june
Member Event - In Person
Reading Night
Tuesday, June 10, 7PM
Share your Words, Share your Voice
Join us for a cozy evening of storytelling, poetry, and creative connection at our upcoming Reading Night!
This is a chance for members to share their writing—finished or in progress—in a supportive, welcoming space. Whether you’re looking to test out a new piece, get inspired, or simply enjoy the talent in our community, we’d love to see you there!
Bring your voice. Bring your words. And bring your ears—because great stories are meant to be hear
Details are emailed to OIW members
Member Exclusive
Writers Retreat
June 27 to June 29
Step Away and Write
Escape the noise of daily life and immerse yourself in what matters most—your writing. Our two-day retreat offers dedicated, distraction-free time to focus on your projects, surrounded by inspiring landscapes and a creative community.
Expect quiet writing sessions, optional prompts to get your creativity flowing, and plenty of space to reflect, recharge, and connect
Details are emailed to OIW members
Not a member yet?
Visit our Membership Page to learn all about the benefits of being an OIW member, including the opportunity to get published!
summer SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Member Exclusive
A Page. A Pen. A Winner.
Deadline August 25, 2025
Sharpen your pencils and fire up your imagination!
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Summer Short Story Competition around the theme of
HUMOUR
OIW members are welcome to submit their best humorous short stories or personal essays.
Whether your wit is dry, dark, wacky, or wonderfully absurd, we’re looking for entries that embrace the spirit of humour with engaging, expressive, and well-crafted writing. Tell us a funny story. Or delve into the intricacies of why humour is important. How has it made your life better?
Three prizes up for grabs!
First Prize: $100
Second Prize: $75
Third Prize: $50
If you're just starting out or already well on your writing journey, this is your chance to craft something remarkable and gain recognition.
Submissions open JUNE 1 and close AUGUST 25—you have all summer to write, revise, and polish your piece.
Winners will be announced at the 2025/2026 Season Opening meeting September 16th, 7pm.
READ BELOW FOR GUIDELINES AND ELIGIBILITY.
SUBMIT YOUR STORY BELOW.
A page. A pen. A winner.
Let your story be the one that stands out.
Guest Judge
We are delighted to welcome two-time Governor General Award winner and acclaimed storyteller, Tim Wynne-Jones as our guest judge.
Tim brings a keen eye and deep literary insight to this year’s contest.
Ready to Submit?
Fill in the details below and upload your file.
Contest closes August 25, 11:59pm.
Good luck!
OIW POETRY PAGE
April was National Poetry Month
National Poetry Month is over and this year's beautifully varied poems by OIW Members are now up on our Poetry webpage.
Inspired by the theme of Family, each one captures an intimate facet of memory, love, loss, and connection.
A huge thank you to all our contributing writers. You can find them in the "Poetry" tab on the website or by clicking on the button.
Established in 1998 by the League of Canadian Poets, this celebration aims to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry, encourage reading, and support poets across the country.
OUR MEETINGS
MONTHLY MEETINGS
OIW holds nine monthly program meetings from September to June each year on a wide variety of writing related topics, normally with a speaker and plenty of opportunity for questions.
CURRENT MEETINGS
OIW gathers every third Tuesday of the month with presentations starting at 7 pm, lasting until 8:30 pm. The meetings currently take place on the Zoom virtual platform.
Visit our membership page to sign-up now!
OUR BOARD
Meet some of the OIW Board Directors!
Bob Barclay
Member-at-Large
During my professional career I published a great many technical works, but on my retirement some 15 years ago I decided to turn my hand to fiction. With a nascent novel in hand, a quick search of resources led me to Ottawa Independent Writers, which proved to be a turning point. With the wide expertise available among the OIW membership, I was able to complete my novel, see to the formatting and cover design, and get it into print all in good order. I soon became a board member of the organization, and it is from that vantage point I can now help others who were in my situation 15 years ago. Board membership allows me to give back to the community, and I feel that many OIW members who have followed my path would find great satisfaction in membership on the board, sharing their expertise, and watching all aspects of the creative writing process from the first words on the screen to the completed published work.
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Lena Samson
Vice President
As an OIW board member, I engage with prolific writers and literary professionals whom I would never meet otherwise. My writing and editing have benefited greatly from their experience and expertise. The Board is a friendly, sage and collaborative group from which I've learned enormously and to to which I'm grateful to contribute. Every volunteer on the Board brings a new perspective, unique background and helps OIW continue to thrive.
Interest in joining the Board and giving your writing career a boost? Let us know!
Email Su at: members@ottawaindependentwriters.com