Lissa M. Cowan
Lissa M. Cowan
Hi, I’m Lissa!
Hi, I'm Lissa—writer, teacher, and gatherer of books, notebooks, and fancy pens. From my home in the Gatineau Hills, I mentor writers and edit manuscripts, helping you strengthen your voice, clarify your vision, and meet yourself on the page. Through private mentorship, manuscript editing, and writing courses, I'll guide you from uncertainty to confidence. Come in and stay a while.
One-Day Workshop | Monday, Feb. 2, 2026
9am-11am PT | 10am-12pm MT | 11am-1pm CT | 12pm-2pm ET | 1pm-3pm AT
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Every writer has a unique voice. Learning to shape and strengthen it on the page is part of great storytelling. In this short workshop, we’ll explore what “voice” means in fiction and how it differs from style, tone, and point of view.
Through brief readings, generative exercises, and group discussion, participants will learn to recognize aspects of their own voice. They’ll learn to experiment with different approaches to draw out that voice and discover how to work with it in their writing. Writers of all levels are welcome.
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Thank you for this course. It has allowed me to connect to me and to writing.
—Christie, DailyOM
The Unbearable Lightness of Novel Writing
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Learn the fundamentals of novel writing—character, plot, setting—while developing your writer's instinct for when a story's working and when it isn't. This six-week course will build your confidence as a writer in a fun, safe, and dynamic atmosphere where you'll learn from each other while crafting your own story.
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Blending online learning, group work, and one-on-one mentoring
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Character development and compelling dialogue
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Plot structure and narrative tension
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Setting and worldbuilding
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Show, don't tell techniques
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Pacing and story flow
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Sensory descriptions that captivate readers
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Overcoming writer's block
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Manuscript polishing strategies
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By course end, you'll have a complete toolkit for crafting memorable stories and the confidence to move forward with your novel. Discover the story that's waiting for you to tell it!
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The approach
What the course includes
What you’ll come away with
In a world of overstimulation, deep listening is a breath of fresh air.
—Sylvie Stevenson
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