Join the Friday afternoons 23-minute Writing Club

 

A message from the amazing author Kira Vermond …

All Brian Henry students welcome!

After a looooong break, I'm running the 23 Minute Writers' Club again! How it works:

Kira

We gather on Zoom (and hopefully in person at least once for those near Guelph) on Fridays and write like spit for 23 minutes. A couple of people read what they came up with – and we toast our creativity at the end of the week.

Open to all.

It starts on Friday, Sept. 30 and runs 6 weeks. 3:00-3:45 p.m. Eastern.

Drop in. Free.

Interested? Message me and I'll get you on the update email list. Invite friends too!

Check out the details on the Quick Brown Fox and Cubs Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/301632707344705

* wine optional.

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

 

The Elliot Lake Writers

Elliot Lake (Click on photo for enlargement)

The Elliot Lake Writers are a vibrant group devoted to the craft, process and joy of writing. Currently we have eighteen members.  We are pleased and honoured to have as our meeting facilitator, Kayt Lackie, PhD Creative Writing.   A few of our members have met with some publishing success. We come together to learn and to share. The art of creative writing can be a lonely experience and it’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet with kindred spirit and to offer support to one another. Writers at all levels of expertise are welcome.

Commencing February 14th, 2018, we will meet once a month in the meeting room of the Elliot Lake Public Library, Pearson Plaza,  from 2 pm to 4 pm.   Initially we will meet the second Wednesday afternoon of each month. However, this may vary from month to month, depending upon the availability of the meeting room.  Meetings may sometimes be the 1st or the 3rd Wednesday of the month.

Keeping in mind that the maximum attendance quota for the room is 20, new members are always welcome.

Contact Audrey Austin, Elliot Lake Writers Coordinator:  audrey@persona.ca

See Brian Henry’s schedule here,  including writing workshops, weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Teen Writers’ Group at the Brentwood Library in Etobicoke & Writing Kick-Ass Prose free seminar

Teen Writer’s Group

Do you like to write but have no one to share it with? Are you working on a novel, short story, play or poem? Come share your work with other teens and get feedback to make your writing stronger. Not sure what to write? We’ve got prompts for that! New writers are always welcome! 

Drop-in. For teens ages 13–19

Tuesdays, October 11 & 25, November 8 & 22, December 6 & 20
4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Brentwood Library

Group Study Room

36 Brentwood Road North, Toronto, Ontario (Just north of Bloor St W, just west of Royal York Rd. Map here)

Don't you dare miss this seminar!

Writing Kick-Ass Prose

A special session of the Teen Writers’ Group with creative writing instructor Brian Henry

Tuesday, December 6

4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
at the Brentwood Library

If you do any kind of creative writing, fiction or nonfiction, this seminar is for you. We’ll tackle the nitty-gritty of putting words on paper in a way that will grip the reader’s imagination and just generally kick butt. Besides great tips on how to make your writing more vivid, more elegant and more powerful, we’ll look at choosing point of view and making whatever perspective you choose work for your writing.

Seminar 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 Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.

If you want to let me know you’re coming, so I’ve got some idea how many handouts to bring that would be great: Email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Or just show up. ~Brian

Note: The sessions of the Teen Writers' Group and the Writing Kick-Ass Prose seminar are free of charge.

See Brian’s current complete schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, St. John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Love letters ~ Where your fellow writers are getting published ~ plus a new writers' group and beta readers wanted

Hi, Brian.

Hope you're well. I took a few of your classes and day-long workshops in the past few years and will get back to more at some point. And am in a writing group with a few fellow alumni.

InfectiveInk, have accepted a short story from me.

Thanks!

Nemone

Read Nemone’s story, “Tipped,” here.

For information about submitting to InfectiveInk, see here.

Dear Brian,

Since discovering your website and newsletters, Quick Brown Fox has become my favourite go-to resource for writing and publishing in Canada.

In fact, two of my pieces have recently been accepted by magazines I found through your site (Blank Spaces and Forage Poetry). Both of these forums are proving to be exciting and invaluable to emerging and established writers. I am delighted and honoured to participate on their pages.  

Geraldine MacDonald  

Winter Wind Press, Kingston

Read Geraldine’s poem, “Nightingale,” at the Forage Poetry site here.

For information about submitting to Forage Poetry, see here, and for Blank Spaces, see here.

  

Hi, Brian.

Just thought I'd drop a line to let you know that my sci-fi story, “Deus Ex Machina,” has been published in Punks Write Poems Press' anthology, Don't Open Till Doomsday. I'm pretty excited because my story is first in the book!

Don't Open Till Doomsday can be purchased on Amazon.ca here.

All the best,

Diane Dubas

Hi, Brian.

I just wanted to blow my own horn. CBC has named me “a writer to watch” (see here).
Also, I'm thrilled that Speechless has been nominated for the Surrey Schools' Book of the
Year 2016-2017 with this wonderful lineup!

Thank you for helping me prepare for the fame and glory! LOL!

Jennifer

jennifermooksang.com

Jennifer Mook-Sang’s middle grade novel, Speechless, has won other accolades as well: 

CBC Best Books of 2015 

OLA Best Bets junior fiction 2015

short-listed Silver Birch Award 2016

short-listed Diamond Willow Award 2016

short-listed IODE Violet Downey Award 2016

short-listed Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award 2017

short-listed Red Cedar Fiction Award 2017

Also, Jennifer has a picture book, Captain Monty, coming out with Kids Can Press in 2017, and Jennifer will be one of the guest speakers at my Writing Kid Lit course on Tuesdays, Sept 27 - Nov 22. See here. ~Brian

Writer to Writer

Want to join a writer's group?

We're looking for a few good genre fiction writers to join our group in the Oakville-Burlington area. If you're a writer of mystery, suspense, romance, science fiction or any other fiction genre and want to join a supportive writer's group, please email me at: melissavan@cogeco.ca

Hi, Brian.
Thank you again for your wonderful workshops, they've really helped my writing a lot!
I'm currently looking for beta readers aged 16-20 for my young adult novel. The story is centered on a group of teenagers in a suburban town dealing with love and loss amid the backdrop of an imminent global apocalypse. 
I'd especially love readers that are willing to provide a detailed critique and answer a questionnaire about my book. Of course I'd be more than willing to reciprocate :) 
If you’re interested, please email me at: jennifer.mannering@gmail.com
Best regards,

Jennifer Mannering

www.jennifermannering.ca

See Brian Henry’s schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, St. John, NB, Sudbury, Thessalon, Toronto, Vaughan, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Ingersoll, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Writer to Writer: CJ Martin has a new venture selling coffee and Alliston writers' group accepting new members

Hi, Brian!

CJ at her former Cafe in Bronte

Hope you’re well.  I’m back in action with my new company, CJ’s Coffee Fundraising! I help groups to raise money selling delicious, organic Café Femenino coffee, and I also sell it to people who want to buy some for gifts, or to re-sell through their own stores.    

Right now am taking orders for gifts.   If you would like any for clients/students, personal friends or family, let me know. I can even make you custom labels.

By early in the New Year my website will be up and I should be good-to-go for doing fundraising campaigns with schools, groups, clubs or churches, so if you’re interested – or know anyone who might be – let me know. 

This Friday I roast my very first batch, so you can be part of the history of my new company by being one of the very first customers. 

Bye for now,

CJ Martin

 cj@cjscafeinbronte.com

Hi, Brian.

I wish to let you know about our writers group. We have been together for a year and have moved to a new home in Alliston, Ontario. We meet at the South Simcoe Arts Council office at 41 Victoria Street in Alliston, Ontario. Our group's name is the South Simcoe Wordsmiths. We meet on Tuesdays on the odd weeks of the month from 1:00  to 2:30 p.m.

For more information, email me at: dian_bowers@hotmail.com  

Dian Bowers
 

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

It’s easy to start a writers' group or arrange a meeting with your fellow writers

If you want to get together with other writers on an in-formal basis to critique one anothers' work, network, or just hang out, Quick Brown Fox maintains MeetUp pages to help you organize things.

Just sign-up with the relevant MeetUp group (see below). Then click on +Schedule a New MeetUp (right under where it says Welcome writers!) and post the proposed time and place for your get-together and the purpose; e.g. to drink too much coffee or just enough beer and critique each other’s work, or whatever.

You can be as specific as you want, though if you get too specific, it might be hard to find people. So, for example, perhaps you want to start a critique group with other writers of Chapter Books, Middle Grade books or YA. Just say so. There are lots of you out there. 

Or perhaps you'd just like to get together with other writers to talk about writing or to sit and write in one-anothers' company. Go for it.

If you like, send me an email, too, to bring your proposed writers' group or get-together to my attention at brianhenry@sympatico.ca

I’ll publicize it on the Quick Brown Fox blog and in the newsletter, too. (That will work best if you give me at least three weeks lead time.)

Quick Brown Fox maintains MeetUp Pages for Halton and Peel here, for Guelph, Georgetown and Brampton here, and for Toronto and points north (including York Region and Simcoe) here.  ~ Brian

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

Muskoka Author Association welcomes new members

Brian Henry leads a "How to Build a Story" workshop for the Muskoka Authors Association

Muskoka has a rich heritage in the arts and exceptional writers are a part of that. The Muskoka Authors Association welcomes both professional and aspiring writers (and everyone in between). We pride ourselves on our mandate of authors helping authors. To that end, we already have a great lineup up of authors coming to give presentations and/or workshops on everything from memoirs to literary fiction to science fiction.

We have educationals lined up for those wanting traditional publishing tips and those looking to self-publish and will continue to offer up literary agents and publishers to bring their insights to share with the group as well. It is also our intention. to run our highly successful literary festival again next year, bringing award-winning authors from across Canada to Muskoka. 

But mostly we are excited about the prospect of bringing together our strong Muskoka writing community under one umbrella to flourish, support each other, develop and enhance our respective writing careers. We originally set up a Muskoka branch of the Canadian Authors Association, but the general consensus was that it made more sense to keep our resources local so the monies invested would directly benefit our writing community here in Muskoka. And so the Muskoka Authors  Association was born.

At the moment, we have a number of wonderful but fragmented writing groups spread throughout Muskoka. We hope to unite the writing community to enjoy the benefits that come from shared resources and focus, while still serving all the varied needs and interests of these groups.

Our regular meetings are the 3rd Thursday of each month at the St. Thomas Anglican Church in Bracebridge (4 Mary St.) from 6:30 p.m.  We also offer weekend workshops and special events. 

Anyone interested can contact either Cindy Watson at: cwatson@watsonlabourlaw.com

or Wendie Donabie at: info@wendiedonabie.com

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

The Brampton Writers' Guild welcomes new members

Have you just started writing and feel you are floundering, in need of some helpful advice, information and encouragement? Or are you an experienced writer looking to add polish to a work that is almost ready for competition or publication? Or maybe you are somewhere in between.

The Brampton Writers' Guild welcomes you to their monthly meetings where we discuss works in progress submitted by members and offer suggestions for improvement, as well as provide solutions for overcoming that common aliment, blank page crisis syndrome. Our members come from all walks of terrestrial life and write in all known genres (and perhaps some hitherto undiscovered).

We are affiliated with the Brampton Public Library. We meet monthly on the Second Thursday of the month from September through June, in the boardroom on the second floor of the Brampton Public Library, Four Corners Branch, 65 Queen Street East, Brampton. Meetings start at 6:30 p.m. and continue until 9:00 p.m. Parking is available at the library. The south side parking lot is accessible from John Street, which is one-way eastbound. The second parking lot,on the east side, is accessed from Mary and John Streets.

New members are especially welcome. There are no residency requirements. You don't even have to have a Brampton Library card. Please join us. Bring your enthusiasm and your unique perspective, and grow your writing.

For additional information, contact Michael Joll at: mbj691@gmail.com

Note: The Brampton Writers' Guild often sponsors workshops with Brian Henry. Check out the latest offerings here.  

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

Love letters ~ Where your fellow writers are getting published

Hi, Brian.

I won third place in Accenti magazine’s annual writing competition! Thanks for posting the contest on your blog and many more thanks for your editing and advice. Thanks also to the Wednesday and Thursday class members who gave feedback on my work.

All the Best,

Maria Mallozzi

For information about Accenti’s annual contest and about regular submissions to Accenti see here.

Also, summer classes are starting soon! See details here.

Hi, Brian.

I attended your workshop in Peterborough in April.   I mentioned that I had a chapbook soon to be released. Well, the launch was April 30th and I was very happy with the response. I`ve sold 43 copies out of 120 limited edition, hand-bound, hand-printed lino-cuts. One sold to the Thomas Fisher Library at the U of T.

Nan Williamson

Hi, Brian.

I’ve had a Facts and Argument essay published  in The Globe & Mail. Check it out here.

Sharlene

For information on submitting a Facts & Arguments essay to the Globe & Mail, see here.

Hi, Brian.

Wait for it! Drum roll, please. At last, appearing today for the first time, my short story, "A Handsome Woman." You will find it here.

Any and all comments are appreciated by the editor of CommuterLit, as well as by the author.

Enjoy,

Mike

Hi, Brian.

CommuterLit published three of my short stories recently and they all have one thing in common – you!

The Attic – During a workshop you asked us to exchange fortune-cookie like notes and use them as a basis for a story. The notes I received were “Mom, come and see what’s in the attic” and “He will reveal his true identity.” Check out the resulting story here.

Two Cuts from Death – You once said, “Do terrible things to your characters, and make your characters do terrible things. Don’t hold back.” Spot the quote in the story here.

Pillows at Dawn – I wrote this one during your “How to make your stories sizzle” workshop. You assigned us to write an action scene featuring a pillow fight. Writing about kids and siblings was too predictable, so I put a different spin on things. Check it out here.

As always, thank you for your support, encouragement, wise words and inspiration!

Have a great week,

Hannah

For information about submitting to CommuterLit, see here.

Writer to Writer

Dear writers of the Burlington/Hamilton region,

I am interested in starting a writer's group or finding a writing partner in Burlington. If interested you can e-mail me at peers.t@hotmail.com 

Thelma Peers

See Brian Henry's schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, 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.

Love letters ~ Stories published in CommuterLit and self-published books and Writers looking for writers

Hi, Brian.

Just letting you know the short story, “In Search of Key Lime Pie,” which I read at CJ’s Café in March will be posted on Commuter Lit.

 Hope some of you have time to read it.

 I’m so excited!

 Toni Giglio

Check out Toni’s story here.

Hi, all.

My twisted little story is featured in CommuterLit.  I read this one at the Thursday afternoon class, and Cathy and Connie (I think) gave me a couple of helpful tips that I incorporated.   Please check it out and help boost CommuterLit’s audience.  Thanks!

 Sally

Read Sally’s story, “Humbugged,” here.

Brian,

Yay!  CommuterLit is going to publish my short story!  Thank you for all your help Brian, couldn't do it without you.
Hope all is well.
Debbie Scott

Read Debbie’s story, “A Fine Piece of Meat,” here.

For information on submitting to CommuterLit, see here.

Hi Brian,

Great news! My family memoir The Day Soon Dawns: A Finnish Sailor's True Story of Surviving Stutthof is published and available on Amazon here.  I'm also pleased to share my review from Kirkus Reviews here.

Thank you again for supporting new writers.  

All the best,

Liisa Kovala

www.liisakovala.com  

Hi Brian!

I'm very proud to announce the release of my third self-published novel, Charlie Smithers: Adventures in India, which is the second book of the Charlie Smithers collection.

All best,

Chuck Lovatt

Carroll, Manitoba

Check out Chuck’s book here.

Writer to Writer

Hi, Brian.

I'm looking for critical readers who I can exchange my novel for feedback (and I can also read for others).  My novel is a contemporary tragedy about an eighteen year old who is struggling through a combination of drug addiction, mental illness, and family demands.  

His mother’s stranglehold on what is “the truth” and his grandfather’s attempts to reinforce what is real, will startle the reader, who then follow Brian’s escape into vivid and haunting dreams.  Needless to say, this is a mature-themed novel.

I would really appreciate it if you could post this request in your newsletter.  I can be reached at rmatattoni@gmail.com

Thank you for putting together all the great resources, 

Richard Tattoni

www.RichardTattoni.com

Hi,

I’m Looking for a fellow writer in the Ottawa area for early reader stories, to listen to each other's stories and give constructive feedback.  Knowledge of requirements of stories for children to read, roughly Grades 2-5 would be an asset. 

Contact me at: catherine.blake7@gmail.com

thanks,

Cathy

Hi,

I’m looking for a writer to collaborate (write) about the true story of a ten-year search for two missing Ontario boys. Send an email to: roserandel@gmail.com

Regards,

Madena

See Brian Henry’s schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, 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.