2012 Writer in Residence
The Edmonton Public Library's Writer in Residence program provides services to aspiring and established writers in the Edmonton area including individual manuscript consultations, public readings and talks, information on the publishing process and connections to the writing community.
The Writer in Residence (WIR) also hosts a monthly "Writers' Corner" at the Stanley A. Milner Library. These sessions bring together writers of all abilities to talk about their writing, listen to guest speakers and provide support and encouragement to each other.
A new WIR is chosen each year from submissions received and the twelve-month residency runs from January to December. While at EPL, the WIR devotes 40 per cent of her time to WIR activities and 60 per cent to her own writing projects.
This year, EPL is extremely excited to welcome Jocelyn Brown as our 2012 Writer in Residence!
All About Me
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Jocelyn Brown grew up in Edmonton with her five sisters and her first published stories were about games they invented as children. One of these stories, Miss Canada, was nominated for a National Magazine Award and won the McClelland and Stewart Journey Prize. Her other stories have been published in literary magazines and produced on CBC.
Formerly a theatre costumer and children’s clothing designer, Jocelyn’s first book, One Good Outfit, combined her love of clothing with social satire. Called “a very funny and strangely moving book” by the Edmonton Journal, One Good Outfit is an affectionate guide on making the most of one’s clothing.
Also set in Edmonton, The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1-19 is a young-adult novel about grief, crafts, and semi-criminal adventure. Praised by The Globe and Mail for “transcend[ing] the genre,” Mitochondrial received rave reviews across the country and in the States. Jocelyn loves visiting high school writing classes and has held workshops for young writers at the Bennett Centre’s Young Writer Camp as well as at Hamilton’s GritLit Festival. Watch this site for news on her special program for high school students—The Hero’s Journey. If you’re too curious to wait, feel free to contact her.
Jocelyn also writes for Eighteen Bridges. Her recent article “The Dark Side of Pink,” explores breast cancer politics.
In her current writing, Jocelyn continues to be curious about Edmonton’s character. Apart from the weather, the mall, and the bad driving, what makes the city distinctive and where did those qualities come from? Over her writing residency at EPL, Jocelyn will try to answer these questions in two works: 1) a novel about a group of unusual children on a dangerous mission and 2) The Margaret Crang Project, a website about a fascinating Edmonton politician.
A former creative-writing instructor, Jocelyn has given many writing workshops and met with dozens of writers about their work. She has also been a participant in writing programs and knows how unnerving it is to submit new material for critique. If your story/play/novel/poem seems stuck and you don’t know what it needs, why not send it to her? She may not have the answer, but you will have an interesting conversation about possibilities.
Apart from writing magazine articles and fiction, Jocelyn is a crafty sort who likes to make all manner of books—anything from simple journals to artist books. She plans to have workshops with other book and zine makers and is very open to ideas and collaborations.
Contact Jocelyn at writerinresidence@epl.ca or leave a message at 780.496.5999.
Works Published or Produced
| 2011 | The Dark Side of Pink, Eighteen Bridges, Spring Issue |
| 2010 | Big, Round, and Smooth, Eighteen Bridges, Fall Issue |
| 2009 | The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1-19, Coach House Books |
| 2008 | Alleged Depraved Individuals, Staged reading about Edmonton’s Little Theatre Scandal and Margaret Crang, Edmonton Exposures Festival |
| 2008 | Margaret Crang, Staged reading, May Works Labour Arts Festival, May |
| 2006 | What's a Heaven For; New Literary Quarterly (Comedy Issue) |
| 2005 | Golden; CBC Alberta Anthology, winning entry Dramatic Monologue |
| 2005 | The Calling; Alberta Views, winner of annual fiction contest |
| 2003 | The Exalted Shopper; article, Elm Street Magazine, Holiday Issue |
| 2002 | Miss Canada; short story, This Magazine then Journey Anthology |
| 2000 | One Good Outfit; novel, Mercury Press, Toronto, Canada |
| 1998 | Who's Holly; short drama, Northern Lights Theatre, Edmonton One Good Outfit; short story, CBC Radio Lingerie at Eaton's; winning entry, story contest, Lazy Writer Magazine |
| 1997 | Peak Performance; play, Edmonton Fringe Festival Sound Bite; short play, Catalyst Theatre, Edmonton Another Night at Chicago Pizza; short story, Other Voices (8):2 |
| 1995 | Keeping Score; short story, Other Voices (7):2 |
| 1995 | Under the Eye; play, Edmonton Fringe Festival |
Writer in Residence Events Schedule
(sorted by date)
| What |
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| When | Session 1 - March 11 | 3:00pm to 5:00pm Session 2 - March 18 | 2:00pm to 5:00pm Session 3 - April 22 | 2:00pm to 5:00pm Session 4 - May 6 | 2:00pm to 5:00pm |
| Where | Woodcroft Branch (13420 - 114 Avenue) View Larger Map |
| Cost | Free |
| Register | Register by calling 780.496.1830 |
Memoir Workshop
| What |
Writers' CornerGuest author Anna Marie Sewell joins Jocelyn Brown for the April installment of Writers' Corner. Poetic Licence! Read your poetry the way it deserves to be read and access your inner performer using theatrical tools. Your goal in this session of Writers’ Corner is to learn to present your poetry with as much craft and commitment as you put into writing it. Poets at all stages will benefit from these techniques.Bring 3 pieces to the workshop. | ||
| When | Sunday, April 29, 2012 | 1:30pm | ||
| Where | Stanley A. Milner Library (Downtown) View Larger Map | ||
| Cost | Free | ||
| Register | No registration required |
| What | Bookmaking WorkshopPaging all Teens: Bookmaking for the fast and fierce Visit the Library and learn how to make a book in fifteen minutes! No skill or previous bookmaking experience is required; all materials provided. |
| When | Tuesday, July 10 | 7:00pm Wednesday, July 25 | 2:00pm |
| Where | Whitemud Crossing Branch |
| Cost | Free |
| Register | No registration required |
| What | Bookmaking WorkshopPaging all Teens: Bookmaking for the fast and fierce Visit the Library and learn how to make a book in fifteen minutes! No skill or previous bookmaking experience is required; all materials provided. |
| When | Thursday, July 26 | 7:00pm |
| Where | Abbottsfield - Penny McKee Branch |
| Cost | Free |
| Register | Online Registration starts July 12 at 10:00am |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do you give feedback on anyone’s writing? Do I have to be published?
2. How do I send something to you?
3. Do we have to talk in person about my work?
4. Do I have to give you writing? Can I just come by to talk about semi-colons or fonts?
5. My writing is too awful to show you. Can I come just to talk about writing?
6. What kind of feedback will you give me?
7. Will you help me get published?
8. Should I send my whole novel?
9. When should I come to see you?
1. Do you give feedback on anyone’s writing? Do I have to be published?
Yes, my job is to give feedback on creative writing in all genres. New, unpublished writers are especially welcome to send material.
2. How do I send something to you?
You can contact me at writerinresidence@epl.ca. Or, you can leave your writing in an envelope at the main desk of the Stanley A. Milner Library.
3. Do we have to talk in person about my work?
No. If you prefer, I can give you feedback on-line or by phone.
4. Do I have to give you writing? Can I just come by to talk about semi-colons or fonts?
By all means, come by to chat or make an appointment. No, you do not have to bring writing!
5. My writing is too awful to show you. Can I come just to talk about writing?
Sure, you can come to talk about any aspect of writing. The conversation will be much more relevant to YOUR writing, though, if we can talk about that. Trust me: first drafts are always dreadful. It’s terribly embarrassing to hand them over, but if you’re stuck—do it! (I’m guessing you’re a tad overcritical.)
6. What kind of feedback will you give me?
What kind would you like? If you would like me to focus on, say, character development, I will. Or, if you want a more general critique, that’s fine too. We’ll talk about what will be most helpful for you.
7. Will you help me get published?
I’ll be happy to share what I know about the publishing process, but, no, connecting you to a publisher is not part of my role.
8. Should I send my whole novel?
No! I won’t have time to read nearly all of it. Here are my submission guidelines:
- Fiction, non-fiction, scripts: maximum of 10 double-spaced pages
- Poetry: 5 short (one-page) poems
9. When should I come to see you?
The best thing to do is email me at writerinresidence@epl.ca to set up an appointment. My office hours will be posted here after the new year. You’re welcome to drop by then, but I might be busy with other writers.
Get in touch with EPL's Writer in Residence
You can email Jocelyn at writerinresidence@epl.ca or phone her at 780.496.5999.
If you are submitting hard copy writing samples, please send them to:
Jocelyn Brown / Writer in Residence
c/o Stanley A. Milner Library
7 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Edmonton, AB T5J 2V4
Submission Guidelines:
- Fiction, non-fiction, scripts: maximum of 10 double-spaced pages
- Poetry: 5 short (one-page) poems
