Villains, Vendettas and Vagabonds

A one-day exploration into how putting “the bad” into your writing will hook your readers and keep them reading until the bitter end. Ruth E. Walker is known for her deft hand with intriguing characters in her fiction and she is not shy about her affection for the nasty ones.

Discover how even adding a few rough edges to a previously angelic character can bring important depth to your plots. Punch up a flat storyline with revengeful renegades, riots and rebellions. Writing `bad` characters and `nasty`plots need not be scary.

Ruth knows a thing or two about writing bad characters. Her bad ass characters in “Death in the Family” helped her win an honourable mention along with plenty of comments and kudos in Geist literary journal’s Literal Literary Postcard Story contest. Her story then went on to be linked online by the prestigious Utne Reader in the U.S.

Her edgy fiction creations have appeared in Cadenza (U.K.) and LICHEN Arts & Letters Preview. And the complicated “villain” in her novel Living Underground has readers questioning their ideas about what constitutes evil.

Come prepared to write with hands-on exercises, learn from lively discussions and take home practical handouts.

Email info@writescape.ca to find out when this workshop will be offered again. NOTE: an in-depth full-day Masterclass is also available.

Writescape’s Presenters

Our writing alumni benefit from what these exceptional writing professionals offer: expertise and a passion for words. With them, we explore the art and craft of writing.

Our workshop presenters share their expertise in focused classroom settings

Our retreat guest authors and agents attend select retreats for both structured classes and informal gatherings

Workshop Presenters

Dorothea Helms brings writing magic to all her sessions. Practical hands-on exercises balance with lively discussions and shared laughter when Dorothea delivers her workshops.

Anne MacLachlan knows what social media can do for a writer. From research to promotion, this fantasy writer is tech-savvy and smart.

Freelance journalist and author, Heather M. O’Connor crafts irresistible promotional material as the PR and Marketing Coordinator for Writescape. She loves teaching practical, hands-on workshops.

Frances Peck edits with a passion for the power of words. A true Grammar Guru, Frances will leave no participle dangling. Period.

Author Sue Reynolds nurtures writers’ souls and nudges their pens. Certified in the Amherst Writers & Artists method, she approaches creative writing workshops with an open heart and mind.

Novelist Erin Thomas knows a lot about writing for children. From picture books to YA plots, she’s not kidding around.

Retreat Guest Authors and Agents

Acclaimed by critics, novelist and poet Jonathan Bennett writes his brilliant prose with the eye of a poet and frames his beautiful poetry within the heart of a storyteller.

Bestselling author Susanna Kearsley blends history, romance and paranormal, crossing genres just as she crosses the hearts — and times — of her characters.

Retreat Guest Author Barbara Kyle

Barbara Kyle‘s bestselling historical novels follow the Thornleigh family through generations of rebellion, passion and Tudor-era treachery.

Hilary McMahon is a top Canadian agent, who – between trips to the Frankfurt and London book fairs – always has time to share with writers updates on trends, industry insights and exciting new books.

Award-winning novelist Caroline Pignat inspires and excites writers with rich historical and fast-paced contemporary novels that engage teen readers and adults alike.

Fun may be prolific author Richard Scrimger‘s middle name but he is deadly serious about crafting his many books for children and young adults.

From deadlines to sources of inspiration, journalist, teacher and novelist Bill Swan loves sharing his years of experience and knowledge of the craft of writing.

You Earned It – Now Keep It

Taxation Tips for Writers and Artists with Gwynn Scheltema.

Are you a writer, storyteller, musician or visual artist? Whether you get paid or not, Revenue Canada offers aspiring and professional arts community members unique tax considerations. These are not available to other occupations. So how can you benefit from them?

Knowledge is the key.

Participants will learn the answers to such questions as:

How does Revenue Canada define “freelance”?
If I win a writing contest, is that money considered income?
What if I’m published but I don’t earn any income?
Should I keep all my novel expenses for the year when it’s published?
Do I have to register for HST?

This workshop…

has information you can use
answers writer-related questions
has creative writing tax-ercises
is loaded with tax-saving tips
is practical and easy to understand

Gwynn Scheltema is a full-time writer and editor, owner of The Write Connection, and a partner in Writescape.ca. Before turning to writing full time, Gwynn worked for over 25 years in accounting, teaching and administration. She received her accounting designation in 1974 and has worked in the accounting field as an accountant, auditor and tax preparer since that time.

Send us an email to be notified of the next date for this workshop: info@writescape.ca

Memo to Readers: Power of Personal Papers

Since it was first published, The Diary of Anne Frank continues to be a bestselling non-fiction book, attracting thousands of readers each year who discover Anne’s spirit. Clara Callan won both the Giller Prize and the Governor General’s Award. Message in a Bottle. The Notebook. The Bible. Dracula. Griffen and Sabine….

All these titles are bestselling fiction and non-fiction books. All are joined by one basic element: the epistolary form. Using personal papers is not a new technique but it can be a powerful addition to a story. And like any power tool in writing, it needs a thoughtful approach.

Let Ruth take you through this form’s limitless possibilities. From grocery lists and memos to diaries and love letters, the epistolary form has been an effective and economical way to convey information and capture the imagination of your reader.

A workshop participant: “I never realized how powerful this could be in my manuscript. Thank you!”

Email info@writescape.ca to find out when the next time this workshop will be offered.

PR Launch Pad

Public Relations Plans to blast off and bring you attention and readers

Get inspired, become creative and delve into the wild and dynamic world of book and author promotion. Invest two nights to :

create your marketing plan
craft press releases
design launch events
enhance your brand as “author”
find contacts
research venues
examine social media options

Gwynn will help you refine your image and your collection of ready-to-serve bios, literary CVs and author profiles. Ruth will share insights and surprises from her book tour and live appearances. Even the authors with a string of titles know they have to work the publicity machine to promote their books. Whether you have a book in hand or are working toward that goal, this workshop series will get you fired up and ready to launch.

Email info@writescape.ca to find out the next time this workshop will be offered.

Glentula – Summer

Glentula, nestled in five acres of mixed Ontario forest, is the home of Gwynn Scheltema and Don Anderson. “Glentula” means “peaceful hollow”. “Glen” meaning “valley or hollow” comes from Don’s Scottish heritage. “Tula” is from Gwynn’s roots in Zimbabwe, Africa, based on the Ndebele word for “peace” or “quiet”. Glentula is the perfect place to write.

The front shade garden offers a gazebo beside the rock garden, the tea stone sunken bench under the maples, or a muskoka chair on the pink granite surround of the camp-fire pit. Wander the garden paths, have a swing or just enjoy the dappled shade beneath the tall trees.

In the back garden. the large deck overlooks a flower edged lawn, with views down over the footbridge to the water of Burnt Point Bay on Lake Seymour, a campfire and entrance to the magic wood with its surprises.

Lake Seymour is part of the Trent River Waterway System, between the locks at Hastings and Healy Falls. At the water’s edge, sit in the gazebo there, lie in the hammock or sunbathe on the dock. Enjoy watching pleasure craft, explore the river mouth and beaver dam, or just enjoy the quiet lap of lilypads as kingfishers, osprey and heron dive for fish. Then wander back to the house through the woodland trails.

Directions to Glentula

From the South West (1½ hours from Oshawa)

Take Hwy. 401 east to Hwy 115. Proceed north on Hwy 115.
After approx 45 minutes, at Peterborough, Hwy 115 becomes Hwy 7. Continue east on Hwy 7 to Havelock (35 mins.).
At Havelock follow map below.

From the East (3 hours from Ottawa)

Take Hwy 417 west to Hwy 7 just west of the Scotiabank Place.
Proceed west on Hwy 7 to Havelock.
At Havelock follow map below.

From the North West (45 mins. from Peterborough)

At Port Perry take Hwy 7A east to Hwy 35.
At Hwy 35 turn south for a kilometre, then east on the continuation of Hwy 7A to Hwy 115.
After approx 15 minutes, at Peterborough, Hwy 115 becomes Hwy 7. Go east to Havelock (35 mins.)
At Havelock follow map below.

From the South East (45 mins from Brighton)

Take Hwy 401 west to Brighton.
Take Regional/County Rd. 30 north to Campbellford
At the lights at the bridge in Campbellford, turn west on Bridge Street (RR 30 cont) to Village of Trent River (15 mins)
At Trent River, follow the map below

map to glentula

Master Class in Character: More than Flesh and Bones

From your POV character to secondary characters to antagonists, all the people in your fiction are important.

They need to rise up from the page and connect with your readers: excite them, horrify them, disappoint them, delight them. In short, characters must have emotional impact.

Join author Ruth E. Walker to explore and experiment with:

~ how characters enhance the themes in your stories

~ when and where dialogue is a game-changer

~ the subtleties of description for greatest benefit

~ how to deepen character motivation and desires

This workshop is not geared for writers just starting out. Bring your in-progress characters and a willingness to stretch them and you over the course of the day.

“Ruth Walker reveals the inner lives of her characters with a quiet and purposeful grace.” Rabindranath Maharaj

“Walker’s prose is skillful, vibrant, and peopled with characters we can believe we know.” Amazon.ca reader

“No matter what I was doing throughout my day, I had Sheila and Sigmund on my mind.” Kevin Craig

Here Be Dragons: Plot and character in fantasy fiction

with Heather M. O’Connor and Anne MacLachlan

Choose your own adventure–and who to take along for the ride–in this four-week workshop on plot and character in fantasy. Through hands-on activities and discussion, you’ll learn how to:

craft nuanced, believable heroes and villains
follow the Hero’s Journey to chart their path and yours
explore fantasy’s many subgenres and archetypes
discover online resources to continue your quest

Excellent companion to The Many Worlds of Fantasy.

Tasting the Page: Beyond the Five Senses

With Gwynn Scheltema

In this one-day workshop:

challenge your reader’s perceptions and assumptions
deepen your powers of description
learn new descriptive techniques to give greater weight to your narrative voice.
master how to add description without slowing the narrative.

Don’t let your fiction be left on the plate. Prepare it gourmet style and your readers will beg for more.

Have fun experimenting with creative writing exercises that make your writing live. We’ll munch our way through a smorgasbord of fiction foods from image and emphasis, to movement, theme, and syntax.

Come prepared to go new places and try new things.

As past participants have said, “You provoked me into thinking of new ways of approaching my writing,” and “Your exercises were great—inspiring, short, but effective. You let us try lots of different things.”

17 Ways to Edit for Energy

with Gwynn Scheltema

You’ve finished your first draft. What’s next?

Your story submission was rejected. Why?

Your writing seems flat. How can you energize it?

Could you use a simple but dynamic self-editing process that injects the energy you need into your writing?

Checking style, presentation, spelling and grammar is not enough. Your writing must have energy. Put power in your prose, turn flat into fabulous, and put your writing on the path to publication.

Learn energizing editing techniques
Identify and avoid the most common reasons that good stories fail.
Practise your new skills immediately on YOUR draft
Add a handy ready-to-apply checklist to your editing toolbox
Use editing examples supplied, or bring your own.