Columnists

Perfect Gifts for Writers

Tis the season to ask the most pressing of all questions: What is the perfect gift for the writer in your life? Books? Pens? Journals? A six-figure book deal: (Note: we all want the latter!)Authors Farzana ...

Low-Stress Yearly Reading Challenge Ideas

If you’re a reader with internet access, you’ve likely encountered yearly reading challenges and goals. The most common type of reading challenge is the “Read X Number of Books This Year” type, ...

Preparing a Poetry Manuscript for Submission

In my last column, I wrote about preparing a cover letter for your poetry manuscript submission. Well, what about preparing the actual manuscript?As I mentioned in the last column, most poetry presses ...

Writing Lessons from Joni Mitchell

I often look to books for inspiration, but I just got back from seeing Joni Mitchell play in L.A., and as I was sitting at the Hollywood Bowl, with the moon rising over the hills, I realized how much ...

How I’m Adjusting My Writing Routine for Autumn & Winter

Many of us in the Northern Hemisphere are now well into autumn coolness. As I write this I have all the windows open and I actually feel chilly—an unfamiliar, almost exciting feeling.To me, fall feels ...

Writing a Cover Letter for Your Poetry Manuscript

In the world of Canadian publishing, poets rarely have agents. Poetry collections are often published through small presses, and these presses have open submission periods where anyone can submit a manuscript. In ...

Four Weird Tricks for Maintaining Writing Momentum

As someone who doesn’t have a set writing routine, I’m always on the lookout for practical strategies to consistently keep my work going. Today I’d like to share four of my favourite tricks for ...

Grant Writing 101: How to Write a Final Report

You got a grant, YAY! But now it’s time to write your final report. I’ve heard from so many artists panicking about writing them, but I promise, there’s no need to panic!Final reports are a way ...

Breaking Down the Ontario Arts Council’s Literary Creation Projects Grant

For writers in Ontario, this is your reminder that the deadline for Literary Creation Projects (Works for Publication) is just around the corner. This grant gives $12,000 to work on your novel, poetry ...

Promoting Your Book Online: Literary Citizenship

In my last column, I shared tips for promoting your book online without burnout. I covered making a marketing plan ahead of your book launch, defining boundaries around what you share online, and cultivating ...