A profile of Manitoba's burgeoning writers' community
Writing has a long tradition in our province, as there's never been an absence of inspiration. In the vastness of our wilderness and in the variety and vibrancy of our communities, Manitoba has been home to some of Canada's most interesting writers.
In the words of author Lisa Moore, this phenomenon can be summed up neatly in regards to the capital city:
"The city of Winnipeg is the perfect pariah. It's too small to be big, too big to be small, too east to be west, and vice versa.
The centre of the country is too sparse for The Peg to be an anchor. No, it sits in Canada's lonely middle, with Canada itself on the periphery of the in-crowd. It's here, just away from everything, from every hard identity, every categorization, every box they put you in, where we are.
Being outside the clique makes us expressive, makes us artists. It helps us be free with our thoughts and ideas, and we can let them soar without obstruction. Here is where the creative spirit lives, where trends are set: trends loved by the in-crowds of the world, trends we've produced. Winnipeggers are the cherished pariahs."
Lisa sums it up well, and this is how we feel about the whole province as a nourishing place for artists of all fields. Each community holds a spirit wherein authors seem to blossom, and so it feels justifiable to be so proud of where we come from! of course, if you're new to Manitoba, don't worry - you're never too late to contribute to and join one of the most exciting literary communities around.
Profiles on individual Manitoba writers can be found below.
Lisa Moore
David Scott
Melanie Fraser
Gord Kent
Drew Taggart
Alain Bourgois
Irving McNeal
Yann Mitton
Aaron Magnusson
Craig Abalone
Lawrence Crewcraft
Michael Penman
Joseph Sands
Chloe Tucker