The 2025 recipient of the Quebec Writers’ Federation College Writer’s Award is Zoë Vega, who wrote the winning piece while they were at Dawson College. Since graduating, they have gone on to Concordia University. Zoë, who is studying creative writing, took a few moments to participate in a Q & A with the Communications Office.

Can you tell us about the piece you submitted that won the QWF College Writers Award? What inspired it?

After reading Frankenstein, I took a class on second generation romantic poets. We didn’t learn much about Mary Shelley, but I did do a presentation on her which sparked a weird fascination with her life. I thought she was remarkable. Obviously, it’s impressive enough that she wrote a novel at such a young age, but that paired with the fact that her life hadn’t been particularly easy, struck a chord.

What does winning this award mean to you personally and as a writer?

I’m so unbelievably grateful to have won. I feel like being a writer often means immersing yourself in a world of rejection. I’ve submitted to literary journals before, but I’ve never been published. Even though the rejection stings less the more you submit, it’s still nice to see your work getting noticed and taking you where you want to go.

How would you describe your writing process and the time you dedicate to it?
I often go into periods where I write a lot or not at all. It’s kind of chaotic. I’d like to work more on writing habitually instead of waiting for an idea to pop into my head. When I do write, I get very focused on getting certain “feelings” right or establishing the mood of the story in the exact way that I envision it.

Did you face any challenges or surprises while writing your winning piece?
Definitely. I had never written about a historical figure before and I was struggling with balancing fiction and fact. At first, I wanted to be as accurate as possible. However, I found that to be more difficult than expected and decided to let myself have more fun with it. I also had trouble deciding which episodes to include when talking about Shelley’s life. I really wanted to include information about her miscarriages, her husband’s unfaithfulness and his death.

How did your experience at Dawson influence your writing?
I decided to go to Dawson because of the wide variety of courses offered in the Literature profile of Arts, Literature and Communication. Having options helped me develop as a writer.

Who was/were your favourite English teacher(s) at Dawson and how did they help you develop as a writer?

I absolutely loved studying under Sarah Burgoyne and Liam Lachance. Professor Burgoyne introduced me to different kinds of contemporary literature and showed the class lots of works that defied genre. She also introduced me to Anne Carson, who I now adore. I feel like her class helped me expand my interests and gave me a new definition of what it means to be a writer. I took Liam Lachance’s creative writing class, and he always offered me insightful criticism and was very encouraging.

 What did you enjoy most about your Dawson experience? 

I moved out of my parent’s house after my first year at Dawson. I think the best part of my experience was gaining some independence and finding my footing as a young adult.

What themes or messages do you tend to explore in your writing?

 I tend to discuss mental health quite a bit. It’s a subject that’s really important to me. I write a lot of creative non-fiction and discussing the effect of trauma makes me feel like I’m doing something about it.

Do you have any other writing projects or goals you are currently pursuing?

 Not at the moment. I’m still adjusting to university, so I’d like to focus more on learning about different forms of writing and dabbling in different genres for now.

What advice would you give to fellow students or emerging writers interested in submitting to this award?

 I’d say to write about something that they’re passionate about and not to be afraid of editing. I’m terrible when it comes to editing even though it is very necessary. Sometimes I like to put my writing away for a while so I can look at it with fresh eyes.

How do you feel about the recognition and opportunities that come with winning this prize?

I feel giddy. I wasn’t really thinking about what the recognition would feel like when I submitted my piece and so far, it’s been unfamiliar. I am very grateful to have even made it to the finalists and I’m excited to be published.