Teaching

Dear Aspiring Writers: I would love to teach you!

I’m excited to be an instructor with the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies, teaching the online course 1863 – Writing Short Fiction: Master Class.

Teaching creative writing, and offering feedback on other writers’ work, is a great joy and passion for me, and I’ve been working with aspiring writers since 2005 in various capacities. I taught creative writing (introduction to short fiction and travel writing) at The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Toronto Metropolitan University from 2018 to 2022, and began teaching a master class in short fiction at the School of Continuing Studies with the University of Toronto in 2023, receiving wonderful feedback from my students. I’ve also had the pleasure of being a facilitator for online school and community workshops with Story Planet, a non-profit organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of young people in Toronto’s equity-seeking communities, and I was the co-creator of and workshop leader for Story Planet’s Constellation Adult Fiction Writing Workshop Series, featuring fellow authors Carrianne Leung, Téa Mutonji, Casey Plett, Adam Pottle, Waubgeshig Rice, and Teri Vlassopoulos in 2021. I have also worked as a literary prize juror, most notably for the Toronto Star Short Story Contest, and for the Fiction category of the 2023 Governor General’s Literary Awards.

MANY THANKS TO THESE FORMER STUDENTS FOR THEIR KIND WORDS:

“Jessica, thank you so much for not only this incredible and priceless feedback on my first draft but for being such an incredible leader through this entire process. This class has totally exceeded my expectations, and pushed me more than I thought was possible—something clicked for me, and this is not my first writing class. It was however, my most memorable experience and I can honestly say that I have stretched further because of you as our instructor.” –Kelly Schnurr

“Jessica, I can’t tell you how validating your reflections and responses were; it was like you were in my head on so many elements of this short story—sincerely, thank you. This was a wonderful process and I learned a ton.” –Michelle Barker

“I found this course very useful. I entered it as someone who’d never taken a writing class before, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I found Westhead to be a thoughtful teacher who had stimulating exercises, and always provided illuminating comments and notes on drafts and stories. I’d recommend her course to anyone looking for a class on writing short stories.” –Roz Milner

Dear Writing Groups: I would be thrilled to appear as a guest speaker at one of your meetings, offering lessons on craft, tips and tricks about the writing life, and a hands-on writing workshop and/or an in-person critique of writing samples that your members send me ahead of time. Please contact me to ask about fees and availability.

MANY THANKS FOR THESE KIND WORDS ABOUT MY WRITING GROUP VISITS:

“Meeting Jessica was like getting together for coffee with an old friend—instantly comfortable and endlessly interesting. She introduced new ways to think about the purpose and impact of writing, shared details about the publishing process, and normalized the challenging parts of being a writer. I appreciate how she seamlessly blended traditional elements of craft with new insights into how we can tell stories that connect us to our deeper selves and connect us to others through writing. Her style is conversational, encouraging participants to share their ideas in whatever way feels natural. This results in the overall feeling of having created something together, where everyone leaves with new avenues to explore. Her personal feedback was thoughtful and specific. A wonderful combination of acknowledging what is working and highlighting where there is room to go deeper, to be more specific, or to otherwise grow your writing.” –Amber Allen, Guelph

Dear Educators: I would be delighted to speak with your English and creative writing classes. I love speaking with students about the writing process, passing along tips and tricks I’ve picked up during my experiences over more than two decades as a working writer, and conducting fiction-writing workshops that focus on encouragement, empowerment, and inspiration. Among other appearances, I’ve been the keynote speaker for a “New Directions in Canadian Short Fiction” panel co-hosted by the Canadian Authors Association, Iguana Books, Editors Toronto, and the Creative Writing Program at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies; and a frequent guest author at the Toronto District School Board’s Authors’ Day. I have been offering creative writing workshops at Havergal College for more than a decade. I’ve been a workshop leader at the Oakville Public Library and at the White Pine Reading Celebration in Oshawa. I’ve also been a guest speaker at college and university creative-writing classes in Toronto; and a guest speaker and workshop leader for Writer’s Craft classes at high schools in the Toronto, Durham, and Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Boards. I’ve also given writing talks to members of the Writers’ Community of Durham Region, the Writers’ Community of Simcoe County, and the Writers’ Community of York Region. Please contact me to ask about fees and availability.

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