Squamish Writers Group

2008-02-26T23:43:00.002-08:00

We've Moved!

If you've arrived here, you've followed an old link.
Our new website can be found at

www.squamishartscouncil.org
Choose Squamish Writers Group from the menu

See you there!

2008-02-26T23:43:00.001-08:00

We've Moved!

If you've arrived here, you've followed an old link.
Our new website can be found at

www.squamishartscouncil.org
Choose Squamish Writers Group from the menu

See you there!

Reading Mary Billy

2007-09-24T20:19:00.001-07:00

Squamish Arts Council and Squamish Writers Group help launch Mary Billy’s third collection of poems

An enthusiastic group of poetry buffs and Mary Billy admirers gathered at Gelato Carina for the recent launch of her third collection of poems, She is Carved in Stone. In addition to the expected author reading, the evening took on a more participatory approach with friends from the Squamish Writers Group choosing some of their favorite poems from the collection to read also. This added variety to the presentation and many of the readers shared their insights and affinity for the works they chose to present.

“It’s quite a thrill for me to hear other people read my poetry, especially men,” Billy remarked. Billy’s work has a strong feminist voice and can be both emotional and fearless in its expression of the injustices suffered by women.

The readings were very warmly received and many in the audience were carefully following along from their own copy of She is Carved in Stone. In a spontaneous gesture towards the end of the evening, Jude Goodwin of the Squamish Writers Group invited members of the audience to come forward to the microphone and read a poem if they so wished. Three people stepped up to the microphone to read, each one expressing their love of poetry and their admiration for Mary Billy’s work.

Gelato Carina proved to be a very fitting place for the event with its intimate yet easy going atmosphere. Food and beverages for the event were generously sponsored by SAC.

Excerpted from the Squamish Arts Council Fall Newsletter, September 2007

If you want to be a writer, write!

2007-04-13T17:30:00.000-07:00

Squamish Writers Group

Article written by Madeleine Somerville
Special to the Sea To Sky News
Apirl 12, 2007

This is the sage advice given to many aspiring writers, direction which is both enticing and infuriating in its simplicity. But besides being the go to speech for would-be novelists and poets alike, this dictum also serves as the philosophy behind the Squamish Writer’s Group, which meets every two weeks to do just that.

Composed of a core group of eight to ten writers, but reaching up to thirty others through its newsletter, the Squamish Writer’s Group has been inspiring writers to write for almost two years now, “It’s nice to meet and talk with other writers,” says Jude Goodwin, who organizes the group, “It’s inspiring and we’re all at different stages...some have been published before, so they can share that experience and information and we also workshop each other’s pieces and give feedback...some of thr writes quite like that, and we don’t rip it to shreds or anything”.

Sprung from a popular writers group in Whistler called the “Vicious Circle “, the Squamish chapter started with an ad in the paper which garnered a large response and attracted many of those who are still in the group today. The group thrives on discussion, collaboration and diversity and is a way for those in Squamish to build lasting communicative relationships with others who share their same passion for the written word.

Those who make up the core group of writers who attend the twice monthly meetings are a diverse mix, “We’re not all the same kind of writers” says Goodwin, “Some of us are prose writers, some write creative non-fiction and some of us are poets...it’s a big age span, our youngest must be in her late twenties and our oldest must be in her eighties”

With all the differences in age and style, does anyone exhibit that particular degree of eccentricity and madness that seems to characterizes the best writers? Goodwin laughs and demonstrates her quick wits by neatly sidestepping the question, “We all have very interesting personalities” she says with a chuckle, “Myself included, but eccentric? I don’t know, the older I get the more I realize that pretty much everyone I meet is eccentric...”

Although the early meetings of the writer’s group often focused on giving feedback to each writer’s piece, the tone of the meetings has evolved over the years and a current highlight is the assignments given to the writers’s each week. A topic is picked at random out of a hat and participants are asked to present their piece on the topic at the next meeting, in whatever style they choose.

“Really it’s just a way to get the writers writing during the two weeks” says Goodwin, “they have to read it out loud, which is also very good because it seems like it’s expected from writers...this gets them used to that.”

These assignments provided especially fruitful for local author Mary Billy, who was encouraged by the results of one particular assignment “There’s one poem in [my new book] that I actually wrote as one of our assignments. We were to write about a body part and I write about my right hand, the hand that writes. I thought it was good enough so I slipped it in at the last minute”

Describing her poetry as “feminist poetry, anti-violence and anti-war” , Billy has been writing for thirty of forty years and has published three books, her latest release titled “She Is Carved In Stone”. Billy joined the group about a year ago, after being part of several writer’s groups and even having a group of her own at one point in the eighties.

Billy is very appreciative of what the writers group offers, “I just think being around other writers, and hearing them read their work is inspiring.” she says, “Even knowing that there are other people doing the same thing... I really appreciate how Jude’s taken the lead.”

Aside from gathering inspiration from her writer’s group assignments, Billy says that age too has altered the style and content of her work, “I think it’s refined and improved over the years” she says, “When you get old, you get a lot more confident because you don’t care whether people like your stuff or not and you don’t care whether they like you or not either ! It’s very freeing”

Both Billy and Goodwin describe the group’s atmosphere as supportive and collaborative, and all feedback is done constructively. But when it comes down to it, the focus of the group seems to echo to that sage advice, “For many, it’s a challenge to just write” Goodwin says ” That’s the whole thing about becoming a writer, is you need to write all the time. Even if you’re not writing any great stuff, you just have to write.”

If you’re interested in attending the next meeting of the Squamish Writer’s Group, contact Jude Goodwin at 604-898-1013.

Update March 17

2007-03-18T00:27:00.000-07:00

Our next meeting will be MARCH 27, a Tuesday. This is a change from our pattern of meeting on Wednesdays as two of our regular workshoppers are not available on Wednesday.

As there is a SAC AGM on March 27 in the SAC building, we will be meeting at a different site. Info will be posted soon!

The upcoming meeting 'assignment' is "Parents go to school"

The 'workshop piece' is by Graham Fuller and all workshoppers should have received it by email.

More soon!

Jude
604 898 1013

Update Feb 19

2007-02-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hello SWG!

Well we had a wonderful reading at the Railway Park Art Gallery this Saturday. Great sound system and what a unique venue right in the middle of all the beautiful paintings, sculptures, quilts and other creative works. Very inspiring.

We will be having our meeting this Wednesday in the same place.

There is lots of parking at the Railway Museum and plenty of light. However, you may wish to organize some car pools with writers meeting at the SAC building at 6:45 for pickup. I'm going to leave this up to you!

The gallery is warm and well lit so no worries in that area.

Remember the challenge is 'diaglogue between strangers' -

and Tamsin, Geraldine and I can tell you all about our experiences at the Whistler Literary Leanings event. We have much to talk about!

Hope to see you all there, 7:00 pm.

Jude

Update, Feb 1, 2007

2007-02-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

Hello All!

We had a great meeting last night, with many atendees. Please note, all scheduled meetings for February are cancelled. In their place we have these exciting events -

Feb 21 - regular meeting, but will take place at the Train Park Art Gallery. More info on this coming. 7:00 - 9:00 pm. Let's organize rides for those who need them. I can fit three in my Trooper and would be happy to pick up. Or we could all meet in front of the SAC building at 6:30 and caravan over.

Feb 17 - public reading! Get your 5 minutes worth of material together and plan to read as part of the Squamish Wild At Art festival. More information coming. This reading will be at the Train Park Art Gallery.

Feb 24 - public reading! Same as above although there will be suggested content - this reading will be at the Adventure Centre. More information coming.

Feb 18 - Jude, Tamsin and Katherine will be reading as part of the Literary Leanings weekend in Whistler.

Feb 25 - Poetry Quest at the Brackendale Art Gallery. All writers must attend! There's safety in numbers ... includes dinner. More info click here

A fun month for us!

I was mentioning Arlene Ang's style of writing as representative of a recent trend in poetry which I've started calling SVO (Subject,Verb, Object). Arlene is very good with this technique ! A link to her website and one of her poems. Click Here

Check back soon!
Jude

Update : January 19, 2007

2007-01-19T15:12:00.000-08:00

It was a small meeting this Wednesday but we had a good planning session. Here are some of the things discussed :

Reading at Wild at Art
February 24 or 25
Jude to confirm with organizer. Please send Jude an expression of interest if you would like to read. About 5 minutes, prose, poetry, non-fiction all welcome of course! The meeting prior to Wild at Art can be a practice session for all of us.

Margaret Deefholts, Speaker
March 28
Leslie to finalize details and report at next meeting. Margaret Deefholts is a travel writer, photographer and editor. margaretdeefholts-journeys.com

The Postcard Jam calls on your stunted creative spark
CELEBRATION 2010™ welcomes Literary Leanings

WHISTLER B.C. - The Vicious Circle is calling on all writers, 19-years or older, of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and everything in between to apply for The Postcard Jam taking place on Monday, Feb. 19 at Three Below. As part of Literary Leanings, a three-day event included in CELEBRATION 2010™, The Postcard Jam commemorates our love of literature – in short form.

Drop Jude a note if you are interested in learning more. judegoodwinstudios.com

CBC RADIO’S RAVEN CONTEST

Bill Reid’s given Haida name was “Solitary Raven”. He loved the Raven: the trickster and transformer, hero and scoundrel of Haida mythology. Reid gave us breathtaking sculptures including Raven releasing the first men from the clamshell.

In celebration of Bill Reid’s birthday this month, we invite you to create a short story, or a poem, or a song featuring this beautiful, wily bird! Be inspired by Bill Reid and be as creative as you can because the the Grand Prize winner will win a week of adventure in Haida Gwaii!

Check this website http://www.cbc.ca/bc/features/billreid/ for more info (hat tip Leslie Tenta).

Writing Assignments
We took time to write assignment ideas on some little pieces of paper (hat tip Leslie) and put them in an envelope. At the end of the meeting we drew one out - this week's assignment is

"A ROAD TRIP"

Do what you will with that.

Next Meeting
January 31, 2007 7:00 - 9:00 pm.

Cheers
Jude

Happy New Year

2007-01-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

Next Meeting

We had tentatively planned our meeting for Jan 10. However, that is out of rotation for our 'permanent reservation' on the SAC building and it isn't available. Rather than meet somewhere else I think it would work better if we postponed the meeting to the 17th. This way we keep our rotation, and it gives us more time to regroup.

January 17. 7:00 pm. SAC Building, next to pavilion

This meeting will be a 'planning' meeting so bring your ideas and concepts. Things to discuss include:

- future challenges (Leslie has some great ideas)
- possible workshops (still trying to set these up, we have one definite)
- public readings (Wild at Art ?)
- print journal

Upcoming Events

Squamish Wild At Art - Arts and Cultural Festival
February 16-25 - www.wildatart.ca

Whistler Literary Gala
February 16-25 (not sure of the exact dates - more on this soon)

Merry Christmas : Open House

2006-12-11T09:23:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, December 20
7:00 - 9:00
Potluck appies or dessert
byob

PLEASE RSVP
(so we can make sure we have enough plates and cups)

Let's all get together for a bit of holiday cheer!
Bring a friend, bring a neighbour, bring your spouse!

If you want to bring an assignment for reading or showing (this week's assignment welcomes art or photography as well - let's show off), I'm pasting details below. If you don't want to bring one, come anyhow! We want to see you -

DREAM ASSIGNMENT
Poetry, prose or song - or art, or photography!
This assignment is taken from a poetry workshop book, but our assignment welcomes all disciplines.

From Steve Kowit (In the Palm of Your Hand), Chapter 9, p. 86, Poem 17: The Dream Metaphor

Dreams often function as complex metaphors. Use a particularly vivid dream of your own as the basis for a poem. Do not tell us it's a dream but simply relate it as powerfully as you can, making us feel what you felt during the dreaming. If you understand the dream--that it was a metaphor for our anxiety about your new job, or fear that you will fail in a new relationship, or resentment at not being able to make a lot of money--the poem is likely to be more successful. But don't tell us explicitly what the dream means. You must tell your story in such a way that the significance is implicit in the tale itself. Don't hesitate to deviate from the actual dream if you feel like it--simplifying, leaving elements out, altering whatever you need to in order to create a powerful poem.

From Steve Kowit, Chapter 14, p. 127, Poem 29: The Dream Poem

In Chapter 9, it was suggested that you write a poem based on a real dream, a dream that you could sense was a metaphor for some charged element in your life. Several of the model poems in that chapter, the ones made up of strange, fantastic stories, would also be called surrealistic, though their symbolic significance is perhaps clearer and more straightforward than that of the poems in this chapter. Write another poem based on an actual dream. But this time, concentrate on the image rather than the narrative.

Usually dream records have to be transcribed immediately upon waking for dreams have the mysterious quality of evaporating quickly in the light of waking consciousness. Keep your notebook beside your bed and spend a few minutes in the morning jotting down whatever images, feelings, and thoughts you remember from your dreams. Then, when you have more time, start shaping those images into a poem. You are probably better off not telling the reader that the poem is the transcription of a dream or worrying too much about the specific meaning of the dream. Rather, concentrate on the intriguing images. Let it remain a poem that is not obviously about one thing or another. Feel free to let the poem veer as far from the actual dream as you like. You might wish to read some of the many dream books that are on the market. These books will give you lots of ideas -- many fanciful and far-fetched -- about interpreting your dreams. Unlike many of his other books, which are technical and written for fellow doctors, Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams was written for the lay reader and remains an exciting and provocative text. Any fair-sized library will have a copy.

December 6 :: Next Meeting

2006-11-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

Hello All

Our next writers groups meeting is December 6. Due to a very low turn-out at our last meeting, we have carried the assignment over to this one. See post below for details.

7:00 pm. SAC Building in the park
jude(at)goodwinstudios.com

See you there! I might be a bit late - my daughter is singing at the library.

Jude

OUR SUITS, OUR SELVES

Too often when we begin writing we are limited by the self-importance we give our feelings. Self-importance restricts the writer’s freedom to pursue the whole of a situation confronting him or her. And self-importance restricts the freedom and ability to see the need to revise. Transformation of the self prompts the writer to be curious about his or her body and the world it is in.

With transformation, the writer starts to ask himself, What goes with this? What lives with this? Transformation gives the writer a new perspective from which to conceive. Letting one’s writing originate from the perspective of an inanimate thing radicalizes context and empathy.

Write prose or poetry in which you create a metaphor that likens the self to an inanimate thing – e.g., I am a fan, or I am a car’s tire. Think about what this condensation and transformation of yourself into this new nature means for your most precious human attributes – say, your words and language, or say, your sexuality. What does this new nature imply for your human body parts? Where and in what condition is your heart as this inanimate object? What would your eyes see and your hands touch? Under 1000 words please.

~An exercise from “The Practice of Poetry: Writing Exercises from Poets Who Teach”

Note: This assignment will be read aloud at our next meeting.

Notice of Special Meeting, Nov 22

2006-11-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

Please note there is a venue and time change for our upcoming meeting on November 22.

WHERE:
Squamish Public Library (by the fireplace)
TIME:
6:00 - 8:00 pm

This meeting will be in conjunction with the library's Quirky Literary night. The library's events start at 6:30 so we'll have half an hour to get 'business' over with. Then we can read our assignments when there are people around to enjoy the works. The last bit of time might be a question and answer period, depending on interest.

This is an important meeting - please plan to attend!

This week's assignment:

OUR SUITS, OUR SELVES

Too often when we begin writing we are limited by the self-importance we give our feelings. Self-importance restricts the writer’s freedom to pursue the whole of a situation confronting him or her. And self-importance restricts the freedom and ability to see the need to revise. Transformation of the self prompts the writer to be curious about his or her body and the world it is in.

With transformation, the writer starts to ask himself, What goes with this? What lives with this? Transformation gives the writer a new perspective from which to conceive. Letting one’s writing originate from the perspective of an inanimate thing radicalizes context and empathy.

Write prose or poetry in which you create a metaphor that likens the self to an inanimate thing – e.g., I am a fan, or I am a car’s tire. Think about what this condensation and transformation of yourself into this new nature means for your most precious human attributes – say, your words and language, or say, your sexuality. What does this new nature imply for your human body parts? Where and in what condition is your heart as this inanimate object? What would your eyes see and your hands touch? Under 1000 words please.

~An exercise from “The Practice of Poetry: Writing Exercises from Poets Who Teach”

Note: This assignment will be read aloud at our next meeting.

Next Meeting

2006-10-31T10:18:00.000-08:00

Come on come all to our next Squamish Writers Meeting
November 8, 7:00 pm sharp.

Your assignment -

Write to answer an unanswerable question. A poem, prose, fiction, non-fiction, creative non-fiction, personal essay - under 1000 words.

Questions could be:

Who knows where the time goes?
What's new pussy cat
What is the universe expanding into
Is there life after death
How much wood can a woodchuck chuck

Be funny or be serious - s'up to you!

Also, if you want to submit a sub for the upcoming meeting, send it to Jude and she'll fire it out.

See you soon!

Jude Goodwin

Paint, Body Parts and Telephone Messages

2006-10-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hello Squamish Writers

Our meeting Wednesday October 11 started poorly. The DOS recently painted our meeting space amd left the rooms full of paint, tarps, equipment and extreme smell. We were unable to use the building so milled about outside for a while until one of our members kindly offered up her house. Gratefully we accepted.

As a result of the unplanned migration, our meeting was a bit shorter than usual but well worth the effort. The assignment for this meeting was: "Write something about, or to, a body part." The results were excellent!! In fact, I'm going to prepare a little email packet for everyone with copies of pieces. If you have a piece and were unable to attend this meeting, please email it to me jude@goodwinstudios.com and I will include it!

Our next meeting will be in the 'newly painted' SAC building October 25 at 7:00 pm. The assigment is 'write a telephone message for each of five days'. For more on this assignment, which can be poetry, prose or anything else of course, read below (hat tip Wild Poetry Forum)

Writers wishing to offer up topics or items for the agenda please feel free to do so! Send them to me at the email above and I'll put out a note the Monday prior to the meeting.

Until then, happy writing!

Jude

AFTER THE BEEP

So many of us are so busy these days that we let voice mail do the talking for us. In fact, most people complain that they talk to the answering machines of people they need to contact more than to the people themselves. And considering that, we'd all like to hear a good greeting when we get the answering machine, wouldn't we? Something that goes beyond the standard, "Leave a message after the beep." Can we use this idea to generate a poem? Esther Altshul Helfgott did in the following example:

Reaching Me: Voice Mail Instructions

Monday

On this weekday, Mother washed our clothes,
got down on her knees in front of the tub
and scrubbed. In anticipation of the job to follow,
she sang: �On the line, on the line,
all my little children�s clothes are on the line.
If you want to get �em clean,
you have to rub and scrub,
and hang those clothes out to dry.�
Leave me a message, after the beep.
Beeeep.

Tuesday

This is the day to wash the dog,
but I�m too busy reading Marie Cardinal
to wash the dog. Do you have a dog?
Have you read Cardinal?
How come you�re calling anyway?
Sing me a message, won�t you?
I shan�t laugh;
will you, after the beep?
Beep.

Wednesday

My writing needs a rest. So do I.
So why are you bothering me with your call?
Don�t you ever rest during the day, cuddle up
with pencils, crayons and paint? A fun little
�zine? Go away. Call again another day.
Unless you just must leave me a message.
Then, of course, you can � after the beep.
You�ll only have three minutes though.
So get ready, get set. Go!
Beep.

Thursday

It�s a fool�s day, so leave me a fool.
After the beep. Beep.

Friday

I�m off for the weekend, but only after
I finish the bibliography for the paper I�m writing.
So I can�t possibly answer your call right now.
I have to get through. Oh, if I only knew
what tomorrow will bring. I think I do.
I hope I do. Do you, for you? Tell me a tale,
specific to you. After the beep. Beep.

These greetings have the sound of free associational thinking. By allowing herself that freedom, Ms. Helfgott included fanciful things she may not have in a more serious vein. Her daily greetings have personality and presence. They challenge the caller to have them, too. The voice becomes clear � that of an educated, friendly, uninhibited but private woman who inspires me to leave her an entertaining message, and who I certainly hope will get back to me.�

Write a free verse poem that contains the greetings people would hear if they got the answering machine of your selected narrator. Include a different greeting for every day of the work week (Monday through Friday), as Ms. Helfgott did, or for every season of the year (spring, summer, autumn, winter). You can write this poem in your own voice, or select the voice of someone else whose greetings you would like people to hear (i.e., your spouse, your doctor, your boss, etc.) Make certain your greetings have presence and that a specific voice emerges that represents the personality of your narrator. Remember to think about the sounds, line breaks, tone, specificity of images, and how the images build so the poem weighs more at the bottom than the top. Please keep this poem to 40 lines or less.

~An exercise from �Writing Personal Poetry: Creating Poems from Your Life Experiences� by Sheila Bender

Next Meeting

2006-08-26T21:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Summer everyone!

I have booked a meeting at the green building in the park on Cleveland between Victoria and Main, downtown Squamish. September 13, 7:00 pm.

As this is the first meeting of our new season, I think the agenda will fill itself with talk for future meetings and plans. However, one of our members, Marc Griffin, has submitted a piece of writing so let's take some time to comment on 'Fridge and Stove'. I will attach it to the email for those who missed the earlier mailout.

We need to finalize our membership in SAC and discuss membership fees, or no fees, dues or no dues. Leslie, I'll have my banking duties completed by that time. Keith, perhaps you could bring along our SAC membership form if we haven't already done that.

Three new writers have expressed an interest in our Writers Group. I have invited Gurdeep Pandher (poet), John Horsfield, and Nadia Halward to join us.

Don't forget the Whistler Writers Festival, September 14-17. Visit the Whistler Writers Group website, the Vicious Circle, for more information http://www.theviciouscircle.ca/

Hmmm. I think that's it for now. If anyone has any comments, please pop them into our blog using the 'comments' mechanism.

Cheers
jude

August Update

2006-08-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Squamish Writers Group blog.

We have not been meeting much over the summer as so many of our writers are out of town. We will be meeting in September. Please check back here for the date and venue.

Meanwhile, if you are interested in being added to our email list, please end an email with your name and details to Jude Goodwin

Be sure to find out more about the upcoming Whistler Writer's Retreat in September. Click on the 'Vicious Circle' in the menu at right.

News and Next Meeting Info

2006-05-31T22:46:00.000-07:00

Hooray!

We are planning a meeting next Thursday, June 8, at Riun Blackwell's home on Highlands Way North.

40498 Highlands Way North
(2nd driveway on the right off the Boulevard)

7:00 pm, hopefully we can get started by 7:15.

Please RSVP if you can come! Does anyone want to submit a piece for critique? We are going to have a writing challenge as well, just because it's fun. Feel free to bring a dessert. We haven't been together for a while so there's lots to talk about.

If anyone wants a ride, do email or call me at 604 898 1013.

*********************************
News
*********************************

** WELCOME NEW MEMBER
Dee-Ann LeBlanc has moved to Garibaldi Highlands area and has been added to the list. I asked Dee-Ann for a short introduction and this is what she sent

Dee-Ann LeBlanc is a professional and award-winning computer book author
and award-winning technology journalist, specializing in Linux and open
source. In addition to her non-fiction "day job" she is an aspiring
science fiction and fantasy author, and a published erotica author under
a separate pen name.

** HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY BILLY -
Here's a lovely email I received today from Mary:

This poem moved my heart last night as I crossed the Rubicon into old age, willingly, and happily today. I am seventy, and glad that I actually made it this far. It is a type of milestone, and I am celebrating because there were times when I sincerely doubted I would make it. It makes me relish the years I have left, and remember the years I had a garden, and wish I had one again. But here, through Marge's poem I can reconnect with the earth in that magical way that draws us ever closer to Her.

As I kneel to put the seeds in
careful as stitching, I am in Love.
You are the bed we all sleep on.
You are the food we eat, the food
we ate, the food we will become.
We are walking on trees rooted in you.

You can live thousands of years
undressing in the spring your black
body, your red body, your brown body
penetrated by the rain. Here
is the goddess unveiled,
the earth opening her strong thighs.

Marge Piercy, "the Common Living Dirt, from Stone, Paper, Knife, printed in the little magazine, Blue Heron.

** WE'RE RICH

We have officially become a group with a bank account. Leslie Tenta can tell us all about it at the meeting.

That's it for now
See you soon

Jude Goodwin
(secretary and membership)

The Waters

2006-05-07T23:28:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!
I've started an online Poetry Workshop.

THE WATERS
http://p086.ezboard.com/bthewaters35527

A place to post poems for comment.
Post as often as you want.
Comment on at least 5 poems for every poem you post.
Comments can be short, just a few lines, or long - s'up to you.

Lots of feedback, but no pressure.

Maybe you'd like to give it a try?

I'll be there to welcome you.
Cheers
Jude

National Poetry Month

2006-04-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

Established in Canada in April 1999 by the League, National Poetry Month brings together schools, publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, and poets across the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in Canada's culture. Communities and businesses participate through readings, festivals, book displays, and other events.

Here are some events happening in the lower mainland during April:

Vancouver, BC- Readings at Womyns Ware on April 17 at 3pm by Michael V. Smith, Jennica Harper, and Elizabeth Bachinsky.

Surrey, BC- Poetry readings at the Surrey City Hall on April 28 at noon include readings by Heidi Greco and Ashok Bhargava.

Some further information and inspiration can be found on these websites

The League of Canadian Poets

Canadian Library Association

And a good US sites

Academy of American Poets

Pass the word!

Wild At Art

2006-03-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

We had a successful first public reading at last weekend's Wild at Art Festival. Thank goodness our show was scheduled for Saturday as I'm sure the Sunday snowstorm made things very difficult for the festival. My condolences to the organizers who did a fantastic job! The Squamish Arts Council, Krisztina Egyed, Brian Marchant, Tamsin Miller, and the many more involved are to be applauded!

Squamish presented a fresh face and I heard many many people express their delight.

First session had Riun Blackwell as mc - and great job Riun! then Leslie Tenta, Doreen Ramus, Joanna Schwarz, Katherine Kerr, and Jude Goodwin reading. Second session our guests from Whistler read - Stella Harvey, Sara Leach, and Greg Schroeder, followed by Riun Blackwell and the Graham Fuller.

I have some photos which I will bring along to our next meeting.

We are to receive $150 payment for organizing and performing the 'show'. I have asked the check to be written to the Squamish Writers Group. Leslie Tenta has volunteered to be our 'treasurer' and will open a bank account in our name. At our last meeting, it was agreed that $50 of this money will go to joining the Squamish Arts Council.

Hopefully our next meeting will be in the Squamish Arts Council building. Keith Broad has offered to be the Meeting Planner for this month.

See you all soon!

Jude

Wild At Art Festival

2006-02-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

Hello writers and readers!

We have a firm commitment from the organizers of the Squamish Wild at Art Festival.
The Writer's Group reading times will be February 25, Squamish Adventure Centre:

1.15 - 2.00 Reading

2:00 - 3:15 Intermission

3.15 - 4.00 Reading

If you plan to participate, please send me ASAP the following info

Name
Genre (ie poetry, prose)
Names of Pieces (and author title, book title if you're not reading your own work)
Short Bio (anything you want here, maybe three or four lines)

send this to jude-at-goodwinstudios.com (replace -at- with @)

I might be able to put together a program if everyone gets me their info in enough time - Please try to get it to me before the weekend. Even if you just send a confirmation of attendance - I will put bios for those who send them and list names for those who don't. And if anyone wants to create a nice 3 X 4 sign we could have it on a tri-pod at the door during the readings to let people know what's happening.

Thanks! We are going to try to meet at the adventure center Wednesday Feb 22 at NOON - I have yet to confirm with the centre - will do so this week.

Volunteers Needed : the Wild at Art Festival committee is looking for volunteers. If you are able to help out contact Marcie Gaukrodger marcie@inspiredgroup.com or Brian Marchant 604 898 9411

Below is a list of events scheduled for Saturday - you'll see there's lots to do during our break. There will also be food available.

February 25-26, Sat-Sun
Wild At Art Festival at the Squamish Adventure Centre.
Two days, starts 11:00 am

Family Days, Saturday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm - Wild at Art Gallery with over 100 works of arts and crafts. Main stage performances by Rick Scott, Funny Stuff Circus, Squamish Nation and more. Story Telling and Public Readings from the Squamish Writers group and Squamish First Nations in the Adventure Centre Theatre. Developers Expo, food vendors, outdoor stroll and kids workshops - face painting, hat making and umbrella decorating.

Heritage Days, Sunday, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm. - Wild at Art Gallery with over 100 works of arts and crafts. Main Stage performances by Bella Luna, Squamish First Nation, Highland Dancers, Jocelyn Pettit Band, Between Shifts Theatre, and more. Hearty Loggers' Lunch, Developers Expo and workshops and activities for kids.

Meeting Feb 8 Information

2006-02-07T21:46:00.000-08:00

Venue

The home of Doreen Ramus
40309 Ayr Drive. Tel 604 898 5375.

If anyone needs a ride, call Jude 604 898 1013

Bring your reading planned for the upcoming Wild at Art.
We will each need 6 minutes worth of reading, and hopefully as well, we will be able to set up a schedule of reads.

Wild At Art Reading
1:15 - 2:00
4:15 - 5:00

There will be some Whistler writers reading in the 2nd time slot.

See you tomorrow!
Jude

Tips on Reading Out Loud

2006-01-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

I received these great tips from Eric Dutton and

Congratulations on the reading!

It isn't that hard to fill up your time. In my case I had a friend performing between my readings so I only did about twenty-five of that fourty-five minutes. If you don't mind a little advice about reading your poems aloud, I've gathered a few things from my experiences at open-mics and other venues. These are all things that I've failed to do before and had some bad experiences for it:

1: Read slowly and ennunciate. Your job is not to PERFORM your poem so much as it is to make the words and lines understandable to people who don't have the words in front of them. I was once told that if you read slowly enough that it sounds ridiculous to you, then it will sound just right to your audience.

2: Talk about the poem. Often you have to read a poem a few times to undestand it or to appreciate it fully. At a reading you get one shot. If there's anything that you can explain about the poem, you might as well. Tell a story about the poem if you like, or even just a brief introduction. It gets the listeners in the mood for the poem and gives them something to look for and pay attention to. If you talk to them just a little before a poem, it also helps them like you personaly; that never hurts!

3: Look at them as much as you can. I'm still not very good at this, but I've noticed that the more I do it the more I enjoy reading and the more they enjoy listening. It also gives you something to respond to.

Meeting January 25

2006-01-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

GELATO CARINA
7:00 pm

There might be a big crowd so I'd like to present an Agenda.

1. Discuss new meeting space and membership fees

So far, the vote for meeting space (and $25/year membership) is 6 and the vote for meeting in public places is 2. No reason why we can't do both, mix it up a bit. Let's try to set up a meeting in the Adventure Center to practice our 'reading out loud' - hopefully Krisztina E. will be on hand at tonight's meeting and we can ask about that.

2. Discuss meeting format - bring your preferences.

My suggestion is Workshop every meeting 7:00 - 7:30 and have Challenges, Speakers, or Presentations the rest of the meeting with writers agreeing to meet after for further workshop if desired.

Hopefully discussions 1 and 2 above won't be more than half an hour total.

3. Talk about the Wild at Art Festival and take turns reading for 6 minutes. Bring your stuff!

Adjourn

I'm going to have to leave at 8:45 - and I'll have my daughter with me.

Squamish Wild At Art Festival Coming Up!

2006-01-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

Hello All!

The Wild At Art Festival is coming up in a few weeks - the last weekend in February I think but I'll have to confirm that - and we have two 45 minute blocks of reading out loud. Let's meet and bring along our material for reading so we can organize it into some kind of order. Maybe prose/poetry/prose/poetry - or by theme or?

Gelato Carina is a great place to meet, we can meet next Wednesday 7:00 to talk all this over. Each reading will be about 6 mintues - let's see how much can be read in 6 minutes!

Keith, some excerpts from your book. Doreen some excerpts from your 'Freighter Days', everyone who workshopped over last winter - there is excellent material amongst us.

I have sent an email to Stella Harvey (Whistler Writers Group) to see if they have some writers who would like to join us. The organizers of the Festival want to know if we'd like a 3rd 45 minute block on Sunday.

Let's meet!

RSVP
Jude