SWEETWATER
WRITERS WORKSHOP
About Us
Created by the acclaimed and international best-selling author of Three Day Road, The Orenda and Through Black Spruce, Joseph Boyden and his partner Laura Vukson, Sweetwater Writers Workshop offers one-on-one mentorships, workshops and retreats.
Joseph uses concrete methods and processes developed over 25 years of teaching. The focus is on your individual craft. Joseph’s mentorship style is intensely thoughtful and thorough, utilizing constructive criticism as he helps you develop your voice, define your style, layer your characters, and fashion your narrative.
One-on-One Mentoring
Are you working on a manuscript: A novel? A memoir? A collection of stories? Here’s the opportunity to work one-on-one with a bestselling and Giller Prize-winning author. Joseph’s one-on-one mentoring is designed specifically for the individual writer, focusing on your needs and publishing goals. From the first steps of writing a short piece to fine-tuning a novel you’re readying for publication, Joseph’s insight and experience are aimed at making your work the best it can be. Work with Joseph on fulfilling your dream of finally completing that book you’ve been carrying inside your head.
One-on-one mentorship spots are available.
Sweetwater Writers Workshops

Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction
TBA — send us an email and you’ll be the first to know.
- Currently, this workshop is online via Zoom.
- It’s two weekends long, with two 90-minute classes per week.
- No writing sample is necessary for admission.
Tuition: $250 plus 13% HST
Aspiring Writers Workshop
TBA — send us an email and you’ll be the first to know.
- Currently, this workshop is online via Zoom.
- Minimal enrolment is four writers with a cap of six writers.
- Four weeks of classes, meeting once weekly for three hours.
- You will receive a minimum of 1-and-half hours of a one-on-one discussion with Joseph.
- Admission is based on a short writing sample.
Tuition: $600 plus 13% HST
A Three-Month Novel Workshop
Class A: March 2022 — class full
Class B: March 2022 — class is full
- Currently, this workshop is online via Zoom.
- Minimal enrolment is four writers with a cap of six writers.
- Six weeks of classes, meeting twice a month for three hours.
- You will receive four one-on-one discussions with Joseph.
- Admission is based on a short writing sample.
Writers Retreat
Sweetwater Weekend Retreats coming when it’s safe for us all to gather.
What People Are Saying
Drop Us a Line
Don't be shy. Let us know if you have any questions!
Our Mailing Address
Sweet Water Writers Workshop
P.O. Box 472
Parry Sound, Ontario
P2A 2X5