How can you make your sentences sing? What techniques can you use to bring fictional characters alive on the page? How can you tackle tough subject matter with honesty and care?
These are just a few of the questions explored in this fall’s roster of King’s Writing Workshops. Eight non-credit workshops are being offered, with each workshop slated for eight 2.5-hour sessions online via Zoom. “We’re offering more workshops than ever, with a stellar group of instructors,” says Kim Pittaway, executive director of the MFA in Creative Nonfiction program at King’s and coordinator of the non-credit workshops.
Build on the basics
- The Emerging Writer’s Toolkit: Designed for beginning writers of any age, this workshop covers everything from how the publishing industry works, to strategies and tools to help keep you organized, to how to connect with the writing community. Led by author Nellwyn Lampert, this workshop will help you develop a roadmap to help you write and submit your work with confidence and clarity.
- Finessing Your Language: Improve the clarity and gracefulness of your writing with guidance on grammar, breaking bad writing habits and disentangling your phrasing from racial and gendered stereotyping in this workshop with author and teacher Dr. Gillian Turnbull.
Focus on specific writing niches
- Particles to Porpoises: Writing Science and Nature in a Changing World: For those who have a passion for the natural world and the stories that explore it, this workshop with investigative journalist Karen Pinchin offers the opportunity to develop a keystone piece of writing on a science or nature subject of your choosing.
- Stage, Sound and Screens: Arts and Pop Culture Writing Workshop: If music, film, television, books or other arts and cultural fields excite you, editor and writer Ryan McNutt will share the tools and techniques of modern arts and culture journalism, all with the goal of producing your own short pieces and one long-form article.
Tell your true stories
- Intro to Memoir Writing: Author and teacher Cooper Lee Bombardier is back with another of his popular memoir writing workshops. Writers of all levels are welcomed, as Cooper explores the use of form, structure, theme, shape, metaphor and more in memoir writing.
- Writing About Hard Things: From legal issues to relationships, emotional cost and self-care, how can writers tackle tough topics honestly and thoughtfully? Author Kelly S. Thompson has tackled many difficult subjects in her own writing and will guide students through the challenges of telling their stories, even when those stories are difficult to share.
Dive into fiction
- Fundamentals of Fiction: Author Chris Benjamin will lead participants on a journey through the building blocks of fiction, from writing that taps all five of your senses, to understanding the role of obstacles and desires, to story structure and incorporating themes. Whether you’re at work on a novel or short story, this workshop will equip you with the tools to tell your story more effectively.
- Character and Setting in Fiction: Ready to do a deep dive on character and setting? Author Paula Altenburg’s workshop focuses on bringing your fictional characters and story worlds to life, in a workshop that offers writing exercises and in-class feedback.
Now in their third year, the King’s Writing Workshops have garnered high marks from past students in post-workshop evaluations. Recent feedback included these comments:
- “Well-organized, interactive and fun!”
- “This workshop was an absolute pleasure…well-structured and so helpful.”
- “The instructor treated everyone with respect and compassion.”
More details and online registration are available now. Courses start in October and run through to the end of November, and cost $449 per 8-week workshop. King’s alumni, students, parents of students, staff and faculty and members of the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia may take advantage of a $50 discount on registration fees.
