Category Archives: Writing

New Opportunities at the Banff Centre

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Got this from an email:

Writing With Style

Spring program dates: April 17 – 23, 2011
Application deadline: February 15, 2011
Writing genres offered: first chapter novel, poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction

Program director: Elizabeth Philips
Spring faculty: Wayne Grady, Audrey Thomas, Zsuzsi Gartner, Carolyn Smart

Whether you have attended many writing workshops or this is your first, Writing With Style will be an intense and transformative experience. Amidst a diverse community of writers, participants will encounter new ideas and gain confidence in their own style and voice, while shaping and editing their work-in-progress under the guidance of an experienced writer and editor.

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Literary Journalism

Off-site manuscript development: May 2 – June 24, 2011
On-site residency: July 4 – 30, 2011
Application deadline: March 15, 2011

Program chair: Ian Brown
Faculty editors: Katherine Ashenburg, Don Gillmor

Literary Journalism offers eight established writers of non-fiction an opportunity to develop a major essay, memoir, or feature piece. A month-long residency enables writers to work on their manuscript during individual consultations with faculty and during round-table discussions. Participants are able to advance their professional development through work with the program chair, experienced and exacting faculty editors, and through interaction with each other, invited guest speakers, and with artists from other fields. In addition to a $2000 commission fee, writers accepted to this program will receive an award to cover the program fee and travel expenses.

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Self-directed Writing Residency

These residencies offer the time, space, and facilities for creative thinking, editing, and manuscript development. Writers in all genres are invited to apply.

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Information on these and other Literary Arts programs
For more information please contact:

1-403-762-6180 or 1-800-565-9989
arts_info@banffcentre.ca

more to come, I’m sure.

Pencil this in

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pencil crayon wall hanging

pencil crayon tapestry

Something tells me something like this will feature prominently in John Cusack’s next movie. In the meantime, I want one myself.

CBC Celebrity Tip with Margaret Atwood

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Margaret Atwood protects her net with mountains of hardcovers

Margaret Atwood protects her net with mountains of hardcovers

Canadian National treasure and international powerhouse Margaret Atwood is a multi-talented woman. She’s an inventor, she’s a poet, she’s an award-winning novelist.

But first and foremost, she is a goalie.

“As the late Robertson Davies once told me, ‘Peggy, a good goalie anticipates play. A great goalie influences play.’…If a shooter can see net, he’ll deke, and you don’t deke Margaret.”

Selling Out: How Presales Can Make Your Book a Hit

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To whom it may someday concern, in a minor way

Dear Author Arbitrageur

Who: The Shebeen Club presents author, speaker, and sales trainer Shane Gibson

What: Selling Out: How Presales Can Make Your Book a Hit

When: 7-9pm Monday, October 25th (one week later than our usual date)

Where: A private dining room upstairs at Revel Room, 238 Abbott Street just off Gastown, near the Woodward’s Building

Why: Because Shane’s latest book sold out its entire first printing before it was officially available for sale. We want to know how, and so do you!

How (much): $20 early-bird tickets/$25 at the door includes dinner and a glass of wine or beer

I worked as Shane’s editorial assistant on his latest book, Guerrilla Social Media Marketing (co-authored with Jay Conrad Levinson, the Guerrilla Marketing Guru) and while I was typing it up, I kept thinking what a great book it was. This is by way of disclosure, not puffery. Seems thousands of others feel the same way: the book officially sold out its first printing on September 30th; it wasn’t actually in stores until October 3rd.

That is what you call a successful book launch.

Shane is here to tell us how he and Jay did that, and teach us techniques that we can use on our own book launches, whether we’re publishers, editors, or authors. I only know one tip: 85% of life is showing up, so show up on October 25th and prepare to learn powerful tools for marketing your book from an author who’s not afraid of success! At this point, it just might be scared of him!

Shane Gibson

Shane Gibson

Shane Gibson is an international speaker and author who has addressed over 100,000 people over the past sixteen years on stages in North America, Southern Africa and South America.

Shane’s books include Sociable! How Social Media is Turning Sales and Marketing Upside Down, Closing Bigger: the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals, and his new book published by Entrepreneur Press (McGraw Hill) called Guerrilla Social Media Marketing, co-authored with Jay Conrad Levinson.

Blogging since 2002, and podcasting since 2004 Shane drives the majority of his business from social media, and social networks. He has been published in numerous publications as an authority on the topics of leadership, marketing, social media, and sales performance. Some of these publications include CMA Magazine, the Financial Post, the Globe and Mail and Profit Magazine.

7-7:30 Meet & Mingle

7:30-8 Listen and Learn

8-9 Grinning maniacally while counting on your fingers and phoning your accountant

Going Pro at Rogue! Roundup

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Sylvia Taylor

Sylvia Taylor

Just a few (long overdue) notes from our last event, Going Pro featuring Sylvia Taylor.

  • We introduced our new online registration system, which worked well. Remember: preregister and save $5.
  • We moved from our old location of the Shebeen to the new one of the Everything Cafe, but at the last minute had to move from there again, because of a licensing issue. Rogue Wetbar stepped up and donated a private room (which normally costs $600) and made us a terrific custom menu. I had the halibut tacos, and they were fantastic.
  • We lost two people who’d preregistered, because they went to the Everything. I have issued them refunds.
  • We had one of our largest groups since the Social Media for Nonprofits night this past Spring, with 17 members showing up, including some new faces.
  • It was a very engaged and enthusiastic audience, thanks to Sylvia. Her presentation on professionalism and an entrepreneurial approach to a literary career was a big hit with the attendees, several of whom whipped out their business cards to see if they passed the Sylvia test!

So, if you missed it don’t fret too much: you can always reach Sylvia, thanks to her website and contact details. And god knows, we’re sure to have her back soon!