$220 – Register for The Many Worlds of Fantasy and Here Be Dragons
$190 – Register for The Many Worlds of Fantasy and Here Be Dragons (members of writing organizations)
Do you love children’s books? Do you still remember the characters that you cared about as a child? Have you ever wanted to write a picture book or novel that kids will read over and over again?
Writing for Children introduces you to the basics of writing for young readers. Come find out what publishers look for, and what makes writing for children different from writing for adults.
You’ll learn how to write for different age groups and different reading levels within those age groups. You’ll discover the importance of engaging dialogue and find out how to make your characters come alive. You’ll see how plot and scene structure can strengthen your story, and you’ll explore ways of finding inspiration.
This hands-on six-week workshop series is packed with activities, opportunities to practise your new skills, and written and oral feedback on your work from two powerhouse facilitators.
Gwynn Scheltema and Ruth E. Walker are at the Ontario Writers’ Conference.
Gwynn is offering an advanced class: Watch Your Language. Dialect, foreign languages, accents and other linguistic touches provide diversity and authenticity to dialogue. Gwynn will help participants avoid character stereotypes so that what is being said is not overshadowed by how it’s being said. Gwynn’s popular workshops at the OWC are consistently highly rated and fully booked.
Ruth’s beginner workshop From Inspiration to Publication invites new writers to play with words through hands-on exercises and fun activities. Participants will risk a little and try on different forms of creative writing. Useful handouts offer tips on submitting material to the right market. Ruth will also serve as a Blue Pencil Mentor, offering helpful feedback in one-on-one discussions with writers about their manuscripts.
Gwynn and Ruth have been at the OWC since it launched, facilitating workshops, mentoring writers and enjoying the many speakers and learning opportunities that a comprehensive conference like this has to offer.
To register, visit the Ontario Writers’ Conference.
Vicki Delany: One woman crime wave comes to Turning Leaves
With more than 20 books to her credit, Vicki Delany is a fearless full-time writer, tackling the adult, reluctant reader and YA markets with her mysteries, suspense novels and police procedural titles. Past Chair of Crime Writers of Canada, Vicki is also a member of Capital Crime Writers and Sisters in Crime. She writes as Vicki Delany and Eva Gates.
Enjoy a Friday evening fireside chat with Vicki and a Saturday morning workshop where more than the secrets of writing a great mystery will be revealed. All stories need a mystery at their heart.
Here’s a brief excerpt from her author’s bio: In 2007, Vicki took early retirement from her job as a systems analyst with a major bank and sold her house in Oakville, Ontario. At that time In theShadow of the Glacier, the first book in a police procedural series set in the British Columbia Interior was published. After travelling around North America for a year with her dog, Shenzi, she bought a home in bucolic, rural Prince Edward County, Ontario, where she rarely wears a watch and can write whenever she feels like it.
A $250 non-refundable deposit will secure your place in this retreat.
At Turning Leaves, we build a retreat for the writer and the writing:
workshops to fire up your pen
creativity and group sessions to inspire you
private, uninterrupted writing time in cottage country setting
tailor your retreat to suit your needs
Chatting over dinner in the Heritage Dining Room
Turning Leaves 2016 with Hilary McMahon
Meals and accommodations:
lakeview dining in the Heritage Dining Room
private or shared accommodation in Fern’s Fireside Inn
rooms have wood-burning fireplace, fridge, free WiFi
Fern Resort is 90 minutes from Toronto in a quiet bay on beautiful Lake Couchiching
Resort amenities:
indoor pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna
exercise room
nature trails, outdoor jogging track
spa treatments (by appointment, extra charge)
onsite pub (additional charge)
Fees
Lakeview Room Single Occupancy $875
Landview Room Single Occupancy $845
Landview Room Double Occupancy $775
Day Rate $475
Discounts
Retreat alumni $30
Members of writing organizations $30
REGISTER NOW A $250 non-refundable deposit will secure your place in Turning Leaves 2017
PLEASE NOTE: When you hit the “Add to Cart” button, the PayPal order will show up at the top of the column to the right. To be taken to the secure PayPal to finish your purchase, click on the yellow PayPal button. You can use a credit card on the PayPal site – you do not have to have a PayPal account.
