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A Festival for Writers, Readers, and Fans
Company: Experienced Writers clear filter
Friday, August 14
 

12:00pm MDT

Fundamentals of Commercial Fiction - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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In this intensive Masterclass, professional fiction writer Craig DiLouie guides you through the four pillars of good commercial fiction writing—plotting, character, dialogue, and theme. Whether new to writing or a veteran, this comprehensive presentation will help you level up your craft.
Presenters
avatar for Craig DiLouie

Craig DiLouie

Craig DiLouie is a bestselling author of horror, speculative, and military fiction. Notable works include My Ex The Antichrist, How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive, Episode Thirteen, The Children of Red Peak, One of Us, and Our War (Orbit/Hachette) as well as Suffer the Childr... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker

12:00pm MDT

Make Shame Your Bitch - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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Part craft-talk, part author-development bootcamp, this workshop will help you turn your greatest vulnerability into your superpower. 
  • Learn how to harness shame to add depth and drama to your characters' motivations. 
  • Understand how your own shame triggers may be holding you back as a writer. 
  • Experience first-hand how it’s possible to transform shame into resilience and resolve. 
Drawing on cultural examples of weaponized shame, including the presenter’s own experience surviving global tabloid media humiliation, our time together will focus on reclaiming our power to write bolder, wiser, more authentic stories.  Expect relevant literary examples, personal storytelling, safe sharing of a tiny slice of your personal experience, plus cathartic scribbling, cutting and pasting. Vibe: Brené Brown, Monica Lewinsky and Jon Ronson get together to share secrets, strategies and stationery supplies. Let's do this.
 
Open to writers at all levels. 
Please bring your most open-hearted self. Everything else will be provided.
Presenters
avatar for Jessica Waite

Jessica Waite

Jessica Waite is a best-selling author and award-winning essayist whose work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Alberta Views,The Catalyst and many other outlets. She was a recipient of Châtelaine magazine’s 2025 Doris Anderson Award for overcoming several obstacles in order... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman

3:00pm MDT

Adaptation: Turning your Novel into a Script—and Vice-Versa - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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Learn how to transfer your core ideas from one medium to the other—not just expanding and contracting but completely reimagining a work to best use its strengths in a new form. Robert J. Sawyer is a member of the scriptwriting unions Writers Guild of Canada and Writers Guild of America. The ABC TV series FlashForward was based on his Aurora Award-winning novel of the same name, and he was one of the scriptwriters for that series; Rob has also written commissioned feature-film scripts, adapting both his own work and that of others. On the flip side, his novel The Downloaded started life as a commissioned TV pilot script.
Presenters
avatar for Robert J. Sawyer

Robert J. Sawyer

SFWriter.com Inc.
Robert J. Sawyer — called “the dean of Canadian Science Fiction” by both the Ottawa Citizen and the CBC — has won the Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards for Best Novel of the Year; a record-setting 17 Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“Auroras... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman

3:00pm MDT

Sketch Writing with Kevin McDonald - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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Kevin McDonald is offering a 4 hour workshop about sketch comedy. Students will bring in a one line premise for a sketch, eg. "What if a guy was $10 short of being a millionaire". Kevin will start the class with an opening talk about writing comedy sketches, and then will work through each premise with the class. Students will discover how to flesh out the idea and make it a whole sketch.
Presenters
avatar for Kevin McDonald

Kevin McDonald

Comedian, actor, writer and director Kevin McDonald founded The Kids in the Hall with friend Dave Foley, after they met in Toronto at Second City, and the television series ran from 1988-1995.
In the troupe's television series and stage shows, he portrays several popular recurring... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
 
Saturday, August 15
 

9:00am MDT

Beyond Character vs. Plot Driven: The Differences between Literary Upmarket, & Commercial Fiction - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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People often say, "I know it when I read it", but what is truly the divide between calling a novel literary or commercial fiction? And how can you determine if your manuscript hits one or the other, or falls in
that coveted space, Upmarket? It's far more than plot driven vs. character driven, but we'll analyze what those terms really mean, along with active vs. passive readers, prose differences, thematic
structure, “postcards”, and more. (A basic understanding of plot structure and character arcs is needed for this masterclass.)
Presenters
avatar for Mira Landry

Mira Landry

Literary Agent
Born and raised in British Columbia, she has traveled to over eighty countries and now resides in Colorado with her husband where she still seeks adventure in both real life and on the page.

She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia and a Certificate of Creative Writing from Simon Fraser University. After a decade building her own business as a photographer, she began her career as an agent in 2022 and is eager to help authors turn their art... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker

12:00pm MDT

A CRASH COURSE IN COPYRIGHT
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Writers live by Copyright, it is a fundamental principal of our existence. But it is often only vaguely understood.

What is it? Where did it come from and how did it develop? What rights do I have and how far do they extend? How and when should I negotiate these rights? What are similar rights? What is fair use? What is public domain? How do I know when I am infringing? Or when I am infringed upon? There are books and libraries of books written on the subject, and there are decades of court decisions. We can't make you an expert. But this Crash Course can teach you enough of the basics to navigate your way through the business of writing, and give you the tools to make decisions.
Presenters
avatar for D.G. Valdron

D.G. Valdron

Publisher, Fossil Cove Press
Renegade Canadian speculative fiction writer, aboriginal rights lawyer, and all round subversive iconoclast. When not railing against authority and injustice, wherever it may be found, Valdron is a pathological writer with over twenty-five books in print, numerous short stories, essays... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

12:00pm MDT

Flying Pork Chops - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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Write from your heart, apply fiction techniques, throw in a flying pork chop and voilà, you have everything you need to tell a good short story. In zero to sixty minutes, we'll cover the essential elements of fiction writing coupled with the magic of random elements designed to level up your writing.
Presenters
avatar for Lee Kvern

Lee Kvern

Author
Lee Kvern is the author of four books, various chapbooks and oodles of short stories. Her stories have garnered the CBC Literary Award, Alberta + Western Magazine Awards, plus more. Her work has been nominated 24 times. She has won 12 awards. Kvern’s latest novel Catch You on the... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker

12:00pm MDT

Master the 5 Elements of Writing - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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Have you ever read (or written!) a scene that feels a little flat, and you just can’t seem to put your finger on why? Chances are, the writer hasn’t used the 5 Elements of Writing (Setting, Dialogue, Actions, Reactions, Inner Thoughts) to their full advantage. Writing is the only creative medium that can exploit all of these elements. Learn why an imbalance in these elements makes your writing boring, how to spot problems, and what elements to use, when to make your scenes 3D in your readers’ minds and take your writing to the next level.
Presenters
avatar for Suzy Vadori

Suzy Vadori

Author. Editor. Book Coach.
Suzy Vadori
Author. Editor. Book Coach.Suzy is Calgary Bestselling Author of The Fountain Series (The Fountain, The West Woods, Wall of Wishes). This fantastical series has received three Aurora Nominations for Best Young Adult Novel. She is represented by Naomi Davis of Bookends Literary Agency.Suzy is the founder of th
... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman

3:00pm MDT

Fiction as Riot: Writing When the World is F*cked - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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When the world sucks, writing is an act of resistance. This masterclass explores how to channel rage and grief into powerful fiction without sacrificing your craft. We’ll talk about play, joy, and creativity-care, and we’ll also dive into the how of writing about the difficult stuff. Perfect for writers who want both escapism from the evils of the world and the tools to shine a spotlight on those evils.
Presenters
avatar for Finnian Burnett

Finnian Burnett

Dr. Finnian Burnett is a writer whose work explores the intersections of the human body, mental health, the gorgeousness of human complexity, and gender identity. They are a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant and a finalist in the 2023 CBC nonfiction prize. Finnian is... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman

3:00pm MDT

Screenwriting Essentials - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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Storytelling when applied to film or TV is one of the most exciting mediums to explore. It not only improves a writer’s ability to structure story, but it provides the opportunity to look at the art of story from a visual perspective. This masterclass is an interactive and engaging ‘how-to’ guide for structuring a film script, including plotting, character development, dialogue, and film theory. We’ll analyze existing film scenes and scripts while exploring and establishing the rules of scriptwriting (and also how to break those rules).
Presenters
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
 
Sunday, August 16
 

12:00pm MDT

10 SIGNS You’re Ready to Write a Murder Mystery - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***

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When are you actually ready to write your mystery novel? You have an idea, a theme, or a moment—but no idea how to proceed forming that inspiration into a story. Or you’re three-quarters through your manuscript and have the sneaking suspicion that something isn’t quite the way it should be. But you don’t know what ‘should be’ is.
 
This session cuts through the uncertainty with ten signs that show when you can confidently move forward; no matter if you are going from vague concept to first draft or from finished manuscript to polished plot. You can break through the chaos of conflicting advice, assumed obstacles and disconnected information with some structural understanding and insider secrets. 
 
You don't need a complete outline or the perfect twist—but you do need key fundamentals. This talk reveals what those fundamentals are and why they matter. Missing a few? You'll know exactly which skills to develop next. No guesswork, no overwhelm. Each sign points you towards concrete techniques you can learn and apply immediately. This session guides you, step by step, through some well-known and some lesser-known mystery writing basics to keep you inspired and on track while writing your murder mystery.
Presenters
avatar for Juanita R Violini

Juanita R Violini

Owner/Operator, Mystery Factory
Juanita Rose Violini has been creating interactive murder mystery entertainment for 35+ years with over 50 scripts to her credit. Her live interactive entertainment plays - performed everywhere from luxury hotels in Canada to schools in Australia, wineries in Texas, and pubs in Great Britain - sell worldwide... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman

12:00pm MDT

A Very, Very, Very Fine House: The Warp and Weft of Worldbuilding - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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A Very, Very, Very Fine House: The Warp and Weft of Worldbuilding. 
From politics to food to the architecture of love, worldbuilding underpins so many of your narrative decisions—and this holds true regardless of whether you’re writing a novel, working in nonfiction, or crafting a poem. Understanding the building blocks of the world that you create is a crucial part of the creation process.  Join Amanda Leduc for an in-depth discussion of what to consider when building the world of your manuscript.
Presenters
avatar for Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc is a writer, speaker, and disability rights advocate.

​She is the author of the non-fiction book Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space (Coach House Books, 2020), which was shortlisted for the 2020 Governor General’s Award in Nonfiction, and t

... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker

3:00pm MDT

Strategies for Surviving Feedback - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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Writing feedback is hard to come by and can be rated on a scale between encouraging and soul-crushing. Critical feedback, the kind that pushes you to dig deeper into a piece you just poured your heart and soul into, can feel the worst. It can make you question your skills, your purpose, and your relationship with the reader who dared to tell you what they thought. It’s natural for defenses to go up, to assume the reader misunderstands your writerly purpose or fails to appreciate your creative endeavors. But what if you could accept or even appreciate the kind of feedback that makes your stomach turn? 

What if you can learn to value the discomfort of receiving notes that leaves you feeling awful? Clarifying the role of feedback in your writing process and developing a method to ask for and receive notes on your work can help. Preparing yourself for how to use feedback to improve your writing can make you a better writer and preserve a few relationships along the way.

In this masterclass seminar, two writers will share strategies for surviving and thriving when feedback hits hard, separating craft concerns from personal bias, and deciding when to accept the critique, when to question it, and when to leave it alone. 

Participants will participate in real-time feedback practice, shared group discussions, and practical tools for surviving the process, protecting your creative heart, and gaining confidence in your own work. 
Presenters
avatar for Finnian Burnett

Finnian Burnett

Dr. Finnian Burnett is a writer whose work explores the intersections of the human body, mental health, the gorgeousness of human complexity, and gender identity. They are a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant and a finalist in the 2023 CBC nonfiction prize. Finnian is... Read More →
avatar for Christine Tsai Taylor

Christine Tsai Taylor

Writer, StoryCraft
Christine Tsai Taylor is a Dutch American Taiwanese writer and storytelling consultant who has called Edmonton home since 2021. After nearly twenty years in Europe, she was thrilled to build a life and find writing community in a country with loads of English language bookshops. She’s... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman

3:00pm MDT

The Three Bodies Problem - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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When writing a memoir, one faces an ultimate dilemma: what to tell, how to tell it, and how to make it relevant to the mainstream readership.

A trick exists to figuring this out, but it requires reflecting on what you write and who you are as you write it. In this workshop, you will question the author's role in memoir writing and the tools you can use to accomplish truthful, yet inviting non-fiction. 
Presenters
avatar for Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author and LGBTQ+ refugees’ advocate.

His memoir Crooked Teeth received raving reviews and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction. His latest novel, The Foghorn Echoes, won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and

... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
 
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