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By Steve Oetting The annual Dave Williamson National Short Story Competition reception, fondly known as “The Dave,” was held on May 9 at ArtSpace. This reception is hosted by the Guild as a way to honour the short story contributors who were creative and intrepid enough to provide submissions, the judges who spent weeks carefully assessing those stories and enduring the delicate task of selecting the winners, and of course Dave Williamson, the honorary patron …

The Manitoba Writers’ Guild is thrilled to announce our prize winners for the 2nd annual Dave Williamson National Short Story Competition.

By Steve Oetting

The energy in the room was palpable. In spite of the bitter March wind that whistled through the streets of the Exchange District, the room reserved at ArtSpace on March 17 was well-populated by members of the Manitoba Writers’ Guild with a shared fondness for the book’s author. It was the book launch of Andy Dutfield’s Death at the Point.

By Amanda Le Rougetel

It was three o’clock in the morning about seven years ago when Gimli-based author Raye Anderson’s main character came to her out of the blue. She woke up suddenly with the name Roxanne Calloway in her mind: a tall skinny red-headed police officer from Saskatchewan. And that was that. Her main character was named. Today, Raye has written four books featuring Roxanne, and a fifth is in the early stages. 

By Steve Oetting

Content Warning: Group discussion about memoir writing that includes childhood sexual abuse. This is a difficult topic of discussion, but one that some affected individuals choose to write about as a way to heal and move forward. MWG volunteers guided the conversation and made efforts to ensure everyone was both heard and comfortable.

Each Rants and Ramblings session is unique, with participants offering topics of interest for discussion. With a full slate of participants at the March 7 R&R, moderated by Susan Rocan, with Lori Gaudet and Katherine Westwood assisting, a serious topic dominated the steady flow of comments and perspectives.

Choosing the best among many good stories is not so straightforward a task as one might imagine. Our five lead judges, Raye Anderson, Lauren Carter, Trevor Greyeyes, Zilla Jones, and Lee Kvern engaged in energetic discussions focusing on the craft of writing and the elements of fiction, ultimately deciding on the following seven stories for our shortlist. The finalists for “The Dave” 2024 are: (in random order) Homeward Bound by Rowan McCandless, Winnipeg, MBCanadian Cougars by …

We are thrilled to announce the longlist for this year’s Dave Williamson National Short Story Competition (aka ‘The Dave”). We received 105 entries, an increase of 10% over last year, once again ranging from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. The judges have been busy reading this diverse range of stories and have made their selection.

By Steve Oetting

Each Critique Circle is a unique opportunity to experience other members’ writing and respond to questions they have about their work. This Critique Circle session was no different. It provided a varied collection of material and a robust discussion of each piece that was presented.

By Steve Oetting

The February 1 Rants and Ramblings included both new and experienced members, including Susan Rocan, Sharon Hamilton and Lori Gaudet. During the event, two issues were discussed that are timely and relevant to today’s writers.

Sheldon Oberman Mentorship Reception | By Sharon Hamilton

Hopes and dreams fuel the creative energy of most writers. On Friday evening, February 9, 2024, the Artspace boardroom showcased the hopes and dreams of this year’s Sheldon Oberman Mentors and Mentees.

By L. V. Gaudet

Aside from the question of quantity over quality, there is the question of originality. AI is not some sentient super-being from a science fiction story come to life. It is as sentient as your Alexa that will say, “Who, who, who,” in response to your, “Who let the dogs out.”

Book Chat Review by Steve Oetting

As a Guild member that has never attended a Book Chat, I had no idea what to expect. I have to say it was both highly informative and thoroughly enjoyable. It was hosted by Susan Rocan and had eight other members in attendance.