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.