Writers’ Union of Canada, CANSCAIP, Quebec Writers’ Federation, English Language Arts Network
Monique Polak is three-time winner of the Quebec Writers’ Federation Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, recently renamed the Janet Savage Blachford Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Her work has been nominated for several prizes including the Arthur Ellis Award, Best Juvenile or Crime Book and the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People.
Presentation rates: $250 per hour. Plus travel unless I am in Toronto area for
other reasons. I come to Toronto several times a year to visit family and friends. I charge HST.
Monique Polak is the author of 32 books for young people – and she has two
more books slated for publication! Monique was a long-time teacher at
Marianopolis College in Montreal, where she taught, amongst other courses,
Writing for Children and Print Journalism. Monique began her writing career as a reporter and her stories have been published in newspapers across Canada. A
classic extrovert, Monique loves doing writing workshops with kids (and adults) of all ages. Monique’s mother was a Holocaust survivor who went to school with Anne Frank, and Monique has a special interest in Holocaust stories and the history of the Holocaust.
Monique has done writing workshops for students in Grade 1 all the way to
university.
With her youngest audiences (Grades 1-3), Monique teaches basic story-telling
skills, such as how to find a beginning, middle and end, and how to ensure that a story has drama. She also reads from her new picture book, The Brass Charm.
With older audiences (this includes students in Grades 4 and up, high school
and college students), Monique shares writing tips she wishes someone had
shared with her when she was an aspiring author. Monique also discusses the
inspiration behind some of her stories. And of course, expect Monique – who
love stories – to tell some stories. You can also expect writing exercises.
Monique is especially interested in personal memory as a source of inspiration.
One of her exercises is designed to use personal memory to find the story
participants in her workshops most need to tell!
Monique can handle groups of any size! No special supplies needed – Monique’s only requirement is that students have paper and pen (or in the case of very young participants, crayons!).
