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Lorne Daniel is a poet who finds clarity through life and place. His style prioritizes clarity and narrative, influenced by life experiences and mentors like Al Purdy. Their work explores themes of place, time, and the human condition, and his latest collection is What is Broken Binds Us. Lorne views the creative process is one of discovery, with free-flowing first drafts followed by editing. Lorne engages with social media to build community but are selective about which pla

Professor Gregory Betts sees writing as a communal and social act, a belief shaped by his Nova Scotian roots and a musical subculture. He encourages writers to create communities and to support each other. Regarding generative AI, Betts believes it will transform literature as profoundly as photography transformed visual art, forcing human writers to find new creative territories beyond what a machine can produce.

Poet Julia Webb discusses the influences on her writing, which include a childhood spent reading to escape a "noisy and dysfunctional family," her rural UK upbringing, and the profound losses of loved ones. Webb, a self-described "life-long learner," emphasizes the importance of reading widely and seeking critique to improve her craft. She notes that her work often explores recurring themes like family dynamics, girlhood, loss, and grief.

Neurodivergent SFF author Melanie Marttila says a 2021 autism diagnosis helped her reclaim her authentic voice and take creative risks. She was influenced by a supportive undergraduate community and a graduate school advisor who disparaged her "fantastical nonsense." Melanie identifies as a plantser, combining plotting and pantsing for her long-form fiction. She finds AI to be "a menace, but selectively useful," due to ethical and environmental concerns, but says it's useful

Author and writing coach Fiona Fenwick reflects on writing with warmth and authenticity, aiming to build real connections with readers. Her work encourages embracing one's true self in a world overwhelmed by self-help noise. She enjoys stories of personal journeys and values originality in creative expression, even in the age of AI—highlighting its potential and pitfalls for writers navigating a rapidly changing landscape. Fiona wrote the nonfiction Stand Out and Step Up in 2

Author Karen Smythe details her writing journey, from academia to novel writing. Her style evolved post-retirement, influenced by intense reading and workshops. Key themes include intergenerational relationships, especially mothers and daughters. She loves Gallant, Munro, Woolf, and international fiction. Her flexible writing process involves both in-the-moment editing and allowing narrative structures to emerge organically, often eschewing traditional outlines for creative f

Carolyne Van Der Meer, an Ontario-born Montreal poet, discusses her evolving style, now favoring unpunctuated, economical verse. Her work consistently explores themes of illness (Hodgkin's Disease) and motherhood/quiet feminism. She credits mentors and constant self-discovery for her growth, and shares how serendipity led to her first publisher. Her advice to writers: "keep reading, keep exploring," and "just be you," emphasizing authenticity. She prefers writing by hand, the

Writer Harry Man discusses his newest collection, Popular Song, his eclectic reading and why as a poet he is shaped by life experiences and holds 'every opinion', like Pessoa's heteronyms. He explores themes of politices, surveillance capitalism via hashtags, and the natural world. Harry shares his diverse reading habits, from eco-memoirs to Roman military history, and advises writers to take walks and read widely for inspiration.

In this author interview, Kim Fahner explores how how grief gives her a deep understanding of her characters' feelings, her views on the impact of AI on writers and the environment, and her love of Canadian authors. Kim's most recent books include her sixth book of poetry, The Pollination Field, and her debut novel, The Donoghue Girl. She was the fourth Poet Laureate for the City of Greater Sudbury (2016-18) and is Chair of The Writers’ Union of Canada. Kim lives in Sudbury,

Writer Rob Winger attributes his writing style to his working-class Ontario roots, embracing a direct, unpretentious voice. He believes the library is the best creative writing teacher, emphasizing extensive reading over formal evolution. Winger is consistently drawn to poetry's clarity and advises writers to read attentively, embrace curiosity, and avoid self-seriousness. He views AI as a late-stage capitalism tool that may be interation of selfish garbage capitalists often

Ontario-based writer Aaron Kreuter reflects on how identity, history, and experience—from suburban Jewish roots to political awakening—influence his work. He shares thoughts on process, evolution, inspiration, and the tension between creativity and technology, especially the dangers of generative AI. His approach blends structure and spontaneity, always rooted in obsession with language and story.

Nitin Nohria's essay in MIT Technology Review 'AI copyright anxiety will hold back creativity' argues copyright law should not hold AI to a different standard than human artists and that gen AI’s recombination of existing material is the same as creative processes of renowned artists. Flaws in the essay are that creative processes of renowned artists are different from A, and it mischaracterizes AI’s capabilities, and it neglects factors distinguishing human art from AI-gener