Writing Personal Stories class, Thursday mornings, Oct 8 – Nov 26

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Writing Personal Stories

8 weeks of sharing and writing

Fall session

Thursday mornings, Oct 8 – Nov 26

9:45 – 11:45 a.m.

St Cuthbert's Anglican Church, 1541 Oakhill Drive, Oakville, Ontario (Map here.)

If you've ever considered writing your personal stories, this course is for you. We’ll look at memoirs, travel writing, personal essays, family history ~ personal stories of all kinds. Plus, of course, we’ll work on creativity and writing technique and have fun doing it.

Whether you want to write a book or just get your thoughts down on paper, this weekly course will get you going. We'll reveal the tricks and conventions of telling true stories, and we’ll show you how to use the techniques of the novel to recount actual events. Weekly writing exercises and friendly feedback from the instructor will help you move forward on this writing adventure. Whether you want to write for your family and friends or for a wider public, don't miss this course.

Instructor Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Charlottetown. With Cecilia Anca Popescu, he is the co-author of Bloody Christmas, a memoir of the 1989 Romanian Revolution, which is currently under consideration with a literary agent. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.

Read reviews of the Writing Personal Stories course here, and to read reviews of other courses and workshops, just scroll down.

Fee: 140.71 plus 13% hst = 159

To reserve your spot, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

See Brian's full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Literary agent Saba Sulaiman of Talcott Notch seeks fiction for adults, new adults, young adults and middle grade, plus humorous nonfiction

Talcott Notch Literary Services

2 Broad Street
Second Floor, Suites 1, 2 & 10
Milford, CT 06460
http://www.talcottnotch.net/

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Fill in your email in the box to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox. ~ Brian

Saba Sulaiman has joined Talcott Notch Literary as a junior agent, and like all new agents, she needs authors.

Saba majored in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies at Wellesley College, then  studied modern Persian Literature at the University of Chicago, where she got involved with editing our department’s academic journal.

“And it finally hit me,” says Saba, “working closely with writers to hone their craft; seeing a piece of writing from its inception through to its eventual publication; and advocating for what I believed was stellar prose worthy of recognition—this was my calling. So I interned at various newspaper and magazine publications, worked as an editorial intern at Sourcebooks, and then wound up at Talcott Notch.”

You can follow Saba on Twitter at @agentsaba.

Saba is currently open to the following genres:

Adult: up-market literary and commercial fiction, romance (all subgenres except paranormal), character-driven psychological thrillers, cozy mysteries, and memoir.

Young Adult and New Adult: all subgenres except paranormal and sci-fi.

Middle Grade: think Roald Dahl.

Non-fiction: humor.

“I’m looking for strong voices and unconventional narratives that really make me sit up, pay attention, and move me,” says Sabe. “Introduce me to unforgettable characters with complex, deep relationships, and show me worlds where things aren’t necessarily as they seem. Intelligent, sharp writing with soul is my biggest weakness, and if you can offer a fresh perspective on top of that, I’ll probably be sold.

“Also – and this deserves its own paragraph – I’m all about diversity, in all its various forms. Bonus points if your book contains multicultural perspectives, and themes of immigration, displacement, and cultural adjustment.”

Query Saba at: ssulaiman@talcottnotch.net

You may include the first ten pages of your manuscript.

Rachel Letofsky

Brian Henry will lead a "How to Get Published" workshops  in St. John, NB, on Saturday, Oct 3, (details here), and in Hamilton on Saturday, Oct 17, with Rachel Letofsky of the Cooke Agency (here). 

For more information or to register, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Other upcoming workshops, include "How to Write Great Characters," Saturday, July 11 in Burlington (here) and Saturday, July 18 in Kitchener (here), and "Writing Your Life," Saturday, August 15 in Midland (here).

But the best way to grow as a writer or to get your manuscript ready for publication is with a weekly class. This summer, Brian will lead a "Welcome to Creative Writing" course on Thursday evenings, starting July 2, in Burlington (see here).

This fall, Brian will offer a full line-up of six weekly courses for beginners through advanced:

“Exploring Creative Writing,” Thursday afternoons, Sept 24 - Nov 26, in Mississauga.

“Writing Personal stories,” Thurs mornings, Oct 8 - Nov 26, in Oakville.

“The Next Step in Creative Writing,” Wednesday evenings, Sept 30 - Dec 2, in Burlington (see here).

“The Next Step in Creative Writing,” Thursday evenings, Sept 24 - Dec 3, in Georgetown (here).

“Intensive Creative Writing,” Tuesday afternoons, Sept 15 - Dec 8, in Burlington (here).

“Intensive Creative Writing,” Wednesday afternoons, Sept 16 - Dec 16, in Burlington  (here).

For details or to reserve a spot, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Read reviews of Brian’s courses and workshops here.

See Brian's full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

The Next Step in Creative Writing class, Sept 24 – Dec 3, in Georgetown

The Next Step in Creative Writing

11 weeks of creative growth

Fall session

Thursday evenings, 6:45 – 9:00 p.m.
Sept 24 – Dec 3, 2015

St. Alban's Church, 537 Main Street, Georgetown, Ontario (In the village of Glen Williams (Map here.)

The Next Step in Creative Writing will challenge you to take a step up in your writing. Over the ten weeks of classes, you’ll be asked to bring in five pieces of your writing for detailed feedback. All your pieces may be from the same work, such as a novel in progress, or they may be stand alone pieces. You bring whatever you want to work on.

Besides critiquing pieces, the instructor will give short lectures at the start of class, addressing the needs of the group, and in addition to learning how to critique your own work and receiving constructive suggestions about your writing, you’ll discover that the greatest benefits come from seeing how your classmates approach and critique a piece of writing and how they write and re-write. This is a supportive group and a rewarding class.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Charlottetown. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.

Check out two reviews of the Next Step course here. And see more reviews of Brian’s courses and workshops here.

Fee: 176.11 + 13% hst = 199.  

To reserve your spot now, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Note: I start working out the schedule for when participants are due to bring in a piece of their writing three weeks before our start date, so please try to sign up by September 9. In any case, these courses fill up, so enroll early to avoid disappointment. ~ Brian

See Brian's full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Stouffville, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Seventeen Canadian journals that publish essays (some of them even pay)

Where do you publish an essay? someone asked me. Well in Canada, here are 19 journals that accept essays, as well as other things….

1.       Arc poetry magazine (ON), Poetry, reviews and essays on poetry

2.      Ascent Aspirations Magazine. Short fiction, poetry, essays and art.

3.      Contemporary Verse 2 (MB). Poetry, interviews, articles, essays, reviews and artwork

4.      Existere : Journal of Arts and Literature (ON). Poetry, short fiction, non-fiction (articles, criticism, essays, reviews), and visual art.

5.      Fiddlehead (NB). Short stories, poems, book reviews, and personal essays.

6.      filling station (AB). Poetry, fiction, one-act plays, and essays.

7.      Forget Magazine. Poetry, fiction, and essays.

8.      The Globe & Mail (ON). Facts & Arguments essays and Lives Lived essays

9.   Guts Magazine ( literary essays and reviews, long-form journalism, interviews, fiction, and new media that further feminist correspondence, criticism, and community in Canada. Guts blog: Interviews, Personal Essays/Literary Reviews/Fiction, Politics, Pop Culture and Media Reviews, Series of essays or whatever. Submission guidelines here.

10.    Malahat Review (BC) Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction. Pays $40 per page for personal essays or memoirs of 1,000 to 3,500 words.

11.   Maisonneuve (QC). Poetry and short & long fiction, politics, essays, and humour.

12.   paperplates (ON) Essays, memoirs, travel accounts, short stories, plays, poems, interviews, and reviews.

14.   Prairie Fire (MB). Poems, stories, personal essays, and interviews.

14.   RicePaper Online (BC). Poetry, short fiction, reviews, essays, interviews, and more.

15.   Running, Canadian runners’ magazine (On) Personal Essays: The back page of the magazine features a first-person essay delving into a runner’s humorous or life-altering experiences in the sport. These are 500-650 words (and other kinds of pieces about running, of course). Submission guidelines here.

16.   stonestone (BC). Poetry, poetic prose, experimental essay, and experimental prose.

17.   Vallum: contemporary poetry (QC). Poetry, reviews, essays and interviews.

See Brian Henry’s schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Weekly classes this fall in Burlington: The Next Step in Creative Writing and two offerings of Intensive Creative Writing

The Next Step in Creative Writing

10 weeks of creative growth

Fall session

Wednesday evenings, 6:45 – 9:00 p.m.
Sept 30 – Dec 2, 2015

Appleby United Church, 4407 Spruce Ave, Burlington, Ontario (Map here.)

Note: The Next Step in Creative Writing will also be offered on Thursday evenings in Georgetown. For details or to register, email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

The Next Step in Creative Writing will challenge you to take a step up in your writing. Over the ten weeks of classes, you’ll be asked to bring in five pieces of your writing for detailed feedback. All your pieces may be from the same work, such as a novel in progress, or they may be stand alone pieces. You bring whatever you want to work on.

Besides critiquing pieces, the instructor will give short lectures at the start of class, addressing the needs of the group, and in addition to learning how to critique your own work and receiving constructive suggestions about your writing, you’ll discover that the greatest benefits come from seeing how your classmates approach and critique a piece of writing and how they write and re-write. This is a supportive group and a rewarding class.

Check out two reviews of the Next Step course here. And see more reviews of Brian’s courses and workshops here.

Fee: 176.11 + 13% hst = 199.  

To reserve your spot now, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Note: I start working out the schedule for when participants are due to bring in a piece of their writing three weeks before our start date, so please try to sign up by September 9. In any case, these courses fill up, so enroll early to avoid disappointment. ~ Brian

Intensive Creative Writing

12 weeks towards mastering your craft

Offered in two time slots this fall:

Tuesday afternoons, 12:15 – 2:45 p.m.

Sept 15 – Dec 8, 2015

Appleby United Church, 4407 Spruce Ave, Burlington, Ontario (Map here.)

Or

Wednesday afternoons, 12:15 – 2:45 p.m.

Sept 16 – Dec 9

Appleby United Church, 4407 Spruce Ave, Burlington, Ontario (Map here.)

This Intensive course isn't for beginners; it's for people who have been writing for a while or who have done a course or two before and are working on their own projects. Over the twelve weeks of classes, you’ll be asked to bring in six pieces of your writing for detailed feedback. All your pieces may be from the same work, such as a novel in progress, or they may be stand alone pieces. You bring whatever you want to work on.

Besides critiquing pieces, the instructor will give short lectures addressing the needs of the group, and in addition to learning how to critique your own work and receiving constructive suggestions about your writing, you’ll discover that the greatest benefits come from seeing how your classmates approach and critique a piece of writing and how they write and re-write. This is a challenging course, but extremely rewarding.

Check out a review of the Intensive course here. More reviews here.

Fee: 193.81 + 13% hst = 219

To reserve your spot now, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Note: I start working out the schedule for when participants are due to bring in a piece of their writing three weeks before our start date, so please try to sign up by August 25. In any case, these courses fill up, so enroll early to avoid disappointment. ~ Brian

Instructor Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Charlottetown. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.

See Brian’s full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Orillia, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.