Talks:
Sharon Thesen Lecture in Creative Writing, UBCO 2025
Language is a shorthand for experience. A thought package. A virus leaving one body and entering others. A translation, travelling through media. In this dynamic lecture, Michael V. Smith discusses writing and living poetically, between genre. He addresses time-worn questions every mother asks her child, such as, “What can film teach us about poetry? Why do warmongers try to kill the poets? Can science save us from our grim future on a burning planet? Why should we care about anything?” Have a listen…
Writing from Silence, presented for the RCA @ Home Program’s Art Talk. 2020.
One of the ways in which power maintains itself is through silencing, whether that be notions of what one can or cannot say in polite company, who has the power or place to speak, or perhaps who is given a platform but under a shared, unspoken set of restrictions. In this talk, UBCO creative writing professor Michael V. Smith examines taboo, stereotypes, family histories, and cultural silences to reveal how writing can function as a means of speaking truth to power.
Danny Ramadan’s “Hey, I have been wondering” with guest Michael V. Smith
More Interviews:
CBC radio interview on NXNW with Margaret Gallagher 2025:
Michael V. Smith discusses his new book “Soundtrack: a lyric memoir.”

CBC’s The Next Chapter with Michael V. Smith 2023
An Interview with All Lit Up about Queers Like Me 2023
“Radical Self-Inclusion” – A conversation with Linda Morra and Michael V. Smith on Getting Lit with Linda 2023
Open Book speaking with MVS about Queers Like Me 2023.
Vancouver Presents interview with Kim Kinakin and MVS, re: ‘Punk as Flick’ queer retrospective film screening. 2020.
Entrevue en français avec Marie Villeneuve à Phare Ouest. 2019
Can’t Lit podcast interview, with hosts Jen Sookfong Lee and Dina Del Bucchia. 2018
The Chat, with Trevor Corkum. 2017
Verbicide interview, with Nathaniel G. Moore. 2017
Prism International interview, with Matthew Walsh. 2017
Quill & Quire interview, memoir, with Tara-Michele Ziniuk. 2015
By the folks at The Rusty Toque, memoir. 2011
Creative Nonfiction Collective Society interview: memoir. 2017
Persistence anthology interview.
Canadian Fiction podcast.
IKBLC Robson Reading Series video. 2011.
At Zeke’s Gallery in Montreal, on the 5pt Tour with his poetry collection, What You Can’t Have. 2006
Press Photos
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