FRIDAY WORKSHOPS
The Use of Inquiry and Imagination in Memoir Writing
Facilitator: Betsy Warland
Imagination and inquiry are essential aspects of writing a memoir as engrossing as a good novel. Betsy will introduce you to some of these key strategies and reflect on several published memoirs she has been an editor for, one being Darrel J. McLeod’s Mamaskatch (recipient of the 2018 Governor Generals Award).
Date / Time: Friday, May 17 from 9:30 – 11:45 am
How to Grow Your Social Media Influence Attending Writers’ Conferences
Facilitator: Catherine Saykaly-Stevens
Bring your Smartphone and have your Twitter app downloaded and ready to go for this interactive workshop. (Note: You’re welcome to use your preferred social platform, but Twitter is best for this interactive workshop.)
Learn the 5 easy steps to growing your online influence fast and increasing your following at writers — and regular — conferences and events. Use CanWrite! 2019 to practice and repeat at every future conference you attend. #CanWrite19
Date / Time: Friday, May 17 from 9:30 – 11:45 am
Writing the Breakout Novel
Facilitator: Donald Maass
This intensive workshop teaches the techniques that make any story feel big. For writers who want to take their fiction to the next level, this workshop shows them how. This is an intensive, hands-on workshop for advanced fiction writers. Participants should bring a work-in-progress and writing materials.
Date / Time: Friday, May 17 from 2:15 – 4:45 pm
Your Author’s 2019 Social Media Plan – Simplified and in Easy Steps
Facilitator: Catherine Saykaly-Stevens
Stop the social media overwhelm! Simplify your author digital marketing to create an effective plan that you can follow through in less than 20 minutes a day.
When it comes to advancing your career as an author, it definitely pays to be active on social media—even before you are published. But it doesn’t have to take over your life, it doesn’t have to be an endless time waster, and you can be active on your own terms. This workshop is for anyone—published or not—who wants to have a good, solid social media presence and raise their author platform, yet still have plenty of time to devote to the important things in life, including writing.
Date / Time: Friday, May 17 from 2:15 – 4:45 pm
Finding New Ways to Write: ‘A Defence of Poetry’ for Today
Facilitator: Heidi Greco
Nearly 200 years ago, in his essay defending poetry, Shelley claimed that “poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.” If indeed it is the poet’s job to legislate change, what’s the best way to approach such a task? And with the many problems facing humanity, who’s to say what matters most? Most difficult of all: how can we present our thoughts in ways that might be heard?
Whether you’re out to change the world, or to merely soften some of its blows, seeking new approaches to your writing can refresh both you and your work. In this session, we’ll consider a few traditional forms and look at works by poets who have stretched those boundaries, sometimes breaking the rules in surprising ways. We’ll also experiment with a few writing prompts that might help nudge us away from that feeling of writing the same poem over and over again.
Whether you’re a published poet or someone who is just curious about the genre, there’s likely something here for you — especially if you’re willing to bring an open mind. You might just have some fun, and maybe you’ll even come away thinking of new ways to “…lift the veil from the hidden beauty of the world” with writing that explores ideas that matter.
Date / Time: Friday, May 17 from 2:15 – 4:45 pm
SATURDAY WORKSHOPS
Building Better Characters
Facilitator: Eileen Cook
Using some common psychological theories, this workshop will explore how to create more three-dimensional characters. We’ll look at what questions counsellors ask their clients and how those can be used, including understanding backstory that shapes the decisions characters make in books and can be used to increase conflict and drive your plot forward. This workshop is designed to give practical tips and prompts to take your novel to the next level.
Date / Time: Saturday, May 18, 9:30 – 11:45 am
Insider, Outsider, Maven, and Maverick: Becoming an Engaging Expert in Nonfiction
Facilitator: JJ Lee
Authority, experience, knowledge, and insights – all writers have expertise but how do they make it come alive in the project pitch and on the printed page? JJ Lee—menswear expert, memoirist, and former CBC broadcaster—leads an exercise where general non-specialist writers identify their own inner experts. He also tackles the ways subject matter professionals can transform their prosaic proficiency into compelling content. From absolutely boring to Anthony Bourdain, he presents a fun, active session on becoming a go-to pundit.
Date / Time: Saturday, May 18, 9:30 – 11:45 am
Interviewing 101
Facilitator: Eve Lazarus
In this interactive workshop we’ll cover why you need sources, where to find them, and what to do with them once you’ve got them. We’ll look at what makes a good interview and how sources can enhance and strengthen your writing.
Date / Time: Saturday, May 18, 2:15 – 4:45 pm
Writing 21st Century Fiction
Facilitator: Donald Maass
Based on Donald Maass’s popular book, this intensive hands-on workshop teaches the techniques that give multi-year bestselling novels their high impact, resulting in both strong story and beautiful writing regardless of category.
Date / Time: Saturday, May 18, 2:15 – 4:45 pm
Planning a Successful & Profitable Book Tour
Facilitator: Charmaine Hammond
If you want to sell your books in bulk, plan a profitable and successful book tour — on-line or virtual — and find sponsors to cover some of the costs, this presentation is for you. Charmaine Hammond will share the strategy behind these 3 book-marketing and -selling concepts. You will learn the key mistakes to avoid, the exact steps to sell books in bulk, why sponsors would say yes, and the 5 key actions to get started on planning your book tour today.
In this hands-on session, you will start to create your selling-in-bulk and book-tour plan. With the templates, checklists and worksheets you will receive from Charmaine, you will have already started before you leave the conference. Charmaine will share some insider information shared with her by corporate sponsors, how to stand and find the sponsors who say YES to you.
Date / Time: Saturday, May 18, 2:15 – 4:45 pm
PUBLISHING PANELS
A panel presentation is a moderated session available to all conference attendees. The panels provide an opportunity to hear a range of perspectives on a variety of topics related to the publishing industry by a group of industry experts. Come with a list of questions — you’ll have an opportunity to ask them if they haven’t already been addressed.
Friday Publisher Panel
Panelists: Vici Johnstone (Caitlin Press), Douglas Richmond (House of Anansi Press) and Karen Green (Anvil Press); moderator: JJ Lee
Date / Time: Friday, May 17, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Saturday Agent Panel
Panelists: Robert Mackwood (Seventh Avenue Literary Agency) and Donald Maass (Donald Maass Literary Agency); moderator: JJ Lee
Date / Time: Saturday, May 18, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
PITCH SESSIONS
A pitch session is a 10-minute opportunity to sit down with an agent or a publishing executive one-on-one to pitch your book — and yourself. If you impress them, they might ask to see more of your manuscript. However, you should look on this as a chance to practice your pitch and an opportunity to get expert feedback on your pitch and the saleability of your concept.
If you are booking a pitch session, be prepared to submit a one-page query letter and up to 10 pages of your manuscript weeks in advance. Once you’ve registered and paid for your pitch session, you will be provided with detailed instructions and the time of your 10-minute session. Please note that there are a limited number of pitch appointments available, and sessions are booked on a first-come, first served basis, so be sure to register early!
Registration for pitch sessions is open. Due to the limited number of sessions available, you may book only one pitch appointment at this time; all registrants will be notified if there are any additional sessions available closer to the conference.).
Note: These sessions are only open to conference registrants.
Friday Morning Pitchees: Vici Johnstone (Caitlin Press) and Douglas Richmond (House of Anansi Press)
Date / Time: Friday, May 17, 9:30 – 11:45 am
Saturday Morning Pitchees: Douglas Richmond (House of Anansi Press) and Robert Mackwood (Seventh Avenue Literary Agency)
Date / Time: Saturday, May 18, 9:30 – 11:45 am
BLUE PENCIL SESSIONS
A blue pencil session is an opportunity for you to have your work reviewed and critiqued by a professional writer. Sessions are 20 minutes each and take place in the afternoon during workshop time (you can still attend the workshop of your choice).
This activity is not included in the conference registration package — you need to sign up and pay separately ($50). If you are booking a blue pencil appointment, be prepared to submit up to 6 pages of your manuscript (double-spaced) in advance. Once you’ve registered and paid for your session, you will be provided with detailed instructions and the time of your 20-minute session.
Please note that there are a limited number of appointments available, and sessions are booked on a first-come, first served basis, so be sure to register early!
Due to the limited number of available spaces, registrants can book only one blue pencil appointment at this time; all registrants will be notified if any additional spaces are available closer to the conference.
Note: These sessions are only open to conference registrants.
Friday Afternoon Blue Pencil Authors: Katherine Koller and Betsy Warland
Date / Time: Friday, May 17, 2:15 – 4:45 pm
Saturday Afternoon Blue Pencil Authors: Eileen Cook and Katherine Koller
Date / Time: Saturday, May 18, 2:15 – 4:45 pm