You have a story. We want to help you tell it. Join us at one of our free writing workshops

CBC Calgary has been facilitating a series of free community storytelling workshops. In writing and in photographs, we are here to help you tell your story.

Scroll down to read personal stories from your neighbours and community members

CBC News · Posted: Jun 07, 2022 6:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 11

A graphic to promote the workshops. — In four sessions, you will be coached step-by-step in this creative writing process. Hone your skills, and if you like, pitch your story to CBC. (Lianne Sabourin/CBC )

No matter where you live, what you do in life, you have a story. And we want to hear it.

If you pour concrete to build the tallest towers downtown, what view does that give you on city life? What about your time as a nanny, a teacher or driving a taxi? Let us walk in your shoes a minute to see new sides of Calgary.

Scroll down to see examples of other stories written through these workshops.

Upcoming writing workshops

We ran two workshops in spring 2024 and will be planning others.

The workshops are being held as part of our ongoing partnership with the Calgary Public Library and other community supporters. If you'd like to be notified of upcoming workshops, you can join a waiting list by emailing Elise at [email protected].

Elise Stolte has 20 years of experience as a journalist, including as a city columnist for a daily newspaper.

CBC Calgary hosts writing workshops in the community

2 years ago

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You have a story and we’re here to help you tell it. We’ve been working with folks from all walks of life to help bring their stories to life through our weekly writing workshops. Register for free and read some of the first person stories at cbc.ca/albertastories.

What to expect

This is not about writing a whole memoir. It's writing one thread of your story — an experience at work or in life that gave you a new perspective, a kindness you can't forget, or a challenge you pushed through.

It could be about work, adventure, parenting, growing up.…

You pick a workshop and try to make it to all four sessions. We'll have small writing challenges to help you build your story week by week and give you personal feedback. We'll talk about everything from where to begin, how to use key anecdotes and when a splash of colour can make your story come alive.

And don't worry if your English isn't perfect. We're there to support you. By the end, you should have a rough draft you're proud of and, if you like, you can pitch it to cbc.ca/calgary as a freelance contributor to our First Person series. We're hoping you might!

Past workshops

Telling your story — Forest Lawn, Crowfoot and Bassano

In spring 2004, CBC Calgary partnered with the Calgary Public Library and the Bassano Memorial Library to run three workshops. Here are the stories we published from those communities so far.

First Person
As a teenager, I was ashamed of Chinatown. Now I know I need it and will always support it

First Person
My father struggled to talk with me. But he found the words when it mattered most

First Person
I was a financial mess before tragedy struck. But that reckoning brought a sense of empowerment

First Person
I split with my husband 15 months ago. Calgary's hot rental market means we still share a roof

First Person
I used to be a teacher and filmmaker. Now I sort dusty shoes in Canada and wonder who I am

First Person
Deep snow, bears, intruders — nothing can pull me from my home in nature

First Person
I discovered trail angels are real and a source of incredible kindness on a cross-continental trek

First Person
Chinese traditional medicine did nothing for my psoriasis. But it was my mother's love language

First Person
We arrived in a small town as flood refugees and fell in love with how easy life is here

War Stories Society

CBC Calgary partnered with the War Stories Society, which sponsors a monthly veterans' writing workshop that meets in Calgary at The Military Museums. Watch for their public reading at the Central Library this fall and check out their stories below.

First Person
I'm an army reservist and a nurse. I learned to keep the first job a secret

First Person
I buried my memories of serving in Afghanistan. 15 years later, I found peace unexpectedly

Telling your story

What: Do you work in a shop, a daycare or maybe at a kitchen table? What is your work story, and has it changed you?
When: May 2023
Where: Thanks to the Village Square branch of the Calgary Public Library for hosting.

First Person
I loved being a medic but I couldn't accept the dysfunction in our system

First Person
A petty fight taught me how much I actually do love multigenerational living

First Person
As a refugee, I hated Canada until one specific night. Now I see this as a stage in a journey

First Person
I was so stressed about climate change that I took it out on my own body

First Person
My grandma loved knitting. After she died, I learned how it helped her grieve

Telling your story

What: Open-themed exploration of the stories in our everyday lives, like an act of kindness you won't ever forget.
When: April 2023
Where: Thanks to the Seton branch of the Calgary Public Library for hosting. Read the first pieces:

First Person
I imagined a graceful death for my dad. That's not what happened

First Person
Searching for a scuff on a stranger's shoe: I found my people and passion on a skateboard

First Person
Where am I from? Go ahead, ask. My history is as rich as the fabric of Canada

First Person
I was a stranger in Calgary, trapped in a bubble. Then I discovered the magic of a downtown library

Opinion
The monster is an idea, not a person. That's how I'm making sense of life, post election

Just Your Story

What: Open-themed exploration of the stories in our everyday lives, like an act of kindness you won't ever forget.
When: November/December 2022.
Read the stories at cbc.ca. Thanks to the Nicholls Family Library for hosting.

First Person
After a stroke, I decided to learn piano. It felt like falling in love

First Person
Life as an international student in Canada meant crushing poverty. But it also taught me resilience

Aging

What: Learned something the hard way? We want to hear from your lifetime of experience at this workshop on aging.
When: October 2022.
Read the stories at cbc.ca. Thanks to the Kerby Centre for hosting.

First Person
Shame drove me from the church. In drumming, I found the spark of God's presence again

First Person
The doctor wrote me off. But miracles happen and now it's 20 years since my last mental breakdown

First Person
I was taken hostage at gunpoint 40 years ago. That terrifying memory now strengthens me

First Person
That was good, this is better. For 70 years, I've watched Calgary change from this hill

First Person
What if I wet the bed? At 84, I tackle my fears and face aging head on

Coping

What: Pandemic, inflation, life.… How are you coping?
When: September 2022.
Read the stories at cbc.ca. Thanks to the Calgary Public Library and the Women's Centre of Calgary for hosting.

First Person
My wife got cancer and I couldn't fix it. Finally I learned that's not what's required

First Person
When I learned to see cancer as my friend and teacher, I started to really live again

First Person
A Ukrainian refugee taught me what an incredible gift it is to help others

First Person
Trauma was my gateway drug. Love was my pathway back

First Person
Memories don't make me who I am. That's what I learned from amnesia

First Person
I love nursing in the cardiac ICU. But I worry the system itself will flatline

Shift(ing) work

What: Tell us your stories of work — how it's changed over the past few years and what it means to you.
When: August 2022.
Read these stories at cbc.ca. Thanks to Calgary Public Library for hosting.

First Person
Nine years and 15 jobs — the endless cycle is eating at my confidence

First Person
I was the child who couldn't stay out of trouble. Later in life, I finally found out why

First Person
Smashing open my childhood piggy bank showed me how to live courageously

First Person
I was proud to work in oil and gas. But with layoffs and wage cuts, all I cared about was my crew

First Person
I loved being a teacher. Who am I now that an illness forced me to leave?

Source of strength?

What: Times are tough. What's your source of strength?
When: July 2022.
Read these stories on cbc.ca. Thanks to the Genesis Centre for hosting.

First Person
My low-income community doesn't deserve stigma. It's an amazing place to raise my family

First Person
We kept to ourselves. Until a knock at my door and a little courage opened my world

First Person
Autism makes me great at my job, but horrible at interviews

First Person
At age 29, illness shattered my dreams. And I wasn't the sick one

First Person
Moving to Canada was harder than I thought. I'm not sure I'd do it again

Stories from the Northern Hills

What: Stories from a collection of neighbourhoods in north central Calgary.
When: June 2022.
Read these stories on cbc.ca. Thanks to Vivo and the Northern Hills Community Association for hosting.

First Person
My arms ache to hug my son back in China. Growing microgreens gives me hope

First Person
Relationships are complicated. I learned it's OK to keep secrets for a time

First Person
My art — and my life — was dark and surreal. Then I moved to Canada

First Person
A real estate transaction gave me neighbours. A car crash taught me to value them

'My Priority' — 12 regular Albertans explain why they think the way they do this election

When: March-May 2023

Click here to read their pieces.

Where I belong — a youth community photo project by CBC Calgary

Catch the photo installation at public libraries around the city through November.

When: January 2023

Click here for details.

A view on renting

Photography workshop telling stories of renting in Calgary.

When: May-June 2022.

Click here for details

Family Caregivers: The challenge and beauty of caring for frail loved ones at home

When: Fall 2021, held with help from Caregivers Alberta.

Read the results:

Giving care — read our coverage on family members caring for the aging and frail

Do you have an idea for a theme? Is there a community you'd love to see us connect with or an organization that might help host? Reach out to Elise Stolte at [email protected]. We're hoping to bring these workshops to all parts of the city in time.

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You have a story. We want to help you tell it. Join us at one of our free writing workshops

Scroll down to read personal stories from your neighbours and community members

Social Sharing

Upcoming writing workshops

What to expect

Past workshops

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