Canadian Authors – Toronto programs will take on a mix of art and business concerns. We plan to alternate between two main types of events:
1. themed presentations by writers and other publishing professionals dealing with various aspects of the writing life and the craft of writing, and
2. industry-focused events designed to help writers in the GTA meet agents and publishers, understand publishing contracts, master the ‘authorpreneurial’ demands of social media and marketing, and wend our way through the business side of this writing life.
The Journey – A Group Writing Session
When: Thursday, January 30, 7–9 p.m.
Where: Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) Spadina, 192 Spadina Avenue
Alterna Savings Room, Ground Floor (please note new room)
Event description
“Fiction writers are strange beasts. They are, like all writers, observers first and foremost. Everything that happens to and around them is potential material for a story, and they look at it that way.”
— Terry Brooks, Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life
Whether you are a published author, a hobbyist writer, or an aspiring author, it’s sometimes good to break the mold. As the grey, cold, and snowy months of winter settle in, Authors–Toronto invites you to leave your warm and toasty fire and your cozy PJs behind and join your fellow Toronto-area writers on Thursday, January 30. We are hosting a group writing workshop that will push your writing boundaries and break the doldrums of winter by giving you the opportunity to co-author a short story with other authors around you.
Over the course of this two-hour session, we will separate into small groups that will afford us an opportunity to see how something as simple as venturing out to a workshop can explode into a vibrant story, allow us to see how others’ creative processes work, and encourage us to incorporate them into our own daily practices. Using small prompts from The Writer’s Toolbox and your own unique observations and experiences from your journey to the workshop, we will be writing a story called, “The Journey” — a tale of a reclusive (or not!) author leaving their house in the dead of winter for a destination yet to be discovered. The details are up to you and your group…this is just a brief framework to get you started!
Afterwards, we will have an opportunity to share our stories with the group to receive feedback. We will then have a short time to take that feedback and make any updates we wish. Stories will be posted on the Canadian Authors–Toronto website and Facebook page.
Don’t miss this stress-free and exciting evening of fellowship with writers who are also finding their way in our great city.
WHAT TO BRING:
Please pay extra attention on your journey from your doorstep to CSI Spadina. Everything you see might be an inspiration that could spark an amazing character, setting or plot detail for your story! We recommend bringing your favourite notebook and pen or pencil to be able to jot down what inspires you both on the way and at the session, but please feel free to bring your laptop or other device. Note that because this is a group writing activity in a time-sensitive setting, we will be providing brainstorming cheat sheets and paper in case you don’t want to share your notebook or computer.
RAFFLE:
Be sure to bring cash for our raffle!
Cost: $2/each; $5/three; $10/seven
PRIZES:
Various books, including two donated by Porcupine’s Quill Press and three brought back from Book Expo in New York City by our fearless co-prez JF Garrard; a $25 gift certificate to any Oxford Properties shopping centre, donated by Oxford Properties; and a $10 Starbucks gift certificate.
All raffle proceeds go back into Canadian Authors–Toronto’s programming budget and allow us to bring you more great programs!
Admission to this event is FREE for Canadian Authors Association members; $10 for non-members; and $5 for students who are not members of Canadian Authors–Toronto.
Directions, parking, accessibility, and other details about the venue are available here and here.
Trouble getting into the building? Text 647-607-0416, and we will send someone to open the front door.
ACCESSIBILITY:
Although the CSI Spadina’s Alterna Room is on the ground floor and fully accessible, we have found that the building’s outdoor ramp can be slippery and slightly too steep for some mobility devices in winter. Please let us know if we can help in any way. Requests for personal assistance can be directed to Canadian Authors–Toronto co-president Lee Parpart at TOpresident1@canadianauthors.org.
We look forward to seeing you!
Planning ahead
We have lots of exciting programming coming up and in February we will be teaming up with Tartan Turban Secret Readings. We are looking for any CAA authors wanting to read as an open mic reader as part of this event and will be posting details soon. Stay tuned to the Authors–Toronto “Events” web page for regular programming and event updates.
As always, we welcome your feedback on all of our activities. Email co-president Lee Parpart at TOpresident1@canadianauthors.org with comments, questions, or ideas about our programs and events.
We’re working to expand the number of writing circles that we can offer to members. We’re looking for branch members to launch and moderate new Authors–Toronto writing circles outside of the downtown core. Our Annex Writing Circle meets the second Thursday of every month at the CSI Annex and is at capacity, but we are open to working with new members to start another monthly group at the same location. Please email Lee at TOpresident1@canadianauthors.org for more details about writing circles.
And if you know any writers who are not already members of Canadian Authors Association, please talk to them about the benefits of joining. To join Canadian Authors Association or renew your membership, click here.
Follow us on Twitter at @Authors_Toronto, @EditorsToronto, or @UofTSCS for updates and pre-event news.
Thank you for your interest! We look forward to seeing you.