Due to health and safety concerns around COVID-19, Word Up is hosting events online until further notice. Please enjoy these previous Zoom events. Check our Upcoming Events page for live, online readings and Open Mics and sign up for our newsletter to receive official event invites.
Poetry Month Panel National Poetry Month takes place each April, which was introduced in 1996, allows us to change our perspectives and look upon poetry as a rhythmic art of expressing one’s love and thoughts. We’ve invited three poets to talk about why, how and why they write poetry.
Writers and Research Panel Whether writing a historical fiction or no-fiction, a writer has to research. Do the same rules apply to non-fiction as to novelists or short story writers? Does the process differ if you’re writing a play? We’ll talk to experienced authors to learn how the organize their…
Romance is a genre predominantly written by and for women, where women’s desires, experiences, and rich inner lives have been given a space of value. These books can be fun, smart and savvy, and are increasingly inclusive, and for some, a guaranteed good time.
Kickstart Your Writing with Writers Groups ~ January 13th Writing is typically a solo endeavour, but finding a community of writers that support one another can be a great source of inspiration, encouragement and can propel your skills. No matter what your experience, a writing group can offer a supportive…
Short story authors joined us to tell us to tell us what makes short stories necessary and special and to share their work. Open Mic is at the end of the recording.
Two panellists shared their work, Trudee Romanek, Bright Daybreak, and Danielle Kostrich, We Must Have More Men. Both have written well researched, insightful plays based on world wars. You’ll not only learn about some of the people Barrie’s streets are named for, but gain a deeper insight into the hearts and minds of the soldiers who fought for our freedom.
There is no better time than to be told scary stories, with Halloween just around the corner! Our two horror authors were joined by a live audience at the Barrie Public Library, and on Zoom. Two audience members walked away with books from David Demchuk after winning the draw. Visit…
Writers Panel This was our first In-person event since the pandemic and at our new location: the Barrie Public Library! Masks were required. We hosted a reading by our authors, with a general writers panel. The audience on Zoom and in person came with questions and a few generously shared…
Characters with Disabilities in Fiction If we want our stories to be well-rounded, it’s important to include disability along with other types of diverse characters. Since some of our greatest real life heroes are not able-bodied, like Rick Hanson and Terry Fox, we can aim to develop thoughtful stories that…
LGBTQ In Writing
We humans categorize each other as a way to describe and assign differences, including differences of race, ethnicity, social class, disability, gender, and sexual orientation. With regard to LGBTQ, we’ll discuss these categories respectfully in terms of who our writers are and how to create well developed characters to avoid perpetuating stereotypes? Join us for an enlightening panel and come with your questions.
