Upcoming events.

Christmas Craft Expo
Nov
21
to Nov 23

Christmas Craft Expo

  • Acadia Athletics Complex, Acadia University (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The Acadia Students' Union Christmas Craft Expo is returning on November 21 - 23, 2025. We look forward to being part of your holiday tradition this year!

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Workshop: Develop Those Characters
Oct
25

Workshop: Develop Those Characters

Learning who your characters really are.

Do your characters seem boring, unengaging for readers or less interesting than you’d like them to be?

Do your characters seem to do things you don’t want them to?

Do you feel something is missing from your story but unsure what it is?

Characters are the building blocks for a great story and to have a great story you need great characters.

This workshop will provide you with some tools, and hands on experience, to help you:

  • Identify who your characters are.

  • How to make them more engaging to readers

  • How to keep track of all of your characters, their habits/mannerisms, life events.

By the end of the workshop you will have a deeper understanding of at least one of your characters.

Recommended Experience Level: New, emerging and seasoned writers.

Register here - https://www.modl.ca/how-to-register.html

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Workshop: Draft Your Novel
Sep
27

Workshop: Draft Your Novel

Let’s get those words on a page!

Do you have an idea for a book but are unsure how to get started?

Is the blinking cursor on your computer taunting you to put words on the page?

Let’s start a draft of your novel together!

This workshop will provide you with some tools, and hands on experience, to help you:

  • Choose the novel structure that best suits your story 

  • Identify what your story is really about and start a basic outline.

  • Develop your idea into a plot.

  • Write at least 1 scene in your novel.

By the end of the workshop you will have an understanding of what your story is about and written words on the page!

Some time in the workshop will be spent writing; please bring a laptop, notebook or paper etc

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Draft Your Novel Workshop
Sep
13

Draft Your Novel Workshop

Let’s get those words on a page!

Do you have an idea for a book but are unsure how to get started?

Is the blinking cursor on your computer taunting you to put words on the page?

Let’s start a draft of your novel together!

This workshop will provide you with some tools, and hands on experience, to help you:

  • Choose the novel structure that best suits your story 

  • Identify what your story is really about and start a basic outline.

  • Develop your idea into a plot.

  • Write at least 1 scene in your novel.

By the end of the workshop you will have an understanding of what your story is about and written words on the page!

Some time in the workshop will be spent writing; please bring a laptop, notebook or paper etc


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CRIME WILL TELL
Sep
6

CRIME WILL TELL

Join us in Paul O’Regan Hall (floor 1) for Crime Will Tell, a celebration of crime writing of all kinds! From cozy mysteries, to true crime, to thrillers, there is something here for every fan of mystery, mayhem, and murder.

This year we will be hosting two panels:

  • A Crime Non-Fiction Panel, featuring moderator Kayla Hounsell and panelists Andrea Currie, Laura Churchill Duke, and John Elliott.

  • A Crime Fiction Panel, featuring moderator Jane Doucet and panelists Charlene Carr, C.S. Porter, and N.L. Blandford.

After the panel discussions, the audience will have a chance to mingle, chat with authors, and buy books. All attendees will receive a goodie bag with swag, as well as a chance to win a door prize!

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Introduction to Self-Publishing
Jun
21

Introduction to Self-Publishing

Are you considering publishing a novel, a book of poetry, a children's book - a book of any kind?

Unsure if you want to approach a traditional publisher or take the self-publishing path?

During this workshop you will learn and discuss:

  • A comparison of the self-publishing industry and traditional publishing

  • Advantages of being a self-published author

  • An overview of how to self-publish

  • Some resources available to self-published authors

  • My mistakes and learnings as a self-published author

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Escaping Victoria launch party
May
29

Escaping Victoria launch party

Join N.L. Blandford at The Tin Roof Distillery to celebrate the launch her fifth novel, Escaping Victoria!

Enjoy cake, door prizes, a reading from the new novel, Q&A and other shenanigans.

N.L. Blandford’s fifth novel, and thrilling first installment of the Townsend Crime Series, will take readers on a ride of deceit, tests of loyalty and the hunt for traitors.

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Slay Your Manuscript - Self-Editing
May
17

Slay Your Manuscript - Self-Editing

Congratulations you have a draft of your novel! 

It’s time to slash, invigorate, and finesse your words, into a well rounded story.

This workshop will provide you with some tools, and hands on experience, to help you:

  • Identify what to filter out of your novel.

  • How to show a reader what is happening versus telling them. 

  • You don’t like to be told what to do, why would a reader?

  • Assess your dialogue and emotion mechanics

  • For example, are all of those adverbs necessary?

  • Use the five senses.

  • Analyze your word choice and potential use repetition

  • Identify if your exposition is getting in the way of your story.

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Workshop: Develop Those Characters
Feb
8

Workshop: Develop Those Characters

Learning who your characters really are.

Do your characters seem boring, unengaging for readers or less interesting than you’d like them to be?

Do your characters seem to do things you don’t want them to?

Do you feel something is missing from your story but unsure what it is?


Characters are the building blocks for a great story and to have a great story you need great characters.


This workshop will provide you with some tools, and hands on experience, to help you:

  • Identify who your characters are.

  • How to make them more engaging to readers

  • How to keep track of all of your characters, their habits/mannerisms, life events.

By the end of the workshop you will have a deeper understanding of at least one of your characters.


Recommended Experience Level: New, emerging and seasoned writers.

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Booktoberfest
Oct
5

Booktoberfest

  • 5440 Spring Garden Road Halifax, NS, B3J 1E9 Canada (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The third annual Booktoberfest will celebrate NS-authored and -published books, with sales, signings, and creative writing workshops at Halifax Central Library on Saturday, October 5 (1pm – 5pm). Vendor registration, attendance, and workshop participation are all free.

N.L. Blandford will have a table of her books and will be facilitating a workshop on writing hooks & cliffhangers from 2-3pm.

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