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May 11, 2021"Characters are Complicated, Just Like People" Bruce McDougall on How to Build Authentic Characters
Bruce McDougall's writing career has spanned more than three decades and generated more than twenty books of nonfiction, covering biographies, sports, and more. But in 2014, he turned his talents to fiction, ...
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May 11, 2021
Don't Write What You Know, Know What You Feel
‘Write what you know,’ must be one of the most common and boring bits of writing advice. I’d say, ‘Don’t worry about what you know – just know what you feel.’You can research most things ...
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May 07, 2021
Kids' Books - More than just learning to read
In my previous life as a pediatric occupational therapist, I’ll guarantee I was never asked, ‘Do you think you’ll ever work with real patients?’ But as a children’s author, I’m equally sure ...
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May 06, 2021"Poetry Changes the Way I Think" Sarah Burgoyne on Exit Poems, Trashing Drafts, & Why Humour Belongs in Poetry
Sometimes an unexpected combination can create a perfect, alchemical kind of reaction. Sarah Burgoyne, whose out-of-the-box literary creativity was beautifully displayed in her acclaimed debut collection Saint ...
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May 05, 2021"Female Fighters Have Always Embodied the Struggle for Equality" Alison Dean on Combat Sports, Violence, & Memoir
Picture a boxer: Sweating, bruised, determined. Maybe eying an opponent with gritty concentration.Any chance you're picturing a woman? When "you hit like a girl" is still a common criticism, and when ...
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May 04, 2021Augur Magazine's Kerry C. Byrne on Breaking the "Arbitrary Line Between 'Literary' and Speculative Literatures"
Literary magazines are often the unsung heroes of the writing and publishing community. Run by passionate and knowledgable writers and editors, they are labours of love where people who adore great writing ...
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May 03, 2021
Mental Health Awareness for Writers - not such a crazy idea.
The night I started planning my posts for this residency, I dreamed I was at a writers’ festival. A poet told me she wished she could tell stories – I said, ‘Every poem you write tells a story!’ ...
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April 29, 2021Your life is yours: a future wish for emerging writers
Today’s the day, friends! This will conclude my residency with Open Book and the Careful Inventory skillshare. I’m very grateful to each of you who have read along and shared your thoughts with me. ...
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April 29, 2021On slowing down and appreciating the little things
With so much going on in the world and in our own individual lives, it’s easy enough to let small pieces of happiness slip through our fingers. As a writer wearing so many hats, I won’t lie, sometimes ...
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April 28, 2021Excerpt: Five Poems from Evie Christie's Striking & Vivid New Collection, Mere Extinction
Evie Christie's new poetry collection, Mere Extinction (ECW Press), shows a poet at the top of her game, never flinching from toughness and honesty in both content and form.In poems populated by mothers ...