Making words count: Westmount author gives writing workshop this Saturday

“First, everyone thinks they can write, and you can see this with the countless blogs that pop up around the Internet," he says. “Second, people claim they don't have time to improve their writing.”

Ask Manners about these two pet peeves, and you will get an answer that references the whole of western culture, from Rembrandt to classical music. Lucky for him, and for Montreal writers, Manners will get an opportunity to address these and other issues at a creative writing workshop he is giving at the Westmount Library this Saturday, Sept. 29.

Hosted by the Canadian Author's Association, the workshop will feature exercises to help improve certain aspects of writing, such as characterization, point-of-view and, most of all, clarity.

Manners, an award-winning author whose work covers everything from short stories to non-fiction and screenplays, suggests that attendees have a piece they are working on in mind, to put into practice the lessons that will be taught. “Hopefully, by the end, people will be a lot closer to finishing their work,” he says.

However, one thing that won't be taught is style.

“A distinctive and personal style is something that must be developed over time, and the problem is that the more you are self-conscious about your style, the more your writing suffers,” says Manners.

Instead, what Manners would like to convey to Saturday's attendees are the building blocks that lead toward true self-expression, so that their writing may convey authentic emotion.

“Real self-expression is not just a simple declaration of what you are feeling, like people do in blogs. There should be something deeper and more visceral at work. There is more truth in Shakespeare than in Survivor,” says Manners.

The idea of reaching a broad base of writers, especially those for whom writing is only a hobby, is one of the great things about the CAA, says Manners. With the motto 'writers helping writers', the CAA has for the last 86 years created a forum where Canadian writers of all skill levels can get together to exchange ideas, writing tips and contacts.

“You don't need a bachelor's degree in literature to write,” says Eddy Periz of the CAA. “It's all based on inspiration, and with a little help from more experienced writers like Manners, you can get pretty far.”

That is the beauty of the CAA: writers who are just starting get to bounce ideas off the more experienced writers, and at the same time, the more experienced writers benefit from the CAA's list of contacts to help get their work published.

And it's never too late to join the CAA. “One of our members is 82 years old, and she truly has a distinctive and original voice,” says Roberta Capelovitch, a member of the CAA. “Her writing can even be a little raunchy, which goes to show that there are no limits!”

Steven Manners’s creative writing workshop will take place at the Westmount Library, 4574 Sherbrooke St. W. this Saturday, Sept. 29. Cost $45 for the general public, $25 for CAA members. To register, call 514-865-6616.