The Word Guild celebrates 10 years as an organization of Canadian Writers and Editors who are Christian

By Nicole Findlay -

As Christians, we want to use our talents to honour God. But it’s not always easy. We need support. The Word Guild is an organization of Canadian writers and editors who are Christian that recognizes the need for community in using your gifting to advance God’s kingdom.

“Writing can be a lonely profession. “Denise Rumble, The Word Guild Managing Director, explains. “You are working alone. Although you may have encouragement from family and friends, it doesn’t mean that they understand your writer’s mind and heart. Writers write from the heart. Each piece of writing contains a piece of the writer. Any time they are critiqued or criticized or rejected it is like having a knife through the heart. It is very personal. If you’re not a writer it’s hard to understand that. Most people just say well fix it then. Pull up your socks and carry on. It’s not that easy. But when you have a supportive group of people around you that understand, that commiserate with you and help you get back on your feet – then you can carry on.”

Founded in 2002, The Word Guild is celebrating its tenth year. It is truly amazing what God can start with just a few willing hearts. When the God Uses Ink Conference for Christian writers was being discontinued, a group of faithful attendees resolved to not only keep it going but also develop it into a community that is connected year round. They chose the name The Word Guild in reference to John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And from the beginning, Christ has been the centre of this group. Their prayer team has grown to over 70 people that intercede for The Word Guild members and for what God wants to do through the organization. The continued growth of The Word Guild membership to over 350 people is a testament to their answered prayers.

Another testimony is the increasingly strong reputation of the anthologies, Hot Apple Cider and A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider that consist of stories by members of The Word Guild. At the outset, Canadian Christian writers were not taken seriously but now these anthologies are well sought after by mainstream bookstores like Coles, Chapters and Indigo. The Word Guild has shown that they are committed to building the reputation of Canadian writers with a Christian worldview; investing in programs to ensure both the writing and editing are of the highest calibre.

From those still deciding if writing is for them, to those who have made writing into a successful career; The Word Guild is a resource for writers at all stages in a plethora of genres. Their membership is diverse and they share a wealth of knowledge and information. One of the ways The Word Guild has impact is through the Write! Canada conference. It is Canada’s largest conference for Christian writers, publishers and editors, featuring insider information from top agents, publishers, authors and journalists. The last one being June 14-16, 2012. They also have occasional one-day conferences in cities across Canada. Members stay connected year round though a bi-weekly newsletter and ongoing online discussion groups. Here they share news, opportunities and get feedback from others. They also have a revision program where writers take turns critiquing each other’s work. Another wonderful program are their webinars where writers are given an allotted time to read a passage of their work and get brief comments from their peers. They also have an increasingly competitive awards program with categories for both published and unpublished writers that saw over a 30% increase in entries over the past year. The Word Guild is a vibrant group that are learning and growing from each other’s strengths.

The journey of The Word Guild’s development in just ten years clearly demonstrates the power of talented people nurtured by community and faith in God. Rumble believes this is only the beginning. “Now at ten years, I believe this is a turning point. God is going to amaze us with what He is going to do if we are willing to give him our words and let Him do what He will with them.”

For more information, visit www.thewordguild.com

(Feature photo: Denise Rumble, Managing Director /photo by: Jane Twohey)

(Article photo: (L-R) Co-founders, N.J. Lindquist and Wendy Nelles / photo by: Maranatha News)

Nicole Findlay is a Christian writer and creative artist. She writes to transform experiences, emotions and ideas in something others can interact with. Her website is www.nicolefindlay.com