Quebec Writers' Federation

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
2026-02-06 12:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | QWF Office, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3, Westmount, QC, H3Z 1X4, Canada
Friday, February 6, 2026, 12:30 pm–3:00 pmFree, In PersonQWF Office (Room 3, 1200 Atwater Ave., Westmount)

Register for the session by filling out the RSVP form below.

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Join us for an in-person Shut Up & Write session at the QWF office!

Do 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.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

12:30–12:55: 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

To register, RSVP below.

Getting to the QWF Office

Our office is located on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre, in Room 3.

Address: 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3Westmount, QC H3Z 1X4

Closest Metro: Atwater Station

Closest Bus lines: 24, 63, 90, 104, 138, 144, 150

Accessibility:

The 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.

Learn more about the office location and accessibility.

This session is now full.

If you registered for the session but can no longer attend, please email john@qwf.org.

Lunch & Learn with: Confabulation
2026-02-03 12:00 - 13:00 | Online via Zoom
Tuesday, February 3, 202612:00–1:00 pm ETFree, online—register for Zoom link

Confabulation is a monthly storytelling event based in Montreal, Victoria, and Calgary. Storytellers share honest stories from their lives without notes, props, or gimmicks.

This Lunch & Learn will give you more information about Confabulation and storytelling. Prospective storytellers can learn how to pitch their story and participate in one of their shows. You can also learn how their storytelling workshops and coaching can enhance your daily communication skills. Whether you are a published author looking to branch into literary performance, an emerging writer longing to share your story, or a literary lover in want of engaging, entertaining events, you are invited to learn from Confabulation’s founding artistic director, Matt Goldberg, and general manager, Deb Vanslet, in this free information session.

This session will be recorded and published on QWF’s YouTube channel.

Register to get the Zoom link.

Register for Zoom link

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (Virtual)
2026-01-31 10:00 - 12:30 | Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
Saturday, January 31, 2026, 10:00 am–12:30 pm ETOnline via Zoom—RSVP below to receive the Zoom link

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Register 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.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

The Zoom link will be sent out a day or two before the session.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

10:00–10:25: 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

To receive the Zoom link, RSVP below. You will receive the Zoom link a few days before the session.

Note: RSVPs for virtual Shut Up & Write! sessions close 24 hours before the session begins. If there is no option to RSVP, RSVPs are closed.

If you are registered but can no longer attend, please email john@qwf.org.

Environmental Writers' Reading to Benefit RAVEN Trust
2026-01-24 16:00 - 20:00 | Hotel Gault, 449 Rue Ste Helene, Montreal, Quebec, H2Y 2K9, Canada
Saturday, January 24, 5:00–8:00 pm ET

Join us for a public reading on January 24th at the Hôtel Gault in Old Montreal. Organized by NatureCulture, with QWF as a promotional partner, the event will feature readings by QWF members Lise Weil, Sarah Wolfson, Ian Thomas Shaw, Suzanne Keeptwo, Tina Wayland, Tamara Nazywalskyj, Nadine Neema, Su J Sokol, and Carolyne van der Meer,

Books by featured readers will be available for purchase, and five open mic slots will be available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. All proceeds go to Indigenous environmental rights organization RAVEN Trust.

The reading is part of NatureCulture’s Montreal Environmental Writers’ Conference, January 19–26. The retreat, which includes meals, literary conversations, a workshop, and more, is open to both out-of-town participants and local participants who wish to participate in the daytime activities. Learn more about the daytime retreat.

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
2026-01-23 12:30 - 15:00 | QWF Office, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3, Westmount, QC, H3Z 1X4, Canada
Friday, January 23, 2026, 12:30 pm–3:00 pmFree, In PersonQWF Office (Room 3, 1200 Atwater Ave., Westmount)

Register for the session by filling out the RSVP form below.

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Join us for an in-person Shut Up & Write session at the QWF office!

Do 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.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

12:30–12:55: 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

To register, RSVP below.

Getting to the QWF Office

Our office is located on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre, in Room 3.

Address: 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3Westmount, QC H3Z 1X4

Closest Metro: Atwater Station

Closest Bus lines: 24, 63, 90, 104, 138, 144, 150

Accessibility:

The 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.

Learn more about the office location and accessibility.

If you registered for the session but can no longer attend, please email john@qwf.org.

Anniversary Launch: Soliloquies 30!
2026-01-22 19:00 - 22:00 | Bar Le Record, 7622 Rue St-Hubert, Montréal, Quebec, H2R 2N6, Canada
Mark your calendars! Please join us on Thursday, January 22nd at 7PM at Bar Le Récord (near Jean-Talon) to help commemorate the 30th iteration of Soliloquies Anthology!
Soliloquies is one of the longest-running anglo literary journals in Quebec, and prides itself on being a Montreal institution where many emerging writers publish their works for the first time. Soliloquies is produced by a student-led team of editors and creatives at Concordia University. Contributors (authors) are Canadian or those living in Canada.
We are excited to launch issue 30.1 and to celebrate the hard work of our 2025/2026 team.Come out for a night of readings and mingling with the literary community here in Montreal.
More details and other surprises to come, as well as news about our next open submission window.
Follow us at @soliloquies.concordia on Instagram for live updatessoliloquies.org

Launch of Ahoy Issue 4
2026-01-22 19:00 - 21:00
The launch of our fourth(!) issue is on Thursday, January 22nd. Join us for readings, live music, and a showing of artwork by our talented contributors. Come for a schmooze and a catch-up, leave with some new friends. The venue is homey and can only be disclosed upon purchase of a ticket 😉 BYOB. Starts at 7pm. Don’t be late that’s not cool anymore. $8 presale, $10 at the door.

Launch of Quist Issue 3
2026-01-22 19:00 | Librairie Pulp Books & Cafe, 3952 Wellington Street, Montreal, Quebec, H4G1V3, Canada
Thursday, January 22, 2026, 7:00 pm ET

QWF’s literary magazine for youth, Quist, is throwing a launch party!Join us on January 22nd at 7pm at Pulp Books to celebrate Quist‘s third issue. There will be readings by issue contributors, followed by light refreshments.This is a free event and all ages are welcome. We can’t wait to see you there!

Read Issue 3 NOw

Cross-Border Conversations: Environmental Writers' Retreat
2026-01-19 16:00 - 2026-01-25 12:00
January 19-25, 2026, Hotel Gault, Old Port, Montreal. Please join us for a relaxing, luxurious retreat with environmental writers from the US and Canada. https://www.nature-culture.net/montreal-retreat-2026 This small gathering at a boutique hotel with gourmet meals is a time away from the fray to start the new year with focus on your own writing and to recenter among like-minded writers. There is an option for day attendance for Quebec residents. The event culminates in a reading (with vending opportunity through Librarie Bertrand); and includes an embodiment mapping project (optional). Confirmed conversation leaders include Lise Weil, Thomas Ian Shaw, and Anne Bergeron.

Accent Open Mic Vol. 129, Cactus Press 20th Anniversary Bash
2026-01-18 20:00 - 22:00 | Bar Le Record, 7622 Rue St-Hubert, Montréal, Quebec, H2R 2N6, Canada
Cactus Press turns 20! Come celebrate with a bevvy of Cactus Press alumni on January 18th at Bar Le Record.

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (Virtual)
2026-01-17 10:00 - 12:30 | Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
Saturday, January 17, 2026, 10:00 am–12:30 pm ETOnline via Zoom—RSVP below to receive the Zoom link

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Register 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.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

The Zoom link will be sent out a day or two before the session.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

10:00–10:25: 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

To receive the Zoom link, RSVP below. You will receive the Zoom link a few days before the session.

Note: RSVPs for virtual Shut Up & Write! sessions close 24 hours before the session begins. If there is no option to RSVP, RSVPs are closed.

Note: We are aware of a glitch rendering our RSVP forms unresponsive for some users. If you encounter difficulties registering for this session, email John Wickham at john@qwf.org, who will register you manually.

The Words and Music Show Presents: Pigs&Wolves
2026-01-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Casa del Popolo, 4873 boul. St-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec, H2T 1R6, Canada
Thursday, January 15, 2026Doors: 6:30 pm, Show: 7:00 pm ET

Montreal-based poetry-rock group Pigs&Wolves plays Casa del Popolo (4873 Boulevard Saint-Laurent). Featuring special guest Tara McGowan-Ross.

Tickets available at the door (cash or card).

Part of the Quebec Writers’ Federation’s Words and Music series.

Listen to Pigs&Wolves EP The Unfortunate Waggle.

Lunch & Learn with QWF
2026-01-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 12:00–1:00 pm ETOpen to all—register for Zoom link

Looking to learn more about QWF, what we do, and how we can help you as a writer?

Join us for a Lunch & Learn with QWF!

In this quarterly online orientation session, we 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.

Riley 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.

Free and open to all. We hope to see you there!

To get the Zoom link: Fill out the registration form. You’ll receive the Zoom link by email shortly thereafter.

If you have trouble registering or joining the meeting, contact John at john@qwf.org.

Lunch & Learn with QWF is our quarterly orientation series to welcome new members and provide an overview of QWF’s activities. The next one after July 22 will be in October. Learn more about our Lunch & Learn series.

REGISTER NOW

Embodied Writing - The Frost Line (winter edition)
2026-01-10 14:00 - 17:00 | Studio 414, 10 Avenue des Pins West #414, Montreal
Winter asks the body to listen differently. Beneath the hush, beneath the cold, beneath the thickening dark, something essential begins to gather. The frost line is the boundary where frozen stillness meets the body’s hidden warmth, where subtle currents awaken, and truths emerge in crystalline patterns.

Writing begins here—invisibly, beneath the surface. Before language finds the page, it roots itself in sensation: tightness along the ribs, or warmth cupped behind the sternum—that quiet ember we protect from cold’s embrace. Our bodies know how to winter. They know how to pull inward, how to hold heat, and how to wait.

But waiting isn’t silence, and it isn’t death. Under the ice, rivers still move. Under the numb, stories stir. When we breathe deeper, stretch gently, soften the jaw and the belly, something time-locked begins to crack open and gleam.

This season, we gather at the frost line: that inner threshold where the deep freeze teaches lucidity, where contraction reveals clarity, where the smallest spark becomes a beacon. To write from here is to court the slow burn beneath it all, to trust the body as it reveals what is ready—no more, no less.

Whether you arrive as a longtime writer, a curious beginner, or someone simply craving a space to thaw and listen, this workshop invites you into the quiet power of wintering the body, wintering the word.

Our practice will interweave:

-Kundalini breathwork-Stretches & light movement-Creative writing prompts & exercises-Meditation-An optional sharing & discussion circle-Homemade chai & a sweet treat

What to bring:

Your journal, a pen, comfy clothes, and an open heart.

What to know:

Pens & paper will be available, as will floor mats, blocks, and cushions. Seating options include chairs, mats, and back jacks. There will be space to move, shift, and settle as needed. The space is on the 4th floor and there is an elevator in the lobby, however the lobby itself is up a few stairs.

About the facilitator:

Maya Khamala is a lifelong writer of many stripes. From poetry to grassroots journalism to creative nonfiction, word is her bond. She has collaborated with visual artists at a loss for words and spent the last decade working as a freelance copywriter and editor. She holds an MA in Creative Writing and is an emerging novelist. Maya has deep roots in feminist, anti-racist, climate justice, and Indigenous solidarity movements—work that shapes the way she wields language. She is also a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher and Embodied Writing facilitator offering regular classes and workshops in Montreal. Maya came to Kundalini as a way of healing from childhood trauma and its many manifestations in her body, and as a reminder to step away from the keyboard…and breathe.

Cost: $80All are welcome. Limited spots.Register: linktr.ee/heartfire.kundalini

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
2026-01-09 12:30 - 15:00 | QWF Office, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3, Westmount, QC, H3Z 1X4, Canada
Friday, January 9, 2026, 12:30 pm–3:00 pmFree, In PersonQWF Office (Room 3, 1200 Atwater Ave., Westmount)

Register for the session by filling out the RSVP form below.

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Join us for an in-person Shut Up & Write session at the QWF office!

Do 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.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

12:30–12:55: 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

To register, RSVP below.

Getting to the QWF Office

Our office is located on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre, in Room 3.

Address: 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3Westmount, QC H3Z 1X4

Closest Metro: Atwater Station

Closest Bus lines: 24, 63, 90, 104, 138, 144, 150

Accessibility:

The 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.

Learn more about the office location and accessibility.

If you registered and can no longer attend, please email john@qwf.org to notify us.

Note: We are aware of a glitch rendering our RSVP forms unresponsive for some users. If you encounter difficulties registering for this session, email john@qwf.org, who will register you manually.

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
2026-01-09 12:30 - 13:00

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (Virtual)
2025-12-20 10:00 - 12:30 | Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
Saturday, December 20, 2025, 10:00 am–12:30 pm ETOnline via Zoom—RSVP below to receive the Zoom link

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Register 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.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

The Zoom link will be sent out a day or two before the session.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

10:00–10:25: 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

To receive the Zoom link, RSVP below. You will receive the Zoom link a few days before the session.

Note: RSVPs for virtual Shut Up & Write! sessions close 24 hours before the session begins. If there is no option to RSVP, RSVPs are closed.

Note: We are aware of a glitch rendering our RSVP forms unresponsive for some users. If you encounter difficulties registering for this session, email John Wickham at john@qwf.org, who will register you manually.

Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
2025-12-19 12:30 - 15:00 | QWF Office, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3, Westmount, QC, H3Z 1X4, Canada
Friday, December 19, 2025, 12:30 pm–3:00 pmFree, In PersonQWF Office (Room 3, 1200 Atwater Ave., Westmount)

Register for the session by filling out the RSVP form below.

Looking for some dedicated, quiet writing space?

Join us for an in-person Shut Up & Write session at the QWF office!

Do 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.

This event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.

Please note that these sessions are designed for silent writing, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work.

12:30–12:55: 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

To register, RSVP below.

Getting to the QWF Office

Our office is located on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre, in Room 3.

Address: 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3Westmount, QC H3Z 1X4

Closest Metro: Atwater Station

Closest Bus lines: 24, 63, 90, 104, 138, 144, 150

Accessibility:

The 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.

Learn more about the office location and accessibility.

If you registered and can no longer attend, please email john@qwf.org to notify us.

Note: We are aware of a glitch rendering our RSVP forms unresponsive for some users. If you encounter difficulties registering for this session, email john@qwf.org, who will register you manually.

Deep Story Design: Story-Craft Essentials for Longer Form Narratives (Wednesday Cohort)
2025-12-17 17:45 - 19:45, 2025-12-10 17:45 - 19:45 | Online via Zoom
Ten Wednesdays, Oct 8-Dec 17, 5:45-7:45pm (No session on October 15) Open to allLimited to 12 participantsOnline Workshop*

This workshop delves into the five fundamental elements of story-making—structure, plot, character, theme, and scene building. Whether you’re writing a novella, novel, screenplay, or memoir, the skillful use of these elements allows all writers to create powerful stories that are meaningful and satisfying.

After introducing a basic three-act story structure that’s foundational for most stories, the workshop will progress through aspects of character, theme, and plot so that you can feel confident about completing fiction or nonfiction of any kind or length. We also touch on scene construction so your stories feel dynamic and alive on the page.

Weekly homework exercises help writers at different stages of your story-making process, whether you’re gathering material for a new story, drafting an existing work, or revising a project that is nearly ready to share with others. Completed homework will receive instructor feedback and some in-class discussion.

In addition to the focus on craft essentials, this workshop invites writers to make personal discoveries about what matters most deeply to them and how this connects with their writing. This connection between self and story is integral to Deep Story Design, because writers who know who they are, and what they care about most, are better able to access their unique creative voice.

Weekly meetings will look something like this:

a 90-minute lesson, including 15-30 mins of in-class exercises

a 10-minute break

20 minutes for Q&A/homework discussion

Completed homework assignments will be due 4 days after the meeting at which they are assigned.

*This workshop will take place online via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants a week or so prior to the first session. Please note that this is the Wednesday iteration of the workshop; there is also a group meeting on Mondays. The material covered will be the same, but note that due to limited spots, we cannot facilitate transfers between groups.

Deep Story Design: Story-Craft Essentials for Longer Form Narratives
2025-12-15 17:45 - 19:45, 2025-12-08 17:45 - 19:45 | Online via Zoom
Ten Mondays, Oct 6-Dec 15, 5:45-7:45pm (No session on October 13) Open to allLimited to 12 participantsOnline Workshop*

This workshop delves into the five fundamental elements of story-making—structure, plot, character, theme, and scene building. Whether you’re writing a novella, novel, screenplay, or memoir, the skillful use of these elements allows all writers to create powerful stories that are meaningful and satisfying.

After introducing a basic three-act story structure that’s foundational for most stories, the workshop will progress through aspects of character, theme, and plot so that you can feel confident about completing fiction or nonfiction of any kind or length. We also touch on scene construction so your stories feel dynamic and alive on the page.

Weekly homework exercises help writers at different stages of your story-making process, whether you’re gathering material for a new story, drafting an existing work, or revising a project that is nearly ready to share with others. (Completed homework will receive instructor feedback and some in-class discussion.)

In addition to the focus on craft essentials, this workshop invites writers to make personal discoveries about what matters most deeply to them and how this connects with their writing. This connection between self and story is integral to Deep Story Design, because writers who know who they are, and what they care about most, are better able to access their unique creative voice.

Weekly meetings will look something like this:

a 90-minute lesson, including 15-30 mins of in-class exercises

a 10-minute break

20 minutes for Q&A/homework discussion

Completed homework assignments will be due 4 days after the meeting at which they are assigned.

*This workshop will take place online via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants a week or so prior to the first session.

April Bosshard is a respected workshop facilitator and story coach who’s helped hundreds of writers develop and complete their projects. Sometimes called a “story whisperer” or “story genie,” she has a background in film and television and has written fiction and non-fiction for traditional and independent markets, which include publications in the US, UK, and Canada. April teaches at conferences and leads workshops internationally and online, while also working with individual clients as a story coach and developmental editor.

Travel Through Metaphor
2025-12-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Phoenix Books, 5928 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 1X7, Canada
Saturday, December 13, 20256:00–8:00 pm ET

Amplify your poetic curiosities with fresh takes on figurative language.

Many writers rely to some degree on figurative language, which offers the pitfall of cliché or the opportunity for imaginative travel. Strong use of metaphor helps us move away from what we think we know and come closer to a new understanding of what is possible. In this generative workshop, we will develop fresh approaches to metaphor and other figures of speech. You can expect to leave the workshop with tools for developing your own metaphorical and descriptive power. The workshop is open to writers of all levels and genres, but some basic experience with poetry writing is recommended.

Email sarahwolfsonwriter@gmail.com to reserve your spot in advance. Space is limited.

Sarah Wolfson is an award-winning poet and teaching artist. Her collection A Common Name for Everything won the 2020 A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry. Her poems have appeared in literary journals such as The Walrus, The Fiddlehead, Geist, CV2, Arc, TriQuarterly, and The Yale Review. She has taught poetry writing in a variety of contexts to people of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels.

Gender-Free Group Loop
2025-12-13 10:30 - 16:30 | QWF Office, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3, Westmount, QC, H3Z 1X4, Canada
Saturday, Dec 13, 10:30am-4:30pm Open to allLimited to 12 participantsIn-Person Workshop*

This lit workshop is housed in the assertion that sound has no gender and that our voices are tools for liberation, play, and, above all, communication. In pursuit of the fertile intersections of text and sound, Alexis O’Hara will lead participants in an intensive workshop of listening and writing exercises, vocal and sound-making explorations, technical tips, and collaborative sound creation.

Aimed at writers and artists wishing to explore how sound influences writing and how a writing practice is full of sonic potential, this workshop will empower participants to translate literary proposals into sound concepts, while demystifying the processes involved in bringing text from the page to the stage or the recording booth.

Activities include:

Introduction to existing sound art practices and approaches

Automatic listening and writing exercises

Knowledge of sound technology resources and tools available on the Web

Microphone technique and exercises to feel comfortable onstage

Bridge building between writing, sound art, experimental storytelling, radio drama, and sound installation.

Overview of basic live sound equipment

Participation in a series of creative and technical exercises

Creation of an original sound project.

Participants are encouraged to bring a short text (1 page max) and/or a sound-making object.

*This workshop will take place exclusively in-person at the Adair Auditorium (Atwater Library, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Westmount, Quebec).

Alexis O’Hara has travelled internationally with spoken-noise performances, large-scale performance works, and a sound installation that incited spontaneous musical collaboration between strangers. She has released four albums, a book of poetry, and enough helium-filled balloons to get her dress caught in a chandelier. In 2016, she was awarded the Powerhouse Prize by Canada’s longest-running feminist art gallery, La Centrale. In collaboration with Atom Cianfarani, Alexis is one half of Et tu, Machine, a collective dedicated to queer imagineering via interdisciplinary installations and actions. Their most recent work, The Cloud, premiered in May 2024 at the Festival TransAmériques. Alexis lives among tall trees in the Laurentians.

The Craft of Medicine: A Book Launch
2025-12-12 17:00 - 19:00 | The Word Bookstore, 469 Milton Street, Montreal, Quebec, H2X 1W3, Canada
What does it truly mean to be a doctor today? I will say a few words on this question when I launch my memoir of 60 years in medicine at The Word bookshop on Friday, December 12, 2025.

QWF Holiday Book Giveaway
2025-12-12 13:00 - 16:00 | QWF Office, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3, Westmount, QC, H3Z 1X4, Canada
Friday, Dec 12, 20251:00-4:00 pmQWF Office (1200 Atwater Ave, room 3, top floor)

Join us for a holiday meetup and book giveaway at the QWF office!

Stop by between 1:00 and 4:00 pm on Friday, December 12, before we close for the holidays. Light refreshments will be available, and QWF members can take up to three free books (while supplies last).

New this year: QWF tote bags will be available for purchase for $20 each. Cash (exact change only), cheque, or card accepted.

Not a member? No problem. Come sign up and get your three free books. Either way, enjoy a casual holiday hangout with your fellow writers and the QWF staff.

RSVP on FAcebook

Getting to the QWF Office

Our office is located on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre, in Room 3.

Address: 1200 Atwater Avenue, Room 3Westmount, QC H3Z 1X4

Closest Metro: Atwater Station

Closest Bus lines: 24, 63, 90, 104, 138, 144, 150

Accessibility:

The QWF Office is fully accessible by wheelchair from the basement entrance. From the Tupper Street sidewalk, follow the painted blue lines that lead down a slight slope to the Atwater Library basement. To enter, press the buzzer on the right-hand side of the door, and continue forward to the elevator. The QWF office is on Floor 1, the top floor.

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Montreal launch of SHARP PINK CLAWS
2025-12-11 19:30 - 22:00 | Co-op Bar Milton Parc, 3714 Avenue du Parc at des Pins, Montréal, QC, Quebec, H2X 2J1, Canada
Skip your awkward holiday party and come celebrate with us instead! Metonymy Press is launching a new two-volume anthology featuring 11 of our authors you’ve come to know and love. On the evening of December 11, there will be readings! Drinks! Prizes! Tearful goodbyes! If you’ve placed a preorder, you can pick up your books (and any other merch) on site. And if you haven’t, you can do so on the night of.

Come for the gay lit, stay for the partyyyyy.

Co-op Bar Milton-Parc is wheelchair accessible and has gender-neutral washrooms. Mask-wearing is highly encouraged and we will have air filters at the event. Please get in touch with us about any accessibility questions.

*POSTPONED* Lunch & Learn: Delivering and Listening to Land Acknowledgements
2025-12-09 14:00 - 15:30 | Online – Please RSVP to receive a Zoom link
POSTPONED: Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been postponed and will be rescheduled in 2026. Registration will re-open when a new date has been confirmed.

Tuesday, December 9, 20252:00–3:30 pm ETFree, open to all—register for Zoom link

Learn about delivering and listening to land acknowledgements in this presentation led by Suzanne Keeptwo.

Land acknowledgements of today are intended to be an act of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples of the territory upon which non-Indigenous Canadians reside. Yet, too many iterations are routine and formulaic, and sorely absent of environmental and social justice initiatives.

Beyond simply words, land acknowledgements are an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous truths, Canadian realities, and concepts of relationality.

In this Lunch & Learn, writer Suzanne Keeptwo will highlight essential truths and knowledge for implementing an effective, Iiving, breathing land acknowledgement. She will inspire the creation of impactful land acknowledgements intended to raise awareness about connections to, and responsibilities toward, the land.

This presentation is free and open to all. Organization leaders and decision-makers are particularly encouraged to join. Those who are responsible for—or conscientious about—the development of meaningful land acknowledgements will understand them as ongoing testaments to reconciliation between all peoples and the Earth. A Q&A period will follow the presentation.

About the Presenter

Suzanne Keeptwo is a professional writer, editor, and consultant. From 2006 to 2016, she was a contributing journalist for the Anishinabek News and has since worked with numerous publishers as a freelance editor. Suzanne also works directly with writers to help develop their manuscripts, including the soon-to-be published Older Than The Moon (Breakwater Books). Suzanne is the author of We All Go Back to the Land, The Who, Why, and How of Land Acknowledgements (2021). She is now focused on her own creative writing and storytelling. Her True Tales of Wonder was first performed in 2024 at Odyssey Theatre’s Creative Arts Festival.

This event has been postponed and will be rescheduled in 2026. Registration will re-open when a new date has been confirmed.

Accent Vol. 127 with Lisa Pasold and April L. Ford
2025-12-07 20:00 - 22:00 | Bar Le Record, 7622 Rue St-Hubert, Montréal, Quebec, H2R 2N6, Canada
Join us for the launch of two new Cactus Press chapbooks with April L. Ford and Lisa Pasold.

As always, sign up for the open mic at the door!

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Art and Life in Graphic Novels
2025-12-07 15:00 - 16:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 Rue Jean-Talon Est, Montreal, Quebec, H2R 1T6, Canada
December 7, 2025, 3 – 4 pmMain Stage, Salle des célébrations

D. BoydJuli DelportePascal Girard

Moderated by François Vigneault

Three of Quebec’s most distinctive voices in contemporary comics come together to explore the intimate connections between art and autobiography. Juli Delporte (Portrait of a Body), D. Boyd (Denniveniquity), and Pascal Girard (Pastimes) draw from personal experience to craft stories that are tender, funny, and deeply human. Join them for a conversation about turning life into art, the creative risks of vulnerability, and the evolving landscape of autobiographical graphic novels. Moderated by François Vigneault.

Montreal-based cartoonist D. Boyd hails from Saint John, New Brunswick – the setting for Denniveniquity and her first graphic memoir, Chicken Rising. Her work has appeared in the New Brunswick Chapbook Series (Frog Hollow Press), the Montreal Review of Books, and in unique collaborations with some exciting Canadian writers.

Juli Delporte is an author and multidisciplinary artist born in France in 1983. She now lives in Tiohtiá:ke/Montréal. She is the author of several graphic novels published by Drawn & Quarterly, including This Woman’s Work and Portrait of a Body. She has also published children’s albums, including the recent Grands oreilles (Éditions de la Pastèque), and a book of poems illustrated with etchings, Décroissance sexuelle (L’Oie de Cravan). She occasionally writes literary essays, produces illustrations for various magazines and publishing houses, and collaborates on collective publications. Alongside all this, Juli explores different printing techniques (serigraphy, risography, and etching), creates zines, gives creative workshops, and makes ceramic pieces.

Pascal Girard was born in Jonquière, QC, in 1981. He is a part-time cartoonist and part-time social worker. He is the award-winning author of several graphic novels, including Rebecca and Lucie in the Case of the Missing Neighbor, Nicolas, Petty Theft, and most recently the collection Pastimes. He lives in Montreal with his family.

François Vigneault is an American-born cartoonist living in Québec. He is the creator of the sci-fi graphic novel TITAN (Oni Press, 2020 / Éditions Pow Pow, 2017), the illustrator of books including Le gâteau empoisonée (Éditions de la Pastèque, 2025), Extraordinary Eyeglasses (Helvetiq, 2024), and Orcs in Space (Oni Press 2021-22), and also works as a translator and designer.

2025 Read Quebec Book Fair
