Dear readers, writers, and the dreamers among you, Why do we make art? This question crossed my mind the other day as I wandered through an art gallery in my hometown. I stared at abstract doodles framed neatly on the walls, each one whispering in an enigmatic language only the[Read More…]
Tag: writing
A letter to lonely writers: Words of wisdom from Heather O’Neill
“Oh here comes the torture” and “oh what crap” are phrases that acclaimed author Heather O’Neill uses to describe the harrowing experience of reciting passages from her novels in public. She is McGill’s Writer-In-Residence, known for her debut novel Lullabies for Little Criminals, which won Canada Reads (2007) and When[Read More…]
McGill and AI: A new chapter unfolds for student writers at the narrative frontier
AI writing tools have caused an unforeseen plot twist in the evolving narrative of writing, ushering human writers into a thrilling new chapter of creativity. Yet, this new frontier calls for a thoughtful approach, and writers must explore AI’s possibilities with caution and consideration. Once upon a time, there was[Read More…]
Rejection, the meaning of art, and Taco Bell
There’s a cartoon on page 62. Sometime in the future, a robot approaches a hipster and proclaims: “Citizen. My sensors indicate that you have not been living mas. Those who do not live sufficiently mas will be taken to the reeducation centre.” A woman gives birth the same day she[Read More…]
After a 146 day strike, the Writer’s Guild of America has struck a deal with the AMPTP
On May 2, the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) went on strike against the American Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to protest for fair wages, promises against the use of AI, guarantees about job duration, and other issues—shutting down the majority of continuing projects and stopping new shoots from[Read More…]
SAG-AFTRA is negotiating for the future of the entertainment industry
On July 13th, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) voted to strike after unsuccessful contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The next day, SAG-AFTRA joined the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on picket lines across[Read More…]
Reporting on what I’ve gained from campus journalism
There’s a certain rush that comes with writing an important story. The words stream out as you find the quote that reveals the essence of the piece. Bits of reporting you collate together into a story that guides the public and exposes the truth. I’ve been thinking about this rush[Read More…]
Write a novel in 30 days: Time starts now
While a 2,000-word paper may be a daunting task for some students, others take on a greater and even more creatively stimulating challenge—writing 50,000 words to draft an entire novel over the course of November. Besides being known as the month when exams start to loom, it also hosts National[Read More…]
The McGill Scientific Writing Initiative introduces students to science writing
There exists a common stereotype that people in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) departments do not like to write. Even though students in STEM fields conduct groundbreaking research, many have no idea how to present their findings in a clear and concise manner, let alone an interesting one. The[Read More…]
Bye bye BuzzFeed: The folly of individualism and the personal essay
Last spring, Jia Tolentino wrote an article in The New Yorker declaring the end of what has arguably been the biggest literary trend of the 21st century: The personal essay. This trend has been bolstered by a subgenre of often pointless confessionals. These have inundated publications over the last decade for[Read More…]