Do you have a true story to tell? Susan Juby’s CREW 202, Introduction to Creative Non-fiction, class would like to hear it.
The class is hosting their second annual True Story SLAM as a venue for the VIU community to share their stories and vie for cash, glory, and other phenomenal prizes.
Juby, an acclaimed Canadian young adult fiction writer, has dabbled in the non-fiction genre, publishing her own candid memoir, Nice Recovery. She says that all students, faculty, and staff are welcome to tell their own stories or just watch.
“I decided that it would be an interesting and useful experience for students in CREW 202 to host a true storytelling event because it gives participants a chance to work in the oral storytelling tradition and test their narrative and performance skills,” Juby says. “Writers need to learn to create their own opportunities to reach an audience, and the True Story SLAM is a great way to do that. Finally, I love hearing people’s stories, so my motivation is also selfish,” she adds.
Lucas Baird, a second-year Creative Writing student in Juby’s class, will be emceeing the True Story SLAM. He says that his class has worked hard by volunteering their time to pepper the campus with posters, find prizes, prepare the venue, and perform microphone checks on the equipment.
“There’s certainly a fair deal of work that goes into getting the event running, but a good amount of it is actually a product of Susan,” Baird says. “She’s mostly responsible for booking the venue and reaching out to the judges and what-not, for the moment, and organizing us students into whatever positions we’ll be filling on the event days. As of right now, students are mostly focused on the job of sticking posters around campus and in their towns, as well as purchasing prizes for the contestants or attempting to get monetary donations from potential sponsors.”
To enter the competition, you must register with <susan.juby@viu.ca>. When you register you will be given a number and time slot for your story pitch. Pitches will be delivered on Nov. 2 starting at 7 p.m. in bldg. 355 rm. 211. You will have no longer than five minutes to deliver your pitch in front of the esteemed panel of judges.
The top 10 competitors will continue on to the Grand Prize Round held at Fibber Magees on Nov. 14. In this round, competitors will have up to 10 minutes to tell their stories.