Conference & AGM

Poets Laureate in Conversation: Creating for the Community
7:00 – 8:15 p.m. Reception to follow.

Dr. Afua Cooper, El Jones, and Rebecca Thomas come together to share their work and talk creative process. Listen in as these multi-talented poets discuss how their writing has been shaped by working with and for the community, what it means to be the cultural voice for your city, and what upcoming projects they have in store. 

This event is free and open to the public.

Presenting Partner: Halifax Regional Municipality

Margaret Laurence Lecture: Olive Senior
7:30 – 8:30 p.m., Halifax Central Library, Paul O'Regan Hall. Reception to follow.

Each year since 1987, Canada’s most prominent authors have shared insights into their work and the profession of writing in a lecture on the topic of “A Writer’s Life.” Olive Senior, award-winning writer of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books, will deliver the 33rd annual Margaret Laurence Lecture in Halifax. 

This event is free and open to the public. Can't make it? Watch the live stream on the Writers' Trust of Canada's Facebook page. Find event and live stream details here. 

Presented by the Writers' Trust of Canada

Trending Now
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Get the latest insights into trends in Canadian book buying, reading, and consumer habits. Get answers to all the questions you didn't know you had in this chart-friendly presentation.

Presented by Noah Genner, CEO & President of BookNet Canada

Reaching Readers: From Tried & True to Brand New
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Literary festivals. Readings. Magazines. Self-publishing. Social media. Crowdfunding. There are more ways than ever to put your writing out into the world. But when it comes to getting people to read that writing, what works? This panel promises fresh perspectives on creative promotion and marketing tactics. Learn what works – and what doesn’t – as three up-and-coming writers discuss their strategies for building a readership.

Making Believe
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Looking for tips to improve your craft? Join this workshop to learn how to make an interesting fiction out of the facts of one’s life. 

Presented by Michael Winter

Sponsored by University of Guelph's Creative Writing MFA program and the Humber School for Writers. 

Lunch 'n' Learn: Thinking About Your Archives?
12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

It’s never too early to start thinking about the future of your past. At this lunch hour presentation, Library and Archives Canada literary archivist Sarah Hillier will introduce basic archival principles and cover what’s important to keep, how to maintain and organize your files, how to think about your email and digital files, how to negotiate the donation or sale of your archives, and more. 

Please note: Attendees are invited to enjoy their take-out or home-packed lunches during this session. Lunch will not be provided. 

Presented by Sarah Hillier, Literary Archivist, Library and Archives Canada

Writing Your Region
1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

The saying goes “write what you know,” but writing about your region presents a host of challenging questions. How do you bring familiar surroundings to life on the page? What assumptions exist about your city, province, or territory, and how do they influence what you write? How do you sell your work beyond the borders of your region? Explore these questions and more with a panel of authors whose writing is firmly rooted in Atlantic Canada. 

With Shauntay Grant, Theresa Meuse, and Donna Morrissey. Moderated by Sarah Sawler.

The Unexpected Memoir
1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

Bring back to life stale or near-forgotten memories at this session designed to help writers transform their personal stories into compelling nonfiction narratives. Through a worksheet exercise, participants will capture vital memories that may elude them. This session features writing with simple step-by-step techniques to aid in general recall, scene setting, dialogue development, and creating appropriate psychological distance for the writer. 

Please note: This workshop focusses on recall, memories, and writing, which may be triggering to some. 

Presented by JJ Lee

The Art of Present-ing
3:00 – 4:15 p.m.

What makes a great author presentation? While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, what does work every time is authentic presence and connection with the audience. With 30 years’ experience delivering presentations around the world for audiences young and old, Sheree Fitch will share strategies to overcome stage fright and give practical suggestions about getting in tune with your audience. Join this fun, hands-on workshop and come away more confident in your author presentations. 

Presented by Sheree Fitch

First Page Challenge
3:00 – 4:15 p.m.

Hear from a panel of judges as they share their on-the-spot expertise reviewing the first pages of submitted manuscripts. Participants submit the first page of a fiction or nonfiction piece. Submissions are read aloud, and the judges share their impressions of strengths and weaknesses. This is your risk-free chance to see why editors put down manuscripts and why they read on, what agents look for in a potential client’s work, and what creative instructors really like.

Click here to submit a first page. Submissions must be received by April 26, 2019. All submissions are anonymous — if your work is evaluated during the session, you will not be identified. 

With Shaun Bradley, Alexander MacLeod, and Whitney Moran. Moderated by JJ Lee.

Speed Networking
Morning: 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Afternoon: 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

Speed Networking is your chance to meet one-on-one with an industry professional. Remember, these are quick-fire informational interviews (not pitch sessions) so come prepared with your best questions! Speed Networkers include:

• Stephanie Azoulay, Literature Program Officer, Explore and Create, Canada Council for the Arts
• Shaun Bradley, Literary Agent, Transatlantic Agency
• Lesley Choyce, Publisher, Pottersfield Press
• Sarah Hillier, Literary Archivist, Library and Archives Canada
• Nancy Malek, Marketing Manager, Fernwood Publishing
• Lauren Williams, Outreach Officer, Arts Nova Scotia

Sponsored by Access Copyright

Waubgeshig Rice is an author and journalist originally from Wasauksing First Nation. His first short story collection, Midnight Sweatlodge, was inspired by his experiences growing up in an Anishinaabe community, and won an Independent Publishers Book Award in 2012. His debut novel, Legacy, followed in 2014, and he received the Anishinabek Nation’s Debwewin Citation for excellence in First Nation Storytelling that year. A French translation was published in 2017. His latest novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow, was released last fall. He currently works as a multi-platform journalist for CBC News in Sudbury, where he lives with his wife and son. 

Discover what drives Waubgeshig's dedication to writing in this wide-ranging conversation with author Shelagh Plunkett. 

Dayne Ogilvie Prize Presentation
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

The Writers' Trust of Canada invites you to celebrate the announcement of the Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ Emerging Writers. This prize is presented to an emerging Canadian writer from the LGBTQ community who demonstrates great promise in the early stages of their career through a body of work of exceptional quality.

This event is free and open to the public. Can't make it? Watch the live stream on the Writers' Trust of Canada's Facebook page. Find event and live stream details here. 

Presented by the Writers' Trust of Canada

Birthday Bash
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

After a long day of honing your craft and business skills, it’s time to celebrate. The Writers’ Union of Canada is celebrating 45 years of supporting writers, and we’re having a party! We’ll mark our birthday and announce the winners of the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and the Short Prose Competition for Emerging Writers. Join us for drinks, nibbles, music, and cake.

Want to bring a guest who isn't registered for OnWords? Tickets for the Birthday Bash are available for $30. Click the button below to see your registration and Birthday Bash ticket options.

Plenary Sessions
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Help shape the direction of the Union for the coming year. This is the day for motions, minutes, discussion, and debate. Business doesn’t mean boring in these sessions. One member told us, “The business meeting blew me away — who knew such a thing could be so open, honest, serious, articulate, and even entertaining?”

If you are attending the Plenary Sessions, please note the April 1 deadline in the Notice of Motions.

Regional Meetings and the Children's Writers Meeting will also take place on Friday, May 31.