Nominated VP of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Writers’ Federation (QWF)

I’m really proud to join the Executive Committee of the QWF as VP of the Board.

Since day one, I fell in love with the mission of the QWF as well as all of the thoughtful individuals that make up its existence. It has been such a pleasure to work with Lori Schubert (the Executive Director), Deanna Radford, and all of the Board Members, many of whom are fellow writers and friends.

The new 2017-18 Board of Directors:

 

Executive Committee
President: Linda Morra
Vice President: Branka Petrovic
Treasurer: Leigh Kotsilidis
Secretary: Katia Grubisic

Directors
Jason Camlot
Christopher DiRaddo
Jeramy Dodds
Bonnie Farmer
Harold Hoefle
Julie Keith
Susi Lovell
Jeffrey Mackie
Elise Moser
Gregory Santos
Robert Schwartzwald

For those of you who don’t know the QWF, here is a little about the organisation:

The Quebec Writers’ Federation (QWF) is playing an increasingly prominent role in the life of the Quebec English-language literary community as an arts presenter and professional and community educator, as well as the representative of Quebec’s English-language writers. The diversity of its activities reflects the diversity of its membership. Along with professional and emerging writers, the QWF includes those who have a personal interest in writing and many who have joined because they are interested in high quality literary events, activities and programs. All of these constituents are linked by the QWF vision that works toward ensuring a lasting place for English literature and its practitioners on the Quebec cultural scene.

As for some of the wonderful stuff stemming from the QWF that anyone can benefit from:

Hire-a-writer: the directory is available to creative inidivuals as well as corporate souls.

Writing Workshops: I’ve done one myself and they’re perfect for anyone interested in any sort of writing (from poetry to journalism to memoirs). Not only do you get to work with professional writers, you also get to build your community/circle of trust.

Writers in CEGEPs and Communities: these are various programs where professional writers get to interact with and inspire our youth and our community. From working with at-risk youngsters to leading workshops in prisons, the writers are everyday heroes.

And the list goes on and on…

Not to mention that new prizes get initiated, such as the most recent 2017 QWF Literary Prize for Young Writers:

The 2017 QWF Literary Prize for Young Writers will be awarded to an emerging writer who is a resident of Quebec and who is between 16 and 24 years old, inclusively, as of June 15, 2017, the contest deadline. 

The prize will be awarded for the best short story, poem, or work of non-fiction written in English and published in an official literary publication in 2015 or 2016 (the two-year eligibility period is applicable only in this, the inaugural year of the prize). 

Work may be submitted either by the author or by the journal in which the submission was published, and there is no limit to the number of submissions per publication or writer. All work submitted must be the final, published version.

All the details can be found here.

This and all of the above is why I am honoured to be a tiny piece in the large QWF puzzle. A true family.

Oh, and don’t forget to become a member! It’s our bread & butter. Click here.

It’s so worth it.

We’re also always looking for sponsorships and funds. Do get in touch with me if you and/or your company believe in what we do and if you’d like to help us give back & inspire you.

We all love to cuddle with a good book in bed on a rainy weekend; reach for that poem in a time of crisis; or read to our nieces on a snowy afternoon.

Let’s make sure that our writers–our souls–are taken care of too.

Many thanks,