Respect, Encourage and Inspire

By: Loni Cameron

The September open house welcomed Gwynn Scheltema and Ruth Walker to celebrate the WCYR’s new season. The ladies of Writescape were here to “kindle our creative fires”, taking us through different exercises to stretch our minds and imaginations. Beyond the writing, they also reminded us that we are not alone. We are all writers. We all experience both the positive and negative aspects writing. We are a community here to support each other, share stories, advice, and sometimes snacks.

One my favourite exercises shared happens to be the one I found most revealing of the writers around me. What do you always bring with you, in your backpack, purse, etc., that reveals who you are? What does the granola bar reveal? The songbook? The deck of cards? What could it also reveal about a character? It was a fun, simple, interesting way to begin.

Another excellent writing exercise the ladies introduced revolved around a large envelope and the character images it contained within. Each person at the table chose a picture out of the envelope and we were asked what was in their backpack, purse, or wallet, then wrote for a few minutes. It was a great way to explore the unexpected, for it is the unexpected that can take you further than you thought possible. It’s part of encouraging within us the ability to stretch ourselves. By the end of the workshop, everyone’s creative juices were flowing. We generated ideas, delved deep into character, and explored point-of-view. Gwynn and Ruth revved up our creative engines and the words were ready to flow.

When I left, I was also happy that I had three pieces of writing I was excited about.

Upcoming Events:

September 29, 2018 – Culture Days – The WCYR will be hosting events at Old Town Hall. There will be an all day perpetual storyboard, Self-Publishing 101 with MJ Moores and Kim McDougall, Write Now: Write for the Open Mic with Vicki Pinkerton, and Black Out Poetry and Verse. For more information go to: http://www.newmarket.ca/culturedays or https://culturedays.ca/en/2018-activities.

October 4, 2018, 7:00pm to 9:00pm, Newmakeit in Newmarket – Developing Dynamic Villains with MJ Moores, FREE Members-only workshop. Space is limited.

October 14, 2018, 1:30 to 4:30pm, Newmarket Public Library – World Building: It’s Not Just for Fantasy with Heather M. O’Connor.

November 4, 2018, 1:30pm to 4:30pm, Aurora Public Library – Writing and Author Platform Go Hand in Hand with Elaine Cougler.