Wednesday, September 24, 2025
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Workshop 1)
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Workshop 2)
Ortona Armoury
9722 102 St NW
Edmonton
Join the Horizons Writers Circle in Edmonton this fall for one (or both!) of our back to back workshops with writer and community member Ryan Lacanilao! There are more workshops to come this fall, so if you can’t make it be sure to check back again in the future.
Workshop 1: The Lost Art of Letter Writing
Let’s write letters! Whether writing a poem or telling a story, the letter format can spark creativity and is great for writing about things that are deeply personal. Through examples and exercises, you’ll experiment with different ways to craft poetic and narrative missives. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a brand new piece you can share with the group!
Real Talk: Writing Stories with Actual Texts and DMs
Texts and DMs have taken over as our main tools for communication. In this workshop, we’ll discuss things to consider when integrating texts and DMs into your writing. This can be a powerful tool, because when readers encounter texts or DMs in a story, it adds a juicy, intimate layer that makes them feel like they’re part of a personal conversation. By the end of this workshop, you’ll have crafted a fresh story or poem from your own real-life messages.
About our Feature Instructor
Ryan Lacanilao is a sometimes poet (@ooakosiryan), sometimes musician (@thecalamansiclub), and sometimes podcaster (@whatsthetsismis) living on Treaty 6 Territory. He’s published in both English and Kapampangan, and you can find his writing in The Polyglot, Hungry Zine, POV Publications, and elsewhere. He’s currently writing a book of letters to his 4-year-old son.