Join us for "Writing Kid Lit – The Next Level!"

Writing Kid Lit – The Next Level!

For people wanting to write board books, picture books, and middle grade

Online: Monday evenings, 7 – 9 p.m.
January 25 – March 15, (or to March 22 if the course fills up).

This course is for adults (or teens) interested in writing picture books, chapter books, middle grade books, or graphic books (fiction or nonfiction, for very young kids or older kids). It’s meant for people who have previously taken a kid lit course or who otherwise know the basics of the contemporary market for children’s literature.

For graphic books, we’ll be looking at writing scripts not creating the art, though if you’re a writer-artist, we’ll want to see your work!

The focus of the class will be on your work – picture book manuscripts, proposals for nonfiction books, chapters of longer books for young people – whatever you’re working on, you’ll present to the class for feedback as to how to make your work even better.

We’ll also have discussions, talks from the instructor, and a published children’s author or two as guest speakers.

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. Brian is the author of a children's version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Tribute Publishing). But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.  

Read reflections on inspired by Brian’s writing courses, workshops, and retreats, and works inspired by them here (and scroll down).

Fee: $257.52 plus 13% hst = $291

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

See all upcoming weekly writing classes, afternoon workshops, and wonderful  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/

Join us with Gaby Sheiner, a new agent with a major U.S. agency

Margaret Atwood is one of many
major authors represented by CAA

"How to Get Published"

 ~ With literary agent Gaby Sheiner
       of Creative Artists Agency 

Sunday, September 27, 2026
1:15 – 5:00 p.m. Toronto time
Offered online and accessible wherever there's Internet

If you've ever dreamed of becoming a published author, this workshop is for you. We’ll focus on the process of submitting to an agent or publisher, and show you exactly how to write a query letter that will get a “yes.” Bring all your questions. Come and get ready to be published!

Special Option: Participants are invited to prepare a draft of a query letter you might use to interest an agent or publisher in your book. You don't need to prepare anything, but if you like, email me a draft of your query prior to our workshop. Gaby and I will critique several queries, perhaps half a dozen, so everyone can see what works, what doesn’t and how to improve your query. Do remember that agents come to these events wanting to hear what you’ve got. ~Brian

Guest speaker Gaby Sheiner works in the publishing department at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where she represents authors across fiction and nonfiction. 

On the fiction side, she represents commercial and upmarket authors and is always on the lookout for buzzy book club fiction, thrillers and suspense, romance, and family sagas. 

On the nonfiction side, she is particularly interested in cookbooks and lifestyle, psychology, memoirs, and books by experts with distinctive perspectives and authority in their fields. 

Gabby began her career at CAA in 2023. She is from Toronto, Ontario, and is a graduate of Tufts University.

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, taught creative writing at Ryerson University (now known as Toronto Metropolitan University), and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Saskatoon to Toronto 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 reviews of and works inspired by Brian's classes, workshops, and retreats here.

Fee: $46.90 + 13% hst = $53 paid in advance by mail or Interac

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

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

Evolving schedule of writing classes, workshops, and retreats

2027

Writing Retreats

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

***

Winter Writing Courses

Intensive Creative Writing
In-person Thursday afternoons, 12:30 – 3:00
First readings emailed January 7
Classes: January 14 – February 25 (or to March 4 if the course fills up).
Burlington Anglican Lutheran Church, 3455 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, Ontario (Map here)
Details to come, but to hold your spot, email: brain.henry123@gmail.com

Intensive Creative Writing
Online Wednesday afternoons, 12:30 – 3:00 p.m.
First readings emailed Jan 13, 2027
Classes: January 20 – April 7 (or to April 14 if the course fills up). No class March 17.
Details to come, but to hold your spot, email: brain.henry123@gmail.com

 

Advanced Creative Writing

Online Tuesday evenings 6:30 – 9:00
First readings emailed Jan 12
Classes: Jan 19 – April 6 (or to April 13 if the class fills up). No class No class March 16

Online Friday mornings 10:00 – 12:30
First readings emailed Jan 8
Classes: Jan 15 – March 26 (or to April 2 if the class fills up).

Details to come, but to hold your spot, email: brain.henry123@gmail.com

 Writing Kid Lit – The Next Step!

Online Monday evenings, 6:30 – 8:30
Jan 25 – March 15 (or to March 22 if the class fills up).
Details here.

 Exploring Creative Writing

Online Tuesday afternoons, 1 – 3 p.m.
February 9 – March 23 (Or to March 30 if the class fills up)
Details to come, but to hold your spot, email: brain.henry123@gmail.com

 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.