Writing workshops are for everyone
Photo: Tsunei Miyuki
London had Charles Dickens, Paris had Charles Baudelaire and New York is well-known for her native sons Herman Melville and the late J.D. Salinger.
While big cities the world over are known for turning out equally big-named authors, living in the suburbs doesn’t mean you, too, cannot be a writer.
Where to find instruction
Local libraries, community colleges and universities are great places to find creative writing courses and workshops.
With its many varied forms, all writers, no matter what their experience level, can find seminars that will teach the basics of everything from fiction and poetry to non-fiction and playwriting.
PublicLibraries.Com offers a listing of local library systems by state, and is a great place to start your research for local classes.
Similarly, LibraryElf.Com has an extensive listing of libraries in the USA and Canada, as well as International locations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK that make it easy to start your search for seminars in your neck of the woods.
Classes for GTA Residents
Writers don't have to live in the downtown core to be part of the arts community.
With the instruction of local author Brian Henry, residents throughout the GTA can polish up their writing skills.
A book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years, Henry teaches Creative Writing at both Ryerson University and George Brown College.
He also puts his expertise to good use by leading a series of workshops throughout Mississauga, Burlington and Oakville.
Henry’s Welcome to Creative Writing classes will be offered in two locations starting this month and will focus on various forms of writing, including short stories, personal writing, children's writing, memoirs, and writing just for fun.
Workshop details
Tuesday afternoons, 12:45 - 2:45 p.m.
February 2 - March 30
St. Cuthbert's Anglican Church, 1541 Oakhill Drive, Oakville
Thursday evenings, 7 - 9 p.m.
February 4 - April 1
Sheridan United Church, 2501 Truscott Drive, Mississauga
Fees for the classes are $120. Advance registration is required and the number of attendees is strictly limited, so email to reserve a spot.
Courses and classes for all
Even if you live in the suburbs, don’t count yourself out of the local literary scene. With a quick search of your local library or community college, you will find that a variety of workshops are available to aspiring writers from all locales.
Your opinion matters
Are you a big city dweller or do you reside in a smaller town? What is the state of your local literary scene? Do you find that your community supports its local writers? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
- How workshops can help writers hone their skills
- Teen writing group at the Toronto Public Library
- Lunchtime poll: What's your genre?
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Comments
Although not a fan of his, I automatically thought of Thoreau with your article. Not. City. At. All. I'm so not a big city girl (although I love to shop in TO) and never assumed that living there had anything to do with writing. Shrug! Out in the country is where it's at. I write wherever I am - and the rolling farmer's fields and acres of forest never stop me from plotting in the streets of a metropolis.
Hi, I've been to a few of Brian Henry's workshops - they're great! But the link in the article is wrong. For information about his Saturday writing workshops and once-a-week creative writing workshops, plus info about literary agents looking for authors, writing contests and writing markets, and other great stuff, go to his Quick Brown Fox Canada blog. Google it.
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