Discover Your Creative Side with the Author in Residence

Stories can be shared in a variety of ways. From directly sharing a personal experience in an essay to writing something more metaphorical in a poem, writing as a form of self-expression can take on many different forms. 

paulo da costa, Calgary Public Library’s 2024 Author in Residence, has published works in many different genres, forms, and languages.  

Becoming a writer in a new country 

da costa grew up in Portugal and always enjoyed reading as a young boy. He began writing as a teenager but put it aside while attending university. It wasn’t until moving to Canada that he realized his true passion for writing. It started with journalling and then transitioned into poetry. 

“When I returned to writing, I was living in a different language. With this other language in the mix, I still managed to create images, narratives, stories, poems, and essays. I started reading right away when I came and I think that helped, and I was perhaps mad enough to believe that I could write in another language.” 

da costa knows first-hand that writing or finding passion for something creative can happen in any phase of life. As the Author in Residence, he hopes to spark an interest in those who are intrigued by the writing process, but maybe don’t know where to start. He appreciates Calgary’s diverse landscape, and also wants to encourage writers who might be navigating the challenges of not writing in their native language. 

Finding a unique writing style 

While da costa has found success publishing literature in Canada, his writing style isn’t typically what most of us are accustomed to. He often uses imagery or metaphors to address larger issues in the world about the human condition, who we are, and where we come from. As da costa explains, the Anglo-Saxon or old English style tends to be more literal. 

“There are a lot of other languages that are more figurative, that are more metaphorical, and that are more poetic. So a lot of my writing will use very imaginative departure points, but to address really concrete issues which really separates it from the repertorial we tend to see in Canada.”   

As someone who has written in many different styles, da costa hopes to connect with both emerging and established writers during his residency at the Library to discuss writing techniques, publishing and promotion, or whatever aspect of writing would be most helpful.  

“Writing can be a very solitary endeavour, and that makes the road more isolating and challenging. I want people to know that it’s actually an exciting community. Although we are in small little corners, you just need to find where those are.” 

Visit da costa’s office hours or view his upcoming Library programs below: 

Writing Flash Fiction 
Memorial Park Library | November 2 | 3:00 pm 

Writing Creative Non-Fiction 
Memorial Park Library | November 16 | 3:00 pm 

About the Library Residency Programs  

The Author in Residence program has been offered at the Library for over 30 years. Through this program, we have hosted many exceptional authors who continue to contribute to Calgary's strong literary community. This is one of eight residencies that take place at Calgary Public Library each year. These short-term community engagement initiatives support individuals and collectives living and working in Calgary and surrounding First Nations communities.