Hi!
I’m a professor of digital storytelling at Humber College in Toronto. I also write essays and make strange web projects. My breakdown is more or less code < storytelling > design, but if you like you can read the backstory.
I’m not on the socials much. Subscribe to my newsletter instead! Or send me a note: jdw@colourstory.ca. I’d like that.
Recent Work
Here are some things I’ve made or written over the last couple of years, most to least recent.
A taste of home
A story about Persian, Turkish, and Egyptian flavours and feeling at home in Kensington Market. The Globe and Mail, 2023
How Kingston became the Cambodian food capital of Canada
On a refugee and the thousands who crave his cooking, for The Globe and Mail, 2023
Diamond Planets
On Marche and Guriel, for The Literary Review of Canada, 2023
Why Christmas and Ghosts Go So Well Together
for The Globe and Mail, 2022
On Collections
an essay about how sometimes books sneak out of the stacks—and then back in. Literary Review of Canada, 2022
The Thomas Booker Rare Fish Library
a virtual reality experience about oceans and doom, 2021
Below the Brine
an essay about oceans and doom (to go with The Thomas Booker Rare Fish Library), Literary Review of Canada, 2021
Private Parts
an article on privacy and teledildonics (read: “smart” bedroom devices), The Walrus, 2021
In the Human Frame
an essay about Leonard Cohen and aftermath, Literary Review of Canada, 2021
A Shelter for Dreams
an essay about Berlin, Frei Otto, and Googling one’s own memories, Literary Review of Canada, 2021
A Ruling on the Rules
a tiny essay about masked children, Literary Review of Canada, 2020
Pandemic
an essay about the literary origins of the coronavirus, Literary Review of Canada, 2020
Check out Libby
an essay about everyone’s favourite e-reading app, Literary Review of Canada, 2020
Commentator
a web app for writing feedback more quickly
Bibliomancr
a web app for book-based divination
Bored to Life
an essay about algorithms, boredom, and books, Literary Review of Canada, 2019