An Author’s Voice blooms suddenly, unbidden, active within the writer’s unconscious, until it clamours to be released.

Writing tips:  Writing Night at the CCWG

We have begun our new year and the group has decided to make our first meeting each month a Writing Night. We arrive with our writing tools to hear what is our prompt for the night’s activity. Once challenged, we are allotted a period of time for writing and then we are invited to share what we have composed. Perhaps a little daunting, but we are soothed by the knowledge that our writing is always accepted and respected at Carp Creative Writing Group (CCWG). Comments and considerations are only given when requested, and the rapt attention of our members is feedback enough to encourage us. We are enthused and excited to take note of what fell out of our pen during this activity. This is the stuff of our writing group.

Featured CCWG writer: Naomi Green

Author’s Biography: I am Naomi Green, a mother of two children, a nineteen year old university student and a sixteen year old at high school. I studied to be an RGN nurse at university in Chelmsford. Before this, I studied English Literature and French to an advanced level. I gained my RGN nursing diploma and worked for a short while at the Rivers Hospital and Harlow hospital in Britain before we moved to Canada in the year 2000. I am presently a stay at home mom, living with my husband in Kanata. I have written two books: The Children of Grimolea and The Victorian Doll and the Dragon. 

Excerpt from The Children of Grimolea:

… The Orcrid’s reedy voice resounded around Laura’s mind, repeating itself again like a stuck record, and after stepping into the lathery bath Laura sank into the hot tub of water and let the water lap over her body. She drifted into a day dream and noticed she was dressed in unusual clothing and standing on the bridge, the same as the one she had seen when Harrid had told her to meditate.

‘It was a fairly old fashioned wooden one.’  Laura thought, as she glanced over at the posts and railings at the side of the platform, as she began walking along it. The surface of the bridge looked wooden, as if it were made from planks of wood, but as Laura crouched down and touched it she recognized it to be made from some type of metal. The side of the bridge was a long row of strips of metal, slanting either way like a row of crosses. It was also quite long. Laura ran along the bridge, noticing it clattered as her heavy boots struck the surface. Laura glanced down and noticed she was wearing some old fashioned black boots. They looked a bit scuffed and their metal soles struck against the bridge, creating a twanging noise as she ran along it. 

She stopped and looked over the side of the bridge, discovering that a mermaid was sitting on the bank of the river, then glanced over the railing and noticed that the river looked wide and the current seemed strong. The water rushed under the bridge and was flowing on a bit of a downward slope, picking up speed as it raced away from the opposite side of the bridge and down the steep slope.

“Hey you, Helena,” someone shouted. Laura jumped around. …

CCWG events

November 6: Writing Night for Members

November 27: CCWG Guest Speaker: Ian Thomas Shaw: The Elements of Writing Fiction That Will Be of Interest to Publishers

This evening with Thomas Shaw is part of a group of presentations at various OPL locations. Click here to register.

CCWG (Carp Creative Writers’ Group) meetings:  We gather together to share our works, to find a safe space where we can ‘try on’ a piece of our writing, perhaps to request some (gentle and inspiring) feedback, to bring tips and tidbits for help, and participate in the leadership and organization of our group.

Wednesdays 6:45 – 8 p.m., Carp Branch – Ottawa Public Library. All writers invited. We look forward to becoming acquainted with you and your work. Pre-Registration: OPL online, Carp Branch + OPL card.

Note: Winter is coming, and inclement weather making dangerous roads may find us canceling the meeting for reasons of safety. Members are asked to join our facebook private members’ page, where we can check in regarding attendance and cancelations.