If you’re a writer or an aspiring writer, Sudbury Writers' Guild invites you to join its ranks.
The group, which was founded in 1992, welcomes writers at every stage of development, from novice to published author.
This year, Sudbury Writers' Guild is holding hybrid monthly meetings, taking place the last Thursday of every month. Those gathering in person do so at Collège Boréal, with everyone else joining in through Zoom.
Meetings include guest speakers, workshops, a book club, discussions about club business (such as the publication of its chapbook, Painted Voices), and more.
Beyond the monthly general meeting, members interested in certain genres — such as novels, young adult/children and playwright/screenwriter — meet separately during the month. If you just want a little company while writing, you can even take part in the Write? Right! Write-ins.
“There’s a really big range of individuals who are with the guild, at various stages of their writing endeavours,” said president Liisa Kovala, adding that currently, the guild has 48 members.
“They provide each other with support and camaraderie. We also have guest speakers and workshops. There’s all kinds of things that are available for people to improve wherever they are in their writing career or endeavours.”
Kovala, who has written a book about her father’s Second World War experiences, and has a historical fiction novel coming out next spring, said she joined the Sudbury Writers' Guild in 2012, when she was writing her first book.
“I felt some kind of draw to other writers and wanting support and advice and critiquing,” she said, adding that she found the perspective offered by fellow guild members to be “integral.”
“There’s always somebody you can share you work with, and you’ll get honest and great feedback,” Kovala said.
Sudbury Writers’ Guild vice-president Lisa Coleman-Brown, who dabbles in a variety of writing mediums, from plays to short stories to poetry, said the group has given her the confidence to develop her skills as a writer.
She also joined the guild in 2012, and prior to that year, she was unpublished, other than some film reviews and articles on filmmaking, which she used to study in Toronto.
Now Coleman-Brown has multiple publications to her name, some of which came about as a result of collaborations with fellow Sudbury Writers' Guild members.
“It’s sort of fun to get your name out there within the local writing community,” she said. “It’s a great way to get a little PR and advance your voice. I’ve just found being involved with the writers guild has been very rewarding.”
She said that there’s a “core group” of members who attend “every meeting possible practically, and it becomes part of your social life as well as your writing career life.
“So it’s a lot of fun, and there are a lot of opportunities to socialize and interact and get to know new members and keep good friends with long-standing members. It’s just great. Great camaraderie.”
The annual membership dues are $30, or $15 for full-time students. Those interested in possibly joining the Sudbury Writers’ Guild are invited to take in a meeting for free before they commit.
Further information is available through the Sudbury Writers’ Guild website.
