MASC Young Authors & Illustrators Festival

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

The MASC Young Authors and Illustrators Festival will be back in person again this spring at an exciting new venue. Join us on Tuesday, April 4 at the Canadian Science and Technology Museum for a day of inspiring literary activities. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet award-winning Canadian authors and learn valuable tips from the pros. The day includes hands-on masterclasses, author readings, book signings and more. Registrations open in mid-December. Contact us for more information!

Artists and Masterclasses

Get to know the award-winning authors and illustrators presenting at the 2023 Festival!

Masterclasses

Read all about the following masterclasses and decide which ones you'd like to sign up for. Some are available for grades four to six; others are available for grades six to eight.

  • Freewrite into Fiction

    Catherine Austen

    Through a series of prompts and mini-lessons, this hands-on master class will inspire you to launch your next great story. First you’ll create characters in conflict, build worlds where trouble brews, and launch plots with questions begging to be answered. Then you’ll review, revise, and expand your drafts into a story, with lots of time for workshopping your creations. Grades four to six.

  • Writer's Block Be Gone!

    Philippa Dowding

    Learn how to banish writer’s block with games, prompts, and pro tricks to get writing. Discover Philippa’s Ten Top Tips for Writers, play the rollicking 200-year-old writing game, The Exquisite Corpse Loves a Blue Piano, and more. Grades four to six.

  • Putting REALITY into your FANTASY

    Lesley Livingston

    Make winged horses, wizards and wonders feel at home in your writing—techniques for grounding fantastical elements in your stories while still letting them take flight. Learn worldbuilding, crafting convincing dialogue, and how to incorporate the senses to create rich, exciting, resonant tales of your own. Grades six to eight.

  • Telling the story in Images: Illustrating Children’s books

    Soyeon Kim

    Soyeon Kim will share her experiences as a children’s book illustrator and demonstrate how she captures a story in images. Inspired by Soyeons’ unique diorama art creations, students will craft a 3D illustration and learn how to create a captivating scene by exploring colour, size, contrast, movement and more. Dress to get messy! Grades four to six.

  • The Game of Writing

    Tim Wynne-Jones

    Author Tim Wynne-Jones works hard at writing – takes it seriously. But he tries never to forget that a lot of what got him into writing was the fun of it. So there will be a whole lot of playing at writing in this master class. There are stories everywhere, even in your name, and that’s just for starters! Grades six to eight.

Schedule of Events

  • Students Check In

    8:30am-9am — Event Hall

  • MASC Welcome / Meet the authors and illustrators

    9am-9:35am — Theatre

  • Masterclass with author or illustrator

    9:40am-11:40am — Workshop studios

  • Lunch / Bollywood dance with Kuljit Sodhi

    11:45am-12:30pm — Event Hall

  • Author readings and presentations

    12:35pm-1pm — Theatre

  • Return to Masterclass

    1:05pm-2:25pm — Workshop studios

  • Author readings and presentations / Door prize draw

    2:30pm-2:55pm — Theatre

  • Book fair with author signings

    3pm-3:30pm — Event Hall

Videos for MASC Young Authors & Illustrators Festival

What people are saying

Today has been one of the BEST days of my life! I have been going for 3 years and I know for sure that I'm going to have some great book ideas as soon as I get home!

— Participant

Thank you so much for this opportunity to express our creativity. I hope that the MASC Young Authors and Illustrators Festival continues for years after this and that my kids can come here one day.

— Participant

Thrilled to learn that my MYAI participant secured a publishing deal with Amazon!

— Amanda West Lewis, Author

Books have been an oasis for many people, especially over the past couple of years. Books provide us with the opportunity to use our imaginations, to think creatively, to explore different worlds, and to relate to others, both like and unlike us. Being able to meet with the artists behind these books is such a treat for young people craving that deeper connection.

— Faith Seltzer, Artistic Director, MASC Young Authors and Illustrators Festival

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