Book fair highlights Quebec's thriving English writing culture

The room was packed earlier this week when The Quebec Writers’ Federation (QWF) held its annual gala under the theme "Reflecting on the Future." Despite English being a linguistic minority in the province, the consensus among the crowd was that English writing is still a vibrant part of Quebec culture.

"I think there was a time when people thought the industry was going to die away, but from our evidence, it's clear that's not happening," says Lori Schubert, the QWF’s executive director.

According to Schubert, QWF membership has never been higher, with 935 members and counting. The organization supports the province’s English writers through its many workshops, mentorship programs and awards.

"We have a fantastic community of English language writers in Quebec," she says. "People aren't always aware of that, especially in the rest of the country. They think of Quebec as being a hotbed of French literature, which it is. But we have a very thriving, vibrant community."

It’s a community that includes internationally recognized authors such as Louise Penny and Heather O’Neil. The QWF also fosters aspiring and emerging talent, and bright new stars on the literary scene as well.

English publishing on the rise

Sabrina Reeves is among the newcomers taking the writing world by storm. Her debut novel "Little Crosses" is already winning literary awards, including the Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize and the Concordia University First Book Prize.

"I'm a little bowled over, at the moment," says Reeves. "It's a very isolated process and the book comes out and you have a little bit of a flurry at the beginning with the launch, and then you're like, are people buying it and reading it? And then something like this happens and you realize, oh, they are reading it!"

Reeves describes the English writing community in Quebec as tight-knit, supportive and brimming with mentorship opportunities.

"I think of, for myself personally, Sean Michaels and Neil Smith, people like that who host evenings where writers meet each other and offers support and advice," Reeves explains.

The number of English language publishing houses also appears to be on the rise with 26 currently in operation.

"We do have new members every year," says Rebecca West with the Association of English Language Publishers of Quebec. "Independent publishing faces many challenges but there is something so beautiful about the community here in Montreal and Quebec more broadly."

While Quebec’s linguistic and cultural diversity likely play a role in the province’s successful English writing scene, there are many challenges too. Rising rents in Montreal make it harder for many artists to live and work in the city, and Quebec’s new language law, Bill 96, has led to a decline in English teaching jobs at CEGEPS and universities.

"There are people losing their jobs, teaching jobs," says Schubert. "Very few writers, a handful of writers, can make a living just from their publications so most of our more established writers are also teaching."

At the same time, Schubert notes the provincial government is still providing much-needed funding for arts and culture grants, which helps writers, and also helps to keep the doors open at the QWF and other organizations that support the arts in Quebec.