Write Like a Pro

Cet atelier est enseigné en anglais. Contactez-nous via le formulaire ci-dessous si vous êtes intéressé.e par cet atelier mais ne comprenez pas bien l’anglais.

Writing can be an act of catharsis, a way of processing experiences during difficult times. Now, more than ever, we need to write our stories.

The Write Like a Pro workshop is designed to guide participants through the stylistic and technical elements that make a great piece of writing. It draws heavily from the art and craft of narrative non-fiction, but is relevant for anyone who wants to communicate more effectively through the written word. The nut of it is: How do you make your truth compelling to others?

Over the course of the workshop, we’ll cover: shaping ideas; planning and organising material; elements of storytelling; wordcraft and style; finding your voice; tough-love editing; and, finally, putting your work out there.

Now in its TENTH run, the Write Like a Pro workshop puts special focus on practising techniques we learn in class through the process of developing, writing, and polishing a short (500- to 1000- word) non-fiction piece by the end of the workshop. For most people, this requires setting aside an additional hour or so per week to write at home.

In each workshop, we’ll spend part of the time reviewing techniques and examples, and part of the time writing, sharing work, and providing feedback to others. Think of it like part writing class, part writing circle.

So, if you’ve been feeling the urge to write now more than ever, don’t hesitate to sign up.

Colleen Kimmett is a Montreal-based writer and journalist. Colleen’s work has been published in The Walrus, The Guardian, Al Jazeera America, Bright Magazine, In These Times, StatNews, Arctic Deeply, and beyond. Previously, she was a senior editor at The Tyee and a founding editor of The Discourse. Currently, she teaches a science communication course at McGill and is the community outreach coordinator for the Institute for Investigative Journalism.

Testimonials

“A great class! I appreciated the focus on specific techniques + I loved learning about new authors.”

“Very informative & practical which I like very much.”

“Colleen is a solid instructor who provides useful, packaged, and directed feedback.”

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