Last night, I attended the second official meeting of a new teen writers’ group at the Barbara Frum Library in Toronto. Organized by Youth Services Specialist Claire Argyropoulos, this group offers teens a place to share their works-in-progress and get valuable feedback. I was invited to talk to the group about the writing process and how to set up a nurturing and dynamic writing group. We also wrote together and critiqued each others’ work. Here’s what Claire Argyropoulos had to say about the evening: “Your workshop was very enjoyable, and the girls thought you were inspiring. They really enjoyed the exercises, and you gave them a lot of good tips. I hope you can come back soon to give us more of your wisdom and insight.”
Mentoring
Young Voices 2010
Tonight I’m going to the launch of the Toronto Public Library’s 2010 Young Voices magazine. It’s a magazine of art and writing by 12 to 19 year-olds. I’ve been a guest editor of the magazine for four years, and I love encouraging young writers.
If you know any teen writers or illustrators in Toronto, please let them know about the magazine. The deadline for submissions is every April. Here’s a link.
Creativity World
A nine-year-old girl who loves to write. A birthday party. What better way to celebrate her birthday than with writing games?
This Saturday, I conducted a series of writing games for nine-year-old Saskia and 19 of her friends. As the guests entered Saskia’s home, they were greeted by the words “Creativity World” written in 12 different languages. Together, we played games with words – creating evil villains, writing using masks, and using “story dice” to tell stories as a group. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the creative worlds of these girls. Saskia and her friends are fine writers.
It was an intriguing idea for a birthday party – one that I would have enjoyed when I was a kid. Heck, I’d even enjoy it now!
Packaging Your Imagination 2010
If you’re interested in writing or illustrating for kids or teens, check out CANSCAIP’s Packaging Your Imagination conference, an annual day of workshops by experts in the field. This year, the conference will be held at Victoria College in Toronto on Saturday, November 6th. As Vice-President of CANSCAIP, I’m spearheading the committee to organize the day, and it promises to be inspirational. With workshops on non-fiction illustration, cartooning, how to write graphic novels, mystery writing, and much more, you’ll get excited about creating for kids. So book Saturday, November 6th in your calendar and register soon. See you there!
WordPlay Games and Ideas
I’ve posted a new section on my website of writing activities based on my WordPlayer writing program. I first developed the program as a lunch-time drop-in writing club at Presteign Heights Public School in Toronto during 2005 to 2006. Since then, I’ve conducted WordPlayer workshops throughout Ontario and Quebec with kids, teens, and adults, further developing the program. Click here to explore new ways to start writing, how to share your writing, and how to revise.
Volunteering at the Red Door Family Shelter
I’m excited by a new volunteer job that I’m about to start. Next week, I’ll begin volunteering at the Red Door Family Shelter in Toronto. Red Door offers help for families who are experiencing a housing crisis, families who are refugee claimants, and women and children who are escaping domestic violence. I’ll start by helping to provide childcare at one of their shelters for the summer. Once I get to know the place and the people better, I plan to run evening writing workshops for kids and parents. In the meantime, I’ll be reading plenty of great Canadian children’s books to the kids.
Blue Pencil Mentorship Program
As Vice-President of CANSCAIP, I’ve been organizing the Blue Pencil Mentorship Program. It’s a terrific new program designed to connect emerging writers and illustrators for children with professional authors and illustrators. Through Blue Pencil, you can connect with an expert in your field, receive a personal critique of your work, and submit up to five follow-up questions. So if you have a manuscript or series of illustrations that needs a professional polish, you might want to check out the Blue Pencil. Here’s the link for more information.
Upcoming Appearances
I’m looking forward to conducting a writing workshop at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto on March 2. It’s exclusively for patients of the hospital, but if you’re looking for an event that is open to the public, please join me for a reading at the Barbara Frum Branch of the Toronto Public Library at 1 p.m. on May 5.
Ask the Pros
If you’re an aspiring author, you may want to check out this conference on November 7, 2009. Packaging Your Imagination, organized by CANSCAIP, offers a day of inspirational workshops with professional authors, illustrators and performers. This year, I’ll be there as a moderator for an “Ask the Pros” panel, where experts Marie Campbell (agent, editor), Peter Carver (editor, writing teacher) and Sharon Jennings (author, writing teacher) will answer FAQs on writing and publishing.
Young Voices 2009
The 2009 Young Voices Magazine is here!
This is my fourth year as an editor of this magazine of teen writing and art, published by the Toronto Public Library, and I’ve loved every minute of it. It excites me to think that the influential authors and illustrators of tomorrow may be first published within the pages of this magazine. Even more exciting is simply enjoying what teens are thinking, feeling and creating.
You can pick up your copy of the magazine at any branch of the Toronto Public Library. Check out next year’s submission guidelines at RAMP for Youth.
Vice-President of CANSCAIP
Earlier this year, I decided I had enough free time to increase my volunteer activities. Just as I was making this decision, I got an offer I couldn’t refuse from one of my favourite organizations. I’m pleased to announce that starting November 2009, I’ll be vice-president of CANSCAIP – the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators, and Performers. What I like about CANSCAIP is its commitment to mentoring both new and emerging creative people. If you’re interested in writing, illustrating, or performing for children or teens, check out one of CANSCAIP’s monthly meetings or its annual conference Packaging Your Imagination.
Young Voices 2009 Workshop
Writers between the ages of 12 and 19 are invited to join me for a free writing workshop at the Toronto Public Library Brookbanks Branch (210 Brookbanks Drive) on January 31, 2009, from 1 to 3 pm. Come play with words, find inspiration for new stories, and polish your prose for submission to the 2009 Young Voices magazine, the library’s magazine for teen writing and art. The contest closes April 4, 2009, with contributors notified in June and the annual magazine released next October.
Young Voices 2008 Launch
On October 16 at 7 pm, I’ll join the staff of the Toronto Public Library to celebrate the launch of Young Voices 2008, the library’s annual magazine for teen writing and art. As a guest editor of the magazine, I’m looking forward to congratulating the wonderful teen artists and writers whose work will appear in the magazine. Watch for the magazine to appear at your local TPL branch, or join us for the launch at the North York Central Library (5120 Yonge St.).
Cleavage Writing Workshop
Teens are invited to a writing workshop on the theme of beauty and body image. Join myself and Patricia McCowan – authors from the short story collection Cleavage: Breakaway Fiction for Real Girls – at the Beaches branch of the Toronto Public Library on October 4 from 2 to 4 pm (2161 Queen St. East). Stories from the workshop can be submitted for posting at breakawayfiction.blogspot.com by emailing breakawayfiction@gmail.com.
Writing for Children at Centennial College
Do you want to write for children or teens? Join me for a writing workshop on September 25, 2008, at Centennial College to learn how to generate ideas, develop believable characters, understand genres, edit your writing, and market and promote your work.
Summer Writing at Camp
I just finished two awesome weeks of teaching WordPlayer writing workshops at Pegasus Studios Arts Camp in Toronto. Together we wrote and shared poems, created characters using masks, and invented stories about buried treasure. The kids and teens were super enthusiastic when we created our own imaginary worlds then wrote stories about them. They drew maps of their worlds, imagined characters, then wrote pages of fabulous material. Thanks to all for sharing your writing with me.
WordPlayers Writing Workshops
This July, I’ll be leading WordPlayers writing workshops for children and teens at the Pegasus Studios Arts Camp. If you like writing poems or stories, come play with words using masks, story dice, photos, character games, and more. For more information, go to Pegasus Studios.
Prose Writing Workshop for Teens
In February 2008, teen writers joined me at the York Woods library in Toronto for a prose writing workshop. Participants expressed themselves through writing using a variety of stimulating activities designed to teach technique.
Young Voices Writers Conference
On October 20, 2007, I enjoyed a writing workshop with enthusiastic teen writers at the Young Voices Writers Conference. The event was held at the North York Central Library in Toronto. In my workshop, I focussed on how to revise a work of fiction, demonstrating my own revision process then discussing specific ways to polish prose with writing exercises to show technique.