Thanks to the team

David Shultz

Founder & Organizer

Justin Dill

Organizer & In-Person Moderator

Michelle Pang

In-Person Sprints Moderator

Peter Reynolds

Social Event Organizer

Gillian Secord

Virtual Sprints Moderator

Melissa Terry

Virtual Critique Sessions Moderator

Don Miasek

Moderator

Pamela K.

Moderator

We built a sense of community by coming together for a pint and writerly debate at frequent pub nights. And how can I go without mentioned Peter’s legendary holiday parties!

Leadership of the group changed hands several times, from David, to Mellisha, to me. Moderators like Gillian, Melissa, and James stepped in to facilitate online meetings as our group expanded during the pandemic. So, too, did we pursue bigger ambitions, starting tDotSpec, our very own publishing company, through which we published magazines like Strange Economics, Speculative North, and the Science Fiction Tarot, as well as our yearly one-shot anthologies (read at your own risk).

It’s been such an honour over the years to improvise pub night speeches, spin the wheel that never picks Dave, and wrack my brain for icebreaker questions every week (okay, maybe not that last one).

We blew through one milestone after another. Self-publishing superstars like Scott, Peter, James, and Danny opened our eyes to brand new avenues. Adrienne, Don, and Mellisha thwarted the gatekeepers and had their books published traditionally. Grants. Agents. Awards. After so many years of toiling, our dreams are finally coming true.

I’ve learned so much over the years from all of you. Adrienne taught me characters should have quirks. Wayne taught me characters shouldn’t sigh. Danny taught me life could be organized in spreadsheets. Michelle taught me not to self-reject. And Melissa taught me never to play board games with her if I want to stay in one piece.

But more than any of that, somewhere, along this ten-year journey, I found my family. I found my home. I met incredible writers who could give any big-name author a run for their money. I found a place where I felt comfortable coming out of my shell, a place where people understood and accepted me. I found overwhelming support during hard times. I experienced the kind of love and friendship that ten years ago I’d have never thought was in the cards for me.

And, by some miracle, I actually became decent at this writing thing.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, but life never is. If I could talk to the me from ten years ago, I’d tell him this: you’re a real person, and you’re going to live a very real life. It’s going to be difficult. You’ll struggle, you’ll fail, you’ll mess up, and you’ll get more rejections than anyone but Michelle could handle. But you’ll experience moments, however fleeting, of true happiness. And in the end, it’ll all be worth it.

So. Ten years. Where does that leave us? Lately, there’s been a steady stream of mind-blowing achievements, and it doesn’t look like we’ll slow down anytime soon. But I want to look a little further into the future. The moderators and members of this group make it the vibrant, diverse, and welcoming community that it is. But members come and go. Moderators step down, allowing new voices to lead the group in new directions. But it’s my hope, and my dream, that this group will outlive us all. That it’ll be a safe harbour, a sanctuary, a home for introverted misfits like us who haven’t found their people, for generations to come. What we’ve built here is something that will survive me, something that will survive us all.

I’ve always dreamed of being a hotshot author—bidding wars, a Netflix adaptation directed by Mike Flannagan, a Nobel prize in literature, modest things like that. That was my sole purpose, my reason for living. But through you all, I’ve found my true calling, something even better than fame, than money, than success. I’ll never give up my dream, but just being here, week after week, fostering this community and seeing you all thrive, makes my life worth living.

So, I just want to say, thank you. Thank you for encouraging me. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you, for the best ten years of my life.

A Message from Justin

The funny thing about ten years is that it can feel like a lifetime and yet go by in the blink of an eye...

On May 9, 2015, my life—like so many others—changed forever. Back then, I had no close circle of friends, no confidence in my writing abilities, and no purpose. Then I attended the inaugural meeting of the Toronto Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers, hosted at the Imperial Pub.

It was uncomfortable at first meeting complete strangers, but it soon became clear that these were my people: people who shared my nerdiness, my love of reading, and my passion for storytelling. David, our founder, fostered an inclusive, diverse, respectful, and supportive atmosphere, defining a good meeting as one where everyone left wanting to write more.

We went through many transitions over the years. We relocated to the Firkin on King, then to the MaRS Building, and eventually back to the Imperial Pub. We increased our meetings from monthly to weekly. Members started smaller spinoff groups, but Saturday was always the main event, where we all came together to share our love of writing. Attendance grew so large that we began splitting into two groups.

...And Thank You for 10 Incredible Years

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In Their Words: Community Reflections

This group's supportive nature means the motto of "people should leave our meetings wanting to write more" always worked for me. Each week, I look forward to reading from a wide variety of works from an equally wide variety of authors.

For me, I brought Pale Grey Dot to the group in 2000-word chunks, getting it picked over with a fine-toothed comb by the experts. The book is much stronger as a result. When it came time to submit to agents and publishers, I relied on the group's expertise, and after receiving an offer, folks were eager to help out in reviewing the contract with me.

Every step of the way, I've received help, and had the chance to help others. I have no doubt that Pale Grey Dot would not exist without the Toronto Sci-Fi & Fantasy Writers Group.

Don (Member Since 2017)

In Their Words: Community Reflections

I have been jumping from writing group to writing group, looking for support in the exciting yet confusing world of writing. But I settled with the Toronto Science Fiction and Fantasy Group as they're a great fit for me. I received great advice in a welcoming and patient community, full of intelligent and amazing authors. As I believe this country produces great writers, this is the place to stay.

This is the group where I feel seen, where my stories are read, and my thoughts flourish. Each time I spend time with them, I always want to go home and write more. I'm glad this group is going strong for 10 years; more 10 strong years to come.

H.C. (Member since 2018)

In Their Words: Community Reflections

I joined the Sci-Fi Fantasy Meetup when it opened after COVID, and it has been a tremendous help with my writing progression and helped me recognize the areas where I’m lacking. I met many people who are passionate about writing from all kinds of backgrounds, and it made me a more open-minded, accepting person. I deeply enjoyed and learnt from the group, and am very grateful.

Helen (Member since 2021)

What We’ve Built Together

Over the past ten years, our members have created extraordinary works that span genres, styles, and mediums. From debut novels to award-winning short stories, each creation represents the dedication and growth of our vibrant community.

A Decade of Writing Together

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Celebrating 10 Years of Storytelling, Community, and Creativity

A look back and a leap forward with the writers who made it all possible.