When Words Collide exists to provide an opportunity for the literary community, from readers to writers to publishers, to gather and share information and inspiration. With the belief that different genres have more in common than they have differences, the festival includes content for all types of literature including Mainstream, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Historical, Literary, and non-fiction.
When Words Collide is a 3-day festival (Friday noon - Sunday evening) held in a convention hotel. Meeting space is used for concurrent discussion panels and presentations on a broad range of topics of interest to readers and writers. A book room, which is open to the public, hosts tables for publishers, book stores, and literary organizations. Hotel suites are used for limited seating events during the day and socials in the evenings. One low weekend membership fee grants access to all activities. There are no for-fee events (with the exception of a banquet if one is held).
The festival program includes items you may find at a professional writers conference, such as blue pencil cafe and pitch sessions, as well as items you may find at a readers festival, such as talks, readings, and autographs by best-selling authors. Most of the program items are panel discussions where four authors, editors, or other subject experts discuss the aspects of a topic such as how eBooks are impacting how authors write and readers read. Other popular activities include Koffee Klatches, where a limited number of attendees have an informal conversation with a festival guest; short, hands-on workshops, such as learning how people really lived in the Victorian era, or improving dialog in your writing; and Live Action Slush, where editors respond to manuscripts submitted by the audience.
When Words Collide is not a writers' conference, where typically all speakers are contracted by the organization and compensated with speakers fees. The expenses for such conferences are relatively high, which in turn means high fees for those attending. While expensive to attend, such conferences are an excellent resource for serious writers.
So what are we? Our festival is based on a 'volunteer' convention model popular in the Science Fiction and Fantasy world that is designed to attract writers of all levels while being affordable enough to attract readers. This is accomplished by contracting a very small number of guest speakers, with attending professionals volunteering to participate in the remainder of the program. All speakers, including the festival guests, volunteer their time and expertise, graciously waiving speakers fees they may require at professional events. Expenses are further reduced by all organizers and staff also being volunteers. The registration fee charged to attend the festival covers the cost of meeting rooms, travel & accommodation of our festival guests, printing cost, and little else.
We began the festival in 2011 as an experiment to see if the broader literary community of writers and readers would be open to a style of literary event that has been popular in the Science Fiction and Fantasy field for decades. Just under 300 people attended and feedback was very positive. Over 400 people attended in 2012 and again the feedback was encouraging. 2013 will be our 3rd year and we are moving to a larger hotel with the hope of seeing over 500 people attend.
The festival dedicates the lion's share of our budget each year to honour a few members of the literary community, typically one editor/publisher/agent and four or five authors, by paying their expenses to attend the festival such as travel, hotel accommodations, and meals. We rely on volunteer speakers from among attendees and the Calgary area to fill the remainder of the program. If you would like to volunteer to speak at the festival, please let us know.
In keeping with our policy of making the festival accessible to the broader literary community by keeping registration fees low, we require all attendees to purchase a festival membership. The only exception are the official Festival Guests and approved members of the media who attend events for the purpose of reporting on them. Even the volunteers who organize the festival purchase memberships. Speakers who attend the festival must also purchase memberships. That said, speakers and volunteers who do not attend the festival outside of their presentations or volunteer work have no need to register. In short, we do not require people to register in order to speak or volunteer (though most do as they intend to attend the festival when they are not speaking or volunteering).
To minimize complexity and effort for our volunteers we do not offer day passes.
Many people attending the festival (around half) live outside of Calgary. The start time allows most of them to drive or fly in without having to stay at the hotel on the Thursday evening, thereby avoiding the cost of an additional hotel night.
The festival program has several events with limited seating such as Kaffee Klatches and 50 minute workshops. Pitch sessions and Blue Pencil Cafe are also one-on-one mentored events. The sign-up book for these events is available near the registration desk starting at 12 PM Friday.
This is a chance to sit down with one of our Festival Guests in a small group setting for an informal conversation. Seats must be reserved in the sign-up book.
An expert will speak on a specific topic to a small audience, often in an interactive or hands-on way (bring pen & paper). Seats must be reserved in the sign-up book.
An opportunity to sit down with a mentor for 12 minutes to receive verbal feedback on a short sample of your writing. Bring the sample with you. (You do not need to send it in before-hand). Seats must be reserved in the sign-up book.
A 5 minute opportunity to present your elevator pitch of your novel idea or completed manuscript to an editor or agent. If they like what they hear you may be asked to send them your query or manuscript. Or you may receive feedback on how to improve your pitch technique.
One of our most popular events. Writers in the audience hand in the opening 2 pages of their novel manuscript at the start of the session. A designated reader will read randomly from the pile, withholding the author's name, while editors on the panel listen. If an editor hears something that would make them stop reading and reject the manuscript they put up their hand. Once all editors hands are raised or the end of the two pages is reached, the moderator asks the editors to comment. If the comments are positive they may ask the author to reveal her or himself. Regardless, the author and everyone in the room gains useful insights into the slush pile process and what to do or not do in their manuscripts.
This information is available under Preparation and Amenities.
Email us at info@whenwordscollide.org and we will find you an answer.