Workshops are a great opportunity to hone existing skills or venture into a new genre. Call the office and speak with Sarah  to register.

Poetry Workshop with John Steffler

Thursday July 19th, 9am-12pm

Cost: $35

Bio: John Steffler is the author of six books of poetry, including The Grey Islands (M&S, 1985, Brick Books, 2000), That Night We were Ravenous (M&S, 1998),  Helix: New and Selected Poems (Vehicule, 2003), and Lookout (M&S, 2010).  His novel The Afterlife of George Cartwright (M&S, 1992) won the Smithbooks/Books in Canada First Novel Award and the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award and was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award and the Commonwealth First Novel Award.  His poetry awards include the Atlantic Poetry Prize and the Newfoundland and Labrador Poetry Prize.  He has served as writer-in-residence at Concordia University, Saint Mary’s University, and the University of New Brunswick.  Originally from Ontario, he lived for many years in Corner Brook, Newfoundland where he taught in the Department of English at Memorial University’s Grenfell College.  From 2006 to 2009 he served as Parliamentary Poet Laureate of Canada.

Description: John Steffler will devote 15mins to each person’s work during the workshop. The group will reach each other’s work and offer helpful comments and responses. John will offer detailed responses to each participant’s poem. He will also offer general comments on the practice of writing poetry and on any other poetry-related topics you wish to discuss.

Requirements: You need to submit a poem that is less than 40 lines in length by July 12^th to the Festival of Words office. You will need to bring 13 copies of the poem to the class (one for each person in the workshop.) Please note that you will be expected to read your poem aloud to the group. Note: Bring a poem that expresses your style of writing but which you're still working on and want feedback on -- something you don't think of as "perfect" and unalterable.

Online Techniques for Building Your Audience

With Terry Fallis

Thursday July 1pm-4pm

Cost: $35

Bio: Terry Fallis's debut novel, The Best Laid Plans won the 2008 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, and then went on to win the 2011 CBC Canada Reads crown as the "essential Canadian novel of the decade." CBC Television is now developing the book as a six-part TV miniseries. His follow-up novel, The High Road was published in 2010 and was a finalist for the 2011 Leacock Medal. M&S will publish his third novel in September.

Description: a workshop on how to build an audience for your writing using various profile-raising techniques including podcasting, blogging, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

Requirements: Have a 5 min. reading prepared for the group to critique.

Great Big Book Club Workshop

With Maureen Jennings

“Season of Darkness”

Thursday July 19th, 1pm-4pm

Cost: $25

 *Please note: You must read the book before you attend the workshop. If you need a copy of the book and live in Moose Jaw, Post Horizons Books may be able to get it in for you.

Bio: Maureen Jennings has three series, one set in 1895 Victorian Toronto, featuring detective William Murdoch. The Murdoch mysteries is currently a television series in its sixth season. In addition, she is working on a trilogy set in WW2 England. The first book, SEASON OF DARKNESS was released in August of 2011. The second, BEWARE THIS BOY, will be out in 2012. BOMB GIRLS,  a Global tv series was based on an original concept from these books. She was awarded a certificate of commendation by Heritage Toronto and the Grant Allen award for contribution to the genre.. She has received seven nominations for both best novel and best short story of the year, and her books have been translated into various languages, including, French, German, Korean, Polish and Czech.

She will be talking about the WW2 series.

Screenwriting Workshop

With Keith Ross Leckie

Thursday July 19th, 1pm-4pm

Cost: $35

Bio: Keith Ross Leckie was born and raised in Toronto, wrote many movies and mini-series for 30 years such as "The Avro Arrow", "The Halifax Explosion" and the "David Milgaard Story" before surrendering to the joys of novel-writing with "Coppermine", an adventure, romance, murder mystery and trial based on a true story.   He has traveled to Asia, Central America and Indonesia in search of true stories to fictionalize. He lives with his wife Mary. They have  three grown children. 

Description: How to take your story and turn it into a screenplay.

Requirements: Come with a story that has a beginning, middle and end to pitch to the class as a potential film project. This is voluntary pre-work and if you choose to do it only 2 min. long.