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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Writers' Community of York Region
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UID:7065-1790899200-1791158399@wcyork.ca
SUMMARY:Fall n' Love on Main
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the first-ever Romance Festival to celebrate Fall on Main Street\, featuring local author talks\, an open mic night\, arts and crafts\, and 2SLGBTQ+ speed-dating. \nExperience a romantic stroll along Main Street to unlock unique promotions from participating neighbouring local cafés\, restaurants and boutiques!
URL:https://wcyork.ca/event/fall-n-love-on-main/
LOCATION:Newmarket Public Library\, 438 Park Ave\, Newmarket\, Ontario\, L3Y 1W1\, Canada
CATEGORIES:BookVendors,Festivals,Open Mic,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wcyork.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-03-195624.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261003T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261003T120000
DTSTAMP:20260916T195504Z
CREATED:20260916T195504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T195504Z
UID:7162-1791023400-1791028800@wcyork.ca
SUMMARY:Love Letters: Writing Workshop
DESCRIPTION:From secret admirers and stolen moments to declarations of undying devotion\, love letters have been making hearts flutter for centuries. In this hands-on workshop\, we’ll take a look at the history of letter writing\, discover what makes a great letter\, and learn the secrets of writing a love letter that says what you really mean. \nWe’ll explore how to write an informal letter\, ways to make your writing personal and memorable\, and prompts to help you find the right words. \nThen it’s time to put pen to paper and write a letter of your own\, be it romantic\, heartfelt\, flirtatious\, funny\, or simply a way of telling someone\, “You mean a lot to me.” Learn how to fold it with a little flair when you are done and create something that would be exciting to find in the mail. \nBring your imagination\, and perhaps someone special to write to!
URL:https://wcyork.ca/event/love-letters-writing-workshop/
LOCATION:Newmarket Public Library\, 438 Park Ave\, Newmarket\, Ontario\, L3Y 1W1\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261015T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261015T210000
DTSTAMP:20260916T200226Z
CREATED:20260916T200226Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T200226Z
UID:7166-1792090800-1792098000@wcyork.ca
SUMMARY:What You Want to Write vs. What Sells: How to Find the Sweet Spot
DESCRIPTION:This workshop looks at the practical overlap between creative passion and market reality. \nMany writers start with a story they love\, then only begin thinking about genre\, audience\, comparable titles\, cover expectations\, pricing\, newsletters\, and promotion after the book is finished. But those choices can affect whether a book finds an agent\, a publisher\, or readers. \nUsing her own relaunch as a case study\, Gina will walk participants through the strategic thinking behind The Unlikely Murder Club\, a cozy-adjacent mystery series positioned for readers looking for funny\, warm\, ensemble mysteries with older sleuths. \nThe workshop will discuss how to identify a genre or subgenre\, study bestseller lists and comparable authors\, understand reader expectations\, recognize useful tropes\, and think about covers and sales copy as signals to the right audience. \nWhile many examples will come from Gina’s self-publishing experience\, the workshop will also address how the same market-awareness tools can help writers pursuing agents\, publishers\, or hybrid paths. \nUnderstanding where a book fits\, how to describe it\, and what comparable titles exist can strengthen query letters\, pitches\, back-cover copy\, online listings\, and conversations with publishing professionals. \nParticipants will be invited to apply these ideas to their own work through short exercises and group discussion. They will consider questions such as: \n\nWhat am I really writing?\nWho is this book for?\nWhat books are closest to mine?\nWhat does my genre promise readers?\nWhere does my book meet those expectations\, and where might it resist or confuse them?\n\nThe workshop will also briefly touch on newsletters\, series strategy\, Kindle Unlimited versus wide publishing\, and promotional tools such as BookFunnel\, Book Report\, K-lytics\, and book blasts\, understanding that each of those topics could become a workshop of its own. \nParticipants should leave with a clearer sense of how to connect the book they want to write with the readers already looking for that kind of experience. \nAbout Gina X. Grant\nGina X. Grant writes quirky cross-genre fiction and is the author of the popular Unlikely Murder Club series. After stepping away from writing for several years\, Gina relaunched her author career by studying the market and positioning her series for readers of books such as The Thursday Murder Club. She has served on the boards of Toronto Sisters in Crime and Toronto Romance Writers\, and is a member of the Writers’ Community of York Region and Novelists Inc. As a hybrid author\, Gina brings both writing and practical\, hands-on publishing experience to this workshop.
URL:https://wcyork.ca/event/what-you-want-to-write-vs-what-sells-how-to-find-the-sweet-spot/
LOCATION:Taylor’s Funeral Home\, 524 Davis Drive\, Newmarket\, Ontario\, L3Y 2P3\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Members Only,Workshops
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ORGANIZER;CN="WCYR":MAILTO:wcyr.cochair@gmail.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261027T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261027T183000
DTSTAMP:20260814T170048Z
CREATED:20260814T170018Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T170048Z
UID:7012-1793125800-1793125800@wcyork.ca
SUMMARY:The Business of Bookselling: Managing Records\, Taxes\, and Publishing Costs with Elise Abram
DESCRIPTION:Once your book is published\, you are running a small business. This workshop explores the practical\, financial\, and administrative responsibilities involved in publishing and selling books\, helping authors understand the often-overlooked aspects and hidden costs of the business. \nThis session examines: \n\nhiring freelancers\ntool subscriptions\nobtaining ISBNs\npublishing/distribution\nroyalties\nbookkeeping: sales and expense recording\nincome tax and HST reporting\n\nFocusing on the financial side of being an author\, participants will learn about the ongoing operating costs\, such as website expenses\, software\, and subscription services that are often overlooked when authors calculate the true cost of publishing. We will also discuss why accurate record-keeping matters\, and how good systems can make it easier to monitor the success of their books and prepare financial information. \nBy the end of the workshop\, participants will have a clearer understanding of the business side of publishing and the steps they can take to manage their writing activities more effectively. \nAbout Elise Abram: \nElise Abram is an author\, editor\, award-winning YA author\, and founder of EMSA Publishing. Since 2015\, she has helped authors through the publishing process\, offering services such as editing\, interior formatting\, cover design\, and distribution. A retired English teacher with over 25 years of experience\, Elise holds an MEd in Curriculum Studies. She now channels her passion for teaching into supporting writers\, working closely with authors on the craft of writing\, editing\, and publishing\, offering practical\, experience-based advice.
URL:https://wcyork.ca/event/the-business-of-bookselling-managing-records-taxes-and-publishing-costs-with-elise-abram/
LOCATION:Virtual Event\, Online
CATEGORIES:Virtual Event,Workshops
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