Whether you’re a writer or aspiring writer, an editor, a publisher, or an avid reader—or several of the above—WCYR, a new writers’ organization in York Region, has something to offer you.
The Writers’ Community of York Region (WCYR) launches Sunday, October 2, in Aurora, with a workshop, luncheon and guest speaker. And while registration for this inaugural event is already full, don’t worry — WCYR has lots more coming up. (The second monthly meeting is scheduled for November 13, and as featured speaker I’ll be there to talk about the ins and outs of the author-editor relationship.)
Hyacinthe Miller, a member of the organization’s provisional planning committee, is encouraged by the enthusiastic response to its first-ever gathering and believes it’s a promising start for WCYR.
“I feel York Region is ready for a community like this,” she says, “a community that will bring writers of all genres and skills together in one place! The Region is enormous and has incredible resources to draw upon. We know of numerous small writing groups around the Region, but we want to be the place where lovers of the written word can meet periodically to hang out with other writers, learn, find mentors and celebrate their successes and the successes of their colleagues.”
This Sunday’s inaugural meeting features children’s author Richard Scrimger as luncheon speaker. The event will be catered by chef and cookbook author Deb Rankine, a.k.a. The Fridge Whisperer. And in conjunction with Culture Days, Susan Lynn Reynolds, past president of the affiliated Writers’ Community of Durham Region (WCDR), will lead a free pre-luncheon workshop titled “Unleash the Writer Within.”
All WCYR luncheon meetings will take place the first Sunday of each month, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., at the historic Aurora Cultural Centre on Church Street in Aurora. Space is limited, so separate advance registration through the organization’s website will be required for the luncheon and any associated workshops.
WCYR offers opportunities for information-sharing, networking and support, education and professional development, Hyacinthe says. It also looks forward to being a partner with other organizations promoting writers and writing in York Region.
Annual membership is $50. Members will receive $5 off the $25 cost of monthly WCYR lunch meetings and discounts for WCYR-sponsored workshops, opportunities to promote their creative writing through reading events, weekly updates on calls for submissions, contests, and news about the writing world, opportunities to promote their books at meetings and book-related events, access to a directory of writing groups/circles and, for a nominal fee, opportunities to promote their workshops on the WCYR website.
No, you don’t have to live in York Region to join and benefit.
The Writers’ Community of Durham Region (WCDR), founded in 1995, has mentored WCYR in the planning stages, and WCYR members will have access to all of the other WC organizations in the collective: Durham Region, Kawartha, Haliburton, Simcoe County, WHEN (Mississauga).
“WCYR wants to build excitement about the craft of writing,” says Hyacinthe. “We want people of all ages and skill levels to come together to develop friendships, to network, to go off on their own or establish new groups, feeling energized and confident that they can do this … they can write.”
Check out the organization’s website at www.wcyork.ca.