Sarah Gilbert has been living in Mile End, Montreal since 1990. Her fiction has appeared in a range of literary journals and nonfiction from her popular blog were featured in various publications. She has worked as a writer, a researcher and a radio producer. As a faculty member at Dawson College, she has been teaching literature, journalism, and creative writing since 2012. Our Lady of Mile End is her first book.
Writing about People and Place (nonfiction and fiction): As a college teacher, I’ve learned to break 2-hour classes down into hands-on activities to keep students engaged. This workshop begins with me reading an excerpt and talking about how place inspires my work (15 minutes). I then ask students to do two short, timed free-writes on their own neighbourhood or favourite spot (10-15 minutes). This is followed by a brief “Observed and Overheard” exercise (ideally outside the classroom in the college halls, cafeteria, or library) for 20-25 minutes. Students return to class and write up their notes (15 minutes). Volunteers share their writing. We wrap up by discussing what students got out of the activity. Did it inspire or encourage them to notice what was going on around them? The quality of attention that results in a compelling feature story in journalism can also form the backdrop, maybe even the backbone, for a piece of fiction.