Anosh Irani is a three-time Governor General’s Literary Award-shortlisted author and playwright, and a two-time winner of the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play. His novel, The Parcel, was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, and the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, and was chosen as one of the Best Books of the Year by the Globe and Mail, Quill & Quire, National Post, CBC Books and The Walrus. He is a mentor in the Writer's Studio and teaches in the World Languages and Literatures department at Simon Fraser University.
Anosh’s advice for Writer’s Studio applicants
What are you looking for in your workshop group?
Individuals who are hungry to learn and grow with respect to their craft. I hope to create an environment that allows us all to be truthful, and take risks when it comes to our writing; it is important to me that individuals are open to points of view that might be very different from their own and find value in that. Finally, we grow as a group.
What do you look for when reading an applicant’s submission?
Character, character, character. I am not particularly interested in cleverness. I'm looking for humanity in the work. I do not expect polished manuscripts. But do I hope to find writers who are not afraid to examine the human condition in all its pain and glory. Yes, I am certainly interested in language, but what's equally important is perspective. What do you bring to a particular story? How, in the telling of it, are you challenging me, inspiring me? In your letter, I'd love to hear what you are struggling with as a writer, what you hope to gain from our time working together, and why on earth you wish to pursue the most exacting of professions — writing.
Upcoming courses taught by Anosh Irani
No courses currently available.