Oisín Curran grew up in rural Maine. He received a BA in Classics and an MFA in Creative Writing from Brown University (where he was the recipient of a national scholarship and a writing fellowship), and a diploma in Translation (French to English) from Concordia University.
November 26, 2025
-by April MacDonald
The Cabot Trail Writers Festival is inviting any Cape Breton writer between ages 12 and 18 to submit an application to their Raise Our Voices (ROV) writing contest and mentorship program for young writers. Touching base with Rebecca Silver-Slayter, the author of In the Land of Birdfishes, which was shortlisted for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, and The Second History, she said that it’s been the Cabot Trail Writers Festival’s goal to create special programming that focuses on young people.
Silver-Slayter was named one of CBC’s Ten Writers to Watch, and, most importantly for the purposes of this article, is the director of the Cabot Trail Writers Festival.
“We work with schools a lot and we work with a lot of youth,” said Silver-Slayter.
She added that they do provide workshops at the Gaelic College at St. Anne’s, but they wanted to make writing workshops more accessible. “It’s so personal and exciting,’ she added.
The winner of the ROVing Writers contest will get to take part in a three month mentorship with professional Cape Breton writer, Oisin Curran.
Oisín Curran is the author of two novels. His first, Mopus, was published by Counterpath Press in 2007. His second novel, Blood Fable (Book*hug 2017), was listed as one of the most-anticipated books of 2017 by The Globe and Mail and won the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award in 2018. Originally from Maine, Curran currently lives in Inverness County.
“He is a librarian, teaches at Cape Breton University and Beinn Mhabu, and is an award winning author,’ said Silver-Slayter.
She said speaking from experience as well as what she is hearing from young people is that it can sometimes be challenging to find peers who are passionate about writing.
“We have big goals, not just to help develop the craft of writing or how to navigate it professionally, what we want is to get young people excited about writing,” she explained.
She added that the Cabot Trail Writers Festival wants to show how fun and natural writing can be.
“Locally as well as globally, reading and writing statistics are declining among school-aged youth,” explained Silver-Slayter.
“We really want to nourish and foster the next generation of writers and show them that reading and writing can be fun and not daunting. That it’s not a school assignment and not a chore. We aim to make writing accessible and unintimidating,” she added.
“Be it a poem of short-story, we want writing to feel like an easy and fun thing to do,” said Silver-Slayter.
The winner of the contest will have the opportunity to take part in a public reading and interview with their mentor at the ROVing Writers Coffeehouse event in the spring.
Everyone who enters the ROVing Writers contest will be invited to take part in a monthly online gathering with their peers and featuring guest writers offering encouragement, ideas, writing exercises and other creative support and inspiration.
“Connecting with young people is the main thing, but those who apply also can participate in a monthly forum online get-together,” said Silver-Slayter.
“This really is a wonderful pathway for anyone who feels they are a budding writer,” she closed.
The contest opened on October 1st, 2025. The deadline is fast-approaching – November 30th, 2025.
To learn more or apply: Visit www.cabottrailwritersfestival.com/youth mentorship or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
