Surrey International Writers' Conference

2007 SiWC Workshops

A Mystery in Six (+) Parts
Presenters: Hallie Ephron, John Brady, Phillip Margolin, Barbara Rogan, Jan Burke, Patricia Smiley, Anthony Dalton
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 1:30 PM
A panel of best-selling mystery novelists talk about their favourite sub-genres – to write and to read. A look at detective stories, police procedurals, legal thriller, cozy, historical, and more!
Adding Creativity to Non-Fiction
Presenter: Anthony Dalton
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM
Creative non-fiction is the literary art of bending traditional non-fiction rules by employing fiction skills, without straying too far from the non-fiction path. Non-fiction doesn’t have to be dull and two-dimensional; learn techniques including using diary entries, interview transcripts, personal letters and subjective commentary to add sparkle to your work.
All About Platform: If You Build It They Will Come
Presenter: Jeffery McGraw
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM
Join an experienced agent as he discusses what it takes for emerging authors to build and maintain dynamic platforms that will convince editors to take on and publish your non-fiction work.
Autobiography as Jumping Off Point for Fiction
Presenter: Meg Tilly
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 3:30 PM
How much of a writer’s life should show up in the pages of their stories? Can life experiences be used to kick start fiction? Learn how to let your life influence your work.
Backstory: How to Set Your Plot and Characters in the Turbulent Events of History
Presenters: Michael Slade, Diana Gabaldon
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 1:30 PM
In a good novel, the setting takes on a role as important as character or plot. Join these two best selling novelists as they talk about the importance of setting. With Diana’s expertise in history and Michael’s in turbulence you can’t go wrong!
Basics: Point of view: What's the Big Deal?
Presenter: Hallie Ephron
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM
The questions start with your first words on the page. Whose story is this? First person or third? Can I use omniscient? What about multiple points of view? How does POV relate to narrative voice? This basic level workshop explores answers to all these questions and more.
Basics: SiWC For Beginners
Presenter: kc dyer
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 10:30 AM
Your first time to the conference? Haven’t been for a while? Learn how to make the best of your time this year and get your writing on the road to publication.
Basics: Writing: The Mind Game
Presenter: Vicki Pettersson
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 3:30 PM
How do you get over yourself long enough to sustain an idea, and keep out of your own way long enough to write that idea into a finished book? A look at goal-setting, making time and helping first-time authors to stop making excuses and beat the mind games that stand in the way of publication.
Beginnings: From First Word to First Draft
Presenter: Don McQuinn
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
Join a true conference favourite as he helps you work your way into your novel. Where to start? And once you’ve started, where to go from there? McQuinn has all the answers.
Breaking into Travel Writing
Presenter: Michael DeFreitas
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 10:30 AM
You want to write about far-flung places and have a source of income as you travel the globe? But where to begin? Michael DeFreitas will help show you the way as he retraces his own experiences as a photographer and travel writer.
Breathe Life into Fiction through Character
Presenter: Jack Whyte
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM
Best selling author and raconteur Jack Whyte knows how to tell a story. Join Jack as he highlights the different ways to allow your characters to spring off the page and into legend.
Building a Mystery
Presenter: Anne Perry
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 1:30 PM
One of the world’s foremost mistresses of mystery tackles the arc of the mystery story. How does it develop? What is a red herring, anyway? And how can the writer maintain tension throughout the course of the story? Bring your questions and be prepared to plumb the depths of the makings of a mystery.
Canadian Idol(s) - The Importance of Adventure Stories About Canadians
Presenter: Eric Walters
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 10:30 AM
From the Bully Boys to William Stevenson to Terry Fox, look at the importance of heralding the exploits of Canadian adventurers and heroes with an expert in the art of writing to engage young people.
Capturing the Spirit: The Keys to Writing Biography and Memoir
Presenters: Anthony Dalton, Maggie de Vries
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 9:30 AM
How is biography different from other non-fiction material? How important is accurate research? How much information is too much? Learn the secrets to this important genre from two masters of the craft.
Crafting a Story That Sells: Secrets of the Pros
Presenter: Doris Booth
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 10:30 AM
What are the elements of a story that attract an agent or editor to a project? What do they look for when they make the decision to buy? And why do some books catapult to the bestseller lists while others sink into obscurity? How to improve your story to enhance its chances of selling.
Creating Characters - Realistic Heroes and Spectacular Villains
Presenter: Peter Morwood
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 9:30 AM
What makes a good hero great or a villain truly venomous? Join a foremost speculative fiction writer to discuss the ins and outs of making your characters as real or as fantastic as your story calls for.
Creation of the Amateur Sleuth
Presenter: Patricia Smiley
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
Crime fiction is replete with police officers or private investigators as crime-solving protagonists, but how can writers create a civilian main character and not challenge the readers’ willing suspension of disbelief? Examine the limitations and opportunities in the case of an amateur sleuth as a hero.
Crime in Fiction
Presenter: Patricia Smiley
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM
When she’s not busy writing best-selling mystery novels, Patricia Smiley spends part of her time working with the LAPD. Join Patty as she shows you how to keep it real when police and their procedures enter into your crime novel.
Dr. Jaykll and Mr. Slade
Presenter: Michael Slade
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM
Join Michael Slade as he shares chilling tales of an alter ego loose in the publishing world.
Editing Wizardry
Presenter: Lisa Rector-Maass
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 3:30 PM
Learn how to avoid the most common mistakes made by authors and how to polish your work to its finest shine.
Editor vs Agent: Who You Gonna Call?
Presenters: Kaylan Adair, Donald Maass, Lisa Rector-Maass
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM
Your manuscript is done. Now what? This group of experienced editors and agents can tell you what you need to know about taking your manuscript from finished – to sold.
Eternal Triangle: Writer, agent and editor
Presenter: Barbara Rogan
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM
This is a hands-on, role-playing workshop that aims at demystifying the submission process and convincing participants that agents and editors are not petulant gods but ordinary working stiffs. Barbara Rogan leads this workshop from experience, as she has played each of these roles at one time over the course of her career.
Everything You Wanted To Know About Film Making in Canada*
Presenter: Tina Pehme
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM

* but didn't know who to ask....

Join Sepia Producer Tina Pehme as she talks about her experiences making films in Canada and abroad. What is the criteria for getting a film produced in this country? What sort of material do film makers look for? How can you get noticed as a writer?

Tina has the answers to these questions and many more... Bring your ideas and questions to this provocative workshop.

Extreme makeover: Manuscript Edition
Presenter: Elizabeth Lyon
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 1:30 PM
Examine the revisions that no writer of fiction can afford to ignore. Learn how to change a drab manuscript into a novel that shines.
Fiction Queries That Work
Presenters: Elizabeth Lyon, Sorche Fairbank, Nephele Tempest, Michael Bourret, Cricket Pechstein Freeman
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 9:30 AM
Thousands of query letters cross the desks of acquisitions editors and agents every year. How do you make your query letter shine? Hear what works from the folks who read and work with these queries every day.
Finding Your Way In - How to Make Magazine Writing a Career
Presenter: Daniel Wood
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 3:30 PM
What are the right steps to establishing a career in investigative reporting, adventure travel writing, people profiles and literary journalism?
From Novel Writing to Television: Juggling Genres For Sanity and Survival
Presenter: Dennis Foon
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 1:30 PM
What does a writer needs to bring to the table when working with a producer, director, actor or publisher? How can you keep your vision, integrity, story and sanity intact? This session will offer an overview of the technical demands and differences between the worlds of books, TV and movies.
From Pictures to Juvenile Novels – What’s Selling to Children & Their Parents
Presenters: Bob Tyrrell, Kaylan Adair, Michael Bourret, Lee Edward Fodi, Bruce Hale, Maggie de Vries, Tonya Martin
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 3:30 PM
A panel of editors and agents discuss the ins and outs of the market for Children’s books in 2007.
Genre Bending
Presenters: Kelley Armstrong, Diana Gabaldon, Wendy Roberts, Don McQuinn
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM
Cross-genre fiction is rapidly gaining in popularity. What are the advantages and disadvantages to combining different genres in your fiction?
Having Your Say: Writing Personal Narratives for Newspaper and Magazines
Presenter: Lois Peterson
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 1:30 PM
Personal narrative (sometimes called personal essays or op-ed pieces) can be a great way to break into print - if you know how. This workshop provides a step-by-step approach to defining your idea, writing a piece that engages the reader, finding a paying home for your opinion, and submitting your work. You’ll leave this session with new ideas, useful writing strategies, and a list of at least 50 markets to explore.
History as a Platform for Contemporary Issues
Presenters: Diana Gabaldon, Cecelia Holland, Eric Walters, Anne Perry, Jack Whyte, kc dyer
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
Join best selling historical fiction authors as they discuss how modern issues creep into books about the past.
Holistic Historicals -- What is the value of historical fiction?
Presenter: Cecelia Holland
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 9:30 AM
Where does historical fiction fit on today's bookshelves? And what is the difference between historical fiction and historical fantasy?
How to Build a Memorable Female Character
Presenter: Nancy Warren
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 10:30 AM
Scarlett O’Hara, Stephanie Plum, Emma Bovary — what makes some fictional females unforgettable? And what can we learn from them about writing women who are both larger than life and yet familiar? This is a hands on workshop. Look at ways to breathe life into your fictional females and then do just that with your own work.
How to Write Effectively for Young Readers
Presenter: Maggie de Vries
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
Author and editor Maggie de Vries will talk about creating exciting, strong and accessible books for young readers and will give attendees an opportunity to practice writing at a Grade two reading level.
How To Write Legal Thrillers in Your Spare Time for Fun and Profit
Presenter: Phillip Margolin
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 9:30 AM
From 1972 to 1996, Phillip Margolin maintained a full-time law practice in the State of Oregon, specializing in criminal defence at the trial and appellate levels. At the same time he was appearing before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court and the Oregon Court of Appeals, he was also writing best-selling novels. He will share some of the tips and secrets for making the best use of your time as a writer.
Increase Your Freelance Income with Photography
Presenter: Michael DeFreitas
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 9:30 AM
Do you own a camera? Are you using it to illustrate your stories? If not, learn how much income you're passing up and how you can change those figures for the better.
Inspiration and Collaboration: The Sum is Greater Than the Parts
Presenter: Michael Slade
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM
Join Michael Slade and Pink Slade, Father and Daughter, as they discuss the ups and downs of collaborative writing.
Know Thyself: The Power of Revision
Presenter: Jan Burke
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
Do you think of revision as the great dental appointment of writing? This session will change your mind. Revision is an essential part of the writing process, and of coming to know oneself as a writer. Learn when to revise, what to look for and when to stop.
Laughing all the Way to the Morgue
Presenter: Wendy Roberts
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 9:30 AM
Whether you're writing a mystery, thriller or romance, a sprinkle of humour and a moment of levity can lighten the load for the reader while adding emotional depth and realism to your story.
Literary Novels - where are they headed in Canada?
Presenters: Timothy Taylor, Steven Galloway, Bernice Lever
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM
Join a discussion of the status of this genre in the country and the world today with a literary fiction editor and two of Canada’s literary lights.
Love is in the Air: The state of Romance Writing Today
Presenters: Wendy Roberts, Nancy Warren, Johanna Raisanen
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 3:30 PM
Romance continues to be the top selling of any genre fiction today. Join Harlequin editor Johanna Raisanen and three amazing practitioners of the craft as they talk about their own experiences getting published, and their own favourite romance authors to read and enjoy.
Poetry in Translation
Presenter: George McWhirter
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 3:30 PM
Which makes the better lover of poetry in translation, the one faithful to the original verse or the adulterer? An examination of the mysteries of translating someone else's work.
Published Poet -- An Oxymoron?
Presenters: Bernice Lever, George McWhirter
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 10:30 AM
Learn the best routes to getting your poetry into the hands of the public, how to organize yourself and your writing for maximum exposure and some of the many ways and means of finding an audience for your work.
Putting The Fear into Contemporary Fantasy
Presenters: Michael Slade, Kelley Armstrong, Vicki Pettersson
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 1:30 PM
Three writers of popular fiction address the ups and downs of writing to frighten people. How do they put the fear into their fiction? Learn the tried and true techniques from experts in the genre.
Research - Write What You WANT To Know
Presenter: Jan Burke
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 9:30 AM
Learn research basics for crime fiction, find out how to discover more about the world of your characters, and hear more about the good things that may come your way when you write what you WANT to know.
Research Rules
Presenter: Cecelia Holland
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 10:30 AM
When should the research stop and the writing begin? Can you write and research at the same time? Learn an expert’s view of everything you need to know about the perils of researching and writing fiction.
Sarin on Film
Presenter: Vic Sarin
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 1:30 PM

Join filmmaker Vic Sarin as he outlines his passion for working in film. He will examine a number of elements of his craft:

  • the importance of marrying visuals and writing: using each to enhance the other
  • writing dialogue that feels honest; not contrived, and examining how much dialogue one ultimately needs in film
  • avoiding flat scenes -- using writing to create drama.
Say Goodbye to the Slush Pile: Email Query Pitches that Get Results
Presenter: Kristin Nelson
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 10:30 AM
Tired of getting rejection letters just on your query? Want agents begging to read your sample pages without spending money on postage? Look at the fastest growing trend for authors--sending queries to literary agents by email.
Secret Agents at SiWC
Presenters: Donald Maass, Jeffery McGraw, Cricket Pechstein Freeman, Janet Reid
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 1:30 PM
Ever wondered what the secret life of agents is really like? Get a glimpse into the way a literary agent goes about his or her daily routine and learn how they manage it all.
SEPIA Speaks -- Writing & Making Movies -- When Worlds Collide
Presenters: Tina Pehme, Vic Sarin
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM

Join filmmaker Vic Sarin and Producer Tina Pehme in a discussion of the intersection between writing and movie making and what happens when these two most creative of mediums come together. This will be a Q & A format -- so bring your questions and prepare to learn!

Setting: More than Just a Place
Presenter: Steven Galloway
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM
Setting is more than the physical location that a story takes place in. It can be a character, affect plot and influence language. Learn how to understand the place you're writing about.
Seven Secrets of Creating Suspense
Presenter: Bruce Hale
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 1:30 PM
Whether you're writing romance novels, children's literature, or mysteries, you've got to keep your readers turning those pages. The key to getting them hooked? Suspense. Seven surefire ways to build suspense in your stories.
SiWC Idol
Presenters: Kristin Nelson, Cricket Pechstein Freeman, Jack Whyte, Nephele Tempest, Jenoyne Adams, Rachel Vater
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 1:30 PM
How’s your pitch? Bring in the first 2-3 pages of your manuscript to this panel of agents and find out what the experts really think when they see your work, and if they can separate a published opening from the slush. All selections are read anonymously.
Speculative Fiction on Television & Screen
Presenter: Peter Morwood
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 1:30 PM
A discussion of the similarities and differences of writing the genre within these different formats with a writer who has done both – and novels, too.
Suspense in Romance
Presenter:
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
Award-winning author Karen Robards discusses how to use romance and suspense to best effect in writing your novel.
Taboo - The Challenge of Writing for Teens
Presenters: Eric Walters, Dennis Foon, Diane Duane, Meg Tilly, kc dyer
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM
A panel of best-selling writers talk about the biggest challenges they face when writing for contemporary children and young adults. Sex, drugs and Rock & Roll are only the beginning!
Talk, Talk, Talk - How to Make the best use of Dialogue in Fiction
Presenter: Jacquelyn Mitchard
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 1:30 PM
How do you make dialogue enliven rather than murder your story? Learn how to write so the dialogue sounds spoken to the 'reading ear'.
The Art of the Short Story
Presenter: Timothy Taylor
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 3:30 PM
What sets this form of writing apart from other elements of fiction? What essentials must come into play to create the magic that makes the short story so special? Join award winning author Timothy Taylor in the exploration of this art form.
The Business of Being a Writer
Presenter: Timothy Taylor
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM
Before Timothy Taylor was writing Canadian bestsellers, he worked in business. Now as a full time writer, he retains some practices from his old business life. Learn about Taylor’s approach to making a living as a writer.
The Butler Did it . . . Character development in fiction
Presenter: Anne Perry
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 1:30 PM
What is the secret of plucking a two dimensional character off the page and bringing it to life? How can you avoid clichéd and wooden characterization? Examine the fine art of character development in this workshop.
The Colour of Words
Presenter: Bernice Lever
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
Examine the role of grammar in writing from poetry to non-fiction to biography and romance. Add colour to your writing and learn to use the essential building blocks of the English language.
The Creative Carpenter: How Writing for Kids is like building a house
Presenter: Lee Edward Fodi
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 9:30 AM
Writing a story is like building a house, in that it will fall down if all the essentials are not in place. Attendees will emerge with a complete tool kit for story construction.
The Delicate Art of the Love Scene
Presenter: Nancy Warren
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 1:30 PM
Writing about sex is a lot like having sex. If you’re going to put all that effort into doing it, you might as well have fun. Learn the techniques that can help you craft love scenes that not only sizzle, they move the story forward, reveal character and emphasize conflict. A fun and frank class suitable for adult writers at every level.
The Joy of Failure: How to Turn Rejection Letters Into Fan Letters
Presenter: Bruce Hale
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM
Thomas Edison found 2,000 ways NOT to create the light bulb before he hit upon the way that worked. When asked about his failures, he said they weren't failures -- creating the light bulb was just a 2,001-step process. Whether it's struggling with the storyline or dealing with editors' rejections, we all face failure. Gain tips on how to adjust your attitude, persevere, and get from rejection letter to fan letter.
The Nuts and Bolts of the Writer's Life
Presenter: John Brady
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM
Learn how find the balance needed to sustain a writing career; to manage the daily work of being a writer and avoid the over-thinking that hobbles so many writers.
Theatre for Young Audiences - Plays and Pitfalls
Presenter: Dennis Foon
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
How has theatre for young adults evolved? Look at the pitfalls and joys of the genre, the differences between writing for young people and adults, what directors and producers want to see in scripts, and how to get a toehold in the world of playwriting.
Using Art & Photography to Inspire
Presenters: Lee Edward Fodi, Michael DeFreitas
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 3:30 PM
Art and photography can be wonderful tools to shine the light of creativity and inspiration on writing. Join a leading writer-photographer and writer- illustrator as they discuss how they use these other creative elements to inform their writing.
Werewolves in London: World Building in Contemporary Fiction
Presenters: Kelley Armstrong, Diane Duane, Peter Morwood
Time: Friday October 19, 2007 10:30 AM
What are the basic skills needed when constructing fantastic elements in a contemporary setting? Join this panel of writers to discuss how to establish the necessary suspension of disbelief, create believable characters and look at the scope of world building in fiction.
When to Stop - Ending a Story with Grace
Presenter: Jacquelyn Mitchard
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 1:30 PM
Too many books just stop – how can you avoid doing just that? A discussion of the dreaded conclusion and how to end your novel with style; on a grace note readers will always remember.
Writing For Life
Presenter:
Time: Sunday October 21, 2007 11:00 AM
Karen Robards has written more than thirty novels filled with romance, suspense and intrigue over a career that took off when she was just twenty-four. Learn how to establish a career in writing that will last from someone who has made her family and her writing her life.
Writing Non-fiction that Sells - From Book and Magazine Proposals to Publication
Presenters: Daniel Wood, Elizabeth Lyon
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
What makes one proposal stand head and shoulders above the rest? Learn how to find good story ideas and put together magazine query letters and non-fiction book proposals that appeal to acquisitions editors and agents throughout North America.
Writing to Appeal to Boys
Presenter: Eric Walters
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 1:30 PM
The specifics of story-telling to capture that market, why it is worth capturing and how to go about it.
Youth on Spec
Presenter: Diane Duane
Time: Saturday October 20, 2007 10:30 AM
Speculative and Science Fiction is among the most popular genres for teens and young adults today. Explore the intricacies of writing in this genre for the most demanding of audiences.