Maritime Writers' Workshops
Description
Are you ready to take your writing to the next step? MWW 2011 offers a series of fast-paced, dymanic one-day or evening workshops on writing essentials to help you get started and take you all the way to publication. Don't miss this exciting oppoirtunity to work with some of the region's best writers!
Instructor Name: Various
Level: All Levels
Age: 16 years and up
Length: 5 one-day workshops & 3 evening workshops
Dates: July 4 - 8, 2011
Times: 9am - 12pm & 1pm - 4pm for day-time
and 6 - 9 pm for evening workshops
Offered By: UNB's College of Extended Learning
Location: Alumni Memorial Building or McConnell Hall, UNB Campus
Workshop Fee: Daily workshop rate is $125 (plus HST) with a special rate of 5 workshops for the price of 4 or $500 (plus HST) for all 5 days. Due to this offer no other discounts will apply. A special evening work rate of $45 applies.
Materials Fee: N/A
Workshop Descriptions
Monday, July 4, Day
Getting Started Instructor: Jo-Anne Elder
Are you thinking about spending more time writing, beginning to write the story you've had in your head for years, or figuring out what to do with those poems in your desk drawer? Are you a young, emerging, or "lapsed" writer, or are you struggling to move up to the next level of creative writing?
This workshop is open to everyone who needs a boost to get started or get back on track. In a safe and supportive environment, we'll share tips on how to get over your fear of the blank page or screen, use writing prompts, play games with words, write postcard stories, cheer each other on through exercises, learn what to keep and what to cut, and talk about tools and opportunities for writers, such as websites and books, NaNoWriMo, contests, and writing groups.
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Jo-Anne Elder is a writer, editor, community worker and literary translator. In 2005, she published a collection of flash fiction, Postcards from Ex-Lovers, with Broken Jaw Press; an earlier version of the manuscript was awarded the inaugural David Adams Richards Prize from the Writers' Federation of New Brunswick. She has translated over twenty titles of poetry, fiction, theatre, film and art, and was a Governor General’s Literary Award finalist for translation in 2003, 2008 and 2009. She is the director and back-issues-keeper of revue ellipse mag. Jo-Anne has given translation and writing workshops in Vancouver, Banff, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montréal, Québec, Fredericton and Moncton. She has been a mentor at a residency program for literary translators in Banff and another one for emerging Aboriginal writers in Québec. Jo-Anne and her husband, Aboriginal artist Carlos Gomes, live in Fredericton with their large family.
Monday, July 4, Day
Non-Fiction Writing for Fun and Profit Instructor: Bob Mersereau
Do you want to write articles for publication? Are you interested in journalism, websites, or freelance articles? Do you want to make your work reports better? Have you always wanted to write but are think you can't? Here's your chance to pick up some quick pointers on how to make your words ring true, and make your pieces clear and conversational.
Whether you want to submit something on-line for free and entertain a few people, or kick-start a career in copy-writing, you’ll learn hints and helping tools to make what you write enjoyable and easy to understand.
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Bob Mersereau is a long-time writer and broadcaster, with a career at the CBC dating back to 1982. He's a television producer and writer for CBC-TV, and a music columnist for Radio 1's Shift program. He's written two national best-selling books, The Top 100 Canadian Albums (2007) and The Top 100 Canadian Singles (2010). Bob has also enjoyed a long freelance print career, with his columns and articles appearing in The
Telegraph Journal, The Coast, and The Globe and Mail. He also blogs at http://top100canadianblog.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, July 5, Day
Workshop in Creative Short Fiction Instructor: Mark Jarman
Everyone has a story: be inspired, start writing, and bring your story to life.
Gain skills in crafting short fiction (or non-fiction if you wish), editing and revising your drafts, and finding your voice.
Selected short stories by well known authors will serve as models for writing and points of discussion regarding the techniques we notice (dialogue, imagery, character development, etc).
We will also workshop stories from volunteers. If you are comfortable having your work reviewed in a friendly and supportive workshop setting, you are encouraged to submit a short story of five to ten pages. Or you are free to just attend and join the general palaver. Much can be learned from both approaches: discussion of other writers’ stories and discussion of your own creative work.
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Mark Anthony Jarman is the author of 19 Knives, My White Planet, New Orleans Is Sinking, Dancing Nightly in the Tavern, and the travel book Ireland’s Eye. His novel, Salvage King Ya!, is on Amazon.ca’s list of 50 Essential Canadian Books and is the number one book on Amazon’s list of best hockey fiction.
He has won a Gold National Magazine Award in nonfiction, the Jack Hodgins Fiction Prize, twice won the Maclean-Hunter Endowment Award, and has been included in The Journey Prize Anthology and Best Canadian Stories and short-listed for the O. Henry Prize and Best American Essays
He has published recently in Walrus, Canadian Geographic, Hobart, The Barcelona Review, Vrij Nederland, and reviews for The Globe & Mail. He is a graduate of The Iowa Writers’ Workshop, a Yaddo fellow, has taught at the University of Victoria, the Banff Centre for the Arts, and now teaches at the University of New Brunswick, where he is fiction editor of The Fiddlehead.
Tuesday, July 5, Day
The Thrill and Romance of Popular Fiction Instructor: Linda Hall
Join award winning author, Linda Hall for a day's journey into popular fiction. You will be exposed to the various genres; mystery, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, and romance. You will hear about agents, professional networking, pitfalls and pick-me-ups. And you will be tutored in your own writing. Characterization, conflict, suspense and story arc are just a few of the topics we will be examining.
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Linda Hall has written eighteen novels of mystery and romantic suspense, plus many short stories. She spent the early years of her writing career as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. Later she worked in the field of adult literacy and wrote curriculum materials for adults reading at basic reading levels.
She has written for Harlequin, WaterBrook/Random House, Multnomah and recently one of her romantic suspense novels, Steal Away was turned into an audiobook by Random House Canada. Her short stories have appeared in two Ladies Killing Circle anthologies published by Rendezvous Press.
Most of her novels have something to do with the sea. She grew up in New Jersey where her love of the ocean was nurtured. When she's not writing, Linda and her husband enjoy sailing the St. John River system and the coast of Maine aboard their 34' sailboat aptly named - Mystery.
Tuesday, July 5, Evening
ePublishing: Publishing in the 21st Century Instructor: Biff Mitchell
Electronic modes of publication hold endless possibilities to empower writers.
Make them work for you!
In this workshop we will explore online publishers, online self-publishing venues including a variety of social media, and other non-traditional forms of publication.
Learn to be alert to the scams of rogue agents. Finally, examine marketing techiniques for the ePublished author. Participants will receive a copy of BiffMitchell's eMarketing Tools for Writers, 3rd Edition.
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Biff Mitchell's novels have been published in Canada, Australia and the United States. His blend of off-beat humor and surrealism make him one of Canada’s most obscure writers. Besides being a regular contributor to the award-winning Twisted Tails anthologies, his short fiction and not-poetry has appeared in anthologies, collections, ezines and magazines.
In 2009, he stunned the literary world by reading one of his not-poems in the CBC Poetry Faceoff. Biff is the originator of the Writing Hurts Like Hell workshop, and has taught workshops on humor, horror, science fiction, mystery and getting published in today’s non-traditional market.
Wednesday, July 6, Day
Write in Nature Instructor: Deborah Carr
Nature writing is a truly contemplative genre. When we spend time in nature, we do so quietly, patiently and openly, with hopes of receiving understanding and clarity and developing a deeper connection to place.
Leave structure and rules at home and join author Deborah Carr for a day of writing with nature as your inspiration. You'll learn to marry observation with imagination, using techniques that easily transfer to any genre. This workshop is about forgetting self and listening to the voice of nature. You'll learn to see your surroundings with fresh perspective – the perspective of belonging.
The emphasis is on losing inhibition, breaking free from structure and encouraging genuine creative flow. How better to cultivate wildness of language than spending time where wild things live and grow?
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Deborah Carr has been a freelance writer for over a decade, specializing in nature and conservation, travel and people profiles. Her articles and photographs have appeared in regional, national and international magazines, such as Saltscapes, Atlantic Salmon Journal, Nature Canada, Canadian Wildlife, Outdoor Canada, Acreage Life, Homemakers and Islands. She recently published her first book, Sanctuary: The Story of Naturalist Mary Majka (Goose Lane Editions 2010). Her website is www.deborahcarr.ca .
In addition to her freelance career, through her own series of creative writing workshops, Deborah leads participants outside the walls of the classroom into the heart of nature where we find our true creative source. Venues may be rural accommodations, community halls, heritage buildings, or other intriguing spaces with access to beautiful outdoor landscapes. See www.natureofwords.ca for more information.
Wednesday, July 6, Day
Murder and Mayhem Mystery Writing Instructor: Biff Mitchell
Explore the art of creating compelling fiction that perplexes, intrigues, puzzles and entertains! Creating suspense and atmosphere, building believable worlds for murder and mayhem and populating those worlds with mysterious characters will receive special attention. Learn to plot the perfect murder and examine ways to kill off all your friends and loved ones…um…with their permission, of course.
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Biff Mitchell's novels have been published in Canada, Australia and the United States. His blend of off-beat humor and surrealism make him one of Canada’s most obscure writers. Besides being a regular contributor to the award-winning Twisted Tails anthologies, his short fiction and not-poetry has appeared in anthologies, collections, ezines and magazines.
In 2009, he stunned the literary world by reading one of his not-poems in the CBC Poetry Faceoff. Biff is the originator of the Writing Hurts Like Hell workshop, and has taught workshops on humor, horror, science fiction, mystery and getting published in today’s non-traditional market.
Wednesday, July 6, Evening
Pitching the Publisher Instructor: Susanne Alexander Sorry, This is sold out.
Completing a manuscript is a huge accomplishment, but what then? Knowing who to contact and how to present yourself and your work will go a long way
toward having that novel, book of poetry, or work of non-fiction published.
With the guidance of Susanne Alexander, publisher at Goose Lane Editions, Canada’s oldest independent publisher and one of Canada’s most successful publishing companies, you will become familiar with the steps involved in the publishing process: what publishers look for and need to know, agents, contracts, edits, timelines, deadlines and life lines for new authors.
You’ll also have the opportunity to briefly pitch your idea for a book and receive honest advice about the prospects for publication. Come prepared with a snappy synopsis of your work or your ideas!
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Susanne Alexander is co-owner and publisher of GOOSE LANE EDITIONS. GOOSE LANE EDITIONS is one of Canada's freshest and most innovative publishers, known for both the quality of their authors and for the high level of their book design and production. Currently, they have more than 200 titles currently in print, ranging from literary fiction and poetry, to fine art books, to biography, to guidebooks, and cookbooks.
Located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Goose Lane combines a regional heart with a national profile. Publishing books by both established and emerging writers, their list encompasses exceptionally crafted poetry and stimulating fiction, as well as provocative and informative non-fiction. Regardless of the genre, our books are carefully selected, expertly edited, and imaginatively designed.
Since its earliest incarnation as Fiddlehead Poetry Books in 1954, Goose Lane has discovered and launched a diverse group of authors, whose books have received both popular success and critical acclaim. Some of the best and brightest stars on the Canadian literary scene began their careers at Goose Lane, including Alden Nowlan, Shauna Singh Baldwin, Claire Harris, Herb Curtis, Lynn Coady, Alan Cumyn, and Rabindranath Maharaj. As well, we have established a reputation for high-quality, award-winning art books, many published in partnership with leading Canadian art galleries and museums including the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery,
and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.
GOOSE LANE EDITIONS offers new ideas, a fresh aesthetic, and a clear Canadian voice to readers across the country and around the globe.
Thursday, July 7, Day
Life Lines: Writing the Stories of Your Life Instructor: Kathie Goggin
“Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good.” - William Faulkner
Have you been putting off recording the stories of your life because you don’t know how to begin or it seems overwhelming?
During this workshop you will be gently encouraged to discover your stories, put pencil to paper and record your life events for fun, posterity and reflection. In a relaxed, informal setting you will bring those stories to life, share them with others, and polish them to perfection!
Participants are encouraged to bring photos and memorabilia to further inspire the writing process.
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Kathie Goggin, group facilitator, instructor, personal essayist and writer lives in Fredericton where she teaches memoir writing. She is a member of WFNB, a participant in WiSP and a member of Wilmot Writers and Fictional Friends writing groups.
She was a contributor to the collection, Breaking the Word Barrier, stories of adults learning to read. She has written a novel and her personal essays have appeared in literary journals and newsletters. She takes great delight in guiding others to find their best stories, enjoys writing for young children. Kathie can occasionally be heard reading from her work at Odd Sundays at Molly’s.
Thursday, July 7, Day
Poetry, Spoken Word & Hiphop: Open your mouth and let the world hear it loud Instructor: Andrew Titus
Spoken Word poetry is an explosive, audience centered combination of poetic intensity and theatrical excellence. Concentrating on the inherent connection between HOW something is written and WHAT it means, in this workshop we’ll be working on ways to stand and deliver poetry that both enhances the word as written and as spoken. To that end we’ll read our own work and that of others OUT LOUD and learn how to give constructive criticism with our peeps. All styles of poetry and all levels of experience are welcomed. Have you got what it takes to come ready to rock? I’m willing to bet that you do.
This workshop will strive to work through the problems of how to get the words onto the page, and then how to deliver them to a crowd with verve, nerve, kick, and rhythm. Working to unleash the raw desire to be heard and understood, we will consider the techniques of speaking and writing that have proved effective in the past, and look at present examples in forms as diverse as beat poetry, hip hop, and soap-boxing. A practice based session, this workshop will also focus on the inherent structure of poetry, how form and content operate together, syntax and vocabulary, and the fundamental relationship between poetry and music.
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Andrew Titus feels it. Known to erupt on the spot, he has been asked to close the doors of his English Lit classrooms by others profs at STU for the past 6 years. He can often be seen in unexpected places with his compatriots in Stand & Deliver, Fredericton’s premiere spoken word poetry group, letting the people know that poetry is vibrant and kicks ass. Having graduated with a Creative Writing MA in 1999, Andrew has put his degree to good use by teaching, raising his three children on a steady diet of Dr. Suess and Shakespeare, and playing in several funk/punk/jazz musical collectives.
Late in 2007 Andrew retired from working, and is now foolheartedly pursuing a PhD in Education and teaching more courses than a full time professor. A lover of the outdoors, he can be spotted hiking in the woods, or through the urban sidestreets with his kids; an able bodied musicophile, he can be found busting a move at any number of local musical venues; and a connoisseur of fine food, he is almost always at home on the weekends, enjoying life to the fullest, smelling the spices, and cooking slow over warming fires.
Thursday, July 7, Evening
Going Whole Blog: Writing for the blogosphere Instructor: Sue Fisher
An explosion in social media over the last 10 years has meant that writers are finding diverse audiences beyond the traditional publishing realm. This workshop will look at blogging as one area of social media communication.
It will focus on what it means to write and maintain a meaningful and inviting blog whether your intent is personal or professional, poetical or political.
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Sue Fisher is a librarian, book blogger and hobbyist in humour. She is the Curator of the Eileen Wallace Children’s Literature Collection at the University of New Brunswick where she maintains the blog, Mouse-traps and the Moon. She has been blogging since March 2006 and has been a finalist in the Canadian Blog Awards on several occasions. Her post, “Pride and Twitterverse” from her personal blog, Under the Mad Hat, received second place honours as Best Blog Post for 2009, and that same year Mousetraps and the Moon placed fourth in the category of Culture and Literature. Her February 2010 post, “Before You Grow Up” was published in the Spring 2010 edition Canadian Children’s Book News.
Friday, July 8, Day
Not Merely Children’s Play: From Tongue Twisters to Dancing Monkeys to Teenage Angst Instructor: Sheree Fitch
No matter the age or the genre, language is ALL. When it comes to literature for children how do we access the kindercentric vision needed to create excellence in children’s and young adults’ books? In this workshop we will work with guided exercise to create first burst in class writing, and explore various forms, set intention for a specific project and play with writing for the ear as well as the page.
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