Inkspot: July 2023
Whether you're scribbling near the coastline, at your cabin in the woods, or in the bustle of the city, we hope the warm temperatures, mixed with rain, are proving to be inspirational for your writing. But if you haven't had any inspiration so far this summer, our next event is our annual Writers' Retreat, slated for August 18-20 at Villa Madonna Retreat Centre in Rothesay. A minimum of 15 participants is required for meals to be provided...which is the whole point, so if you're thinking of signing up, please do so as soon as possible. It's an economical and useful event for the regulars who come every year, as well as newcomers who'd like to have a little time for themselves and their projects.
Come for dinner at five pm on Friday at the Octopuses' Garden, and at six pm we'll kick off the weekend with our open mic/book launch and special readings, and some music. On Saturday, a lunch activity in Fundy National Park, flanked by great workshops on Professional Speaking by Teri Kingston, Writing Fantasy with Vanessa Hawkins, Screenwriting by Ontario author Carlos Anthony, and poetry with Allan Cooper. We'll also share a Talking Circle with new board member Roche Sappier on Modern Myths Deriving from Indigenous roots, and Writing Romance with Ruth McLean. Should be a great time - look for the event page soon - as soon as we can finalize a few more details. Thank you for your response to our engagement survey. We received 88 responses, which represents 27% of our membership, and we appreciate you taking the time to answer. Kris is compiling the responses and will post an overview, as it relates to our strategic plan, on the website sometime this summer. Cheers, Rhonda Bulmer and Kris Windley
WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS! Storme Arden lives in Nova Scotia and is director of Visual Arts Nova Scotia. She is an arts writer and curator who’s interested in creative non-fiction, essays, memoir and nonfiction. Welcome, Storme! Cheri Armstrong lives in Saint John and is interested in the following genres: Blogging, Corporate writing, Creative non-fiction, Editing, Fiction, Romance, Copywriting, Website copy, Freelance writing. Welcome, Cheri! Ronda Fraser is from Germantown. With decades of experience in corporate writing, she is also a poet who focuses on animals and nature. Welcome, Ronda! Teri Kingston lives in Saint Andrews and is a captivating TEDx speaker, coach, and expert in the art of persuasive communication. She is interested in the genres of Corporate writing, Essays, Historical Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Spiritual. Teri will be giving a workshop at WordsFall on October 28 in Alma on presentation skills. Welcome, Teri! Jaimie McGivery lives in Grand Bay-Westfield, and focuses on the following genres: Childrens, Creative non-fiction, Poetry, Songwriting, Spiritual, Suspense, Flash/Micro fiction. Welcome, Jaimie! Ralph Mercer (Dr.) is a Technology Culturalist and CLA Explorer from Barnaby River. He is a member of the executive of the Posthumanism Research Institute and Managing Editor of World Futures Review. He writes in the following genres: Editing, Essays, Non-Fiction, Science Writing, Technical. Welcome, Ralph! Ingrid Mueller is a published writer, editor and proofreader with 30 years of experience. She lives in Saint Andrews and is interested in Biography, Blogging, Childrens, Corporate writing, Creative non-fiction, Editing, Essays, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Journalism, Memoir, Non-Fiction, Romance, Spiritual, Flash/Micro fiction, Copywriting, Freelance writing, Spoken Word. Welcome, Ingrid! Charline Savoie lives in Grand Barachois and writes in the following genres: MEMBER NEWS Congratulations to Rosalyn Hyslop, who is also co-CEO of Mrs. Dunster’s Donuts, and a key sponsor of the NB Book Awards. Atlantic Business Magazine honoured Rosalyn with CEO of the Year! Rosalyn is a founding member of the NB Book Awards, and Mrs.Dunster’s remains a valued sponsor. *** Longtime WFNB member Roger Moore would like to announce the recent release of his novel, People of the Mist, and two short story collections, Poems for the End of Time, and Devil's Kitchen to KDP Amazon last month. He is working on three more manuscripts, one finished, one in final revision, and one in what he calls “Quarry Form” - the material is all there, but it isn't ordered yet. Roger now has 18 books up on KDP-Amazon. (In total, Roger has published over 50 books and chapbooks- a lifetime's service to art and literature!) You can check more about Roger's work here. Have you published or self-published a book? Won an award? NEWSY BITS ACCESS COPYRIGHT DOWNSIZES Access Copyright's Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to initiate a significant downsizing and restructuring of the organization due to the federal government's decade-long inaction in fixing Canada's publishing marketplace. TORONTO, July 13, 2023 /CNW/ - Due to changes in fair dealing provisions in the Copyright Act, since 2012, Canadian writers, visual artists, and publishers - an indispensable part of Canada's culture - have been deprived of over $200 million in unpaid royalties under tariffs certified by the Copyright Board of Canada. This staggering figure is among the many impacts, including job losses and several educational publishers stepping away from the K-12 or post-secondary markets, that have hit Canadian creators and publishers since amendments to Canada's Copyright Act were enacted in 2012. The mass, systemic free copying of creators' works by Canada's education sector outside of Quebec since 2012 has led to Access Copyright's total distributions to rightsholders dropping by 79%. It has also led to the start of the hollowing out of Access Copyright - a key piece of Canada's cultural infrastructure that Canadian creators and publishers rely on to be fairly compensated for the use of their work. "The abandonment of Canadian creators and publishers is a blight on our country, and an international embarrassment," says John Degen, CEO of The Writers' Union of Canada. "When the Copyright Act was amended to include a fair-dealing exception for education, the Liberals in opposition then expressed deep concern that it was likely to be exploited at the expense of creators. They were right; that's exactly what happened. The government has promised to fix the gaps in the Act many times, but we are still waiting for meaningful change. In the meantime, a key market has disappeared and, with it, countless Canadian stories." The government's 2022 federal budget promise "to ensure a sustainable educational publishing industry, including fair remuneration for creators and copyright holders, as well as a modern and innovative marketplace that can efficiently serve copyright users" was a direct acknowledgment of the harm that the 2012 changes to the Copyright Act have caused and the need for legislative action to repair it. Creators nationally continue to wait for the government to make good on its commitment, and the marketplace for a viable Canadian educational publishing industry continues to dry up. "The regrettable, albeit predictable, news that Access Copyright's Board is initiating a restructuring of the organization means that we are down to the wire for the federal government to make good on its promise to repair our broken marketplace," said Jack Illingworth, executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers. "We can't wait any longer for the government to do what is needed to support those we rely on to tell our stories." "The news that Access Copyright is downsizing is devastating to Canadian literary publishers, especially as there are solutions at the ready that would meaningfully address the current ambiguity in fair dealing and add clarity to fair compensation for the use of creators' works," said Laura Rock Gaughan, executive director of the Literary Press Group of Canada. "The federal government must stand up for Canadian creators and publishers. We are out of time." "While Quebec's educational institutions, unlike the rest of Canada, continue to be licensed, creators and publishers in the province have not been immune to the devastating economic impact of the 2012 changes to the Copyright Act," said Christian Laforce, general manager of Copibec. "We join others across Canada in urging the federal government to address this long-standing injustice before it is too late." Access Copyright continues to urge the federal government to work with the organization and the sector to prevent its collapse and avoid the harm that is on the horizon for the writers, visual artists and publishers it represents. *** ARTSLINK NB SURVEYStemming from the recommendations from the Report on the Status of the Artist, “to document the barriers to child-care accessibility for artists and other atypical workers,” EECD is looking for insights into challenges faced by artists in accessing childcare in New Brunswick. Do you use childcare services now? How or why not? What concerns do you have around access (financial, availability, suitability etc.)? You can email Krystle.Hanson@gnb.ca directly with comments, which will help inform future programs and initiatives. *** CULTURAL VENUES SURVEY
As a first step, venue operators are asked to complete a bilingual survey about their contributions to the cultural community and all New Brunswickers, as well as their financial health and community engagement. Broad participation in this survey will be extremely important for the province’s cultural sector. The survey will produce aggregate results that will inform the sector for the next decade, and there is no other survey that adequately represents New Brunswick’s cultural venues, their situations, and their challenges. The survey is available at www.nbculturalvenues.ca until tomorrow, July 14.
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THE FIRST PLAIN LANGUAGE STANDARD The first Plain Language Standard is now approved by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) and can be purchased and used by organizations or individuals. The standard was developed by an international committee of experts and is based on empirical evidence. Learn more about how this standard can help you achieve clear communication for everyone. There are fact sheets specific to various types of writing on the website of the International Plain Language Federation. THE WRITERS’ TRUST OF CANADA SEEKS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTORCharlie Foran is stepping down as executive director of the Writers’ Trust of Canada. The search is on for his replacement. The board has established a search committee and hired Boyden to lead the search. They will be taking the summer to speak with potential candidates about the role. Based in Toronto, the next Executive Director will take over a dynamic and growing organization with a superb staff and a strong board of directors. Interested? Here is a link to the job posting: www.writerstrust.com/careers WRITERS’ WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES & RETREATS
RESIDENCIES
WRITING GROUPS
FREE ONLINE WRITING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT
WRITING CONTESTS-- OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS
Journals, Zines and Podcasts
Publishers and Literary Markets
Grants, Residencies and Poet Laureateships Provincial Grants Artsnb administers eight grant programs. Deadlines vary throughout the year. You can submit your grant applications online. In addition, ArtsNB:
Federal Grants
An artist with a new and early career artist profile is eligible to apply for grants from three Explore and Create components:
To be eligible as a New/Early Career Artist, you must:
Create an account on the portal, and then submit a new and early career artist profile. You can only have one of these profiles. Create it and apply with your main field of practice—you can still apply for grants with other fields of practice later on. Make sure your CV matches with the eligibility criteria listed above. We recommend you get started with your profile well ahead of the competition you’re working towards because your profile will need to be validated before you can apply for a grant. Writing Residencies Check back next month for more writing residency opportunities! Poet Laureateships Check back next month for upcoming Poet Laureateship applications! Canadian Writing Markets
Services for Writers Writing Mentoring /Coaching
Editing
Self-Publishing
Translation
Post a Short Ad It's free for members (runs indefinitely) and $15 for non-members. For members, this service includes posting your ad on the Resources page of wfnb.ca. Ongoing Membership Benefits Group Health Insurance for Writers The Writers’ Coalition Program offers an affordable personal health insurance plan for WFNB members. To obtain a quote, just provide your province and date of birth here. WFNB Bookstore ClubPresent your current membership card to receive a 10% discount at the following independent bookstores: and Blind Forest Books & Novelties in Sackville, Cover to Cover Books in Riverview, Tidewater Books in Sackville, and Westminster Books in Fredericton. Regional Representatives Region Representative Charlotte Country, St. Andrews Vanessa Hawkins Fredericton Jenna Lyn Albert Moncton, Dieppe, Riverview Kayla Geitzler Saint John, Grand Bay-Westfield, Rothesay Martha Vowles Shediac Louise Comtois Sussex Jane Simpson Tantramar, Sackville, Port Elgin, Dorchester Geordie Miller Lifetime MembersNancy Bauer, Ann Brennan, Kent Bulmer, Rhonda Bulmer, Wayne Curtis, Sheree Fitch, Jean Frances, Cathy Fynn, Ginny Hill, M. Travis Lane, Gwen Martin, M. Anne Mitton, David Adams Richards, Valerie Sherrard, Lee D. Thompson, Doug Underhill Become a Lifetime MemberLifetime membership costs $1000. We appreciate the generosity of those members who are ensuring the continuity of the WFNB, and its impact on NB writers, by such a donation. Contact us at info@wfnb.ca for more details. Lifetime Membership has been bestowed on those founding members who helped establish the WFNB in the 1980s. It is also sometimes bestowed on those who have made a significant volunteer contribution to the life of our organization. See the main page of our website for a list of general sponsors, and sponsors of our awards programs. The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick acknowledges that the land on which we live and work, gather and create is, by law, the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples, and we honour the spirit of the Treaties of Peace and Friendship. | A word about Writing Groups
There is a list of current writing groups (that we know of) in each issue of Inkspot, but there are undoubtedly more across New Brunswick. Writing groups are tricky things. There's a certain amount of magic involved in getting a productive group together, and the members themselves must be motivated to create it and keep it running. But there is no doubt that being involved with a regular, committed writing group helps build the skills of writers and pushes them toward publication. In the Inkwell blog in the members-only section, there's a story entitled, "A sprinkle of fairy dust: The magic of Seaside Scribes." This story covers Martha Vowles' 2022 WordSpring workshop on How to Create and Sustain a Healthy, Happy Writing Group - She provided pdfs of her notes on that subject, and they are included at the bottom of the article. This is very practical and helpful. If you run a current writing group within our membership, if you would like to promote your willingness to create a writing group, or know of other writing groups who are accepting new members, please let us know at info@wfnb.ca, so that we can make that information available to those who might be looking for a group with whom to share their work. In the meantime, if you do not have a writing group, building relationships with lots of other writers--people who you like and connect to--makes the formation of a writing group (or an invitation to join one) more likely. I was invited into a small writing group a couple of years ago - only five people, and most live in Sussex/Elgin, so we always meet in Sussex. They are all published writers, at varying levels, and I'm lucky to be included. I drive to meet them once a month from Moncton. It's a 40-minute drive, but I gladly do it because the relationship is valuable. Another person drives from Fredericton in order to attend. We have breakfast and read what we're working on, and everyone comments on everyone's work, which is in itself a learning process. I don't find that I make the same insightful comments as the others, who are award-winning writers and editors. These things come with time and experience. But through that relationship, I've successfully sold my first piece of short fiction. Yay! So I suggest that if you can't find a current one right away, start at least, by trying to meet other writers in your community, and see if there's anyone you really connect with. It's worth the effort. We will be thinking of ways to facilitate community-building for our membership in the future, not just for matching folk together for writing groups, but for all aspects of artistic sharing. Best, Rhonda |
Happy summer, Members and Friends!
In addition, we've teamed up with the Friends of Fundy to present WordsFall on October 27-29 in Alma. We're looking forward to lots of interesting information and opportunities to mingle with other writers, in the outstanding natural setting of the Bay of Fundy. Normally closed for the season, The Parkland Village Inn has agreed to open up for us and will host all the workshops, as well as most of the accommodations.
Three New Brunswick arts organizations have teamed up with Hill Strategies to pursue a groundbreaking research project into the impacts and post-pandemic challenges of cultural hubs in the province.
“Write after Labour Day” with Go and Write! at the Kingsbrae estate, St. Andrews by-the-Sea, NB.
When filling out their member profiles, a great many people tick off the box beside the sentence, "I would like to join a writing group," and others also very often tick off, "I would like to create a writing group."