by Steve Oetting

Are you up on your Mushkegoinnimowin?

The Annual General Meeting for this year was held at the Bill and Helen Norrie Library Oct. 19. This lovely new library is one large rectangular room with solid windows on each side, offering a bright and sunny welcome to all of the MWG members that attended. The boardroom, spacious and equally luminous, was humming with the conversations of three to four dozen members as I arrived and was warmly greeted by Sharon Hamilton, Andy Dutfield, Susan Rocan and other members.

Sharon opened the meeting with a vibrant “Hello and Welcome Everyone!” and then passed the microphone to David Williamson for the land acknowledgement reading. Dave surprised everyone by first reciting the land acknowledgement in Swampy Cree, also known as Mushkegoinnimowin, which he mentioned he had learned with the assistance of his mother-in-law, followed by a second reading in English. It was an enchanting and perfect start to the AGM of a Guild that is eager to promote diversity and inclusion among its membership.

Sharon resumed the reins and launched directly into the AGM business at hand. Her President’s Report described the past year as both exciting, with many new initiatives, and also challenging, with a few minor setbacks. On the upside, she noted that membership had increased once again, to 275 members, and she offered a heartfelt thank you to all of the volunteers without whom many of the MWG programs could not operate.

New initiatives included a continuation of the Youth program, our participation in the new North Point Douglas Hub project, three new Critique Circles that include a second Prose CC, a new Poetry CC and a new BIPOC CC, the development of the Reporters’ Group that is now providing articles on numerous MWG events to the website each month, and a new DEI (Diversity, Inclusion, Equity) committee that has been working diligently on drafting our DEI-related policies and a new Safe and Respectful Environment Policy.

Sharon announced that with the addition of several new board members, all empty slots on the Board of Directors are full. and work is underway to assign a second vice-president to enable even better management direction going forward. The new directors and their initial roles are as follows:

• Marlene Schellenberg – Finance; Nominations and Governance
• Beth Watters – Finance; Treasurer
• Jake Reichert – Finance; Poetry Critique Circle Co-Moderator
• Bryan Bellec – Resource Planning and Fundraising; Beta Reader Program; Tech for Streaming Events
• Steve Oetting – Reporters’ Group Coordinator; Membership, Communications and Marketing
• Tami Reynolds – 50th Anniversary; Nominations and Governance; Prose Critique Circle Moderator
• Matt Brough – Program

On the downside, longstanding Treasurer Clarice Sinohinc and bookkeeper Yuri Karube have departed. Sharon thanked them graciously for all their contributions. The transition has been challenging, but with the assistance of new Treasurer Beth Watters and new bookkeeper Angela Hilderbrand, financial management tasks have been completed on time. Grant applications were also challenging over the past year, but with funding from the provincial government, a generous donation from Kamal Malaker to support of the annual Rabindranath Tagore Poetry Competition for the next five years, a donation from Dave Williamson to support the short story competition, and the collection of membership fees, the guild is in a better financial picture than last year at this time.

Sharon then asked Andy Dutfield to review the financial report and request approval from the membership for the proposed budget and financial statements as presented and prepared by the Exchange Group. Andy also reviewed the ongoing efforts and achievements of the various committees, thanking both the chairs and the members of those committees.

David Williamson was then asked to provide some details about the new North Point Douglas Hub project. He invited Dr. Di Brandt to come up and elaborate on the program. She described the North Point Douglas area as one of the most unique parts of Winnipeg, with both its extraordinary population of artists of a wide variety of creative arts and its high population of underprivileged citizens. The funding provided by the Province of Manitoba is just one of many initiatives intended to help rejuvenate this area of our city and offer valuable opportunities to its residents.

Once all of the questions were answered and the required voting concluded, Sharon invited all of the board members up to the front for a special surprise. She then presented Andy Dutfield with an honorary lifetime membership and her heartfelt appreciation for the huge volume of time and effort that he has provided to the Guild, not only during his five years as president but every day since in which he continues to contribute his time, his skills and his energy. It was a special moment, one that was greeted with beaming smiles and resounding applause, and a lovely end to a productive and successful meeting.

By barb janes

Some were already in the Sept. 18 Writers’ Critique Zoom room when I clicked in at 6:45, in time to hear one person excited with the way the Guild’s work is blossoming, particularly with new critique groups. Poetry and BIPOC, we’re lookin’ at you!

Thanks to Keenon, this group’s facilitator, we began at 7 p.m. sharp, as Keenon earlier circulated a detailed schedule for this night. This move eliminated the time-consuming, awkward pauses of “Who wants to go next?”, and he kept us to a tight timeline. This circle had two observers and six submissions of writing representing a variety of genres: creative non-fiction, comedy, speculative/absurdist, straight up short story. One person noted his first response to one of the genres was, “O yuck, come on,” but went on to say that that particular piece (a ghost story) worked well, and stretched him as a reader.

Having indicated via email that I would be a participant as well as reporting on this Critique Circle, I went first. I had to submit my piece twice, as first time I had sent it in PAGES, which not everyone could open (Apple and oranges…er, PCs). I had submitted some particular questions about my piece, and the group’s feedback was clear, respectful, and encouraging, while also offering a note of caution about one element (point taken, thanks!).

The evening flew by, as each writer read their work (complete with screen sharing), then received comments and questions. Comments lifted up particular phrases or images that resonated, reflected on how a narrator also becomes a character in the story; one piece drew a request for more of some characters and less of another. One participant noted a piece had too much repetition: one term was used seven times in four pages. Another suggested a piece could do with an edit for length, that some judicious cuts would make the piece more precise. As readers, we also talked about white space on the page, how separating out dialogue helps the eye move along or signals a shift in tone. There was a feeling of richness, as each work was unique in style, content, mood, voice.

At the last moment, one writer sent regrets (illness), but our facilitator suggested he would read that person’s piece, we would offer our feedback, and he would record that portion of our Zoom and send it along to the writer – a classy move!

I noted that almost all of the six writers submitted pieces longer than our allotted time, and none of us could see the “three-minute warning” in the chat as we were reading our pieces aloud. These circles depend on all participants doing some homework in advance, and, as a writer, I felt the group had done due diligence. It is helpful for participants to get their work circulated to the group a few days prior in order to get wise feedback.

As a writer, these circles impose a deadline for me, which encourages me to stop faffing around and get my seat in the chair. I hope the two observers present on the Sept. 18 Zoom will be encouraged to share their own writings next time. Check out a critique group. As one person noted, you’ll read work that “draws you in and doesn’t let you go.”

By Heather Emberley

September is Literacy Month in Canada and what better time to explore self-publishing.

If it was good enough for Margaret Atwood, Stephen King and Eckhart Tolle, it was good enough for me. As the proud owner of a short attention span, I couldn’t wait for a traditional publisher, so I opted to have my children’s book, Who Hid the Raisin Bread? printed by Friesen’s Press. Because the book is a fundraiser for Bear Clan Patrol Inc, I needed a quick turnaround. I attended a presentation by Debbie Anderson, publishing consultant at Friesen’s Press hosted by MWG to compare notes.

Unless you are printing copies just for family and friends, be aware it is a business, and your business is to promote and sell your beloved book. After reviewing a history of self-publishing that began in 1843 when Charles Dickens self-published A Christmas Carol, through to the present day, Anderson helped to dispel the notion that self-publishing is driven by vanity. Her advice to those seeking a press is to check Google reviews, consult the Better Business Bureau and read the fine print.

Because my book has many photographs, my advice to those who choose photos over illustrations is to be very familiar with Adobe. Friesen’s accepts AI-generated illustrations but again, read the fine print of your contract. Familiarity with social media is a must.

The main question Anderson thinks authors should ask themselves is how much control do you want in the creation of producing your book? Friesen’s is a service, so it is up to the author to ask questions throughout the process. The average time from initial inquiry to finished product is usually six months. Authors at Friesen’s can choose the price of their book and receive a higher rate of royalties than from traditional publishers. One possible disadvantage for some authors is the upfront costs.

The advantages of self-publishing are many. Getting your book out there can help it getting picked up by a traditional publisher or an agent. Friesen’s employs 50 editors from most every genre to assist clients. There are many price point packages to choose from at Friesen’s and one has to be prepared to market one’s book to break even and make a profit. Financial assistance can be applied for via the Canadian Council for the Arts, Manitoba Arts Council, and Winnipeg Arts Council. One advantage of self-publishing is that the days of having boxes of unsold books in your attic are gone due to print-on-demand.

I sold my book on consignment (Whodunit Mystery Bookstore) and outright (The Zoo and the Leaf gift shops). Writing a pitch for Winnipeg Public Library and Human Rights Museum gift shops has taught me how important it is to customize one’s approach to each vendor. Because my book is a fundraiser, I enjoy having a table gratis at various events such as the Winnipeg Indigenous Accord. Readings by Winnipeg Blue Bombers at schools didn’t hurt either.

Friesen’s has many suggestions for authors who are prepared to do the work. Debby Anderson welcomes questions from MWG members and can be reached at: 1-888-378-6793, ext. 108, or danderson@friesen press.com

By Lynda Faye Schmidt

Last Saturday I had the privilege of meeting MWG member Alison M. York at her book signing event hosted by Chapters Polo Festival. Alison was set up in a bright and welcoming space immediately to the left as I entered the store. She was engaged in conversation with a customer, so I browsed through the journal section. Sensory memories of my cross-Canada book tour in 2022 danced in my head—the hum of crowds, the thrum of nervous heart-palpitations, the scents of paper, ink, and perfume.