Workshops and Events

Kindred Spirits Exhibition Launch

On 14 April 2025 I was the keynote speaker for the Kindred Spirits Exhibition Launch at Massey College Library at the University of Toronto. My talk was called “Connections Across Time: L.M. Montgomery’s Creative Legacy.”

My Author Talks explore what what led me to write historical fiction, how I approached writing MAUD, and can focus on a variety subjects related to L.M. Montgomery’s early life as a teen writer growing up in Cavendish, PEI and Prince Albert, Sask.

Geared to grades 5 and up, I will adapt my talks to grade level or group size. I’m available for talks in the Toronto and GTA and am available on Skype.

Here’s some of what I talk about:

  • Writing Process/Path to publication
  • L.M. Montgomery as Teen Writer
  • History of women during late-19th century Canada
  • Tapping into your creative potential and passion

If you’re interested in me coming to speak at your school, library, book club or organization,  please contact me.

“Melanie’s presentation was engaging, informative and delightful. Her knowledge of the subject, passion for writing, and love of everything LM Montgomery was contagious! She did a wonderful job of balancing the history of her subject (LM Montgomery), with her creative writing process, to show teens how they can turn a passion and interest into a novel. Her PowerPoint, with many great photographs of key historical people and her own writing space, perfectly complimented the discussion about starting with an idea, pursuing a passion, and putting pen to paper. Melanie further took the time to connect with the teens in attendance, ask them about their writing, and answer questions. I can’t wait for her to visit our library again!” — Jennifer Howard, Children’s Librarian, Confederation Centre Library 

We were thrilled with the evening Melanie J. Fishbane spent at Midland Public Library during Ontario Public Library Week 2017. There were people of all ages in attendance and they were all moved by Mel’s stories about loving Laura Ingalls Wilder and Anne of Green Gables as a young person. She dug into the research she’d done on site in PEI and in archives to recreate the life of Lucy Maud Montgomery for her book Maud, making the presentation intriguing to the more historically minded, along with young adults and fans of Anne. I’d highly recommend having her (and Laura, and Anne, and Maud) at any library, school, or bookstore. — Faith Roebuck Shergold, Community Engagement Coordinator, Midland Public Library

Melanie Fishbane presented Maud at the Hamilton Public Library to an enthusiastic teen audience in January 2018. She prepared a highly professional presentation that revealed the story of writing Maud, providing extra details and visual examples of the characters and settings in the novel. Teen participants were thrilled to see what some of the characters looked like and to learn interesting facts about Maud’s world. Teens also learned a great deal from Fishbane’s own story … Fishbane’s message of empowerment through reading and writing was inspiring to her teen audience, who asked many questions and stayed after the presentation concluded to speak with the author personally. It was a pleasure to host Melanie Fishbane at the Hamilton Public Library and a joy to see the hope and possibility she ignited in the teens who attended her presentation. — Naomi Brun, Youth Services Program Development Manager, Hamilton Public Library

My Writing Workshops focus on writing historical fiction, journal writing, and best practices for writing YA fiction to people of all ages, as well as helping you tap into your creative genius.

Please contact me for more information.

Writing Workshops: Teens

I facilitate interactive writing workshops that encourages you to write about what you’re passionate about, and to connect to your creative self. We work with concepts of inner critic, writing process, with a heavy focus on revision techniques. I can also gear my writing workshop to specific genres, such as historical fiction, memoir writing and writing young adult fiction.

Writing Historical Fiction: This 1 to 2-hour writing workshop provides best practices on writing historical fiction, focusing on plotting, character, structure, description and dialogue and research.

Journal Writing: This 1 to 2-hour workshop shows how journal writing can not only be the first step in the writing journey, but also a tool for self-exploration, giving you the opportunity to tap into your creativity.

Young Adult Fiction: This 1 to- 2-hour workshop will strategize best practices on young adult fiction writing, focusing on character, structure, plotting and strategies to getting your story to the next stage.

Writing Workshops: Adults

How to Find the Writer Within I:  Do you have a story to tell, but are not sure where to begin? Perhaps you’ve written something, but don’t know what to do next? This one-day workshop is for anyone who has wished to explore writing and isn’t sure where to begin. It is also for those who have been struggling with their inner critic, imposter’s syndrome, and other blocks that keeps you from writing your story. This workshop will explore different techniques—such as journal writing, meditation and visualization, and using writing prompts—to help you tap into your inner wisdom to find your writer within. It will also show how you can combine your writing and spiritual practices together.

Journal Writing: This workshop shows how journal writing can not only be the first step in the writing journey, but also a tool for self-exploration, giving you the opportunity to tap into your creativity.

Finding the Writer Within affords participants a blessed opportunity to delve in – back in – to the reasons we are called forth to write. Exercise by exercise – with gentle and measured intent – young adult author and college professor, Melanie Fishbane, enables her group to re-discover their love for story while gently pulling away any reservations or self doubts that are getting in the way. A skilled and compassionate writing teacher, Melanie offers herself and her experiences as a gift to help each of us find our writer within and fall in love with words all over again. — Finding the Writer Within Participant, Cheryl Smith, Caledon Ontario.

As someone who’s struggled to start writing again after a dry spell, this was a fantastic workshop. Melanie was a great facilitator and she made all of us feel comfortable sharing things, considering that almost none of us had met before. The exercises were terrific to re-engage my writing muscle and I just may have had an epiphany in regards to a factor missing from my work in progress. Highly recommended to anyone who’s working on something and needs a kickstart. I am looking forward to future workshops! — How to Find the Writer Within Participant, Mark Brodsky, Toronto On.

Please contact me for more information.