The Vancouver Writers Pageant 2021 happened October 18-24 with in-person and digital programming. The Ubyssey sat down with author Alix Ohlin to ask in regards to the competition.
UBC’s artistic writing program director, widespread professor and veteran author Alix Ohlin (she / she) has achieved loads. She has written six books, together with Twin Residents and Inside, which had been finalists for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Rogers Writers’ Belief Fiction Prize. Her writing has additionally been featured in numerous well-known publications similar to The New Yorker and Finest American Brief Tales.
The interview
Marilo: You are going to be internet hosting an occasion on the Vancouver Writers Fest. Are you able to inform us extra about what the competition is about? What can we count on
Alix: So the Vancouver Writers Pageant is a tremendous annual occasion – though they really have year-round programming – however October they’ve an terrible lot of programming, and this 12 months it will be each digital and Granville Island. They convey in writers from all around the world in addition to native Vancouver writers so it truly is a world class occasion and we’re one of many sponsors and have been for a very long time and we’re actually joyful and proud to be part of the Writers Pageant every 12 months.
Marilo: You’ve been to totally different festivals. Noticed you went to the Toronto Writers Pageant. Is there something that makes the Vancouver Pageant distinctive?
Alix: Vancouver is exclusive in the way in which it connects writers from the local people with a really world and progressive perspective. They usually additionally do issues that attain native college kids, in addition to issues for adults. the [Artistic Director], her title is Leslie Hurtig, [has] has been in cost for the previous few years and he or she actually did numerous work to make the competition very progressive occasion. Lawrence Hill is the visitor curator this 12 months. And since the in-person occasions are all on Granville Island, they’re actually centered in a pleasant manner so you may go to Granville Island after which stroll round and expertise this actual pleasure folks have for writing and that is one in all my favourite issues to do about it . Additionally, of their hybrid type, the competition occasions might be accessible to extra folks than ever earlier than, which for my part is de facto one of many facet advantages of our lifestyle at this time, the higher accessibility.
Marilo: So, for somebody who has by no means been to the competition, what would you say that they need to test it out first, or what would you actually advocate that they provide it a attempt?
Alix: I feel folks ought to go to the web site first and see the totally different occasions. There are occasions for nearly all tastes, writers for all genres, and there are issues which are extra like panel discussions after which issues which are readings, issues which are extra community-oriented, issues that should do with meals. There’s additionally a booklet you may take with you to flip by way of so ensure you select what works effectively for you.
Marilo: You are educating a complicated fiction course this semester [at UBC] So your college students get numerous data from you, they be taught loads. Is there something you’ll say to look there which you could’t get anyplace else?
Alix: Properly I feel the Author Pageant is a superb alternative for college kids to attach past the classroom with what writers take into consideration. I imply, there are solely writers from all around the world, for instance a few of the largest names in up to date literature shall be current on the competition after which there are people who find themselves much less well-known however are extra up and coming, so simply the chance to come back immediately from these folks listening to is a superb alternative for UBC college students.
Marilo: Writing can typically be lonely, you understand, writing alone, writing away. Have you ever observed that the Writers’ Pageant would possibly assist foster a way of neighborhood for writers or for your self?
Alix: Yeah, I feel it completely does and it has one thing to do with it – for lots of us who we write, we’re not all the time in the identical room as our readers and the beauty of the writers competition is that you just see all of those individuals who share their enthusiasm for books, studying and writing. And there’s a sort of electrical energy that arises when folks come collectively, particularly now. I feel we want it greater than ever.
Marilo: What’s one in all your favourite actions that you just skilled there or that you’re at present making ready for what you’re looking ahead to?
Alix: Proper, so we’ve got various UBC school, college students and alumni who shall be taking part within the competition in numerous capacities, after which we even have our UBC Inventive Writing Evening Class occasion. We now have been working this occasion for 3 years and it has confirmed to be massively widespread. Right here the UBC schools current quick handicraft classes on numerous genres, together with scholar readers who present how the workouts might be carried out. So it is sort of a hodgepodge of various writing actions. It is a chance for us to share our experience and enthusiasm for educating writing with a wider neighborhood. So this 12 months we’ve got a few of our newer school who lately joined us [and] Will attend the occasion: Billy-Ray Belcourt, who teaches indigenous writing, Lindsay Wong, who teaches nonfiction and writing for younger adults, Tanya Kyi, who teaches writing to kids and youngsters, and Sarah Leavitt, who teaches graphic shapes. So if you come to this occasion you’ll have an opportunity to see what it’s prefer to be a part of UBC Inventive Writing, to attempt a really enjoyable writing exercise and to go away with a larger sense of your individual creativity. It is a tremendous enjoyable occasion, there all the time has a beautiful ambiance within the room that could be very joyful and we actually love doing it.
In case you’re trying to be taught from seasoned writers, meet the native writing neighborhood, or simply wish to have enjoyable, the Vancouver Writers Pageant is a superb place to begin. Recordings of the web occasions can be found till October thirty first.
All competition info and occasion info might be discovered at:
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