Events & Workshops

Do your characters all sound the same? Do they all seem like you? Do they make predictable choices or spend a lot of time in their heads? Learn the secret of writing compelling, memorable characters: characters that engage readers and drive the story; characters who readers root for and characters who aren’t necessarily likeable. Learn about how to use the hero’s journey and how to invent a character’s “off-stage mythology.” This workshop shares techniques for writing deep, multi-faceted characters who surprise readers and drive the story.

In this workshop, we will combine generative exercises that build on each other to create characters and set them into action. We will closely read examples, discuss craft and share writing. The workshop will cover topics such as hero and anti-hero, action, dialogue, goals, stakes, detail and more.  Participants will leave with a character chart and a list of questions to ask their characters. Participants are encouraged to create new characters in the workshop or to bring a character from a work-in-progress. All genres welcome!

Important registration notes:

Members pay less for workshops! Are you trying to register and you’re being charged the full workshop fee when you’re a current SWG member? To access the reduced member rate for this workshop, please make sure you are logged into this website with your member profile to access the member rate for the session. (The member login link is at the top right of this page (computer) or at the top centre (mobile/tablet).)

If this workshop is sold out, please email swgevents@skwriter.com to be placed on the waitlist.

Please note all times listed are Saskatchewan time. Find your time zone here: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter

This event will not be livestreamed or recorded.

If this workshop isn’t a fit, we are pleased to offer other paid opportunities and many free workshops, festivals, talks, and industry webinars in partnership with fine organizations throughout our programming year that are listed regularly on our website: https://skwriter.com/events-and-workshops

We hope to see you there!

Accessibility Measures in this workshop

• Live auto-captions through Zoom
• Presenter self-descriptions
• Limited Zoom technical support provided by SWG staff to assist participants while they’re in the Zoom meeting.

To help you prepare, here are the expectations for participants in this workshop:

• Camera optional but greatly appreciated. (Participants may have cameras on or off.)
• Participant discussion is not required but is appreciated. (Either through the chat box or verbally.)
• Participants are not expected to share writing created during the workshop with the group, but it is appreciated.
• There is no participation expectation for participants—participants can engage as much or as little as they’d like.
• During the workshops, participants may be split into smaller groups using Zoom Breakout Rooms.

Workshop registration refund policy:

Please be certain you will be able to attend before you register. Registered participants must promptly email the SWG staff person responsible for the event (Cat Abenstein, Program Manager, swgevents@skwriter.com) to cancel their registration. Otherwise, no refunds will be issued.

• A full refund is available if you cancel your registration one week prior to the start of the workshop (by 11:59 p.m. on November 10, 2026)
• A 50% refund is available if you cancel your registration less than one week and more than 48 hours before the workshop. (For cancellations between November 11 and November 16, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. SK time)
• There is no refund for registrations cancelled within 48 hours of the workshop or no-shows. (Beginning at 12:00 a.m. on November 17, 2026)
• If you would like to donate your registration fee to the SWG’s Andrew Suknaski Writers’ Assistance Fund in support of accessibility so others can attend events like this in the future, please let us know in your email.

Workshop Facilitator

Sally Cooper is an acclaimed writer, teacher, editor and mentor. She has published four books, including the novel With My Back to the World (Wolsak & Wynn, 2019) and the linked story collection Smells Like Heaven (ARP Books, 2017). Her work has been nominated for the Hamilton Literary Award and the ReLit Award. Her poem “Rose of Sharon Osbourne” is included in the anthology On Occasion: Poems for the People, ed. Sine Queyras (Coach House Books, 2026). She is currently working on a new novel and a collection of poems.

Funding provided by:

In proud partnership with: