WordSpring

WordSpring is our main annual writing festival, and takes place in the spring. WordSpring 2023 will be held at three locations in Saint John: The Saint John Central Library at 1 Market Square, Lily Lake Pavilion, and Chateau Saint John. Keynote speaker this year is the wonderful James Mullinger, (who is also nominated for a 2022 NB Book Award). Can't attend the whole weekend? You can register just to hear James on Saturday morning. The Literary Soiree on Friday evening and the NB Book Awards on Saturday evening, are free and open to the public--but donations are always appreciated. Special thanks to our sponsors of 2023 WordSpring:






WordSpring Schedule

  • 2023 WordSpring Festival

    • 2 Jun 2023
    • 2:00 PM
    • 4 Jun 2023
    • 12:00 PM
    • Saint John Central Library & Chateau Saint John
    Register

    IMPORTANT: You must register and pay for this event by June 1. If you are also booking Friday events (book launch, open mic and book table), as well as Saturday's Blue Pencil café -- you must register by May 27.

    We can hardly believe almost a year has passed since our successful WordSpring event at St. Thomas University in 2022. This year, we are in Saint John, hosted by the wonderful staff at the Saint John Central Library, and Chateau Saint John.

    The NB Book Awards--which is free and open to the public-- will be held on Saturday evening at Lily Lake Pavilion (at the entrance to Rockwood Park) and emceed by Julia Wright of CBC.

    We have a great lineup of workshops and an afternoon of readings for you to enjoy, including our fabulous keynote speaker James Mullinger. Register soon! WordSpring 2023 is only a couple of months away.

    Accommodations 

    A block of 20 double rooms is currently reserved for WFNB registrants of WordSpring 2023 at Chateau Saint John, at the group rate of $139.00 plus tax per night. (Group name is Writers' Federation of NB.) If you would like a room, please contact them before MAY 2, 2023. The rooms will be released after that date.

    Château Saint John, Hotels & Suites

    369 Rockland Road

    Saint John, NB   E2K 3W3

    Tel:(506) 644-4444

    Fax:(506) 644-4445

    www.chateausaintjohn.ca

    conference@chateausaintjohn.ca

    Program

    Friday June 2, 2023 - Saint John Central Library

    2:00 - 5:00 pm

    -Dinner on your own-

    6:30 - 7:00 pm

    • Welcome from WFNB President
    • First Nation Opening Ceremony – Roche Sappier

    7:00 - 9:00 pm

    • Writing Competition Awards and Reception (appetizers and cash bar); co-hosted by Susan White and Martha Vowles

    Saturday June 3, 2023 - Saint John Central Library

    9:00 am

    • Registration

    9:30 - 10:15 am

    10:15 -10:30 am

    • Break

    10:30 am -12:30 pm - Workshop Options

    12:30 pm - Lunch on your own

    Saturday afternoon Readings: Main Floor of the central library

    2:00 pm – 4:30 pm

    Participating Authors:

    2:00-2:40 pm

    • David Adams Richards/Margo Wheaton, launching their new book of poetry (15 minutes each plus Q & A)

    2:45-3:10 pm

    • Michael Pacey, reading from his book of poetry, published in 2022
      (      15 minutes plus Q & A)

    3:15 pm

    • Break - Book purchase, bathroom, etc. (Psst...There will be cake!)

    3:30-4:30 pm

    3:30-3:55 pm

    • Chuck Bowie (15 minutes plus Q & A)

    4:00-4:25 pm

    • Sarah Murphy (15 minutes plus Q & A)

    Chapters/Indigo will be on hand to offer books for purchase from participating authors.

    4:30 pm - Dinner on your own

    6:00 - 7:00 pm

    • NB Book Awards Reception, Lily Lake Pavilion (at the entrance to Rockwood Park) Saint John

    7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    • NB Book Awards Ceremony, Lily Lake Pavilion, Saint John

    Sunday June 5, 2022 - Chateau Saint John

    9:30 am - 11:30 am - Workshop

    Checklist for Members

    Make sure you didn't forget to register for anything with limited space!

    WFNB gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the New Brunswick Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture; and the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. #ArtsCultureNB


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  • 2023 WordSpring Festival: Book Launch Reader

    • 2 Jun 2023
    • 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
    • 2
    Registration is closed

    You must pay your registration for the 2023 WordSpring Festival before reserving your spot as a reader for the Book Launch session.

    I will read a 4-minute excerpt from my newly published book.

    • Must be WFNB member
    • Book published within the last 2 years
    • Limited registration: First come-first served


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  • 2023 WordSpring Festival: Book Table Reservation

    • 2 Jun 2023
    • 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
    • 4
    Registration is closed

    You must pay your registration for the 2023 WordSpring Festival before reserving your book table.

    I want to reserve a table for selling my books. 

    • Table provided
    • Authors are responsible for managing their book tables
    • TWO people per table
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  • 2023 WordSpring Festival: Open Mic Reader

    • 2 Jun 2023
    • 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
    • 3
    Registration is closed

    You must pay your registration for the 2023 WordSpring Festival before reserving your spot as a reader for the Open Mic session.

    I will read a 4-minute excerpt from my work.

    • Must be WFNB member
    • Limited registration: First come-first served


    Show details

  • 2023 WordSpring Festival: Blue Pencil Café

    • 3 Jun 2023
    • 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
    • 6
    Registration is closed

    You must pay your registration for the 2023 WordSpring Festival before reserving your spot in the Blue Pencil Café session. Deadline for registration to the Blue Pencil Cafe is May 27, 2023.

    Twenty minutes of one-on-one consultation with a facilitator who reviews your work: 1000 words of prose or five pages of poetry. For WFNB Members only. Numbers are limited, so register for this early: first come-first served. WFNB will contact you with details of where, when, and how to send your submission.

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Literary Soiree and WordSpring 2022 workshop photos

(courtesy Jacob Moore)

WordSpring 2022 weekend and the NB Book Awards

(NB Book Awards photos courtesy Sandor Mathé)

"As a member, board member and president of WFNB during the last twenty some years, I want to congratulate the people – and I am not sure who they are but they should be named in brightest of colours—for not just keeping the WFNB up and running during very tough times but in pulling together what I’ve heard to have been a glorious, inventive Word Spring and the NB Book Awards.  Nancy Bauer’s name has come to me from friends who heard her wise words that brought tears and cheers. 

I was not able to come, but in spirit was there.

Those of you who have been the glue that has kept our cherished organization together and growing  during these Covid -rattled times deserve thunderous rounds of applause. I thank you from the bottom of my aging heart."

Marilyn Lerch, Sackville


© 2021 Writers' Federation of New Brunswick

Territorial Acknowledgement

The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick acknowledges that the land on which we live, work and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) and Mi’kmaq Peoples, and we honour the spirit of our ancestors’ Treaties of Peace and Friendship.

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