Columnists

Curating the perfect summer reading list

When I was a kid, my grandparents had a cottage, and because my mom was a teacher, we’d leave the city in late June, and return with just enough time to set up her classroom before Labour Day. I read ...

The Joys and Challenges of Writing for Adults AND for Kids

I’ve had May 2 circled on my calendar for months and months—it marks the pub date of my debut picture book, Dear Street. As the launch approaches, I’ve been thinking about how different the processes ...

You didn’t get a grant…now what?

It’s grant notice season, and while some writers will be happy dancing all over their kitchens (if you are one of them, this column is for you!), some of us, well, won’t be dancing in the kitchen. ...

I got a grant…now what?

It’s grant notification season which can mean one of two things: You didn’t get it (which, to be honest, is the norm!) or…you did!If you didn’t receive funding, be sure to come back tomorrow for ...

Writing Goals for 2023

I love the clean slate of a new year—the new, unsullied notebooks, the expanse of the year stretching out full of potential, and how everything feels possible. As I was thinking about what I wanted ...

The year’s writing wins

I love a good December retrospective. I love looking back on the year and creating a highlight reel—favourite books, best swims, most listened to songs, best cake I made, best TV show I watched...But, ...

How to tame your nerves at a live/online reading

The other week, I stood on the edge of a stage down at Harbourfront, waiting for my cue. I wasn’t nervous about reading. After a year of online events, I was excited to read to a live audience, but ...

Grant Writing: Part 2

It’s grant writing season! There are a slew of deadlines coming up and though the process can feel daunting, there is money out there to support writing and we should all be applying!As a professional ...

Writing with kids: Impossible or sometimes maybe possible?

Summer is nigh, which means picnics and sunlight until 10 p.m. and swimming pools and watermelon. And it also means my kids are going to be around a lot more, and finding windows to write is going to ...

How to Start a Writers’ Group

I spent years working on a novel about a lifeguard who was terrified of drowning. Years, of sitting in the same corner of the same coffee shop bashing out draft after unreadable draft. And the only feedback ...