Theatre and Film Writing Groups PARC, NB Film Co-op

For young authors, especially young playwrights, it can be difficult to find others that appreciate how hard you work on your creations. Luckily, there are groups in Atlantic Canada where  playwrights come together and workshop each others' scripts as well as meet producers that may be interested in trying to get their work on the stage.

The process of creation is difficult enough without wondering if anyone would be willing to take on your project and want to see it in all of its glory as much as you do.

Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre (PARC) helps young playwrights meet with a variety of other playwrights to workshop and have people to bounce ideas off of. They also help with  development, promotion, and a variety of other areas including ways to get their scripts onto the stage. This could happen by getting some friends involved and renting a stage, or even just taking it to the streets. Either way, getting involved with a bigger group can help teach you about different cultures and also enhance your knowledge of Atlantic Canada overall through the types of writing that others happen to make.

Another writing group is New Brunswick Film Co-op, which is a film/video group that teaches people of all ages (16 and up) how to get started in film and it also helps people meet others that happen to have more knowledge in the area as well. NB Film Co-op is the only accessible film production facility in New Brunswick. It's always good to know where to go when you want help learning more about your community and other artists that are hidden within it. If you don't want to take a class, then it can be difficult to find other people that are interested in the same medium that you are unless you join a group and get involved.

Here are the links to the two groups mentioned above for more information on them separately:

http://www.playwrightsatlantic.ca/

http://www.nbfilmcoop.com/

Provincial / Atlantic Writing Groups WFNB, WFNS, NFLD Writers Guild, PEI Writers Guild

As artists, it can be hard to find other people that happen to have the same devotion to their work or hobby as you do. There are a few writing groups in Atlantic Canada that are easily accessible to young artists, no matter the form of writing.

Some of the best-known groups are Writers' Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB), Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS), The Newfoundland Writers' Guild, and PEI Writer's Guild. In order to join any of the groups, you're required to become a member.

Membership can cost between 20 dollars to 30 dollars for students, or 40 dollars to 50 dollars for non-students.

There are different types of benefits that a writer can get by being involved with different groups, such as a larger number of people to workshop with. In some cases it's also possible to get health coverage called “The Writers' Coalition” which is a non-profit provider of health insurance to Canadian writers, artists, and musicians.

Other perqs to being a part of a larger writing community are: finding a large number of people that share your interest and love for writing, and also being able to learn of new workshop groups in your area or even special events that happen to be going on.

There are also discounts for members for certain events and even at specific bookstores, so not only are you getting the chance to mingle and learn more from a variety of young and veteran writers, you can also get a chance to go to interesting events and possibly get a few dollars off of some books!

In any case, joining a writing association is an easy way to expand your learning environment and make some great friends that happen to be walking the same path that you're travelling.

Here are links to the groups mentioned for more information on each:

http://www.wfnb.ca/

http://writers.ns.ca/

http://www.newfoundlandwritersguild.com/

http://www.peiwritersguild.com/

Writing Sound Work: More Than a Skill

The skill of writing sound work is barely a skill at all. I would argue that writing sound work is actually just that; work.

If you want sound, clean copy, you need to put in the time. You know that old saying, “life is like a sewer, you get out what you put in.” Something like that.

This time you put in is generally from rereading and rereading your work, so much so that you could read it without even looking. Once you get to that point, you need to have someone else look at it. You could be reading it and because you know your piece so well, you’re filling in the blanks where there are mistakes (look I rhymed).

Hand the piece over to a close friend who you know will be honest, and is strict when it comes to the rules of grammar (you know, that person who always corrects the mistake on your Facebook status).

Once they read it over, you should read it over again. If you have yet to read it out loud, do so! That is when you pick up a lot of mistakes. I mean, if you want sound copy, it makes sense to sound it out, right? If it sounds good, chances are it’s grammatically correct, or at least close.

Even after that, there can still be mistakes. This is a good time to call in the big guns, just to make sure. It seems obvious, but if you are writing on a computer, USE SPELLCHECK! It doesn’t pick up everything but it can pick up a lot. Better safe than sorry. Something like this could make it into the newspaper, and it's difficult to change words that are in a news paper, trust me...

Now, if you put the time in, you should be ready to post your beautiful blog about “writing sound work” on the World Wide Web.

Funny, that’s what I’m doing now. Better go through my steps… if there are any mistakes in this it will be embarrassing.

Yup. Caught a few. That was a close one!

Life after Death: Opportunities other than Grad School

You just graduated with a degree in creative writing and grad school is not an option, now what? The options aren’t endless but still exist. Freelancing is always an obvious choice and not limited to those who have degrees. This does not always guarantee money, but is a good way to make a name for yourself and gain experience in the publishing world.

Another option for recent grads is residency programs at writing and art institutions. Residencies allows writers to spend time away from their usual environments. They provide an opportunity for writers to reflect on their work, research, meet other creative people and to become a part of their new community. Community involvement could include hosting workshops or public readings.

The application requirements for residencies differ depending on the program. For example the The Berton House Writers’ Retreat in the Yukon requires applicants to have one published book and be established in any creative literacy discipline. While the Banff Centre in Alberta requires those interested to submit a minimum of 15 pages of published work and a project proposal. The cost of residency programs also vary. Some places require residents to fund their own stay, others provide part or all of the required finances. Residencies can be short-term, ongoing, seasonal or tied to a particular event. It is also not uncommon for residents to return to finish work or begin a new collaboration as strong relationships are usually built during the programs.

Job opportunities for degrees in creative writing can include being an editor, columnist or advertiser. It is important to not limit yourself to a specific career discipline while job hunting, as sometimes the best jobs are found in the least expected places.

Conflict and Desire: What is a story without them

They say “all good stories arise from conflict”.
     Conflict and desire are two main elements that every story needs. Why are they so important? Well, they keep the story moving and help create tension within it. The protagonist of a story has to have desire something , and the story is basically his or her journey to overcome conflict of some kind in order to fulfill/obtain their desire.

     When we think of conflict we tend to think mainly of a fight or argument between the protagonist and the antagonist, but conflict doesn't come only in these forms. It could be internal – a conflict within, whether it be mental, or some kind of moral conflict; there’s also personal conflict – conflict between the protagonist and his loved ones, so family, friends, lovers; and then we have social conflict – that occurs when the protagonist is dealing with big issues, eg. issues with society, authority, etc.
     The point of conflict and desire is to make the character want something to the point of desperation, but withhold it from them. And then you take the readers on this journey with the character, filled with hindrances (conflict), searching for this thing they crave – making each step more intense than the last.
     Let’s imagine for a second what a story would be like without some form of conflict or desire. If every character got along or had no inner turmoil, or had every one of their needs met and got everything they wanted with no struggle; that would make a pretty boring story, right? And not only would it be boring, it would be unrealistic. We all face conflicts daily trying to fulfill our desires, so why shouldn't these elements be present in a story?
     Whether you choose to allow the character to fulfill their desires in the end, or to have them fail in their quest, it is most important to make the characters and their conflicts relatable for the readers. By doing so you allow the reader to fully embark on the journey with the characters because they’re identifiable.

What to Leave Out of Your Writing

         We can all probably admit to being bored by a book at least once in our lives. When writing, it's important to keep your readers interested. Sometimes it isn't what you put into a novel but what you leave out that can keep the plot moving, and your audience engaged.
For instance, repeatedly describing what a character looks like can take away from the action of the story. It's difficult to omit these details when you have such a clear image of what your character looks like and you want your reader to see it too. However, the audience doesn't care if the character is wearing a blue shirt that matches their sky blue eyes, when they're about the stake a vampire or have their first kiss.

Seen here: Someone not stopping the action to talk about hair 

       Your audience is concerned with what's happening right now, and pausing the action to mention that your character tied their hair up into a bun isn't going to enhance the image, rather it will detract from it.
On that note, it is best to avoid excessive descriptions in general as those are likely to be distracting and tedious as well. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing the matter with describing your characters or setting but like everything, it's wise to keep it in moderation.
To make your lines unique, leave out clichés such as: "as luck would have it," "blind leading the blind" and "deafening silence." Avoiding clichés will also ensure that each turn of phrase your reader comes across is new. Cliches are boring and will cause readers to lose interest in what you're saying since it's all been said before.
Creating fresh plots while still giving your readers what they expect from the genre is difficult. In order to do this, it is necessary for the writer to be familiar with their genre of choice and its conventions. One way to play with genre conventions would be to leave out frequently done tropes such as the ol' "I'm a broody attractive male with virtually no other discernable character traits; All girls (or at least the main female protagonist) in the book must swoon," as seen in books such as: "Twilight," "Maximum Ride" and "Hush hush." This is one of many common tropes that could easily be left out of your plot.

Yes ladies, he was sent from Heaven, *wink*

Finally, the page is no place to preach. Readers generally pick up a novel with the intention of reading a cool story. When they find obvious political, social and religions opinions spewed about and the main characters becoming nothing more than mouthpieces for the author's rant, the piece becomes obnoxious as well as boring. As Jack Heath said in his article, The Seven Things to Leave Out of Your Book; "be aware that you'll alienate the two-thirds of the world who don't share your beliefs." Of course it's important, maybe even necessary to write about issues that are close to your heart but that doesn't mean you have to shove your ideals in anyone's face. Subtlety is key.