Workshops
Gerard has been a featured workshop leader with the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador, the prestigious Piper’s Frith in Newfoundland, and Lily Daly Assembly in New York. He has delivered multiple workshops to high school students, and in 2017, Gerard was invited to deliver a lecture to Masters in Creative Writing students at Newcastle University, UK, as well as a public reading at the Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts. Most recently, Gerard was invited to teach a Masterclass in creative writing by the Northrup Frye Festival as well as the Louisiana Book Festival; he also teaches workshops as part of the Go and Write! retreats he offers with his wife, Jane Simpson.
New workshop coming to Newfoundland, August 2025
Gerard returns to Newfoundland in the summer of 2025 to offer The Art of Storytelling workshop at The Lantern in St. John’s on Saturday, August 16, 10:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m. The cost for the workshop is $85.
Need a refresher on the art of storytelling? Get focused on your writing and join award-winning author and professor Dr. Gerard Collins for this condensed version of his storytelling masterclass, which he recently taught at the invitation of the Frye Festival and at other Maritime venues.
In this workshop, we’ll talk about story structure, how to show instead of tell, how to develop characters, enhance narrative tension, infuse your prose with subtext, and write dialogue that gets people talking.
Bring your questions and conundrums—we’re putting it all on the table.
Register now!
Please follow the link below to pay by credit card. If you wish to pay by e-transfer, please contact Gerard.
There is limited seating for this workshop, so we encourage pre-registration before August 10. Please reach out to Gerard if you have any questions or prefer to pay by e-transfer.
About Dr. Gerard Collins
Gerard Collins is a New Brunswick-based Newfoundland writer whose latest novel, The Hush Sisters, won the Next Generation literary award for suspense. His first novel, Finton Moon, was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award and Sunburst Award while his short fiction collection, Moonlight Sketches, won the NL Book Award.
A former university lecturer with a Ph.D. in American Gothic literature and co-founder of Go and Write! international writing retreats, Gerard often leads writing retreats and workshops in Canada, the United States, and Europe. He is currently working on Wolf of Inis Mór, part of his upcoming magic realism trilogy called Thresholds.
Writing retreats for the wandering soul
Award-winning Newfoundland author Gerard Collins, who now lives in New Brunswick, and Jane Simpson, also a New Brunswicker, offer creative writing retreats for those who find inspiration in travel. Gerard will provide you with feedback on a piece you submit in advance, and once we’re gathered as a group, we enjoy inspiring writing sessions, group discussions, and individual chats. Janie plans things behind the scenes and is there to help ensure the retreats run smoothly.
Visit www.goandwrite.ca for more information about upcoming retreats.