Join us for a conference for English-language writers, publishers, events organizers, and literary professionals to discuss the changing context for literature and to explore how writing careers are developed, supported, and sustained in Quebec in 2022. 

This conference is co-organised by AELAQ (Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec), the Atwater Poetry Project, Espace de la Diversité//Diversity District, LUQ (Literary Umbrella of Quebec), Quebec Writers’ Federation, and SpokenWeb at Concordia University.

How can you participate? Join us in person or online by registering for the Zoom Meeting or watching live on YouTube. 

Have questions? Send them to info.4@concordia.ca  

Full schedule below:

• 10.00am – 10.15am: Opening remarks.

• 10.15am – 11.30am: Long Literary COVID: How has the pandemic changed our literary practices and communities?
  Speakers: Jason Camlot, Tomasz Neugebauer, Francisco Berizzbeitia (SpokenWeb), Chris DiRaddo (The Violet Hour Reading Series & Book Club), Ashley Opheim (Metatron Press), Lori Schubert (QWF).

• 11.30am – 12.45pm: Quebec Writers’ Federation – Have Your Say! 

  Session moderator: Christopher Neal

  • Building a Career as a Writer (getting published, building a reputation, using an agent, etc.) –

    In person. Facilitator: Thaioronióhte Dan David

  • Connecting to the French Literary Community (getting books translated, collaborating, etc.) –

    In person. Facilitator: Julie Barlow

  • Making a Living as a Writer (freelancing, mentoring, finding and applying for grants, understanding copyright, workshop facilitating, being a teaching artist in schools, etc.) - Online. Facilitator: Stephanie Roberts

  • Support Services for Writers (mental health, disabled, queer & racialized writers’ issues, independent authors, etc.) – Online. Facilitator: Christie Huff

• 1.00pm – 1.45pm: Break

• 1.45pm – 2.45pm: Making the Writing Life Sustainable.

  Speakers: Erín Moure (online), Greg Santos and Klara du Plessis. Moderated by Rachel McCrum.

• 2.45 – 3.00pm: Break

• 3.00pm – 4.15pm: Challenging the Field: Black Publishing and Writing in Canada.
  Speakers: H. Nigel Thomas, Kwame Scott Fraser, and Yara El-Ghadban. Moderated by Firoze Manji.

• 4.15pm – 4.30pm: Presentation by Yara El-Ghadban & Selma Guessous (Espace de la Diversité//Diversity District).

• 4.30pm – 5.00pm: Closing remarks.