We would like to thank Rawi for being our 2023 Writer in Residence! 

About Rawi Hage, Langara’s 2023 Writer in Residence

Rawi Hage was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and lived through nine years of the Lebanese civil war during the 1970s and 1980s. He immigrated to Canada in 1992 and now lives in Montreal. His first novel, De Niro’s Game, won the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for the best English-language book published anywhere in the world in a given year, and has either won or been shortlisted for seven other major awards and prizes, including the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award. Cockroach was the winner of the Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction and a finalist for the Governor General’s Award. It was also shortlisted for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Award and the Giller Prize. His third novel, Carnival, told from the perspective of a taxi driver, was a finalist for the Writers’ Trust Award and won the Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction. His work has been translated into 30 languages.

“The opportunity to support and inspire students in their creative process, and in such a diverse, youthful environment, is rewarding and meaningful to me. I’m excited to be part of the Langara community.” 

Manuscript Consultations

Students can submit a short story, a novel excerpt, or a novel proposal to Rawi and get free feedback during a one-hour in-person meeting. A Zoom option is available for students who absolutely can’t come in person, but the preference is for in-person meetings. 

To secure an appointment, students must go to Rawi’s office (A302) and add their details to the sign-up sheet posted on his office door. After a student signs up, they should send their work to writerinresidence@langara.ca, using the following format: Word or PDF format only, 12-point font, double spaced, up to 15 pages. Work must be submitted at least one week in advance, so Rawi has a chance to read it and provide thoughtful comments.

Rawi is available on the following Fridays: Mar. 3, Mar. 10, Mar. 17, Mar. 24, Mar. 31. 

There are three time slots on each day: 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. Appointments are available on a first come, first served basis. 

Upcoming Events

• Rawi Hage in Conversation with David Chariandy: Rawi Hage hosted a public talk on March 2 in room A130 from 5:30 pm–7:30 pm. He was joined by author David Chariandy. This event was open to the community. For more information, click here.

For questions about the Writer in Residence program, email writerinresidence@langara.ca