Tag: writing workshops

Weisfeld, Oren (Toronto, Ontario)

Non-fiction storyteller. Widely reviewed author. Canadian LongReads recommended. All ages. $200 plus HST for 1 session, $350 for 2. In-person (G.T.A.) and virtual.

Oren Weisfeld is a sports journalist whose work appears in The Guardian, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, CBC, TVO, and more. His new book, The Golden Generation: How Canada Became a Basketball Powerhouse (ECW Press, 2025), has been called “Essential reading for basketball fans… especially for fans of Canadian sports history.” 

Oren’s presentations focus on the power of storytelling in an ever changing media environment. The goal is to empower young creators with the tools to craft compelling narratives and share their views confidently and entertainingly across various platforms. He also enjoys giving media literacy workshops for older groups. 

Oren generally begins presentations by introducing himself and recapping his career. While attending Oakwood Collegiate Institute in downtown Toronto, Oren fell in love with soccer and basketball but wasn’t good enough to continue playing competitively after high school, so he found a different way to stay involved in sports. He started by writing about them for his University newspaper and hosting shows at various radio stations around the country. Twelve years later, sports journalism has taken Oren from Victoria, B.C. for the Olympic men’s basketball Qualifying Tournament to Las Vegas for NBA Summer League to writing about several Olympic Games and World Cups. 

Oren highlights how sports have a unique power to bring people together in an increasingly divided society. He explains the multitude of ways that kids can stay involved in their favourite sport long after their playing days are over, including sports journalism, content creation, public relations, coaching, and business. Finally, he dives into the basic tenets of sports storytelling and how narratives are created and distilled in the modern media environment. 

Sports Writing Workshop

Oren reads a chapter from his new book, The Golden Generation, to provide an example of what entertaining sports journalism can look like. He then explains how research, reporting, interviewing, writing, and editing combine to make a good story, teaching participants how to back up their opinions with facts and defend them with confidence. 

The participants are then split into partners, where they interview each other and write a short “profile” story about their partner’s life using quotes from the interview. Select volunteers will then read their story to the group, who will edit it together following Oren’s lead, focusing on using colour to paint a picture, developing a hook to pull readers in, grammatical improvements, and how to incorporate quotes. This gives participants a taste of everything that goes into sports journalism, from interviewing to writing to editing to public speaking. 

Content Creation Workshop

Oren explains the shift we have seen in recent years from print to video journalism and content creation. He will then show participants examples of video essays, vlogs, and podcast clips from the internet, and the group will discuss why some videos were more successful than others.

Again, participants will be split into pairs and work together to create a 30 second TikTok video (also known as a Reel) about their favourite sport or hobby. They will first storyboard the topic on paper before writing a script, recording it on a phone, and finally using TikTok or Instagram to edit the video. Oren will show participants how to include background music, images, text, and transitional elements into the videos to make them entertaining and informative, encouraging as much creative expression as possible. A couple volunteers will then share their videos with the class, who will discuss them in detail. 

Media Literacy Workship

Leaning on his Bachelor of Arts from Western University’s “Media, Information & Technoculture” program, Oren will begin by asking participants if they can make a distinction between media and social media. He will then highlight how our media consumption has changed over the years and what it means for our attention spans and productivity now that we consume media in shorter bursts. The groups will also discuss the difference between journalists and influencers — highlighting the unique ways that each of them shape trends and consumer behavior — before learning to differentiate between authentic and curated and/or branded content

Oren will then give participants the tools to do research using a wide variety of mediums including books, newspapers, documentaries, podcasts, and large language AI models like Chat GPT. Participants will learn how to distinguish fact from fiction and to detect misinformation on these platforms. This workshop will end with a quiz where Oren tests participants on their media literacy and ability to snuff out biases in the media. 

Contact Oren:

    Renwick, Jessica. (Red Deer, Alberta)

    Alexandra Writer’s Centre Society member. WordBridge board member. 2025 Snow Willow Award finalist. Middle Grade (grades 4 – 8). Writing workshops for all ages.

    In-Person Visits (45-60 minutes): $300 for 1 session; $550 for 2 sessions; $750 for 3 sessions; $900 for 4 sessions. Travel charge of $0.55/km (round trip) for locations over 50 km from Red Deer.

    Virtual Visits (45-60 minutes): $200 per session.

    FOREST OF READING 2026 NOMINEE

    Jessica Renwick dove into the world of writing fiction as a preteen and never looked back. Naturally, this led to a career as a public library assistant. She is the author of middle grade books that explore Canadian history, family dynamics, and friendship through exciting paranormal ghost stories. Her most recent book for young readers, Ghosts of Gastown, is a finalist for the 2025 Willow Awards and was selected for the CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens for spring of 2025.

    Jessica is an experienced speaker who can tailor her presentations to suit the needs of the school or library. Her fun and interactive presentation is perfect for kids grades four to eight, and she loves doing writing workshops for that age and older (including adults!).

    Her general presentation covers her writing journey. This includes themes of resilience, growth, and why rejection letters are not a bad thing. She discusses her writing process, from brainstorming to final edits. She relates the writing and publishing process to what students do in school with their writing assignments, and she includes tips and tricks for generating story ideas, getting over writer’s block, dealing with critique, and how to critique your peers’ work.

    Free virtual visits: Jessica offers free fifteen-minute Q&A virtual visits for classes or library groups who have read Ghosts of Gastown.

    Writing workshops: Available upon request. Jessica is a certified creative writing instructor through the Alexandra Writer’s Centre Society. She offers creative presentations about writing for kids, writing short stories, and can tailor workshops for a class or writing group’s needs. Maximum group size is one class or twenty adults.

    Preferred venues and equipment: Libraries, classrooms, or gymnasiums. If she is presenting in anything larger than a classroom, a microphone will be required. A digital projector and screen will be required, and a table for supplies would be appreciated. Jessica will bring her own laptop for the slideshow.

    Contact Jessica to book a visit:

      Whittingham, Jane (Burnaby, BC)

      SCBWI Member, CWILL BC Member, ALA Member, BCLA Member

      Toronto Public Library First and Best Selection (x3), Texas Library Association 2×2 List Selection, CLEL Bell Awards Finalist, OLA Best Bets Selection. Multiple “best of the year” lists.

      $200 for 1 session (50 minutes), $350 for 2 sessions. Virtual visits: $100 for each session (length varies).

      Jane Whittingham is an award-winning picture book author, poet, children’s librarian and former teacher. She is passionate about helping children become confident, enthusiastic readers, and crafts engaging presentations that encourage kids of all ages and abilities to see themselves as storytellers.

      Jane tailors each workshop and presentation to the specific needs of each group, and uses her extensive experience as a teacher and librarian to engage her young audiences. No boring lectures or snooze-inducing talking heads here!

      JK-K: Songs and Stories – Jane leads kids through an energetic reading of one or more of her picture books, accompanied by an energetic assortment of songs and movement activities that get children moving and grooving!

      1-2: Stories and Storytelling – Jane shares one or more of her stories, then leads kids through collaborative storytelling activities that encourage young children to see themselves as writers.

      2-3: Writing Workshops – Jane shares one of her stories or published poems, then leads kids through individual, accessible writing activities that encourage them to explore and express their own stories.

      Jane also develops and facilitates early literacy and writing workshops for early childhood educators, teachers, librarians, and older elementary and high school students.

      While smaller groups allow for more individualized attention, Jane is comfortable presenting to large groups, and regularly speaks to entire schools in her role as a children’s librarian.

      Contact Jane for a visit:

        Strauss, Rochelle (Toronto, ON)

        Writer’s Union member. Member of CANSCAIP, Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Science Writers and Communicators of Canada, Society of Children’s Book and Writers and Illustrators, National Marine Educators Association, North American Association for Environmental Education, Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication, and Canadian Network for Ocean Education. A selection of awards and honour include UNESCO Ocean Literacy, United Nationals Sustainable Development Book Club, Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, Santa Monica Public Libraries Winner, Sigurd F Olsen Nature Writing Award for Children’s Literature Winner, International Book Award, Society of School Librarians Winner, and several other awards and honours.

        Fees for on-site visits: $350 + HST per presentation, $600 + HST for two presentations on the same day. Each additional presentation on the same day $250 + HST, up to a maximum of 4 presentations. Mileage for school visits outside of Toronto $0.61/km. Accommodation fees may apply if outside GTHA. Fees for virtual visits: $300 + HST per presentation, $200 + HST for each additional presentation on the same day, to a maximum of 4 presentations per day.

        Rochelle Strauss is on a mission to change the world – one book at a time! As an environmental educator and award-winning children’s author, Rochelle is dedicated to building environmental literacy and inspiring people to become active stewards of our planet. Through her work, she uses compelling storytelling to bring complex ecological processes and environmental issues to life, helping young people better understand the natural world and empowering them to make a positive impact. Most importantly, Rochelle also brings HOPE by sharing ripples of change – good new stories from around the world. Rochelle’s children’s books have won several awards, been translated globally and incorporated into curriculum in the US. The Global Ocean is a UNESCO endorsed Ocean Decade Activity, and One Well: The Story of Water on Earth was selected as part of the UN’s SDG Book Club in support of SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation. One Well has also sold over half a million copies internationally. An active speaker and presenter, Rochelle can often be found building environmental literacy in classrooms around the world and raising the profile of non-fiction books as tools for STEM education at conferences and teacher training workshops. 

        School Programs:

        The Global Ocean

        What if Earth had a beating heart that powered everything on the planet? In a way, the Global Ocean is like Earth’s Heart.

        Using this powerful premise, this presentation focusses on building Ocean Literacy – the understanding of the ocean’s influence on us, and our influence on the ocean.

        Diving into the global ocean students learn about the ocean and how it sustains all life on Earth. They explore the important roles the ocean plays in supporting life, such as regulating Earth’s climate, controlling weather, providing habitat, and as a source of food for many animals on the planet (including people). Students also hear about the many issues affecting the health of the global ocean such as pollution, global warming, overfishing, habitat destruction, etc.

        But Rochelle’s emphasis is on HOPE. Using stories called ripples of change, Rochelle shares good news stories of ocean conservation and action from around the world, to demonstrate how people, organizations and governments are taking action and making a difference. An interactive activity engages the entire audience to demonstrate how even the smallest action have a big impact, leaving students feeling empowered, inspired and hopeful!

        Curriculum connections: water cycle, ecosystems, habitats and communities, environment, diversity of living things, earth systems, climate change, food chains and webs, earth and human activity, weather and climate.

        One Well: The Story of Water on Earth

        Imagine for a moment that all the water on Earth came from just one well.

        During this presentation, Rochelle leads students on a journey to become Well Aware, by building their water literacy. Students discover how all water on Earth is connected, as well as explore the water cycle, water as habitat, and the issues impacting Earth’s one well, such as the limited amount of freshwater on Earth, access to the well, demands on the well and pollution in the well. Shared stories also demonstrate how plants and animals (including people) use and depend on water.

        The presentation wraps with good news stories and an opportunity for students to brainstorm actions they can take to protect water on Earth. A final dramatic moment comes with an activity that demonstrates how every student has the power to create their own ripples of change. The activity leaves the students feeling empowered and inspired.

        Curriculum connections: water cycle, ecosystems, habitats and communities, environment, diversity of living things, earth systems, climate change, food chains and webs, earth and human activity, weather and climate.

        Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth

        Please contact Rochelle directly to discuss presentations in support of Tree of Life.

        Teacher’s guides available upon request 🙂

        Important Info:

        • Grades: 3-7 (accommodations can be made for younger/older)
        • Group size: Max 150 students per presentation (happy discuss larger groups)
        • Requirements: LCD projector and screen, as well as mic and speaker for groups of 30 or more.
        • Virtual visits can be conducted via Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, etc.
        • Times: Rochelle can (and has!) accommodated presentations around the globe, in a range of time zones.

        Contact Rochelle to book a visit:

          Frayne Sharon, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

          Writers Union Member. Young Adult and Adult genres. $300 plus HST and travel ($0.50/km outside Niagara) for 1 session, $500 for 2, $700 for 3 and $900 for full day.

          Virtual Visits: $100-200 plus HST (depending on time required)

          Background: Sharon Frayne was born in St. Catharines, grew up on a Niagara farm and in Muskoka, and now divides her time between Niagara and Northern Ontario. She was a high school Visual Arts and English teacher, an Arts Department Head, and Elementary Principal. During her career, she worked with many special needs children, their families and teachers. She’s an award winning short story writer and novelist, whose contemporary tales include diverse characters, environmental issues, Canadian history and outdoor settings.  

          Public Speaking and Workshops: Sharon is a dynamic, engaging, experienced teacher and Principal who is comfortable leading small groups, individual classrooms or presenting in assemblies. She enjoys speaking to adult groups and book clubs. Presentations include visuals and are interactive, tailored to individual and group needs.

          Workshop Themes (samples, more are available and can be customized)

          How to Self-Edit (suitable for students in grades 4- 12. Meets Ontario Curriculum Guidelines)

          How to create amazing, realistic, empathetic characters (for short stories or novel length)

          Does Setting matter? It sure does – let’s do some world building to enhance your story.

          Seven Steps to writing a prize winning Short Story.

          What’s a plot line? How to develop one for a short story or novel.

          Who needs conflict? Your story does – here’s how to create some.

          For Better or for Worse – How does Social Media Affect Us?

          Materials Required for School Presentations:

          Classroom or Library setting preferred. Microphone (if acoustics are problematic), table for computer and materials, screen and data projector. Preference is for individual classrooms, or similar age/grade groups up to 100.

          Free Virtual Visits!

          15 minute virtual visits, with a short teacher/moderator led Q & A session are available to classes or clubs who are reading one of my books.  This works best with small groups.

          Writer in Residence option:

          This is a fantastic opportunity to develop a working relationship with a group over a pre-arranged time period. This could be writing workshops, feedback sessions, book discussions and can be arranged to suit interest and ability levels.

          Publications:

          Magazines and Newspapers: Eden Mills Writers Festival Chapter Publication (winning writers), CommuterLit, Agnes and True, The Ekphrastic Review, Uproar, The Local (NOTL Paper), The Lake Report (NOTL Paper), Stage of Life (USA online publication) and others

          Novels: The Sound of a Rainbow, (Latitude 46 Publishing),2023 (gr. 8 -12)

          Caught Between the Walls, (Bygones Press), 2016 (gr. 6 -12)

          Awards:

          Frayne’s short stories and poems have won in the South Simcoe Arts Festival, Eden Mills Writers Festival, the Northern Ontario Writer’s Workshop, the Banister Poetry Contest and Stratford Rotary Writing Contest. She won the Best Novel Award in the Muskoka Novel Marathon in 2019, 2020 and 2022. She’s been a frequent winner of the NOTL Rising Spirits Writing competition for both short stories and poetry. Her personal essay, ‘Stepping into a Lifetime’ was the USA national winner in the Stage of Life writing competition.

          She won the Halton District School Board’s Award of Distinction for Creativity in Education and was nominated for the Ontario Premier’s Award for Education.

          Associations: In addition to belonging to the Writer’s Union of Canada, she’s an NOTL Writer’s Circle board member, past president of the Niagara branch of the Canadian Author’s Association. She’s a past Editor of the CAA Niagara annual Anthology and has appeared as a guest speaker at numerous Arts Festivals. She was featured in a televised production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ with the CBC.  She also belongs to the NOTL Pumphouse Art Gallery, and is a past board member with NOTL Newcomers Club.

          Contact Sharon To Book A Visit:

            Campbell, Ashlee (Toronto, Ontario)

            Bilingual early elementary picture book (Spanish/English). All ages.

            $200 plus HST for 1 session, $350 for 2, $500 for 3 and $650 for 4, + travel (50 cents per kilometer, round-trip for SW ON). Virtual Visits: $150 plus HST, for one session, 20-60 minutes, $125 for each additional session on the same day.

            Ashlee is an experienced speaker and Creative Writing teacher at the highschool and elementary levels. Ashlee tailors her talks to each group and is available to present in English, Spanish and French or a combination of languages of instruction. Ashlee is available to do multiple talks or workshops over the course of the day with groups ranging from kindergarten to high school. As a homeschool co-op organizer Ashlee also prepares talks and workshops for mixed-age groups. Ashlee has also given talks on writing, publishing and the author’s journey for adult groups.

            Sample pre-recorded workshops available upon request. Ashlee also takes workshop requests.

            Examples of workshop options:

            All presentations available in English, French and Spanish or a combination of language of instruction.

            JK- Gr. 2 – 45 – 60 mins (including speaker-led multilingual “brain breaks” for children)

            Reading of “Senora Sanasana” followed by a character creation workshop including a LA tie-in worksheet for Gr. 2 and a drawing activity for younger ages.

            OR

            Reading of “Senora Sanasana” followed by learning Spanish words and class discussion about languages spoken and heard in the children’s home and communities and creation of a classroom word cloud of words in other languages the children know.

            Gr. 3-6 – 45 – 60 mins

            Character creation workshop based on common nursery rhymes, sayings and idiomatic expressions, including worksheet and writing activity and group discussion about the rhymes and sayings from their diverse backgrounds. Workshop includes time for students to share their characters.

            Highschool – 45 – 60 mins or two sessions for increased content creation time

            Introduction to critique circle practices and character creation workshop (see above). Workshop includes discussion of “own voice” stories and how to create supportive, compassionate and constructive writing critique groups.

            Adults – 45 – 60 mins

            “Abundance versus scarcity for artists” – this is a talk on having an “abundance” mentality as an artist, basing our creative practices on the belief that there is enough space and enough audience in the world for everyone’s art and writing. This talk also delves into how we define success and takes an anti-capitalist approach to redefining both “success” and “audience” in order for artists to thrive.

            All Venues. All Group Sizes. Equipment required: A table or podium. A microphone for larger groups or in the gym, or if the room acoustics require it. A screen and projector for power-point.

            Contact Ashlee to book a visit:

              Lyall, Casey (Strathroy, ON)

              Copyright Jordan Lyall Photography Personal

              Writers’ Union member. CANSCAIP member. Picture Books. Middle grade. Graphic Novels.
              English language presentations and workshops for all ages.

              In-Person Visits (45-60 minutes): $300 for 1 session; $250 for each subsequent session up to four sessions in one day. A session may be split into two 25 minute storytime events for grades K-2.

              Virtual Visits (45-60 minutes): $200 per session. A session may be split into two 25 minute storytime events for grades K-2.

              FOREST OF READING 2026 NOMINEE

              HST applies to all sessions. If travel is over 50 km, a rate of 50¢/km, round trip, will be charged. Accommodations may be required if the event is a lengthy distance for Casey to travel or takes place over multiple days.

              Notables:

              • Multiple nominee for the CCBC Book Awards, the Forest of Reading, and the Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Awards (MYRCA)
              • Red Cedar Fiction Award winner
              • Selected for Junior Library Guild, OLA Best Bets, and the International Youth Library’s White Ravens list
              • Barnes and Noble Best Picture Book nominee

              Testimonial: “Casey’s presentation was an absolute delight and so engaging for the over 150 students that came to see her! She shared her own story of perseverance in chasing her dream of writing stories and was so personable with the students answering all of their many questions with humour and respect. Casey’s story writing exercise provided the audience with an excellent example of developing their own story. Truly an inspiration to inspiring authors young and old. Thank you!” – Peggy Cline, Children’s Programming Coordinator, Grimsby Public Library

              Casey Lyall is the author of nine (and counting!) humorous books for kids such as the Howard Wallace, P.I. series, A Spoonful of Frogs (illustrated by Vera Brosgol), Gnome Is Where Your Heart Is, Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities, and The League of Littles (illustrated by Sara Faber.)

              Casey offers fun, dynamic, and interactive presentations that entertain and inform while leaving her audience excited about creating their own stories.

              Her general presentation covers the key elements that Casey has learned over her years as a writer while allowing time for a Q&A with students and a group story-building game. Casey is a very flexible presenter and can adapt her presentation to suit the needs of a school. If there is an interest in focusing more on one aspect of writing or on one of her books specifically, that can be accommodated.

              Casey also loves presenting at libraries! She’s available for storytime visits as well as workshops for all ages. Reach out to discuss what kind of visit would best suit your organization.

              If there is an interest in book sales at an event, Casey can provide order forms with instructions to help organize the process in advance. She co-ordinates with a bookstore that offers her titles at a discount.

              Testimonial: “Casey presented at the Lakefield Literary Festival Children’s Tent Event, and we loved her performance. She had the kids and adults laughing with her fun, improvised story. It was hilarious, and very engaging for the audience. Casey was a skilled, organized and enthusiastic performer, and our community adored her.”- Kacie Gardiner, Lakefield Literary Festival and Selwyn Public Library

              Free Virtual Visits: Casey offers a limited number of free fifteen-minute virtual visits to classes or book clubs who have read one of her books. These sessions are strictly Q&A only with no presentation.

              Writing Workshops: Available on request. Fees negotiable based on time and intensity. Casey will work with schools and libraries to craft a workshop specifically suited to their needs. These are available for smaller groups – maximum size is one class or approximately twenty adults.

              Equipment: Casey can accommodate presentations to groups of any size, but if she is presenting in a large venue, a microphone is required. A librarian, teacher, or other school representative must be present throughout any event. A digital projector and screen may be required (Some presentations are accompanied by PowerPoint slides. Casey can bring her laptop or provide a flash drive). A table to keep supplies on is also appreciated.

              Contact Casey to book a visit:

                Baird Warren, Jane (Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec)

                Jane Warren

                Writers’ Union Member. Also SCBWI, CANSCAIP, TWUC, CAA, QWF.

                Rates: $150 for one classroom session (grades 4-8), $350 for half-day workshop (grades 9-12, CEGEP). Plus a travel fee of $0.50/km. For Ontario, $0.50/km if outside Toronto. Book Club visit fee $150

                Travel from Toronto (though author lives in Quebec). All activities can be offered online.

                Located in Quebec, Jane is a former teacher, personal trainer and coach with BPE, BEd and an MFA in Creative Writing. She’s published short fiction and poetry and has been featured on CBC radio. Her debut children’s novel HOW TO BE A GOLDFISH deals with themes of family, relationships and bullying can expand to offer a gentle introduction to discussions about alternative families, homosexuality, feminism, forced adoptions and social justice. (Grades 4-7)

                How to be a goldfish by Jane Baird Warren

                Writing workshops

                Grades 4-8

                No Shaggy Dogs Here! A fun, hands-on workshop where students learn that a good story is not just a collection of events; characters matter! Working together we will develop a collective story outline. Students choose and develop their own protagonist then, armed with our story roadmap, they are free to navigate as their imaginations allow. Suitable for a class.

                Grades 9-12 (and CEGEP)

                Workshops are geared to the writer wanting to hone their craft and who may be considering continuing in the field of creative writing either at university or independently. These half-day workshops focus on the student’s own writing and work best when limited in size (10-15 participants).

                Book Club: Grades 4-7

                Jane is available for student book clubs/ classrooms wanting to discuss HOW TO BE A GOLDFISH. Discussions can follow the Study Guide (Scholastic Canada) or can be adapted as needed.

                Contact Jane for a visit:

                  Payne, Mary Jennifer (Toronto, ON)

                  Mary Jennifer’s rate is $300 plus HST per session, plus travel from Toronto. For multiple visits within the same day (maximum of 4), each session is $250 plus HST. Virtual visits via Zoom are $200 plus HST. Each session is 60 minutes long. Author readings with a Q&A and/or writing workshops are available for booking.

                  Jennifer Payne is an internationally published writer who’s widely known for her YA fiction, including her contributions to the award-winning Boldprint and Timelines series and her Daughters of Light trilogy. Her novels often centre around the themes of gentrification, poverty, climate change, prejudice, marginalization, resilience, etc. and feature strong, female protagonists. Mary Jennifer’s YA hi-lo novel, Enough, was praised by CM magazine as a book that, “In trying to address issues of poverty, race, and gender, the author creates a thought-provoking tale that would be useful for opening up reflection and/or discussion around inclusivity and social struggle.”

                  Mary Jennifer Payne is an internationally published writer who’s widely known for her YA fiction, including her contributions to the award-winning Boldprint and Timelines series and her Daughters of Light trilogy. Her novels often centre around the themes of gentrification, poverty, climate change, prejudice, marginalization, resilience, etc. and feature strong, female protagonists. Mary Jennifer’s YA hi-lo novel, Enough, was praised by CM magazine as a book that, “In trying to address issues of poverty, race, and gender, the author creates a thought-provoking tale that would be useful for opening up reflection and/or discussion around inclusivity and social struggle.”

                  Sample Writing Workshops (These can be tailored to relate more directly to my
                  novel and the characters/themes therein):

                  There Are Two Sides to Every Story…. You’ve heard the phrase, “There’s always two sides to a story,” right? In this workshop, I’ll unlock your imagination and allow you to give voice to those characters that didn’t get their fair shake at the spotlight in their original narrative. From Voldemort to Cinderella’s stepsisters to Anansi the Spider, the sky’s the limit in terms of who you can bring to life. Step into your character’s shoes and tell the story from his/her point of view. The workshop leads into discussions around marginalization and the inclusiveness (or lack thereof) within different narratives. This workshop will incorporate fun improvisation to get us warmed­ up. Suitable for ages 10 and up.

                  Believe in Me! How to Create Realistic Characters in Your Stories. Your protagonist and antagonist, as well as your entire cast of characters, need to come alive on the page in an authentic way. Like everyone, each of your characters is a mix of complex emotions and characteristics. And they have a backstory that motivates them to behave in particular ways in different situations. This workshop will help participants really develop their characters. From deciding your protagonist’s favourite food to his/her greatest fear, you’ll end this session with a character that is “fleshed ­out” and real enough to step off the page. This workshop will incorporate drama exercises such as hot-­seating as the character being developed to help get the creative juices flowing. Suitable for ages 10 and up.

                  Create, Collaborate, Celebrate! Many modern workplaces are collaborative. In this fun and fast-­paced workshop, participants will collaborate in groups of two to ­three to develop a story from a current news headline. Each story will be shared and celebrated at the end of the session. After briefly plotting some of the elements of your story, you and your partner will take turns writing sentences (or paragraphs, if you’re really daring!) to bring your narrative to life. During our sharing of work at the end of the workshop, there will be an opportunity to discuss what worked, what frustrated us, and what sparks of discovery were made along the way. Suitable for children aged 10 and up.

                  Book editing and coaching for writers is available as well.

                  Contact Mary Jennifer to book a visit…

                    Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk (Brantford ON)

                     Writers Union Member. Fiction & NF, Multi awards, internationally bestselling. All ages. $400 plus HST for 1 session, $650 for 2, $900 for 3 and $1100 for 4, + travel (.68 cents per kilometer, round-trip for SW ON).

                    Virtual Visits: $300 plus HST, per session.

                    Marsha is an experienced and passionate speaker who tailors each presentation to the group in front of her. As the author of picture books, middle grade novels, narrative non-fiction and YA novels, she can present to an entire school over the course of a day. She also loves speaking to adult groups and she loves loves loves giving writing workshops. 

                    Presentations by grade

                    For most presentations, Marsha reveals her struggles with dyslexia and not being able to read until she was 9. Marsha talks about why she writes about war from a kid’s point of view and why she considers herself a librarian/detective. She also explains how she became a princess if asked.

                    Here is an example of her themes by grade:

                    JK to 1: two 30 minute storytelling sessions for the price of one full session ($400+HST) using When Mama Goes To Work.

                    2 to 4: 45 to 60 minutes: Storytelling session plus Q&A on topic/book of your choice. Most of Marsha’s books delve into the issue of war and displacement from a kid’s point of view. For this age group, this topic can best be presented via specific books:

                    Ukraine’s long struggle under war: Silver Threads, Enough.

                    Vietnamese refugee books: Sky of Bombs Sky of Stars, Too Young to Escape and Adrift at Sea. 

                    Armenian Genocide, orphan refugees: Aram’s Choice, Call Me Aram.

                    4 to 8: Most of Marsha’s books are for this age group and she can present her WWII novels, and Winterkill, set during the Holodomor, but Marsha’s most requested presentation right now is about her brand new Kidnapped from Ukraine trilogy. Book one, Under Attack, has received rave reviews including starred reviews from Kirkus and Bookist, plus this from Canadian Children’s Book News:  “…Under Attack is an invaluable must-read and must-have educational resource for public, schools and home libraries everywhere. Lingering long after the last compelling page is turned, this timely book is inarguably a stirring catalyst for in-depth discussion…” Very highly recommended

                    Book 2, Standoff, is published on Oct 7, and book 3, Still Alive, will be published in April 2026.

                    Maximum group sizes for presentations: 45 for JK to 3. 100+ for everyone else.

                    Writing Workshops work best with 16 or so participants

                    Writing Workshop Topics:

                    Teaching fun self-editing techniques to students in grades 4 to 12.

                    How to create an awesome villain.

                    How to assist gifted student writers (of any age) without tearing your hair out in frustration.

                    Techniques for punching through writer’s block.

                    Grade 12 Writers’ Craft personal memoir writing

                    Other topics upon request.

                    All Venues, library preferred. Equipment required: A glass of water, lunch (egg salad sandwich on brown bread) if she’s staying for the day. A table to spread her things out on. A microphone for larger groups or in the gym, or if the room acoustics are questionable. A screen and projector for power-point.

                    Please note: Her surname is pronounced SKRIPP-ick.

                    Contact Marsha for a visit: