Picking up the Pen

Kingston is always a book lover’s paradise, but never so much as in September when the annual WritersFest comes to town! Only a few years old, this festival showcases some of the biggest literary names around, and over 4,000 people attend to bask in the readings and workshops offered over four days.
his year WritersFest (September 22-25) has another spectacular line-up of nearly seventy writers – a combination of prize-winning authors and exciting new voices of tomorrow. One highlight will be the South African-born Nobel Laureate J.M.Coetzee in conversation with American novelist, screenwriter and translator, Paul Auster.
And if you are wondering if it is ever too late to start writing, this year’s festival has a new event called In Praise of Older Women which discusses creativity and aging, and there is a debut memoir by a woman who is over 80. As well, the Kingston WritersFest Writers Studio offers Master classes led by writers at the top of their game. So of course it is never too late!
Readers and writers alike are welcome. Come with a pen and paper or come with just your curiosity. Take a workshop or just take a listen. As the Artistic Director says, “For every avid reader in the audience, we simply want to put on the best show possible – an hour and a half of reading or discussion that will make them leave seeing the world in a slightly different way.”