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Upcoming Writing Events- Add Yours for your Location…

March 6, 2017
mandyevebarnett

This week’s events for me are:

My regular monthly writers meeting is on Tuesday evening. It is always different as we never know how many members and visitors will attend – new faces arrive all the time. After introductions we announce future events and encourage submissions for our newsletter, the Canada 150 book project we have scheduled this year and use of prompts on our website calendar. http://www.wfscsherwoodpark.com

I organize a prompt exercise to start the evening or on request plan a presentation on a particular subject regarding writing. Then we share and discuss current work in progress. Our mandate is constructive critique and acceptance of everyone’s individual style.

The second event is an open mic at a local cafe, Common Ground Cafe hosted by our current Writer in Residence. As I missed the last reading due to ill health I hope to attend.

8th March – 7 pm to 8.30 pm – all welcome whether reading or listening!

Other events:

Growing Room: A Feminist Literary Festival is a celebration of diverse Canadian writers and artists presented by Room magazine.

The festival runs March 8th – 12th, 2017 at various locations in Vancouver, BC.

The festival features 50 writers and artists in more than 20 events over 4 days. Among the line-up are acclaimed writers Amber Dawn, Evelyn Lau, Lorna Crozier, Audrey Thomas, Jen Sookfong Lee, Hiromi Goto, Betsy Warland, and Rachel Hartman, who’ll share the stage with a host of other established and up-and-coming names.

Why not share your events too?

Lost Words Applied to Our Writing Conference…

May 2, 2016
mandyevebarnett

Back to Basics My writing group held their annual writing conference this past Saturday. It was an excellent event (as always) and gave the attendees an opportunity to learn specific skills, brush up on others and enjoy a day networking with known and new writers.

blateration n 1656 -1864
chatter; babbling
I’ve had just about enough of your garrulous blateration, you clod!

brabeum n 1675 -1675
reward or prize
Without some brabeum, the students will have no incentive to work harder.

casitive adj 1652 -1652
having grammatical cases
The casitive nature of Finnish and Hungarian makes them difficult to learn.

celeberrimous adj 1768 -1768
very or most highly celebrated
Her celeberrimous accomplishments were lauded by her colleagues.

hirquitalliency n 1652 -1652
strength of voice
The wrestler’s hirquitalliency compensated for his lack of strength and talent.

interfation n 1656 -1658
act of interrupting another while speaking
His boorish interfations were ill-received at the academic lecture.

ipsographic adj 1817 -1817
self-recording
He used the CD burner primarily for ipsographic purposes.

noscible adj 1654 -1654
knowable; well-known
It is noscible that no amount of training can make up for experience in the field.

patration n 1656 -1656
perfection or completion of something
The patration of my dissertation will be an occasion for great merriment.

portmantologist n 1887 -1934
one who studies or coins portmanteau words
Rather than being a portmantologist, why not use perfectly good existing words?

quaeritate v 1657 -1657
to question; to inquire
If I might quaeritate, why are we headed in the wrong direction on the trail?

solennial adj 1623 -1656
occurring once a year; annual
Welcome to our solennial celebration of the birth of our illustrious institution.

Please visit the source of these Lost words http://phrontistery.info/clw.html

I used these words to describe the conference:

Our solennial Writers Foundation of Strathcona County conference this year, centered around the basics of writing. Our noscible presenters, Barbie-Jo Smith, Judy Schultz, Janice MacDonald and Linda J Pedley shared their expertise on a diverse number of subjects. They also gave us several exercises to perform. These included a blateration and interfation exercise, where in groups of three – one person wrote on a particular subject while the other two talked on another subject across them. It was a lesson in patration and concentration.
Other techniques for casitive, hirquitalliency, and portmantologist gave the participants the opportunity to quaeritate their processes and redefine how they write. One such technique is a ipsographic exercise to ‘hear’ your words. This allows a writer to identify if the words relay their story as they propose. Each session ended with brabeum draws of books.

Writers Foundation Strathcona County

Commemorating With our AGM…

September 16, 2013
mandyevebarnett

Commemorate – definition: to serve as a memorial or reminder of some event.

My writers circle – Writers Foundation of Strathcona County held their AGM & Writer’s Luncheon on Saturday. We were lucky enough to hold it in a meeting room within our Council building, with kitchen facilities included. Once the President began listing our events for the year, it occurred to me just how busy the foundation and its members are. As you can see there is something every month of the year.


September	Culture Days – featured weekend participation with interactive writing activities
October	Words in the Park hosted with Library in conjunction with LitFest
November	National Novel Writing Month – participants writing 50,000+ words in month of November
December	Member Christmas Party held at Second Cup, Summerwood
January	Committee planning for 2013 Conference begins
February	Arts Expo weekend participation
March	WFSC participation in Adult Learning at the Library – presentations by members – Writing Memoirs, Orchids, and Self-Publishing
April	WFSC participation in Active Living conference – presentation by member – Your Lifetime of Stories 4^th annual conference “Chapter 8” celebrated WFSC 8^th Anniversary in conjunction with kick off for Strathcona Celebrates Display boards show history, projects, volunteers, and membership.
May	Regular meetings and Novel Workshops begin for editing NaNoWriMo and books to be published
June	WFSC participation at Senior’s Day breakfast held in Ardrossan Members attend grant presentation at County Clothes Line
July	Participation in Savour Strathcona with table display Participation in Arts in the Plaza – one day
August	Participation in Arts in the Plaza in conjunction with Strathcona Celebrates – one day Writing the Seasons mini workshop at member residence
September	Here we are at our Annual General meeting 8 ½ years later
Meetings	Board meeting each month with exception of July = 11 Novel writing workshop – 4 participants met at least monthly from May – August = 7 – 8 Writing Friends twice per month = 24 Writers Circle and sharing meetings = 24 * sometimes scarce of participants for the 3^rd Tuesday Committee Meetings – Words in the Park, Conference
Projects	Never Been Better celebrated 4 years in April – Bethany as editor in charge Monthly Newsletter Member collaboration to write and produce Your Lifetime of Stories Workbook to go with the presentation. Workbook was written over the summer and is at press – ready for release by Words in the Park event. WFSC asked to administer Strathcona Connect online magazine until October this year due to election.

To make the day even better, the members brought pot luck dishes and there were writing games after the business part of the meeting had been completed.

With such a involved, encouraging and supportive group it is no wonder the WFSC is well known and celebrated. We are not limited to local authors either as our website enables virtual members – some as far away as Poland & Australia – to converse with our chat feature and receive critique with a personal blog and news page. And participate in the Saturday morning prompt and download the monthly newsletter – Muse. http://wfscsherwoodpark.com/

Embracing My Writing Circle…

June 16, 2013
mandyevebarnett

Espouse – definition: to make one’s own : adopt or embrace, as a cause

Within my writing circle, it is no secret I am obsessed with writing. Coming to this art later in life has opened up an opportunity not only to experience a wonderful way to express my creativity but also to form new friendships. Part of my bio on the web site states: I count myself blessed to have found this group and I intend to stay until my bones turn to dust! My writing journey has taken me, in a very short time, on a path I never thought possible.

The Writers Foundation of Strathcona County is a marvel in its own right. Here is a brief description:

The WFSC is limited only by the level of its volunteer commitment: as we grow so will opportunities for our groups, our members, and the community. We continue to hone our craft, encourage new members, promote cultural and creative diversity – we have many avenues yet to explore. The following list includes some of our group accomplishments and events we promote annually:

WFSC partners with the Strathcona County Library to co-host the popular Words in the Park Book Fair and Sale held in the late fall in the Centre in the Park
WFSC participates and encourages writing interaction at the annual Arts Expo (February) and Alberta Culture Days (September) hosted by the Arts & Culture Council of Strathcona County
WFSC published its first anthology compilation of member work in 2010 – Writing Prompt Journey ~ The Road to Your Creativity offers a selection of writing prompts to encourage writers
WFSC published From a Solitary Drop – The History of the Strathcona County Writers Circle (2001 – 2011) in celebration of the Writers Circle 10 year success
WFSC was asked to manage and publish the popular Never Been Better page that appears in the Sherwood Park News the first Friday of each month – the two page spread celebrates 4 years in 2013 and it’s all because of the popularity of the page and use by its target audience ~ our vibrant 55+ community
WFSC participated in the inaugural summer for Arts in the Plaza – an outside venue for artists of all mediums to share and interact with community members

Over the years, the WFSC developed partnerships with other community organizations and respects the place we hold within our community. The Strathcona County Library, the Arts and Culture Council of Strathcona County, the Strathcona County Museum & Archives, and Strathcona County Recreation Parks and Culture all support and promote a vibrant arts & culture community… a community of which we are proud to be a part.

In short, I have embraced the foundation and its mandate as well as its members, whether they are local or virtual. Each member brings a new aspect to the group and I have found a ‘home’.