Featured Presenters:

Miriam Toews

Miriam Toews writes fiction, memoir, magazine and newspaper articles. The Flying Troutmans is her latest novel. The Governor General's Award winning A Complicated Kindness was also chosen by the Canada Reads Competition as the one book all Canadians should read. Miriam teaches at the Humber School for Writers.

Advanced Fiction: What is a Novel?

In Advanced Fiction Miriam will discuss why she loves the novel: the adaptability of the novel and its essential all-embracing quality.

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Richard Scrimger

Popular Richard Scrimger is returning to the Sleeping Giant Writers Festival to entertain us. He has won or been short listed for many awards including The Mr. Christie Award for The Nose from Jupiter from the Norbert series. He has written fifteen books for children and adults and teaches at the Humber School for Writers.

Beginning Writing: Ground Zero

Richard says all writing begins at ground zero. Come and learn from a master how to write the story you want to tell.

Writing for Children: Challenge Your Imagination

This workshop is about story building: within and without you. This workshop will include lies, laughter and possibly standing on chairs.

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Jeanette Lynes

Jeanette Lynes is an award winning poet. Her first novel, The Factory Voice, was set in an aircraft plant in Thunder Bay. It was long listed for The Scotiabank Giller Prize, 2009. She taught at Lakehead University and now teaches at St. Francis Xavier University and co-edits The Antigonish Review.

Historical Fiction (Workshop FULL)

Experience the challenge of writing historical fiction. Bring five words common to the time period which you would like to write about. All levels of writers are welcome. Limit 20 participants.

Energize your Poems

Energize Your Poems with various strategies. Bring one poem (less than two pages) that needs an energy boost. All levels of writers are welcome. Limit 20 participants.

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David Carpenter

David writes essay, short stories, novels and poems. Two recent books are Welcome to Canada, short stories, and A Hunter's Confession, non-fiction. He has taught at the Banff Centre.

Personal Essay

Discussion will be based on the first page of essay-in-progress. Begin essay with anecdote. Bring anecdote, first page of essay and essay notes to workshop to be discussed and worked on. The first page may be submitted to David before August 5 to be critiqued. Limit 25 participants.

Short Story

This workshop will be based on a brief character sketch from your short story. Bring sketch to workshop to be discussed and worked on. The character sketch may be submitted to David before August 5 to be critiqued. Limit 20 participants.

Submit first page of essay and/or sketch to: SGWF, David Carpenter, Suite #233 - 1100 Memorial Ave., Thunder Bay, ON P7B 4A3

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Douglas Gibson

Douglas Gibson is semi-retired, but is proud to be publishing Terry Fallis's new political satire, The High Road, this September. As the only editor and publisher ever to be made an Honorary Member of the Writers' Union of Canada, he is trying to justify his membership by writing a book, Stories About Storytellers, which tells of his experiences editing such authors as Alice Munro, Alistair MacLeod, W.O. Mitchell, Robertson Davies, Pierre Trudeau, and many others.

Learn About Publishing

Learn About Publishing, is aimed at writers of fiction or non-fiction who want to know more about the book publishing process, and is based on his many years as the head of McClelland & Stewart.

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Terry Fallis

When Terry Fallis couldn't find an agent or publisher for his debut novel, The Best Laid Plans, he released it is a free podcast, and then self-published it. The podcast drew thousands of listeners and the book won the 2008 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour. He promptly landed a literary agent and a publishing deal with McClelland & Stewart. M&S will also publish the sequel, The High Road, in September, 2010. A lapsed engineer, Terry Fallis co-founded the PR agency, Thornley Fallis.

Shameless Self-Promotion

Shameless Self-Promotion will explore cutting-edge techniques for boosting the prospects of writers, whether published or not, including blogging, podcasting, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, readings, and awards.