WGA 2025 Conference – Genre and Form Through Time (Calgary) — June 7-8, 2025

After you have checked in at the WGA registration desk, take advantage of the time before sessions to meet fellow conference attendees or chat with your peers.

Rebellious Creators: Writing in the Current Market Keynote - All Writers

Session Description: Publishing numbers tell us a mere 35% of eight-to-eighteen-year-olds read for fun, only 34% of traditionally published books sell more than one thousand copies in their first year, publishers’ marketing budgets don’t travel as well as they did a decade ago, and a writer has a higher chance of being accepted into medical school than getting a publishing contract. 2025 doesn’t feel like a good time to be a writer—but was there ever a “Golden Age” for artists? In this talk, Natasha will discuss the challenges writers face and why this year is a GREAT year to be an author.

Ketnote Speaker: Guyanese-Canadian NATASHA DEEN is a best-selling author for kids, teens, and adults. Her novels include Lark Steals the Show (Crime Writers of Canada 2023 Award of Excellence Nominee), The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad (a Globe & Mail's Top 100 Books for 2022), and Spooky Sleuths: Don’t Go Near the Water (A 2023 CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teens). When she’s not writing, she teaches with the University of Toronto SCS and spends an inordinate amount of time trying to convince her pets that she’s the boss of the house.

Visit Natasha at www.natashadeen.com

This session is sponsored by Read Alberta

The Art of the Short Story (with the intent to publish) Workshop - Intermediate Writers

Session Description:Hoping to publish short stories in provincial and/or national magazines, or a short story collection through a Canadian publisher? Many beloved writers of the 20th century perfected how to make every word count — learn to do the same. This workshop will explore the nuances of writing shorter pieces and publishing within the Canadian landscape

Facilitator:Kirti Bhadresa lives with her family in Calgary, Alberta on Treaty 7 territory. Kirti has fiction and non-fiction writing in many publications including The Fiddlehead, Prairie Fire and Room Magazine. Her first book, a short story collection entitled An Astonishment of Stars was published in October 2024 by ECW Press. The collection was on several most anticipated lists pre-publicationand went on to become an indie bestseller. Kirti's writing engages with themes of visibility, belonging and love, with protagonists who are quietly determined but rarely nostalgic. www.beingkirti.com

Jumping Genre Masterclass - Established Writers

Session Description: Diving into new genres and writing for different audiences gives authors a chance to flex their imagination, experiment with different styles, learn new skills, and expand their creative foundation. Bring your questions and come for a discussion on the things writers need to consider when jumping genres or writing for new audiences.

Facilitator: Guyanese-Canadian NATASHA DEEN is a best-selling author for kids, teens, and adults. Her novels include Lark Steals the Show (Crime Writers of Canada 2023 Award of Excellence Nominee), The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad (a Globe & Mail's Top 100 Books for 2022), and Spooky Sleuths: Don’t Go Near the Water (A 2023 CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teens). When she’s not writing, she teaches with the University of Toronto SCS and spends an inordinate amount of time trying to convince her pets that she’s the boss of the house. Visit Natasha at www.natashadeen.com

You have the option of bringing your own lunch, grabbing lunch at a nearby local food establishment, or choosing to add-on lunch options when you're filling out the registration form.

If you choose to provide your own lunch at the conference, there is a cafeteria/food hall on site.

Writing Past Gender Workshop - All Writers

Session Description: In 2025 and beyond, many writers will be looking to write past gender stereotypes and roles as readers look for their own changing views on gender in the literature they consume. As societal ideas of gender evolve, so does our representation of it in our works. This workshop will guide writers into creating characters that reflect diverse gender identities and break free from outdated stereotypes. We’ll touch on trans and non-binary narratives, writing women without stereotypes, and the importance of non-toxic masculinity. Learn how to expand your ability to write different kinds of characters in various forms and genres. Accessible to writers of all experience levels. Please come expecting to write.

Facilitator: Dr. Finnian Burnett is an author whose writing explores intersections of mental health, gender identity, disability, and life in a fat body. Their work has appeared on CBC books, in Blank Spaces Magazine, Pulp Literature, and more. Finnian has two flash fiction collections; The Clothes Make the Man and The Price of Cookies. When not writing or teaching, Finnian watches too much Star Trek and futilely tries to grow a garden. Finnian is represented by Stacey Kondla of The Rights Factory.

Website: www.finnburnett.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finnianburnett/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/finnwritesstuff.bsky.social

This session is sponsored by Alexandra Writers' Centre Society

Novella: Why Write One? - Intermediate Writers

Session Description: Whether you have a novella-on-the-go or are just plain curious, this workshop will help answer the surely burning questions: what’s a novella and should you write (or continue to write) one? We’ll chat about the history, characteristics and reception of this unique and enduring genre. And, because we’re writers, we’ll do some writing.

Facilitator: Barb Howard has published five books, including 2 novellas, and more than 50 short stories and essays in magazines, journals, and anthologies across Canada. Her work has won the Howard O’Hagan Award for Short Story and The Canadian Authors’ Association Exporting Alberta Award, and been shortlisted for the High Plains Book Awards, the Alberta Trade Fiction Book of the Year, and several Alberta Literary Awards. Barb has been President of the Writers' Guild of Alberta, Author-in-Residence for the Calgary Public Library, and editor of FreeFall Magazine. Her most recent mentoring experience includes the 2024 Newcomer Arts Professional Program run by the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation, and the 2024 WGA Mentorship Program.

Website: Barbhoward.com

Instagram: bhoward717

Facebook: Barb Howard

LinkedIn: Barb Howard

When They Won’t Die the Way You Want Them To: Dark Humour as an Opening to Telling Difficult Stories - All Writers

Session Description:Life is funny, and people are funny – often unintentionally, and often at the darkest times. Through examples, discussion and writing exercises, we’ll explore how the use of dark humour can guide and support us in writing more freely and confidently about topics that feel fraught, and how the use of dark humour can engage our readers more deeply.

Facilitator: Leslie Greentree is the author of four books – Not the Apocalypse I Was Hoping For (University of Calgary Press, 2022), which was shortlisted for a High Plains Book Award, the award-winning short story collection A Minor Planet for You, and two poetry books: go-go dancing for Elvis, which was shortlisted for the 2004 Griffin Prize for Poetry, and guys named Bill. Leslie has won CBC literary competitions for short fiction and poetry, and the Sarah Selecky 2013 Little Bird short fiction competition.

Leslie is also an occasional essayist: “Tom Petty Just Isn’t There for You: Riffs on Waiting” appears in Waiting: an anthology of essays (University of Alberta Press, 2018); “Pink Smock Stories,” was shortlisted for a 2019 Writers Guild of Alberta award and the 2020 Humber Creative Nonfiction award.

Website lesliegreentree.ca

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Take advantage of the time before sessions to meet fellow conference attendees and chat with your peers.

The AGM is free and open to all WGA members in good standing. Please make sure to check-in at the AGM. Board nominations and seconding motions may be put forth at the AGM by WGA members who are in good standing with the consent of the nominee.

More details to follow