Sensory Writing

This event is in the past

In this workshop, we will begin with a discussion about our senses, including identifying them and how they may impact a character’s behaviour or a writer’s perspective. Then, we will take time experiencing some of those senses and use our experiences as writing prompts. Time will be set aside to hear samples of writing in which at least one of the senses has been engaged; and discuss how an extract might be improved with a little “seasoning”.

Tools learned in this class can be applied to all written work, linear and lyrical, and may be used to overcome writer’s block. We’ll discuss sensory experiences and the creation of imagery for lyrical work and offer editing techniques to strengthen diction and flow.

For writers of all levels and genres.

Presented in partnership with the Burnaby Writers’ Society

Cynthia Sharp has been published in numerous literary journals and anthologies on every continent, including the Antartica Journal. Her short stories and poetry have been broadcast internationally and nominated for The Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net Anthology. Her full poetry collections are Ordinary Light and Rainforest in Russet. Cynthia has taught writing workshops in diverse environments for different ages over many decades. She holds an MFA in creative writing and an Honours BA in English literature and is a graduate of The Simon Fraser University Writer’s Studio.

Jerena Tobiasen is the author of The Prophecy, a 3-volume, award-winning, historical fiction saga - lives in Burnaby. If she’s not home, she’s likely travelling. Jerena, a graduate of the SFU writers program, embellishes her writing by visiting foreign lands, wandering through museums and delving into libraries, conducting interviews, and walking in the footsteps of her characters. Her experiences and discoveries enrich the authenticity of her stories. Jerena’s latest award-winning novel – Tsarina’s Crown – is the beginning of another adventure: The Nightingale and Sparrow Chronicles. For more information about Jerena, her craft, her novels and their awards, you are invited to visit her website: https://www.jerenatobiasen.ca/