Editing Memoirs: A Conversation with David Ross and Maria Mutch

Join Editors Toronto on Tuesday, September 22, at 7:00 pm via Zoom for our first program of the 2020–21 season.

There is something enticing about opening up a book and diving into the innermost world of a living, breathing person. A memoir, when done right, perfectly pairs the narrative style of fiction with the resonance of a true story. At its best, the experience can lead to moments of self-discovery or allow us to see the world in new ways.

How does an editor go about helping an author shape their own story? Penguin Canada editor David Ross will draw from his extensive editorial experience working on memoirs as he speaks with Maria Mutch, whose memoir Know the Night was a finalist for the 2014 Governor General’s Award.

More about our speakers:

David Ross is an acquisitions editor and senior managing editor at Penguin Canada, where he selectively acquires and edits memoir and fiction from underrepresented voices, with a particular focus on the queer community. He has edited several bestselling titles, including Vivek Shraya’s I’m Afraid of Men, Rachel Matlow’s Dead Mom Walking, Billy-Ray Belcourt’s A History of My Brief Body, and Samra Habib’s We Have Always Been Here, which won Canada Reads 2020.

Maria Mutch is the author of the memoir Know the Night, which was a Governor General’s Literary Awards finalist, as well as the story collection When We Were Birds, and the forthcoming novel Molly Falls to Earth (spring 2021). She teaches writing at GrubStreet in Boston, as well as mindfulness meditation, and lives in Rhode Island.

Schedule:

6:55 pm — Zoom meeting opens

7:05 pm — Editing Memoirs: A Conversation with David Ross and Maria Mutch

7:45 pm — Q&A with David Ross and Maria Mutch

Want to join us?

To reserve your spot, follow the link: https://buytickets.at/editorstoronto/419102.

General admission is $5.

Editors Toronto members should check their email for a promo code to gain free entry.