Are you thinking about writing the next great Canadian Novel? This workshop is for you. Building a Career as a Fiction Writer is sponsored by Douglas & McIntyre Publishers, EML, TRU Fiction, and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Wednesday, March  31, 12:30-3:30 pm
TRU CAC 130.

Join Chris Labonté (Acquiring Editor, Fiction — Douglas & McIntyre) as he discusses the ins and outs of Building a Career as a Fiction Writer.   Conducted as a blend of lecture and lively discussion, featuring guest speakers from the writing world, Ian Weir and Adam Lewis Schroeder. This session will provide professional advice and practical tools for individuals interested in building a successful career as a fiction writer.

Topics include tips on how to write effective query letters; strategies for approaching publishers, editors, and agents; and insights on completing grant applications. Also discussed: marketing and self-promotion; working with magazine and book editors; negotiating a book contract; pitching; and making a living when writing income is sparse.

Designed expressly to meet the needs of emerging writers, the session promises to be interactive, flexible and fun.

Chris Labonté is Assistant Publisher & Acquiring Editor, Fiction at Douglas & McIntyre, one of Canada’s largest independent publishers. He is a former fiction editor of PRISMinternational, where he published the likes of Bill Gaston, Matt Cohen, Mark Anthony Jarman and Adam Lewis Schroeder. Labonté completed his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia in 2001, and has published widely, including stories in Oberon Press’s Coming Attractions ’02, and the prize-winning story in Pagitica in Toronto’s inaugural literary competition. He has taught creative writing at Langara College (Vancouver) and the University of British Columbia, including a popular 13-week course called Building a Career in Writing.

This workshop is free and open to the public. Sponsored by Douglas & McIntyre Publishers, the Department of English and Modern Languages, TRU Fiction Student Club, and the Canada Council for the Arts.