Between the personalized pieces and the competitive publishing industry, the world of writing is emotionally draining by nature. It is so easy to get dispirited. While the ability to self-criticize helps you improve your craft, too much of it will harm your career as well as your mental health. That’s why it’s important to persevere despite all of your insecurities. 

Often times when I tell people that I am studying creative writing they reply with the ever awkward: “oh…” sometimes followed by a polite: “good for you!” I don’t think the reason that many people react this way to my degree is because they think that writers are stupid, I think that they just don’t understand what a writer’s purpose is. It may not be as well-known as an engineering or a nursing degree, but a writing degree (and all arts degrees for that matter) has a purpose, nonetheless.  

River Street’s Hollay Ghadery reviews Crito Di Volta by Marc Di Saverio—an epic poem that is as exasperating as it is enchanting.

The old writing adage, “write what you know”—how accurate is it? Where does the line between a writer’s real-life experience and their imagination begin and end? River Street’s Margaret Huntley discusses this puzzling quandary in her latest blog.

How do writers get ideas? River Street’s Margaret Huntley talks shop on the writing processes, sharing her muse-inducing tips to get the creative juices flowing.

Unless you are an insanely talented writer, chances are you will need to do a lot of editing during your writing career. Personally, editing is my favourite part of writing. I just love perfecting drafts, whether they are my own or someone else’s. 

Right now, many of us are finding ourselves with a lot more free time than usual. Now you might be like my mother who has no issues with staying at home and getting work done. But if you are like me, and have difficulty motivating yourself to be productive when on your own, then this article is for you.

One piece of advice I’m sure everyone has heard at some point in their life is: “do what you love, and you won’t work another day in your life.” Phrases like this are part of the reason I decided to do my undergrad degree in creative writing. I have always loved to write. Over time, my notebook full of juvenile two-pagers developed into a laptop full of drafts, essays, and articles. While I am happy that I have the opportunity to pursue what I love as a career, I think statements like this are misleading. Doing what you love actually takes more work than you might think, especially when it comes to writing.

Lauren Carter’s Following Sea is one of those rare books of poetry can make a person lose sleep. In this case, that person was my husband. As I lie awake in bed reading Carter’s new book, I kept nudging my husband awake.

“You gotta hear this!” I’d say, quoting from one poem or another.

The Afrikanner by Arianna Dagnino is about as surprising as any contemporary post-colonial novel I could imagine. Though it's been many moons since I studied postcolonial literature during my undergraduate degree, I had an idea in my head about what this novel could be about: either a scathing condemnation of colonial power and abuses, or a narrative of apology for those abuses. The Akrikanner is neither.

Elizabeth Greene is the editor of The Dowager Empress, Poems by Adele Wiseman, and the writer of several books of poems, as well as the novel, A Season Among Psychics. In this Power Q & A, she tells us about the accessibility and beauty of Wiseman’s poetry. Keep reading!

Resident freelancer Lauren Carter gives other work-from-homers valuable tips on how to dress for the occasion. Work outfit ideas for real freelancers, for real life.

I won’t ever write the perfect book. Neither will you. You know that, right?

River Street's Lauren Carter dives into the myth of Writer's Block, dishing out some harsh realities and tips to ditch the excuses. Read on to find out how to actualize instead of avoid. 

Is translation an art or a science? Do translators feel pain when they see results generated by the Google translate function, or are they really just dictionary-thumbing automatons? Can anyone really find a suitable synonym for 'muggle'? These questions - and more - explored by our resident linguistic interloper, Lauren Lewthwaite. 

I've been on all sides of the granting process - an applicant, a juror, and a grants officer. My advice is, show the writing that most vividly illustrates the challenge of your project. This doesn't necessarily mean writing that is done. What I look for as a reader is something that's really crackling, that's alive with questions, experiments, potential - even if it's rough.