Science Fiction Writer
ROBERT J. SAWYER
Hugo and Nebula Winner

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Robert J. Sawyer has spoken at countless conventions, conferences, club meetings, museums, libraries, schools, universities, bookstores, and more. He's also led nine professional-development seminars about SF for librarians, judged many writing contests, and run several writing workshops.

• Groups in Canada can E-mail Rob about booking him under the Canada Council's Public Readings program.
• Anyone else can E-mail Rob about arranging a booking to meet their specific needs.

"Robert J. Sawyer is a dynamic and animated speaker; we were spellbound."

— Victoria Times Colonist

"Just a short note to express my thanks to you for your superb presentation at Hockley Valley. You focused precisely on those areas that were of most interest to the audience. Your delivery was exciting and challenging. A number of our insurance-broker guests spoke to me later about your presentation and there were several discussion later at dinner and the next day."

— David Kent
Vice President, Group Insurance
National Life

"Your well-researched speech was perfect for the occasion. It was informative, entertaining, uplifting and thoroughly enjoyed by all. You made us all proud to be engineers, and to be Canadians."

— Ross Gillett, P.Eng.
Member, Organizing Committee
Ontario Professional Engineers Awards

"Thanks again for coming to our meeting. I don't have to tell you the talk hit the spot, as you personally saw how the audience engaged in a lively Q&A at the end of your presentation. This continued into the coffee break, which really shows how much your words provoked the reaction I was hoping for, namely a thought-provoking break from our organizational/technical discussions. Informal feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive. I am glad you could come on short notice. Your participation certainly contributed to the success of our event."

— Gabriel M. Silberman, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President & Head CA Labs
Computer Associates, Islandia, NY

"Engaging, intelligent, entertaining, stimulating. Although these are powerful adjectives that I don't use lightly, they still fall short of conveying the audience response to Rob's keynote address at our conference. We were absolutely delighted!"

— Mike Doyle
Conference Manager
Documentation & Training 2005
(at the Boston University Corporate Education Center)

"Your keynote address was the perfect kickoff for our conference Facing Technology Together. You obviously did your research on us and the message hit the nail on the head. I was very impressed with how you even worked in the breakfast table conversation about our promotion of 4-H. Fantastic job! Thanks again."

— Glen Johnson
President
Ontario Mutual Insurance Association

"Your popularity and acclaim have been crucial to our publicity and programming; as our country's articulate SF ambassador, you've been a perfect guest for this `hybrid' academic/populist symposium."

— Dr. Randy Schroeder and
Dr. Sabina Reed, Chair
Department of English
Mount Royal College

"Your three presentations were engaging, professionally executed and very informative. The response of the visitors that attended your talks was very positive. Speaking not only for myself but on behalf of the Ontario Science Centre, you were, as always, a pleasure to work with, and we look forward to working with you again."

— Louise Hypher
Program Coordinator
Ontario Science Centre

"Eloquent, inspiring and hilarious! Rob Sawyer is quite simply the best speaker on writing I have ever heard."

— Geo F. Takach
President
Writers Guild of Alberta

"Thank you for the memorable event. The kids were duly impressed, enlightened, inspired ... I think you caught them all off guard as they expected someone as `bright and successful' (their words) as you to be inaccessible. Instead, they came back relating to other students the degree of warmth, charisma, passion, and downright good ol' `Canadian Politeness' you displayed."

— John Michalko
Teacher
Canandaigua Middle School, Canandaigua, New York

"A million thanks for the great seminar this afternoon. We rarely see presenters respond with the passion you brought to the discussion, and you can be sure the subscribers from all over your country are going to remember what you said for a long, long time. You addressed so many core issues, and you addressed them with such passion (that word again) and intellect — our subscribers very rarely, if ever, get a chance to hear such free-flowing, knowledgeable discussion."

— Donald E. McQuinn
Seminar Coordinator
Wired Writers Online Workshops

"Once again, thank you so much for visiting our class. The kids wrote a news report for the school newspaper describing what they learned that day, and let's just say, they were completely blown away with your words of wisdom and your sense of humour. It was truly an exceptional experience for all of us and we are very grateful to you."

— Lori O'Brien
English Department
The Woodland School, Mississauga, Ontario

"It was obvious from the easy rapport you had with the people in your audience that they thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to hear you and to meet with you. We appreciated very much the candor with which you fielded questions from the audience."

— Paul E. Blower
Head of Adult Services
St. Thomas Public Library, St. Thomas, Ontario

"I can attest to Rob Sawyer's poise and zeal in teaching, having invited him into my own classroom to speak on many occasions. Always, he has proven to be the consummate professional: knowledgeable, engaging, prepared, flexible. I recommend him with complete confidence, in the highest way possible, without reservation or qualification."

— Terence M. Green
English Department
East York Collegiate Institute, Toronto, Ontario

"The feedback on your seminar has been 100% excellent. As the organizer, it was a pleasure to work with you. You were always thoroughly attentive and well organized."

— Diane Whitehouse
Seminars Director
Canadian Authors Association

"What a dynamic speaker you are! It was very gracious of you to stay and chat with the young people after your talk, and it was abundantly obvious they were inspired by you, since they kept you talking for ages!"

— Betsy McDonald
Senior Librarian
North York (Ontario) Central Library

"Thank you so much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to come and talk to my class. You were terrific! You brought so many insights and suggestions that you left everyone spellbound. I know I learned a lot."

— Lucie Costin-Hall
Instructor, Master Writing Workshop
Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto

"To me falls the very great privilege to convey to you our expressions of sincerest gratitude for your generous participation in our annual conference. Your early acceptance permitted us to circulate publicity with your prominent name right from the start. Your excellent, right-on keynote address set the upbeat tone for the whole conference. Your presence and active participation all through the conference was very much appreciated by everybody. Thank you very, very much."

— Walter P. Mittler
Chair
Canadian Authors Association 76th Annual Conference

"It was so generous of you to give your time and huge creativity and enthusiasm to this venture for us. We are very grateful. You are indeed a unique and wonderful creation, with imagination, superior writing ability and oral communication par excellence, including a lively sense of humour and sensitivity to all types. Thank you!"

— Mardi Tindal
Adult Programming Coordinator
Five Oaks Education and Retreat Centre

"I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for coming into Mrs. Manchester's writers craft classes the other day. I found the experience very informative, and it has given me that extra motivation I needed to get myself back into writing. Also, not only myself, but many of the people in my class (and friends from the other class) have all said that your Q & A session gave them a fresh look at their own writing. And so I thank you on behalf of myself, the class, and our multitude of fans we are sure to get when each of us become successful writers such as yourself."

— Adam Kirkham
Student
Etobicoke Collegiate Institute

"The feedback is now in — our students were thrilled and very impressed with your presentation yesterday. Many more are reading your books and planning to use them in English and Science projects at the school. We are using your comments as models to show students how to develop topical science issues (cloning and airport security for example) into future scenarios that can be explored through fiction or scientific speculation.

"I was personally impressed, not only at what you had to say, but also at the way you connected so effectively to students and spoke for two and a half hours with almost no break — and never seemed to lose energy and enthusiasm ... No wonder people want you as a keynote speaker!

"You've set the standard against which other visiting speakers will be judged."

— Cam Macpherson
Vice-Principal
Don Mills Collegiate Institute

More Good Reading

Quotes organizations that have had Rob give keynote addresses
Quotes from Rob's writing students
Quotes about Rob from convention attendees
The Top Ten Things to know about Robert J. Sawyer
Press Backgrounder: Robert J. Sawyer
Rob's stints as Guest of Honor at SF conventions

My Very Occasional Newsletter