\, in 1918 as much as now. No: there is no easy escape from regret\, and good people will suffer if they stoop to the level of their abusers. Perhaps what matters is not to complete the task or reclaim our past\, but to reassure ourselves that we tried. \n\n\n\nThis workshop is a guided discussion about the plot\, characters\, point of view\, structure\, and language (the mechanics or “craft”) of participants’ short stories\, as well as an investigation of each story’s aboutness\, patterns\, emotional plot\, and central question(s)—that is\, all those hard-to-define elements that make fiction what it is. \n\n\n\nAdditionally\, the workshop aims to foster community among the attendees\, to bring together writers of similar skill and drive\, and to encourage the kind of creative energy that crackles between new practitioners. \n\n\n\nSome Learning Objectives \n\n\n\n\nCritical reading\, and the ability to identify the roots of a story’s problems\, particularly with regard to dramatic structure and conflict. Conversely: the ability to identify the roots of a story’s successes\, especially when it seems intangible or difficult to pin down.\n\n\n\nClose reading\, even of your own work\, for strongest-possible sentences. (They are\, after all\, the building blocks of fiction.)\n\n\n\nTo immerse yourself in\, and engage with\, literature among a cohort of people who are similarly immersed and engaged in literature; to enjoy it.\n\n\n\n\nIn our first meeting\, we will establish a schedule\, review workshop etiquette\, spend some time meeting each other\, and do a few writing exercises. From then on\, each session will consist of detailed discussion and feedback on participants’ stories. The goal\, always\, is to offer the writer of each story constructive suggestions to help them improve the story and their craft. We are\, I always say\, in this together. \n\n\n\nIn preparation: Please bring a short story of no more than 2500 words to the first session. \n\n\n\nD. W. Wilson is the author of Once You Break a Knuckle\, a collection of short stories\, and Ballistics\, a novel. His work has appeared in lit mags across the globe\, and in 2011 he won the BBC National Short Story Award for “The Dead Roads.” Since then he has been shortlisted for numerous fiction prizes\, and has won the CBC Short Story Prize and the Manchester Fiction Prize. He taught creative writing at the University of Victoria and Brandon University and is currently a fiction mentor for the University of King’s College’s writing MFA.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/the-vivid-and-continuous-dream-a-short-story-workshop-2/2024-09-30/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240930T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240930T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240729T174625Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240801T171315Z
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SUMMARY:Writing the Personal Essay
DESCRIPTION:Have you ever wanted to see your words on the pages of your favourite newspaper\, magazine\, or website? The personal essay is a subgenre of creative nonfiction that focuses on unique stories with universal appeal told from a first-person perspective. In this 8-week course\, you’ll learn everything from how to generate ideas to how to structure your first and second drafts to how to pitch your completed piece. \n\n\n\nThe course will consist of teacher-led instruction\, at-home readings\, generative in-class writing exercises\, and guided peer feedback. You will also be expected to work on your essay at home\, between classes. By the end of this session\, you will have one completed personal essay. \n\n\n\nWeek 1: What is the personal essay? \n\n\n\nOverview of the genre and generating ideas. \n\n\n\nWeek 2: Structure \n\n\n\nDefining the elements of the personal essay and exploring structure. \n\n\n\nWeek 3: First Drafts\, Part I \n\n\n\nGetting words on the page. \n\n\n\nWeek 4: First Drafts\, Part II \n\n\n\nEmploying techniques from creative writing. \n\n\n\nWeek 5: Revision \n\n\n\nA step-by-step guide for revising your own work. \n\n\n\nWeek 6: Second Drafts \n\n\n\nHow to polish your essay and turn it into something publishable. \n\n\n\nWeek 7: Pitching and Publishing \n\n\n\nHow to find target outlets and write a great pitch. \n\n\n\nWeek 8: Ask-Me-Anything with a Working Editor \n\n\n\nGuest Editor (TBA) and wrap-up.Julie Matlin is a writer with pieces appearing in The New York Times\, The Washington Post\, Chatelaine\, The Globe and Mail\, Huffington Post\, CBC\, and other publications. She has one screenplay in development and is currently querying an essay collection\, Such a Nice Jewish Girl\, about the intersection of faith\, grief\, and identity\, which was supported by a Canada Council for the Arts grant. She has a weakness for puppies\, naps\, and the music of Jack White. You can follow her on twitter @jmatlin or Instagram and Threads @j.matlin. Portfolio:  www.juliematin.com
URL:https://qwf.org/event/writing-the-personal-essay/2024-09-30/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:QWF Workshops,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240929T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240929T200000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240827T205537Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240828T152745Z
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SUMMARY:GOLD: Garden of Literary Delights 2024
DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, September 29\, 2024\, 6:00-8:00 pm\n\n\n\nMark your calendars! Sunday\, September 29\, 2024\, 6-8 pm\, the Kabir Centre for Arts & Culture presents the 4th edition of GOLD–Garden of Literary Delights\, with a stellar cast:  \n\n\n\n\nJanika Oza\, who will read from A History of Burning\, a finalist for the 2023 Governor General’s Award for Fiction and winner of the 2024 Asian/Pacific American Award\n\n\n\n\n\nMariam Pirbhai\, award-winning author and academic\, who will read from her novel Isolated Incident and Garden Inventories: Reflections on Land\, Place and Belonging \n\n\n\n\n\nMuch-loved children’s author Mitali Banerjee Ruths\, who will read from her Party Diaries series.\n\n\n\n\n\nLiterary translator Shahroza Nahrin\, who will introduce her translation of acclaimed Bangladeshi writer Shahidul Zahir’s Life and Political Reality: Two Novellas\, translated from Bangla.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRequested Donation: $5 or more at the door \n\n\n\nSpace limited; please RSVP\, email info@centrekabir.com \n\n\n\nReadings\, Refreshments\, Q&A\, book sale\, giveaways
URL:https://qwf.org/event/gold-garden-of-literary-delights-2024/
LOCATION:Espace Custeau\, Le Gesù\, 1200 Bleury Street\, Montreal
CATEGORIES:Festival,Panel,Reading
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240929T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240929T190000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240901T190300Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240901T190303Z
UID:10004007-1727629200-1727636400@qwf.org
SUMMARY:Other Maps Montreal Book Launch
DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, Sept 29\, 2024\, 5:00-7:00 pm\n\n\n\nPlease join us to celebrate the launch of Rebecca Morris’s debut novel OTHER MAPS\, forthcoming September 14th with Linda Leith Publishing. Event hosted by Monique Polak. \n\n\n\nAbout Other Maps\n\n\n\nAnna Leverett is home for her dad’s retirement party\, counting the days until she can leave and sick of reminders that her life has consisted of wrong turns and dead ends. Then a meeting with her ex-best friend Helen raises unexpected questions: What really happened at that New Year’s party back in high school? How true were all those ugly rumours? With Helen at her side\, Anna can finally reckon with her past and chart a course towards a better future. \n\n\n\nA literary fiction #metoo novel set in early 2000’s Guelph\, Other Maps explores truth\, resilience and the ride-or-die friendship between two young women who will support each other at any cost. \n\n\n\n“Morris may steer readers outside their comfort zone\, yet her debut novel has grip\, the road rich with unexpected twists. Here\, friendship is a life-saving light on a young woman’s quest for truth in the aftermath of sexual assault.”— Kimberly Bourgeois\, Montreal Review of Books \n\n\n\n“A beautiful exploration of sisterhood\, memory and the stories we tell ourselves\, Other Maps is both timely and timeless. With a sharp eye for detail and a deep empathy for the messiest among us\, Morris gives us a friendship that you will never forget.”— Julie Lalonde\, author of Resilience is Futile: The Life and Death and Life of Julie S. Lalonde \n\n\n\n“Other Maps is a propulsive novel that explores just how fraught the lives of young women can be. From the dangers that plague girlhood to the uncertainties of adulthood\, Rebecca Morris beautifully writes how we reckon with our pasts\, fight for acknowledgement\, and stumble into\, hopefully\, better futures.”— Jen Sookfong Lee\, author of Superfan \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRebecca Morris is a Montreal writer. Originally from Guelph\, Ontario\, Rebecca taught high school before turning to writing full time. Her stories have won the Malahat Review Open Season Award for Fiction and the Humber Literary Review’s Emerging Writers Fiction contest. She is a Banff Centre alumna\, recipient of a Canada Council Arts grant and an active member of the Quebec Writers’ Federation. Other Maps is her first novel.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/other-maps-montreal-book-launch/
LOCATION:Monkland Tennis Club\, 4225 Av. Royal\, Montreal\, H4A 2M4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Book Launch
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240928T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240928T210000
DTSTAMP:20260408T073533
CREATED:20240910T154624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240910T184005Z
UID:10004013-1727546400-1727557200@qwf.org
SUMMARY:NexGen MultiArts Festival Presents: An Evening of Poetry & Reflection
DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, September 28\, 6:00-9:00 pm ET\n\n\n\n“An Evening of Poetry & Reflections” will feature six young upcoming poets who will be reciting in Urdu\, French\, Punjabi\, Hindi\, Arabic\, and English. The session will also include an engaging discussion “Humming Between Homes – A Poetic Conversation.” Some members of the Kabir Centre Poetry Club will also be reciting poetry. \n\n\n\nThis event is part of the NexGen MultiArts Festival of Kabir Cultural Centre.  As in the previous years\, the festival is designed to encourage young poets and will witness diversity of poetry. The festival offers a unique multilingual\, multicultural\, multi-generational platform for poets and poetry enthusiasts to appreciate the art of poetry. While shining a spotlight on young talent\, the festival includes multilingual readings by both established and emerging poets and a poetic conversation. \n\n\n\nSamosas will be arranged for those who RSVP early at info@centrekabir.com.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/nexgen-multiarts-festival-presents-an-evening-of-poetry-reflection/
LOCATION:Espace Custeau\, Le Gesù\, 1200 Bleury Street\, Montreal
CATEGORIES:Festival,Reading
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