Hello, Members and Friends.
Here it is, our last Inkspot of the year. Seems like I say it every year (maybe it’s my age?), but it feels like the months all melted away and *snap! it’s Christmas again. I published this year, so it was meaningful for me. I hope you were able to take part in some of our wonderful events this year. We connected with other writers and enjoyed professional development workshops and social activities. I hope there was something to inspire you and inform your writing this year.
As the Holiday season approaches, I’m happy to say that our list of events on wfnb.ca for the winter is full, and I hope you’ll take the time to participate in something. I’ll list them out here, for you:
1. Our writers' retreat at Villa Madonna is January 17-19. We have a few signed up, but we still need several more signups to reach the minimum 15 participants. This is a great opportunity to focus and connect with other writers, so we hope to see you there!
2. Our first online Poetry fundamentals workshop led by Roger Moore took place yesterday, December 12, and it was a wonderful dialogue to kick off our sessions. Participants will receive the recording soon to review, but if you missed registering for this event, you can still review the recording for a nominal fee. Contact info@wfnb.ca for more details.
Discussion Two on poetry fundamentals is led by Kathy Mac, who follows up with Better Writing Through Poetry, on January 12. Limit of 15 - as of this writing, only 4 spaces left!
Discussion Three on poetry fundamentals is led by Matthew Gwathmey on February 16 with Reacting to Music, an Ekphrasis Exercise. Also a limit of 15.
3. Also, Sandra Phinney will lead a three-session online workshop in March 2025 called Braiding our Truths, focusing on creating nonfiction essays with a technique known as "Braiding." This nine-hour online course will be split into three successive Saturdays from one to four pm, on March 15, 22, and 29. Sandra will also focus the last hour of the final session teaching you where to find a market for the essays you've been working on during this course. Limit of 12.
4. Are you preparing for The New Brunswick Writing Competition, which begins January 1 and runs until March 31? If you are a NB resident, (or a WFNB member) you can submit to the competition in eight separate categories: short fiction, novel, nonfiction, single poetry and manuscript, writing for young people, writing by teens, and screenplay. For new writers, this is a great way to practice the process of submission to publications, and for more experienced writers who might be experimenting with new forms. Over the years, we’ve awarded thousands of dollars in cash prizes to winners and many winners have gone on to publish their works.
Again this year, submission is a two-step process: first, you pay for your submission through our online store on wfnb.ca (the window opens January 1), and second, please email your manuscript to info@wfnb.ca.
Please note: Some people have asked why we stopped using Submittable for this competition. We were required to pay quite a hefty annual fee, even though we only used the website three months of the year, and the subscription ate up most of our modest profit. In the end, Submittable simply wasn’t worth the cost to our competition, especially since we already had a viable way to process payments through our own website.
5. Plans are underway for WordSpring, including the tenth annual New Brunswick Book Awards. All our events will take place at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton, May 30 to June 1. This year, we’ll have workshops, readings and an open mic as usual, but we also hope to organize a Pitch the Publisher event as well. Mark your calendars, and look for the event page early in the New Year, once all the details are settled.
And finally, a note about giving.
The WFNB always welcome donations on our website, including legacy giving, as well as the purchase of lifetime memberships.
We cannot issue tax receipts at this present time, but the WFNB is in the process of applying for charitable status. Once submitted, the application can take six months or more to adjudicate, and we hope for the best.
Though the financial reporting requirements are quite a bit more complicated with a charitable designation than with our current status as a nonprofit incorporation, on balance we feel that a charitable number would give us access to foundations and other pools of giving that aren’t currently accessible.
To those preparing for Christmas, Hanukkah, and other winter celebrations, Happy Holidays! The year 2025 represents the WFNB's 40th anniversary, so we're looking forward to celebrating how far our organization has come, and the many fine writers that have grown through and contributed to our little family over the years.
WordWorthy: Rewriting is as important as writing itself. But rewriting has dangers. When we put down our first inspiration, that flow comes out from us and we think ‘isn’t that great?’ but we return to it and say, ‘no, I don’t like that, or that, or that…change everything!’ But Juan Ramón Jiménez, Nobel prize winner for Poetry in 1956, had a phrase: No la toques más. Así es la rosa—Don't touch it anymore. Roses are like that. When your poem is exactly the place you want it, and then you think it would be better if you did something else—No la toques más. Take care to retain your first inspiration, and don't lose it by over-polishing. Keep your first version. You'll always be able to go back to it."
Roger Moore, the Fundamentals of Poetry, unit 1. December 12, 2024
Until 2025,
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Charlene Coburn (pen name, Elwyn Frances Sparrow): Charlene is a born and raised New Brunswicker, living in Fredericton. Her genres of interest include creative nonfiction, essays, memoir, poetry and short story. Welcome, Charlene!
Ellen Christie: From her home in Grande Digue, Ellen writes in variety of genres: Blogging, Creative non-fiction, Essays, Memoir, Non-Fiction, Photography, Copywriting. Welcome, Ellen!
Adair Howe lives in Saint John and writes fantasy, poetry, science fiction, copywriting and travel. Welcome Adair!
Jan Fancy Hull ( janfancyhull.com) lives in rural Nova Scotia, near Lunenburg. She writes creative nonfiction, poetry, short stories, cozy mysteries and other forms of fiction. Welcome, Jan!
Sharon McCutcheon is a retired family doctor who lives in Sussex. She is interested in the genres of creative nonfiction, essays, memoir and poetry. Welcome, Sharon!
Teri McMackin’s work has been published in magazines, newspapers, local publicaitons, online and blogs. A ghostwriter of books and seasoned copywriter, Teri writes from her home in Petitcodiac in a full range of Biography, Blogging, Corporate writing, Memoir, Non-Fiction, Copywriting, Website copy, Freelance writing, Ghostwriting. Welcome, Teri!
Tara Pyfrom (tarapyfrom.com) was born and raised in the Bahamas and now lives in Quispamsis. She writes essays, memoir, nonfiction, poetry and is a freelance writer, her work having appeared in numerous publications. Welcome, Tara!
Aimee C. Trafton (aimeectraftonbooks.com) Born and raised in Fredericton, Aimee’s personal essays and stories have appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, Autism Parenting Magazine, Medium, and her personal blog Life Lessons for My Daughter (lifelessons4daughter.com). While children's literature remains her first love, she also writes YA/adult non-fiction, poetry, personal essays, short stories, and has recently designed some notebooks and sketchbooks available on Amazon. Welcome, Aimee!
MEMBER NEWS
On November 22, theatre students from the Langley Fine Arts School, in Langley BC, performed "Found Drowned" at a local theatre festival. Their script was inspired by WFNB member Laurie Glenn Norris' 2019 novel of the same name. Congratulations, Laurie!
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Michael Simon is excited to announce the release of his science fiction series, Extinction (Podium Entertainment) and First Command (Aethon Books) in 2025. Extinction is a military SF thriller, in which a colony on one of Jupiter’s moons will either be the last bastion of human civilization . . .or ground zero for its extinction.
In First Command, an alien attack leaves Ensign Cole Jackson stranded in space. He must survive, rebuild, and rejoin the war.
https://www.michaelsimon.live/novels
Congratulations, Michael!
WRITING GROUPS
WFNB Member Denise McClure tells us that the writing group EXHALE: Grand Falls has been terminated. However, if there are writers in the Grand Falls area interested in connecting with other writers, please contact her at: 75deemac@gmail.com, or phone number: 506-473-6125.
COMPETITIONS AND CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Partridge Island Publishing call for Submissions - Strangers in the Fog
Details: The annual anthology is only open to Atlantic Canadian authors. Each author can submit two entries, either poetry or prose. Each entry can be a maximum of 3,000 words. All genres are accepted, but the submission must include the theme of "a stranger," however you interpret the word. Each anthology saves space for stories from new, never-been-published authors!
Deadline: January 31, 2025. Direct submissions and any questions to: amanda@partridgeislandpublishing.ca.
Amanda also tells us that plans for their new location for The Write Cup, a bookstore/cafe in Market Square, Saint John, are shaping up nicely. They anticipate opening their doors in January 2025, and will soon be reaching out to new authors to fill their shelves. Congratulations on your success and growth, Partridge Island Publishing!
The sixteenth King’s Shorts Festival of Ten Minute Plays will be hosted by King’s Theatre in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada on June 20, 21 and 22, 2025. For electronic submission(s): https://www.kingstheatre.ca/about/kings-shorts-info/
$15 submission fee per script using the online “Registration” link or by calling the Box Office at 902-532-7704 - Due to the Canada Post strike, please submit electronically. Submission deadline: January 13, 2025
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https://shortstoryawards.com/ The Next Generation Short Story Awards, currently in its second year, is a not-for-profit international awards program for authors of short stories. The Short Story Awards is now accepting entries, i.e. short stories and poems in English (5000 words or less) for the 2025 awards program in 30+ categories. The entry deadline for the 2025 year is Thursday, February 27, 2025. Winners are given cash prizes, gold medals, complimentary digital promotional stickers, social media coverage, literary exposure with their stories published in an Anthology of Winners, and a complimentary copy of the Anthology of Winners. The Short Story Awards is brought to you by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, an international book awards program for independent and self-published authors.
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Hamilton’s Readers and Writers Festival (gritLIT) is hosting this year's Short Story Writing Contest, open to submissions of original fiction or creative non-fiction (up to 500 words) from across the country. Interpret this year’s theme—CONNECTION—creatively to explore what connection means to you! This year introduces a new staged writing challenge, where successful longlisted entries will be invited to expand their stories in three stages.
Deadline: January 15, 2025
- Entry Fee: $15
Prizes: First Place: $500, Two Honourable Mentions: $150 each
Additional Rewards: All winners will be invited to read at gritLIT 2025 in April. Winning stories will be published on the gritLIT website. Please read the submission rules carefully, especially the Writing Stages section.
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The National Media Awards Foundation is excited to announce they are now accepting submissions for the 48th annual National Magazine Awards! The 2025 National Magazine Awards feature 28 categories, with two special awards, and eight additional categories that are part of a cross-programming initiative with the Digital Publishing Awards.
Submissions are open to Canadian print and digital magazines and to Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents (landed immigrants) whose work has appeared in them during the 2024 calendar year.
Early Bird Deadline: January 10, 2025
Final Submission Deadline: January 17, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EST
How to Submit
1. Register online at https://submissions.mediafoundation.ca/login
2. Review the Rules to ensure eligibility
3. Review the Categories and Submission Requirements, and complete the submission form(s)
4. Pay the required entry fees
https://submissions.mediafoundation.ca/en/login
Optional hard copies must be received by January 25, 2025, even with the ongoing Canada Post strike. We strongly recommend submitting them earlier and using a courier service to ensure timely delivery.
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International Songwriting Contests
1. The Womens Freedom Song Contest Dec. 1, 2024 - March 1, 2025
Seeking Female Anthems, Music videos and Lyric/Poems that deal with issues of concern to women (Open to all genders). Prizes from Broadjam, Indiebible, AirPlay Direct, The Music Registry, Book “101 Tips and Tricks of Successful Songwriting,” Guitar Center Gift Certificates & a Photo shoot with Mark Maryanovich. Winners will be announced on March 8, International Women’s Day.
2. The International Songwriters Day Song Contest.
Dates: Runs from Dec.1 to April 2, 2025. Winners announced: April 9, International Songwriters Day. Seeking “Inspirational” songs, music videos and lyrics/poems.
Prizes from Broadjam, Indiebible, AirPlay Direct, The Music Registry, Book “101 Tips and Tricks of Successful Songwriting,” Guitar Center Gift Certificates & a Photo shoot with Mark Maryanovich Entry is through the FilmFreeway platform or from the site:
Contests are run by CEO Diana Williamson, who has written 2 x #3 Billboard Hot Club Chart Songs, authored the book "101 Tips and Tricks of Successful Songwriting," and is Head of Themusiclibrary.org that places music in Film & TV.
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Established in 2023 by Tim Saunders Publications, The Paul Cave Prize for Literature is an excellent platform for international writers and poets in the English language to get their work read by a professional editor and published in a book. Winners receive feedback, cash prizes and copies of the book featuring their work.
They are looking for all forms of poetry: haiku, free verse, sonnet, acrostic, villanelle, ballad, limerick, ode, elegy, flash fiction, short stories and novellas in any genre except erotic. Work must be new and unpublished. International submissions welcome. The rights to any works published remain with the author. The publisher reserves the right to edit submissions. Opens March 30, 2025 and closes September 30. Winners announced November 30, 2025.
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TWUC Invites Submissions for Short Prose Competition for Emerging Writers
The Writers’ Union of Canada invites submissions to its 32nd annual Short Prose Competition for Emerging Writers. Unpublished works of fiction and nonfiction up to 2,500 words in English are eligible, and writers may submit multiple entries. A $2,500 prize will be awarded to the winner, and the entries of the winner and eleven finalists will be submitted to three Canadian magazines for consideration. The deadline for entries is February 17, 2025.
RESIDENCY APPLICATIONS
Trevor Corkum (one of our former writing competition judges!) just opened up The Hideout residency applications for 2025. If you (or someone you know) might be hoping to get away to PEI for time to write or create this year, be in touch. Applications for the Susan Buchanan Hideout scholarship (for Maritime-based writers and creatives) are also now open.
The Hideout residency community has grown substantially since the residency program was created in 2020, and has welcomed novelists, poets, memoirists, dancers, academics, visual artists, playwrights, screenwriters, psychotherapists, wellness practitioners and even circus artists (!!) from across Canada, the United States, and around the globe.
FIDDLEHEAD RETROSPECTIVE - SPECIAL INVITATION
The Fiddlehead is turning 80! We invite you to join us during FROSTival on Saturday, February 8th at the Fredericton Public Library for the opening of our exhibit 80 Years of Art at The Fiddlehead which will feature a retrospective of the artwork associated with the magazine over the years. During the exhibition opening, we will also launch our Winter 2025 issue with readings from contributors: celebrating the next installment of The Fiddlehead.
COMMEMORATIVE EDITION
Atlantic Books Today (ABT), the flagship magazine showcasing the best of Atlantic Canadian literature, proudly announces the release of its 100th issue—a celebration of the region’s vibrant publishing heritage, diverse literary voices, and cultural contributions. Since its inception, ABT has been dedicated to promoting and amplifying Atlantic Canadian authors, publishers, and stories that matter.
This commemorative issue features a curated selection of 100 new books, representing the diverse and powerful storytelling that has shaped the literary landscape of Atlantic Canada. Hear from award-winning authors such as Sharon Bala, Carol Bruneau, Lisa Moore, and Fawn Parker, to emerging talents and voices that capture the unique spirit of the region. This milestone edition is a true tribute to Atlantic literature’s enduring influence.
The 100th issue of Atlantic Books Today is available both in print and online at www.atlanticbooks.ca. Join them as they celebrate this remarkable achievement and continue to champion the literary treasures of Atlantic Canada.
That's it for December! See you in 2025.
