Evolving schedule of writing classes, workshops, and retreats

2026

Writing Retreats

Fall Colours Writers' Retreat at Sherwood Inn on Lake Joseph in Muskoka Sunday, Oct 18 – Thursday, Oct 22. If you want a spot, sign up as soon as possible!
Details here. 

Spring Writers' Retreat at Elm Hurst Inn and Spa in Ingersoll (southwest Ontario) Friday, April 23 – Monday, April 26, 2027. Details here.

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Writing Workshops

Online: “How to Get Published” with Gabby Sheiner, of Creative Artists Agency. Sunday, September 27. Details here.

In-person: Writing Kid Lit – a free workshop
Saturday, Oct 3, Merritt Branch Library, St. Catharines, Ontario. Details here. 

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Fall Writing Courses

In-person “Intensive Creative Writing”
Thursday afternoons 12:30 – 3:00 p.m.
First readings emailed September 10
Classes: Sept 17 – Nov 26 (no class Oct 22) and we'll extend it to Dec 3 or 10 if the course fills up. 
Burlington Anglican Lutheran Church
3455 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, Ontario.
Details here. Full, but email if your interested.

Online “Intensive Creative Writing”
Your choice of two different classes:
Tuesday evenings, Sept 15 – Dec 1 (or to Dec 8 if the class fills up)
First readings emailed September 8
Wednesday afternoons, Sept 16 – Dec 2 (or to Dec 9 if the class fills up)
First readings emailed September 9
     Details here.  Full, but email if your interested.

Online “Advanced Creative Writing”
Friday mornings, Sept 18 – Dec 3 (or to Dec 11 if the class fills up).
First readings emailed September 11.
  Details here.  Full, but email if your interested.

Online “Writing Personal Stories”
Tuesday afternoons, Sept 29 – Nov 17 (or to Nov 24 if the class fills up). Details here.
Still space available in this course!

Online “Welcome to Creative Writing”
Monday evenings, Oct 26 – Dec 7 (or to Dec 14 if the class fills up). Details here. 
Still space available in this course!

Email me for details at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

To reserve a spot or for more details about any course, workshop or retreat, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Join us for “Writing Personal Stories”

Writing Personal Stories

 ~ A weekly class dedicated to the pleasures of getting down your stories & thoughts

Online: Tuesday afternoons, 1 – 3 p.m.
Sept 29 – Nov 17 (or to Nov 24 if the class fills up). No class Oct 20
Offered on Zoom and accessible from anywhere there's internet 

Note:  We also have a in-person “Intensive Creative Writing” class on Thursday afternoons in Burlington, online Intensive classes on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday afternoons, “Welcome to Creative Writing” on Monday evenings. See everything coming up here.

If you've ever considered writing your personal stories, this course is for you. We’ll look at memoirs, travel writing, personal essays – 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.

Guest speaker Sue Williams lives in Guelph, Ontario, with her husband. She worked as an occupational therapist and never dreamt of being a writer. But, after a life-altering experience, she found herself with a story she felt needed telling and set about learning how to tell it.

Sue’s memoir, Ready to Come About (Dundurn Press, 2019) is endorsed by Miriam Toews, New York Times best-selling author of Women Talking, and Cate Cochran, CBC Radio producer of The Sunday Edition. It has been promoted by The Globe and Mail, Canadian Yachting, Good Old Boat, and her professional magazine, Occupational Therapy Now. It has also been chosen for discussion in at least 45 book clubs to date.

Ready to Come About was made into an English audiobook narrated by Dina Pearlman, of Sex in the City fame. More recently, it was translated into Portuguese and narrated by professional voice actor, Eliana Silva, Lisbon, to create the Portuguese audio version, De Vela Ao Vento.

Sue has just completed a novel set in the largely invisible world of home care for which she is looking for a publishing home.

You can read more about Ready to Come About at Dundurn Press here.

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, taught creative writing at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Saskatoon to Toronto to Saint John.  But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.  

Read reflections on Brian's writing courses, workshops, and retreats – or pieces inspired by them – here (and scroll down).

Fee: $257.52 plus 13% hst = $291

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

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here. 

Join us this fall for “Advanced Creative Writing”

Advanced Creative Writing

 ~ For more experienced writers 

Online Friday mornings 10:00 – 12:30
First readings emailed Sept 11
Classes: Sept 18 – Dec 4 (or to Dec 11 if the class fills up). No class Oct 16

Note: We also have a in-person “Intensive Creative Writing” class on Thursday afternoons in Burlington, online Intensive classes on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday afternoons, “Welcome to Creative Writing” on Monday evenings, and “Writing Personal Stories” on Tuesday afternoons. See everything coming up here.

Advanced Creative Writing is for writers who have been writing for a while or who have done a course or two before and are working on their own projects. Participants will submit pieces to the class for feedback; so you’ll need be ready to give constructive feedback and be open to receiving feedback – which doesn't mean you’ll necessarily agree with everything suggested, but does mean you can’t be overly defensive and closed off.

All the pieces you submit may be from the same work, such as a novel in progress, or they may be stand-alone pieces, such as essays, picture book manuscripts, or short stories. You bring whatever you want to work on. 

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.

Besides critiquing pieces, we’ll have discussions on topics of interest to the class. This is a challenging course that requires some commitment, but extremely rewarding.

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, taught creative writing at Ryerson University (now called Toronto Metropolitan University) and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Saskatoon to Toronto to Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he’s helped many of his students get published. 

Read pieces about ~ or inspired by ~ Brian's retreats, courses and workshops here (and scroll down).

Fee: $292.04 + hst = $330

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

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

Join us this fall for “Intensive Creative Writing”

Intensive Creative Writing

Offered online at 2 different times:

Tuesday evenings online 6:30 – 9:00
First readings emailed Sept 8
Classes: Sept 15 – Dec 1 (or to Dec 8 if the class fills up). No class Oct 20

Wednesday afternoons online 12:30 – 3:00
First readings emailed Sept 9
Classes: Sept 16 – Dec 2 (or to Dec 9 if the class fills up). No class Oct 21

Intensive Creative Writing isn't for beginners; it's for people who are working on their own writing projects. You’ll be asked to bring in several 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, such as short stories or essays or a picture book manuscript. You bring whatever you want to work on. 

Besides critiquing pieces, the instructor will give short lectures addressing the needs of the group. 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.

Fee: $292.04 + hst = $330

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

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, taught creative writing at Ryerson University (now called Toronto Metropolitan University) and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Saskatoon to Toronto to Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he’s has helped many of his students get published.  

Read pieces about ~ or inspired by ~ Brian's retreats, courses and workshops here (and scroll down).

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

Note: To get new posting delivered to your Inbox as they go up, go to the Quick Brown Fox Substack and subscribe: https://brian999.substack.com/

This fall, join us for “Welcome to Creative Writing”

Welcome to Creative Writing 

 ~ Let loose with your creative side

Online: Monday evenings
 6:30 –8:30 p.m.
Oct 26 – Dec 7 (or to Dec 14 if the class fills up)

This is your chance to take up writing in a warm, supportive environment. We’ll explore writing short stories and writing true stories, writing in first person and in third person, writing techniques and getting creative, getting down your very best writing and just for fun writing.

You'll get a shot of inspiration every week and an assignment to keep you going till the next class. Best of all, this class will provide a zero-pressure, totally safe setting, where your words will grow and flower.

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, taught creative writing at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Saskatoon to Toronto to Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he’s has helped many of his students get published. 

Read reviews and other pieces about – or inspired by – Brian’s various courses, workshops and retreats here (and scroll down).

Fee: $257.52 plus 13% hst = $291

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

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

Join us this summer for “Writing Personal Stories”

“Writing Personal Stories” 

 ~ A weekly class dedicated to the pleasures of writing your stories & thoughts

Online: Tuesday afternoons, 1 – 3 p.m.
July 7 – August 11 (or to Aug 18 if the class fills up)
Offered on Zoom and accessible from anywhere there's internet 

Note: We'll also have two online "Intensive Creative Writing" courses this summer, on Tuesday evenings, July 7 – August 25 and on Wednesday afternoons, July 8 – August 19 (or Aug 26 if the class fills up)

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.

Guest speaker Jennifer M. Smith is the author of Green Ghost, Blue Ocean. This story of Jennifer’s 40,000-mile nautical adventure won the 2019 Pottersfield Prize for nonfiction and was published by Pottersfield Press in 2020.  

Jennifer also writes for Canadian Yachting magazine occasionally and has been published numerous times on Quick Brown Fox. For more on Green Ghost, Blue Ocean visit the distributor, Nimbus Publishing,  here, to read one of Jennifer’s articles, see here.

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, taught creative writing at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Saskatoon to Toronto to Saint John.  But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.  

Read reviews and other pieces about or inspired by Brian's writing courses, workshops, and retreats here (and scroll down).

Fee: $257.52 plus 13% hst = $291

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

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.