First Chapter
The Canadian Writers Photography Project

Publisher:  Banff Centre Press, Canada
Year Published:  2001  
Pages:  120pp   Price:  $29.99   ISBN:  0-920159-87-7
Library of Congress Number:  TR681.A85D46 2001   Dewey:  779'.2'.092

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First Chapter is a "photographic archive" of Canadian writers from across the country taken by Denton either within their homes, at readings and other events from 1996 onwards. These writers; some of which are well known, others which are at the beginning of their careers; are poets, playwrights, novelists and short story writers. First chapter provides a sample of Denton's archival project, which began as a wall mural in a local bookstore in Calgary called Pages in Kensington. For Denton, a "good picture" is when the writer not only looks good, but also the image represents how he/she looks at the world.
Accompanied by each portrait is each author's answer to the following two questions: "How do you write?" and "Knowing what you have learned at this stage in your career, what would you say to your younger self, starting out as a writer?" The answers to these questions are diverse and in some cases create a tension between the perception of the author within the photograph and their words. These answers also provide an aspiring writer with the encouragement and an insider's knowledge of what it takes to remain in the trade.

[Abstract by Amanpreet Dhami]

Subject Headings

• Image Sources
• Writers
• Writers/Canadian
• Writing