The Writers' Workshop Program contributes towards the development and maintenance of an active creative writing community in Canada.

The program encourages both new and experienced writers to engage and explore new ideas and perspectives on the art of writing.

Upcoming Workshops

The first lines of a story tell a reader whether s/he is likely to be intrigued, repelled, or just bored - whether s/he will keep reading, or set the piece down and move on. Some openings --think Dickens, think Tolstoy -- even become iconic. But whether yours reach those touchstone heights or not, they are vital not only to seducing the reader, but to setting out for yourself the tone, themes, and sensibilities you're aiming for as a writer. In this workshop, we'll discuss why some story openings work (and some don't), with plenty of opportunity to analyze and hone participants' own kick-off words.

JOAN BARFOTT has written 11 novels, from Abra, winner of the Books in Canada First Novel Award, to Exit Lines, published in 2008. Her tenth, Luck, was shortlisted for the 2005 Scotiabank Giller Prize and her ninth, Critical Injuries, was nominated for the 2002 Man Booker Prize. Her novel Dancing in the Dark became an award-winning film, and she received the Marian Engel Award in 1992. A former newspaper journalist, she lives in London, Ontario.

> Registration is now open. Space is limited. To register, or for more information, please email or call 416.504.8222 x 242.