The Manitoulin Writers' Circle
The Manitoulin Writers' Circle was formally incorporated November 16, 2006. For information write to Box 79, Gore Bay, ON P0P 1H0 or email margolittle@sympatico.ca
The Spirit of the Circle
The purpose of the writers' circle is to bring Manitoulin Island writers together for mutual support and encouragement. Through networking and collaborative publishing projects, island writers have an opportunity to reduce their isolation as well as hone their craft. The circle will celebrate the literary arts on Manitoulin.
Goals and Objectives
- to bring creative writers together in an inspirational and supportive atmosphere
- to provide mentors for beginning writers
- to assist established authors in developing new markets for their work
- to encourage collaboration among writers of diverse genres
- to improve the skill levels of writers at all stages of their careers
- to promote an appreciation of diverse gender and cultural perspectives
- to participate in co-operative publishing ventures
Membership
Members of the Manitoulin Writers' Circle include poets, fiction and non-fiction writers, journal keepers and storytellers of every description. Whether you are writing a novel, a memoir, a collection of short stories, a family history or a series of columns or articles, there's a home for you in the circle.
Benefits of Membership
Joining the Manitoulin Writers' Circle provides opportunities for:
- professional development, educational workshops, manuscript critiques
- collaborative publishing projects
- discounted registration fees for guest speakers, seminars, festivals
- regular updates on literary contests
- communal marketing and sales
- positive association with kindred spirits
- access to editorial services
Origin of the Writers' Circle
The Manitoulin Writers' Circle has existed informally since 1984. The present core group has emerged from a series of writing workshops entitled The Manitoulin Writers' Retreat, founded by Margo Little. In the beginning, a small group of aspiring writers (of all ages and interests) met in the Gore Bay public library to experiment with self-expression. Later, the gatherings expanded to include writers from off-island communities.
For example, the 1999 retreat (July 2-4) featured a "writing and rambling" theme. Writers from Manitoulin, the North Shore, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Elliot Lake and Espanola participated in creative writing exercises combined with hiking on local nature trails. The following year (June 30 to July 1st, 2000), a similarly diverse group attended the increasingly popular workshop and enjoyed the delights of summer on Manitoulin. The third annual retreat in 2001(June 30th) offered even more opportunities to use the personal journal as a springboard to creativity. As word of the island literary event spread, writers from Toronto, Niagara and Ottawa travelled to experience the unique setting and informative classes.
Crafting memorable short stories was the theme of the 2002 gathering (Saturday, May 18). The session included character development, point of view, dialogue and setting. Markets for short stories were also explored.
For the Manitoulin Retreat's 5th anniversary May 17, 2003, an eclectic group of Northern Ontario poets enjoyed presentations by T. Anders Carson, Lynda MacDonald, Melanie Marttila and Margo Little. A book fair was held in conjunction with the workshop to allow authors to sell and sign their books for the public. In the evening, an open mic session allowed poets and spoken word artists to share their work with an appreciative audience.
Although the retreat has become a summer tradition on the island, a winter retreat also took place in January/February 2003 hosted by Toby Clarke of Gypsy's Island Garden in Gore Bay. The stimulating series was designed to banish the winter blahs through a writing circle devoted to personal creativity.
Memories and family history took centre stage at the August 7th, 2004 event. That year the Manitoulin Writers' Retreat teamed up with the Manitoulin Libraries Reading Festival in Kagawong. During the day, writers learned some strategies and techniques useful in memoir writing. In the evening, guest authors read from comedy and mystery works followed by a book signing.
The "retreat" became a travelling road show briefly in 2005. At the request of the Greater Sudbury Library, workshop facilitator, Margo Little conducted a freelance writing seminar in New Sudbury on Saturday, February 26. Topics covered included how to get started, how to generate stories, how to contact editors and how to develop a business-like approach to freelancing. Participants also learned how to draft a query letter and to avoid some common pitfalls of the business.
The Michael's Bay Historical Society sponsored Ms. Little's memoir writing workshop Saturday, August 5, 2006. Participants used family photos and heirlooms to spark memories and creative writing. The event was held at the John Budd Memorial Park in South Baymouth.
Then on September 27, 2006, the Manitoulin Writers' Circle held its inaugural meeting at the Gore Bay Museum and Heritage Centre.
The September 2006 to September 2007 period proved to be a very productive time. Here is a brief summary of the activities:
1) Manitoulin Haiku Contest, Fall 2006, deadline Nov. 29. Sponsored by The Expositor and McQuay Click and Clay.
2) Scrabble Day, Mindemoya Community Centre, January 2007
3) Coffee House and Beatnik Café, Anglican Church, Gore Bay, March 30, 2007
4) Celebrating First Nations Authors, Ojibwe Cultural Foundation, May 23, 2007
5) Ramble and Write, June 9, 2007, sponsored by Friends of Misery Bay
6) Solutions in Your Hands, Ann Carson Workshop, July 14, 2007, Gore Bay
7) So You Think You Can Write, Part 1, Gore Bay Summerfest, July 25, 2007
8) So You Think You Can Write, Part 2, Manitowaning, August 11, 2007
Manitoulin Retreat Founder
Margo Little, founder of the Manitoulin Writers' Retreat, is an editor, educator, independent book publisher, columnist, journalist, photographer and workshop leader. She began teaching creative writing workshops for Fraser Valley College students in British Columbia in 1979-80. In 1983, she returned to her native Manitoulin and continued to share her love of the craft with island writers.
Although born and raised on Manitoulin, Ms. Little has studied and worked in Rhode Island, California, British Columbia and Northern Ontario. She is a founding member of the Native Communications Society in Vancouver, the Sudbury Writers' Guild and the Manitoulin Writers' Circle. Her editorial skills have been polished during stints as Communications Officer for the B.C. Association of Indian Friendship Centres, as News Editor for the Agassiz-Harrison Advance and the Manitoulin Recorder. Also an experienced freelancer, she has been a regular contributor to Osprey Media, Haliburton Broadcasting, Northern Business Journal, Windspeaker, Ontario Birchbark and the Manitoulin Expositor. Her articles have also appeared in magazines such as Country Connection and Explore.
Her educational background includes a Masters Degree in Interdisciplinary Humanities from Laurentian University, Honours English Specialist qualifications from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education as well as a Life Skills Coaching Certificate from Cambrian College. As a Nipissing University certified Adult Educator she has taught creative writing to adult learners at N'Swakamok Native Alternative School, the Sudbury Jail School Program and the Cambrian College Elder Hostel.
Ms. Little is a pioneer in the independent book publishing industry in Northern Ontario. In 1999, with the assistance of Prise de Parole, she released The Other Woman Was Lady Luck: True Stories From Monte Carlo to Casino Windsor, an examination of the impact of legalized gambling on Canadian families. Part memoir, part expose, part self-help manual, this book reveals the hidden social costs of Canada's addiction to casinos and lotteries. On a similar theme, she has also written and distributed an MA thesis entitled The Moral Dilemma of High Stakes Gambling in Native Communities.
A holiday theme collection of short fiction followed in 2001. The anthology entitled Meg's Solo and Other Timeless Christmas Tales includes uplifting yuletide stories set on Manitoulin Island as well as Sudbury, Vancouver and Providence.
In addition, Ms. Little's fiction and non-fiction works have been included in recent Your Scrivener Press publications. Her prize-winning short story, The Watcher, appears in Outcrops: Northeastern Ontario Short Stories (2005). In 2001, her study Bonding Behind Bars: How Incarcerated Women Forge a Sense of Community was published in Feminist Definitions of Caring Communities and Healthy Lifestyles.
Aboriginal economic development was the focus of a paper entitled Casino as Cash Cow: A Cautionary Tale published by Captus Press in 2002. Ms. Little's analysis was published by the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers.
Equally at home in fiction and non-fiction texts, Ms. Little has written extensively on many topics of social concern including addiction, mental health, crime, education, health and safety, the environment, residential schools, land claims, youth justice and foster care. She has been a regular correspondent for both Aboriginal and mainstream publications.
How To Join the Manitoulin Writers' Circle
The annual membership dues are $25.00 per writer. The fee entitles a member to attend meetings, participate in critique sessions, enjoy a variety of creative projects and to participate in local workshops at a reduced rate. Members will also receive notices about literary contests, conferences and publishing opportunities.
Mail cheque for $25.00 to Margo Little, Box 79, Gore Bay, ON P0P 1H0. Make cheques payable to the Manitoulin Writers' Circle. For further information call 705-282-1714 or e-mail margolittle@sympatico.ca
