“Imagination is everything. It is a preview of life’s coming attractions.”
–Albert Einstein
Whether you’re interested in taking individual courses or pursuing a creative writing diploma/degree, Selkirk College welcomes you. Join Renée Jackson-Harper, Almeda Glenn Miller and Leesa Dean, the program’s core faculty, as well as guest speakers and visiting writers who will take you on an exciting journey designed to immerse you in creative processes and help you find your voice.
What defines our creative writing program is a community of writers composed of small class sizes and intimate workshops. Gain confidence in communicating your ideas in a truly magical setting. Imagine sitting by the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers to draft a poem, or walking along the Castlegar campus trails - a significant gathering place for Indigenous peoples - to conjure the final scene in your short story. In Nelson, classes are held at the Tenth Street campus, also home to Selkirk's renowned Music and Digital Art programs.
Situated in one of the most beautiful regions on earth, Selkirk College offers a safe, peaceful and vibrant sense of place for writers to explore their imaginations in fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama. Our creative writing classes are fully transferable to universities across Canada. Take your first two years with us and you’ll be set for success to complete your third and fourth year of a degree program elsewhere.
Creative Writing 100
The course, CWRT 100, is the most accessible of all our creative writing offerings. Students range from beginners to established writers who are looking for a more structured writing practice.
If you want to pick up an elective credit this spring or you're hoping to take the 200-level CWRT courses in the fall, this could be a great option for you. Grade 12 students in their final semester are also welcome to join. The course will be a great way to connect with others and maintain a creative practice should self-distancing practices remain in effect through the spring.
CWRT 100 is a fully online course. We will be creating a vibrant community through weekly video meetups, craft discussions, and peer workshops. Students will also benefit from getting professional feedback from the course instructor who has edited for published authors and magazines.
If you're interested, you can contact Leesa Dean at ldean@selkirk.ca. To register, you can do so online or by contacting Amy Byers.
Essential Skills
Creative Writing students will develop the following essential skills, transferable to any career:
- Critical reading
- Concise writing
- Research
- Diagnosis
- Creative solutions
- Synthesizing ideas
- Revision
- Analysis
Career Pathways
Many modern workplaces prefer hiring creative individuals who pay attention to detail. Below is a list of common jobs for creative writers:
- University or College Professor
- Magazine or Literary Quarterly Editor
- Publisher
- Journalist
- Poet
- Novelist
- Freelance Writer
- Screenwriter
- Political Activist
- Citizen Journalist
- Theatre Director
- Fundraiser/Grant Writer for NGOs and NPOs
- Proposal Writer for Arts Organizations, Engineering Firms, Marketing and Web Developers
- Speech Writer for CEOs, Keynote Speakers, Politicians
- Science Journalist
- Technical writer
- Marketing/Communications Manager
- Copywriter
Program At-A-Glance
In the News
Love of literature united writers from both sides of the border as Eastern Washington University’s (EWU) graduate students recently returned to Selkirk College for the third annual A Stone’s Throw Writing Symposium.
Getting the right start at Selkirk College is exactly what Haley Seven Deers accomplished over the last two years in the School of University Arts & Sciences where she arrived as a 16-year-old who was homeschooled. In September, the young scholar will move to Kelowna where she will have the opportunity to complete her undergraduate degree with help from a $20,000 entrance scholarship.
Selkirk College students have collaborated on a print magazine – Black Bear Review, which showcases the unique creative talents of story tellers and illustrators who are part of the campus community. Created by Creative Writing and Digital Arts & New Media students, Selkirk College students were invited to submit their original words for inclusion in the second issue of the magazine.
What Students Say
