Unexpected Discoveries: The Generative Possibilities of Research for Literary Projects
This talk will discuss the generative possibilities of research for literary projects and the connections, discoveries, and inspiration found in the research process. With examples from successful grant applications, tips for conducting interviews, and references to project books by Saskatchewan authors, I will highlight the merits of integrating research into your writing practice. Drawing on my own experiences studying obscure poetic forms, getting lost down Wikipedia tunnels, and researching mourning rituals in Tbilisi, Georgia, I will share how honing curiosity keeps yourself open to serendipity, chance encounters, and unexpected discoveries that help move a project forward— especially when you’re feeling stuck!
Cassidy McFadzean grew up in Regina SK, and earned MFAs from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and Brooklyn College where she was EIC of The Brooklyn Review. She is the author of two books of poetry: Drolleries (McClelland & Stewart 2019), shortlisted for the Raymond Souster Award, and Hacker Packer (M&S 2015), winner of two Saskatchewan Book Awards and finalist for the Gerald Lampert Award. Her fiction has appeared in Prism International, The Malahat Review, Maisonneuve, and Joyland. In 2024, her third book of poems Crying Dress is forthcoming from House of Anansi, as well as a debut novella from Invisible Publishing.
Learn more about Cassidy here: www.cassidymcfadzean.com
