The PEI Writers’ Guild is pleased to announce funding from Innovation PEI for five bursaries to attend Wild Threads Writing Symposium, a national writing symposium taking place this summer in Charlottetown. Two of these bursaries are specifically for Indigenous writers.
Writers from all stages of their career, along with nationally acclaimed writing facilitators, will gather in Charlottetown for the first annual Wild Threads Writing Symposium from August 22 to August 25.
The symposium, which also have the support of the University of Prince Edward Island, the Bookmark, and Reading Town PEI, includes author workshops facilitated by some of Canada’s most established writers in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and storytelling.
Additionally, there will be panel sessions where industry professionals will speak to current and emerging publishing trends, the publishing industry in 2019–2020, and marketing and branding for authors.
Mo Duffy Cobb, PEI Writers’ Guild President, is thrilled to offer these bursaries. “The PEI Writers’ Guild exists to support writers from Prince Edward Island, and, thanks to the generosity of Innovation PEI, we are able to allow five Island writers to attend a national writing symposium at no cost to them. Participants are going to benefit from not only the talented writing faculty who are coming from all over the country, but also from the shared experiences of being with fellow creatives, and we are very excited to remove the financial barrier of this symposium for five Island writers.”
Some of the confirmed facilitators include George Elliott Clarke, Anne Simpson, Pauline Dakin, Julie Pellissier-Lush (current Poet Laureate of PEI), and Sharon McKay. In addition, Richard Lemm and Laurie Brinklow will add their voices to the workshop choral in offering a discussion on sense of place in writing, and specifically, “Islandness”. Hilary McMahon, a literary agent from WestWood Creative Artists and Craig Pyette, an editor with Random House Canada, will be offering workshops, as well as Island entrepreneur, Patti Larsen.
To apply for one of these bursaries, the PEI Writers’ Guild is asking interested writers to submit a letter of intent, describing a vision for their artistic contributions to the writing and publishing industries on PEI, as well as a 5–page sample of their work, which can be a short story, personal essay, or up to three poems. Those interested in one of the two bursaries for Indigenous writers are asked to state so on their letter of intent. Applications should be emailed by June 15 to peiwritersguild@gmail.com or mailed in to 81 Prince Street, Charlottetown, C1A 4R3.
Registration for Wild Threads is now open. To attend the four-day symposium, which includes an evening cocktail welcome party, a faculty public reading, a Sunday brunch, and open mic experience is $325 (+ tax) for PEIWG members, $375 (+ tax) for non-members, and $325 (+ tax) for seniors and students. Please note that travel and accommodations are not included in this fee (there is a group rate available with the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel).
Spaces are limited, so the PEI Writers’ Guild encourages interested participants to register early. For more information and to register, please visit the Wild Threads website (wildthreadscreativewriting.com).
Contact:
Mo Duffy Cobb
PEI Writers’ Guild President
peiwritersguild.com
peiwritersguild@gmail.com
Press Release by Christine Gordon Manley.