Welcome to the Writers’ Collective’s creative writing blog. Here we’ll be posting snippets – a word, a phrase, a picture, a song lyric – to get your creative juices flowing. When you’ve squeezed those juices down to the last drop, post the results as a comment to the inspirational prompt.
Please note a few ground rules before you hit the “Comment” button:
so in a shameless attempt at self promotion: i just launch a book with my writers collective last night! whoot! i am so proud of this book, xxx ndn: luv and lust in ndn country, and hey, if you can’t tell by the title it’s erotic! shhhhh
for more information check out my post on CBC’s the Manitoba Scene blog – my post
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ever try writing the ear rot tick? it’s harder than it looks. pun intended haha
Summer solstice is nearly upon us! Called Midsummer or Litha by Western European Pagans, summer solstice, the longest day of the year, is a special day across the globe.
photo cred: kidstuffworld.com
And here in Canada it is also National Aboriginal Day – a day when we can celebrate the diversity and community of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people.
The summer solstice has always been a sacred time for Aboriginal people. Traditionally, Plains people have celebrated and honoured this time of year with intense Sun Dance ceremonies. Solstice was the start of our calendar, and many of the ancient stone circles, very much like Stonehenge in the UK, that have been found across North America, including Oodena at the Forks here in Winnipeg, have centred on this day!
Where does it go? This time? Huh? When did life manage to fly passed me and turn me old? And so busy? And achy ’cause I’m old and super busy??
This is what writers do, right? Complain about all the time they DON’T have!
It’s like written in the WRITER’S RULE BOOK. You know the book, right? You got it when you decided to go wild and become a writer, right?
One of the first rules is – complain about not having enough time for writing. It might not be the first rule, but it’s right up there – probably somewhere between – must have a high threshold for solitude, and - must enjoy the company of imaginary people.
Hey everyone!
In this next edition of Adventures in Cyber Space, your trusty Writerly Hero found this new website: Be a Better Writer
- check it out -> here!!
Let the inspiration pour forth!!!

Happy Writing,
Kate

for photo cred look - here!
i had the pleasure of spending last thursday afternoon with poet Stephen Ross Smith and a bunch of writers. always a good way to spend some time, this workshop gave me a much needed poetic boost as i launch into post-lit-degree-pre-fine-arts-degree life!
things i took away from the afternoon that i want to share with you:
the word TORQUE is pretty amazing…. i may have just found my new favourite word!
the word TREACLE is equally awesome and i take my hat off to anyone who has recently had to use it in a writing contest submission.
hello long neglected creative writing blog! i have been hard at work completing my literature degree and too busy to breathe! i am happy to report that i will be all done tomorrow!!! super like!!! and i want to give a super like out to LINDSEY CHILDS who has done a super job being a super helper on this here website the last few weeks. miigwetch lindsey
and a jolly merci to all my friends who have helped me out these last few months of hermitage and crazy paper writing… got me thinking: aren’t friends great? dare i say, aren’t friends super??
Ok, tonight we’re doing another trifecta triangle of joy!!
I think we did one of these a while ago, but each time it’s so different.
With this one, I randomly asked three people to tell me the first word that came to their mind (thank you facebook!).
The responses: star, apple, freckle!…. Interesting… ok what you do with a trifecta triangle of joy is now you have to make a story, or a poem, or a something that includes those three words.
Or, if you’re just looking for something quick, just to get the juices going – you can make quick fun sentences. …
do you know about these? my kids brought them home one day and i think they’re great! this website is the best i found online – but just search “Mad Libs” or “Mad Glibs” to find many different sites!!
all’s you do is fill in the blanks and click submit and your words are imputted into an existing piece!
lots of good ideas, love the randomness of the associations, inspiration abounds!!
happy writerly thoughts to all of you,
kate

(I’m sorry, I do not know where this beautiful picture came from, but it was a part of tribute that a friend of mine wrote for her mother, and I think it’s beautiful!)
Hello everyone, if you haven’t already heard, we are suffering quite a loss over here. Our dear friend and Program Coordinator Michael Van Rooy passed away a week ago today, and I, for one, am still feeling great shock.
The word of the day is “snow” : “snow” is the word of the day.

Now that I think about it, I’ve written about snow several times. I’m sure it’s a Winnipeg thing. Here, there’s a lot of snow to go around.
Years ago I wrote a story about tobogganing with my brother and cousin and called it, you guessed it: “Snow!”
And just today, I was talking about how some Aboriginal languages have different words to distinguish types of snow, or snow in various states of melting or freezing. Snow has personality; snow changes, differs, melts, freezes, sparkles; snow is worth talking about. Winnipeggers know this, understand this. So before winter really sets in and makes us crazy, let’s remember the good qualities of all that marvelous snow!