Writing Workshop
When: Saturday, March 26, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450 West 64th Avenue Vancouver, BC V6P 2N4
Cost: $135 (includes lunch). To register, email kogawahouse@yahoo.ca
At some point, all writers find themselves turning to a variety of sources to build a story and to ensure its accuracy. And when they do, they may find themselves asking some or all of the following questions:
- What sources should I use and to what ends? What should I be aware of when interviewing people for a story?
- Is researching for non-fiction different from researching for fiction?
- When, if ever, is it acceptable to change the facts, to alter geography, for example, or change history?
- When should I stop researching and start writing?
- How do I make sure that my story is accurate?
Workshop participants will explore the research component of excerpts from published works and works-in-progress. They will brainstorm story possibilities drawn from a variety of sources including their own lives. Participants are invited to bring their own research conundrums to the workshop, whether in the form of an idea, notes on the page, or a short piece of writing.
By the end of the workshop, participants will have begun at least two new stories and will have several strategies in place to follow through with development, research, writing, further research, and fact-checking.
Maggie de Vries is an award-winning writer who teaches in UBC’s Creative Writing Department and Masters in Children’s Literature program. In 2005, she was Vancouver Public Library’s first writer in residence.