When I moved to Orangeville from Newfoundland and Labrador in the fall of 2005, I left behind a circle of family, friends and a freelance writing career that spanned four decades.
At that time I was waiting for my sixth book to be published. I was also working on a bi-weekly outdoor column for the province’s Trans Continental newspaper chain, plus articles for major magazines in Canada.
While accustomed to writing in isolation, the loss of interfacing with editors and readers created a vacuum in my life. I began to seek out other writers in the community as a social need to make new friends with similar interests.
Just by accident, while browsing through The Banner one evening, I saw a photo of several people who were contributing books to the local library. They called themselves the Headwaters Writers’ Guild.
I called one of the contact people listed in the caption, went to their next meeting and was immediately hooked. What I found there was camaraderie and creativity, friendship and abundant talent.
Not all of them were published authors; in fact, only a few had seen their names listed in a byline or on a book binder. Not all of them were great writers, but they had a thirst to learn and a willingness to improve.
There was one common thread that all of them shared — a love of writing. Whether they wrote fiction or non-fiction, poetry or humour, sci-fi and fantasy or professional papers, they were all writers.
The longtime members also shared respect and love for a man named Ed Wildman who had helped them get started. Ed held writing workshops in the area, and started one for the Dufferin Arts Council in October of 2001. Originally scheduled for two weeks, it was extended to a month.
Current member Nancy O’Rourke and the late Janet Bellinger attended the first workshop, later joined by J.C. Dumas in 2003. By then Wildman held the workshops from his home in Honeywood.
“He would read from a book and explain how the author got started,” explained Nancy. “It wasn't like going to school, there were no rules. You'd just write and whatever came out was a story.”
Ed joined the fledgling Orangeville group in December 2003, and the group did their best writing with him there.
“We all wanted to wow him. He always inspired or encouraged us to do our best,” commented one member.
Ed Wildman — lawyer, poet, author, storyteller and inspiration to the Headwaters Writers Guild — passed away in 2004. At the funeral they talked about when Ronnie Hawkins and Ed were walking in downtown Barrie, Ed's hometown. Everybody stopped and talked to Ed. Finally Ronnie said, “Wait a minute here Ed, who's the celebrity, you or me?” Everybody laughed because they all knew that Ed was a special person.
There was a vacuum with Ed’s passing, but the group carried on despite its loss. Many of the current members are new and never had the chance to meet him, but his legacy has been to inspire through his teachings.
These are comments from several of the writers who are working on various projects in their field of expertise.
Orangeville resident Sonja Wolter says belonging to the Headwaters Writers Guild has given her belief that she is a part of a unique group of human beings whose purpose it is to keep alive the flame of imagination, expose the heart of the human race and remember the lessons of those who have gone before us.
“Knowing that the group is there and that I am a part of it encourages me to believe that I will write, that I will bring forth works of worth and that I will fulfill the promise of the gift within me.”
Laura LaRocca is a full-time mom for five young children, as well as a part-time freelance writer and editor. Her credits include articles published in the Globe and Mail, The writer, and Today’s Parent Baby & Toddler.
“It’s hard putting into words what the group means to me. It has been an amazing source of encouragement and support, and I have made some wonderful friends. I’ve also developed more confidence in my writing. There are no better friends to share success with, because they’ve been through the process. There are also no better friends to share rejection with. They know how hard it is to not take it personally and how easily it can tear down your fragile confidence. They are always there with encouragement and support.”
Retired art and drama teacher Judy Zarowny says, “Headwaters writers are an enormously talented and supportive group, a clearinghouse for information about writers and courses, and a great group of friends. Being in the company of people who have been published, or are preparing their work for publication, has inspired and encouraged me.”
A founding member of the Headwaters Writers Guild, J.C. Dumas was involved in a serious accident and began to write after his recovery, about 18 months later.
“They thought I was dead at the accident scene and the paramedics were shocked when I woke in the hospital,” he joked.
Terrified of dying, he reevaluated his life and began to write. In March of 2003 he attended one of Ed Wildman’s workshops and was told, “The only way you can be defeated is if you stop.” Wildman’s encouragement inspired Dumas to write the first drafts of three novels and more than a hundred poems.
Another longtime member is Shirley Bray of Orangeville, who writes fantasy and lately was diversified into spiritual poetry. She is a systems programmer analyst, web designer and graphic artist by day. She also maintains the group’s website.
“Belonging to a group is very important to me. It gives me the chance to share my love of writing with others. You can meet some very interesting people and learn how they have managed with the art of setting one’s butt in a chair and write! It has always amazed me how, with an open mind, the writing just flows from my mind. At present I’m working on the edits of my finished novel. I find the process of editing very interesting, perhaps more enjoyable than the actual writing.”
Pat Gallant, who writes under her given name Mary Patricia Bird, is the group’s official secretary. While most of her previous writing focused on poetry and fiction, because of the group and the opportunity it affords her, she is successfully writing short stories and articles.
“My very first printed piece was a poem I wrote in 1978 during a Toronto Maple Leafs game, in which I described the game in poetic verse. It appeared in the Toronto Star’s Starship section of the newspaper. I was not published again until the Spring of 2007 when my short story, ‘Grand Memories,’ appeared in Sideroads of Dufferin County. Both publications were thrilling for me.
“I’ve been with the group since 2004 and I have made many friends, people I could not bear losing as a part of my life. I look forward to every session because the atmosphere and the people bring out my creative muse and motivate me to keep writing. Being a part of the guild has led me to writing workshops and author seminars. I don’t ever want to leave.”
Transplanted from Edmonton, AB, Diane Bator joined the group in 2007 and loves the support, friendship and encouragement everyone has given her. She is currently seeking a publisher for her first novel and editing her second one.
She also writes young adult and children’s stories, poetry and song lyrics for her father, Joe, who is a musician in Alberta.
She joined the group in April 2007, and loves the support, friendship and encouragement everyone has given her.
Nancy, one of the group’s founders, writes short stories, articles and poetry, and credits her skills to two near-death experiences.
“While lying unconscious on the floor of St. Timothy’s Church with severe abdominal pain for more than 25 minutes, I visited Heaven and had a life review with the Angels. I later realized that if I died my only regret would be that I hadn’t continued writing.
“Without the encouragement of my group I might have abandoned writing. I can’t imagine not writing; now I write for the sheer joy of it.”
Novelist June Hustler Duncan has a varied background in the world of writing. Seven years of work produced her first novel, Kindred, a gutsy piece that replaces the skeletons of life’s colouring book with love and diesel fuel. Her latest novel, Death Spiral, is nearing completion of the first draft
On the local scene she wrote a column, Downhome Country, for the two local Orangeville newspapers. Previously she owned and operated Downhome Country magazines. Subscribers from Canada, England, Norway, Alaska and the United States enjoyed the bi-monthly publications.
No stranger to Orangeville is retired teacher Clare McCarthy, who is presently exercising his twisted sense of humour as a freelance cartoonist creating one editorial cartoon per week for The Banner under the name Mac.
Clare also contributes a monthly column to The Banner entitled Meandering, with a focus on human interest subjects, tongue-in-cheek humour and (at times) thought provoking topics.
In addition to providing pen and ink illustrations for The Hurleyville Taxi, Two Thousand Pounds Of Bacon And Bone, Clare is a member of the Dufferin Circle of Storytellers, and also attempts to remain physically fit while enjoying writing which has a bent towards the lighter side of life.
Newcomers to the group are Glenn Lott, a blacksmith, artist and writer, and Tania Crook, an aspiring author. People from all walks of life are involved and each brings something new and refreshing to the table.
Each year the group holds a writing retreat in Eden Mills at Eramosa Eden, a non-profit retreat centre operated by sisters Gloria and Alberta Nye, who also happen to be writers. Located near a bubbling stream, the atmosphere is ideal for creativity.
The group numbers about 15 to 20 members and they meet regularly. Every other Sunday from 1:30 to 3:45 p.m. you’ll find them in the basement of the public library, and on alternate Saturdays, they meet at noon for a “drop in” session to discuss what has been going on in their careers. The members are notified by email of the site for each drop in.
Why do they come together? They all share a common thread — a passion for writing. The creative juices that flow from their meetings and the sharing of emotions through words benefit all of them.
Are you interested? Check out their website, owg.netfirms.com, for more information, or call Pat Gallant (Secretary) at 519-941-0065. Everyone is welcome!