HELLO, MEMBERS AND FRIENDS. As I write this, we await a major storm, and another one expected for Sunday. Winter is a cozy and sleep-inducing time of year, but we are not sleeping at the Writers’ Federation–we are buzzing with activity.
The writing competition is underway, so submissions are flowing in and being disseminated to judges. Financial reports to our chief funders and to the government are due before the end of March, and applications for many grants are being submitted. Now is also the time to pursue corporate sponsorship for events like WordSpring, while we plan and organize other events for this year and for 2026.
WE NEED YOU! We would like to mark the fortieth anniversary of the WFNB (1985-2025), and the tenth anniversary of the NB Book Awards with a special retrospective– whether it be a videotaped interview with our few remaining founders, and/or a photographic display (digital or otherwise) to be viewed at WordSpring. We’re looking for an ad hoc committee who could take this project on and make it happen – if you’re interested, please drop a line to info@wfnb.ca
Meanwhile, here is a brief rundown of what’s upcoming. I hope you’ll be able to participate in something that inspires, informs, and encourages your writing this year.
1. The 2025 NB Writing Competition is underway – in fact, it’s half over! There are eight categories to choose from. 
Do you have a teenager in your life who likes to write? Please tell them to submit a short story or select poems to the Sheree Fitch Prize for Teen Writers! It’s absolutely free for NB teens, ages 13 – 18.
2. The Fundamentals of Poetry, unit #3, with Matthew Gwathmey is February 16! There’s still room to register if you’d like to take part in his online session on ekphrasis as it pertains to music.
3. Braided Essays (nonfiction) with Sandra Phinney, three Saturdays in March. This nine-hour online course on this powerful form of creative non-fiction will help you create and refine a braided essay project for submission to publications.
4. WordSpring is coming, May 30 to June 1 at the Crowne Plaza, Fredericton. Mark your calendars and plan to attend! Look for the event page by the beginning of March. We are currently looking for event sponsors. If you or a business you know is interested in sponsoring WordSpring and/or the New Brunswick Book Awards, please contact us.
Ali Hassan, stand-up comedian and host of CBC Canada Reads, will be our guest speaker for the NB Book Awards. Musician/author (and WFNB member) Leo LaFleur will play for us at the NB Writing Competition Literary Soiree reception, and Catherine Kennedy will play at the NB Book Awards. Partridge Island Publishing will organize and host a Pitch the Publisher event on Saturday afternoon. Registration is required, and space will be limited. Sign up will be included on the event page.
As well, we have a wonderful lineup of workshop leaders:
Mark Leslie Lefebvre: Saturday morning, Mark comes to us from Ontario to offer “There's Never Been A Better Time To Be A Writer: An Author's Guide to Long-Term Writing & Publishing Success.” Mark will provide an overview of the publishing industry, both traditional and independent options, and he’ll be around for the weekend to answer your questions!
Brian Bartlett & Michael Pacey: Saturday afternoon, Brian and Michael will teach a poetry workshop together and present their new works.
Mike Thorn: Also Saturday afternoon, Mike will teach a workshop on Horror, a genre we haven’t visited since 2018. Spend a couple of hours with Mike and get your scare on.
Gerard Collins: Sunday morning, Gerard will lead a session on writing excellent dialogue (which I’ve taken before, and I can testify that it’s very good!)
Ryan Griffith: Also Sunday morning, Ryan will offer an Introduction to Playwriting! This is a new offering for our WordSpring events. If you’re interested in writing plays, this will be a great opportunity to get your feet wet.
ENJOY the rest of February, writers. Next time we connect, it’ll be close to Spring!
Cheers,
WordWorthy
“The beginning is not necessarily your opening lines. It might be halfway down the page. It might be three pages over, and you might have to take some of that and chop it off, or incorporate it, or work it in a different way, but you'll find the story’s beginning in the writing, and I think very often, at least for me, you also find the ending in the right place. If you just keep writing - if you’re listening to the voice of the story - all of a sudden, you'll just know.” Valerie Sherrard
WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS
Joanne Daggett (https://joannedaggett.com/)—Joanne writes memoir, poetry and spiritual pieces from her home in Quispamsis, NB. Welcome Joanne!
Nancy Viva Davis Halifax—Nancy Viva writes poetry, and lives in Fredericton, NB, having been published in a variety of publications. Welcome, Nancy Viva!
Hélène Devarennes (https://www.helenedevarennes.ca/) lives in Shediac and has written many children’s books and magazines with Wabanaki peoples. Along with Indigenous literature, Hélène writes in a variety of genres: Blogging, Children’s, Creative non-fiction, Essays, Memoir, Poetry, Scriptwriting, Songwriting, Freelance writing, and Short stories. Bienvenue, Hélène!
Marilyn Driscoll is the editor of The Shamrock Leaf newsmagazine (https://newirelandnb.ca/resources/the-shamrock-leaf), and she writes a variety of genres from her home in Oromocto: Biography, Creative non-fiction, Editing, Essays, Journalism, Memoir, Non-Fiction. Welcome, Marilyn!
Anja Hamilton joins us this month and writes fantasy, romance and short stories. Welcome, Anja!
Colleen-Rose Ireland is a 30-year educator, union leader, and short story writer, whose published work focuses on care giving. Preferred genres: Creative non-fiction, Essays, Fiction, Memoir, Non-Fiction, Short stories. Welcome, Colleen-Rose!
Danielle Sagang is a poet from Moncton, who has contributed to the anthology Unicité et diversité. Anthologie la voix des dix voix (novembre 2024, Les Éditions du net). Bienvenue, Danielle!
Margot Stafford joins us this month from Oak Point. Welcome, Margot!
Christie Walker (theludicreader.com) joins from Saint John and writes in the following genres: Blogging, Creative non-fiction, Essays, Fiction, Journalism, Memoir, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Young Adult, Short stories
Julia Wright (https://www.instagram.com/itsburningoff/) is a writer, zinemaker, photojournalist, filmmaker and arts writer based in Saint John, N.B. Her writing, videos, and photos have been featured in local and international publications including VICE, Billie: Visual Culture Atlantic, the Telegraph-Journal, CBC New Brunswick, and CBC News. Julia is interested in the genres of Creative non-fiction, Editing, Essays, Fiction, Horror, Journalism, Non-Fiction, Photography, Scriptwriting, Flash/Micro fiction, Short stories. Welcome, Julia!
Inkspot February 2025 - Part 2
