If you have some fabulous photos of the area; a favourite local recipe; knowledge about local history; a favourite place you love to visit; tips about fiddlehead picking, fly fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing or any Miramichi related activity; then the annual Miramichi River Guide wants to hear from you.

Written submissions should be no more than 250 words. Or send up to six high-resolution photographs.

The deadline for submissions is February 20th.

Email stacy@mightymiramichi.com with River Guide Submission as your subject line. To view the 2011 Miramichi River Guide visit the website www.riverguide.ca.

Our 2012 Literary Competition’s deadline is February 29th, coming up fast.

As you may know, last year we returned our competition to its original roots and purpose: to promote and encourage New Brunswick writers. It was a huge success and we received nearly 50% more submissions than the previous year, when it was open to entrants all across Canada.

We’re hoping for a similarly strong showing this year. So, have you been thinking of entering but have thought …

1) I have no chance, there are too many entries.

The categories receive, on average, 20 submissions each, some fewer (non-fiction, for example) and some more (individual poem). This isn’t a blind lottery: a well-written piece has a strong chance of winning, placing, or showing.

2) I entered last year, didn’t win.

Let me tell you a story: last year’s Richards Prize winner, Barry Grenon, had entered the same manuscript (“The Formosa Papers”) the year before, yet wasn’t even among the honourable mentions. Every year we change judges for this reason: tastes differ. One judge may, for example, favour story, while another may favour style.

3) No feedback.

This year we are promising feedback on the top 5 manuscripts in each category.

4) One entry isn’t important.

Right! That’s why you should send two, or three. Seriously, every entry received makes my heart glow.

5) If I win, I won’t be able to publish my story elsewhere.

Nonsense. If you win, you get prestige! We claim no rights to the manuscripts and many, including recent winners Beverly Akerman, Rob Taylor and Riel Nason, find publication soon afterward (or get a boost of confidence to send other work out). Check out our list of former winners: http://www.wfnb.ca/competitions/winners/

6) I will feel crushed if I don’t win.

Yeah, it hurts. But it’s important to share your work, build good habits and positive feelings around the submission process. I’ve found, over the years, that one acceptance/prize quickly washes away a dozen rejections.

7) There are so many contests, why should I choose this one?

Good question. Well, other than supporting your very own Writers’ Federation, if you do well you get to attend our Awards Banquet at WordsSpring, meet other writers, read from your work, get your photo in the newsletter, or the local paper. Now, winning a competition in Alberta, or Idaho might be nice, but chances are you won’t shake a single hand or hear a single voice or handclap …

Competition categories and rules are on our website: http://www.wfnb.ca/competitions/2012-competition-now-open/ .

Thank you for your attention, and best of luck.

Lee

Lee Thompson
Executive Director
Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick
P.O. Box 306, Moncton, NB E1C 8L4
506-459-7228
info@wfnb.ca
http://www.wfnb.ca

We’ve also decided to move beyond our traditional sphere of publishing – specifically, five anthologies (and counting) containing funny stories about travel and the great outdoors. This time ’round we’re opening up the contest to other genres of storytelling.

So: do you have a wacky, funny or outrageous yarn that would fit into one of the four categories we’re seeking? If so, we want to hear from you!

Please click here for complete contest guidelines in PDF format.

Story contest deadline has been extended to February 29, 2012 at midnight PCT

There are two age categories, junior (grades 7-9) and senior (grades 10-12).

First place poems in each category will receive a cash prize of $350, second place winners will receive $300 and third place winners will receive $250.

All winning poems will be published in the League of Canadian Poets’ e-zine, Re:verse at www.youngpoets.ca. All winners will receive Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Youth certificates and student membership in the League of Canadian Poets for one year.

Deadline: January 15, 2012.

Entry Guidelines

All submissions should be sent by email to readings@poets.ca with the subject Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Youth.
There are two age categories: Junior, grades 7 – 9 and Senior, grades 10 – 12
Poems must be previously unpublished and must be your own work.
Length of each poem submitted must not exceed 50 lines. Limit 2 poems per poet.
Each submission should include the poet’s name, address, and phone number, age, grade, name of school, and the titles of the poems entered.
Poems should not be sent as attachments, but as plain text files in the body of the message.
There is no entry fee.
Winners will be announced during National Young Poet’s Week in April and posted on the League’s websites www.poets.ca and www.youngpoets.ca. Announcements will be sent to the media, and the winners will be notified by mail and email.

Copyright remains with the poet. Winners will be asked for the first rights to publish their work. Should an entry be published elsewhere during the course of the contest, we ask that the entrant notify the League immediately. Revisions on any poem will not be accepted after it has been entered. All decisions of the jury are final. Contest is open to Canadian citizens and landed immigrants. Members of the League’s National Council, staff or the contest judges or their families are not eligible to enter these competitions.

* Incomplete submissions will not be considered, please read guidelines carefully.

Beth Powing.

New books will be launched. Literary prizes will be awarded. Writing workshops will be presented and poetry readings will be given at the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick’s WordsSpring in Sussex, May 13-15, with Alexander MacLeod, Allan Lynch, Chad Pelley and Beth Powning among the featured authors at this annual gathering.

The three-day event is open to the public and gets underway Friday, May 13, at the Sussex Artists Co-op Tea Room, at 6 p.m., where a wine and cheese reception will be hosted by SLICE (Sussex Literary Initiatives and Cultural Events), followed by book launches, readings and musical entertainment, highlighting local youth talent as well as the talents of local writers, including Beth Powning, Vanessa Moeller and Kelly Cooper.

The Federation’s annual general meeting will lead off activities on May 14 at the Masonic Hall at 9 a.m. The AGM will precede a workshop on the business of writing, led by former Kings County Record publisher and author of four books, Allan Lynch, entitled “Monetize Me!”

Tammy Morris and the Sussex Corner schoolchildren will present a Readers’ Theatre during a noontime lunch buffet. The afternoon program opens with a workshop on fiction and publishing by Chad Pelley, a multi-award-winning writer from St. John’s, NL, starting at 1 p.m. His debut novel, Away from Everywhere, was a Coles’ bestseller and was shortlisted for several prestigious emerging writer awards.

Alexander MacLeod will follow Pelley to the stage to read excerpts from his book Light Lifting, a 2010 Giller Prize finalist. His first book was also named 2010 Book of the Year by editors of The Globe and Mail, Quill and Quire, The Chronicle Herald and Amazon.ca. MacLeod, who is the son of one of Canada’s literary greats, Alistair MacLeod, will open the floor for a Q&A with the audience after his reading. Pelley will return to the stage at 3:45 p.m. for a discussion with MacLeod, moderated by Powning.

WordsSpring moves to the Lions’ Den that evening for a spring-themed Literary Awards Soirée. This event will be highlighted by the presentation of prizes to the winners of the Federation’s annual literary competition, a reading by Pelley and entertainment by local performers including the Sussex Choral Society.

The 2011 edition of WordsSpring closes on Sunday, May 15, with an open mic brunch at the Lions Den.

A registration fee of $90 will reserve space at the Lynch and Pelley workshops and also covers lunch and soirée fees. Other events are free. For more information on the event, visit the Federation’s website at www.wfnb.ca where you will find a downloadable, printable registration form and payment instructions.

National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org) is a challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in the month of November. In that spirit, we are encouraging participants to set personal goals for the 24-Hour Write-In. There will be writing games and other activities going on throughout the event to keep participants motivated. There will also be a meet n’ greet social event Friday night, August 13.

The Fredericton Inn is conveniently located near many food outlets. You can find out more about the hotel from their web site: http://www.frederictoninn.nb.ca/.  A few couches for out-of-town participants are available with members of Freddy Words. These are provided on a first-come first-serve basis.

To register, please email freddywords@gmail.com with your name and whether you would like to be billeted with one of our members. We can accept payment by PayPal or cheque (Canadian cheques only, please), and we accept Canadian cash at the door. We will respond to confirm you are on our list, and your spot will be secure once we receive your payment.

The MWW offers participants the opportunity to pick and choose from a series of one-day workshops, all in a unique and supportive community of writers who share a commitment to excellence.

There are one-day workshops in everything from “How to Get Started” to Life Writing, and fiction and screen writing to “How to Get Published”.

Workshop Schedule
Monday, July 5 – Getting Started – Jo-Anne Elder
Tuesday, July 6 – Unleashing the Splendor Within: An Adventure in Life Writing (CCOM 4061) – Eve Mills Nash
Wednesday, July 7 – Creativity to Craft: A First Fiction Workshop – Carla Gunn
Thursday, July 8 – Screen Writing – Lex Gigeroff
Friday, July 9 – How to Get Published (CCOM 1913) – Biff Mitchell

Time: All workshops run from 9 am to 4 pm (not including lunch).
Location: McCord Hall, 7 Bailey Drive, UNB Campus, Fredericton

Cost: $115 per workshop (+ Hst) or $460 for the week (5 workshops for the price of 4!)

For more information: Call Alison Howells at (506)452-6360 or email ahowells@unb.ca.
Register now at (506)453-4646!

See: http://www.cel.unb.ca/pers_cult/writers/index.php

Writers ask if MasterPlayWorks’ (MPW) Character Generated Plot in Drama and Prose Fiction online workshop can be presented in a condensed form. I like the idea. The 2010 summer course will run over four rather than eight weeks, one month rather than two. We’ll meet via Skype (voice only) twice weekly for four consecutive weeks—Wednesday evenings from 7-9pm, and Saturday afternoons from 2-4pm, beginning June 5, ending June 30. (No Saturday session June 5 only.)

The month-long period more naturally reflects the actual discovery process. The revelation of character, story and plot elements will evolve more quickly, without decreasing the impact of craft exploration and the creation of your new material. I know people have jobs and families and busy lives. Your writer’s practice will be enhanced by intensive exploration of craft.  Much of the work required is accomplished during the online session itself. The work load between sessions is manageable. You will progress without being over-burdened.  Usually, about two hours between sessions gets the job done!

For more information, including course description, costs and pricing plans, go to www.masterplayworks.com, and check out our Facebook page. And while you’re at MPW, have a look at my just-launched, hot off the press novel, The World Above the Sky. Available at bookstores across North America (and around the world via. Amazon and Indigo). Write well and Prosper!

Kent Stetson