Author: Kootenay Submissions

Music can be a source of inspiration for all genres of writing. A lyric may spark an idea for a personal essay, a poem can be constructed from a melody, and a drama can be based off a symphony piece…

All stories begin with a first draft. This is where ideas, no matter how mundane or outlandish get put to the page. It’s where an author can begin exploring their story without the need for perfection, proper grammar, or direction. The first draft is usually not seen by anyone other than the author leaving it free from external criticism…

For the final Writer’s Den post until January, we wanted to share with you a community poem created during a reading last month. Readers and attendees each wrote down one line from a novel, song, or movie and at the end of the night, these lines were arranged to create the following poem. How many lines do you recognize? 

Walking through the aisle of any bookstore, you’re bound to eventually stumble upon a few books claiming to teach the secrets of becoming the next world famous author…

Selkirk College’s creative writing department is a huge supporter and contributor to the Black Bear Review. Over the past two years, our editorial committee has had the privilege of reading and publishing the work of many Selkirk College students…

What separates published authors from writer hobbyists is the ability to open themselves up to potential rejection. A writer must share their work whether or not they believe it is “good enough”. This is the practice of submitting…

Many people have thought about writing the next great Canadian novel. They may even wake up at 2:00 am with a fabulous idea, reach for a pen and write it down on a nearby piece of paper. The ability to turn these ideas into literature comes with the knowledge of the elements and principles of writing. These fundamental aspects of writing act as the tools in a writer’s toolbox…

Books can never replace the experience of listening to a story being told. When removed from the page and shared out loud, stories take on a life of their own, changing with each new story-teller.  In the busyness of life, finding time to sit and read can be a challenge. Podcasts and radio dramas allow