Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 21/00) - So you wanna be a writer? It's a lonely life, folks. Just think of some fellow writers.

But if you are interested, you may want to check out The Yellowknife Writers' Group, which has been in has been in existence for over two years.

"We encourage writing of all kinds," says Dan Badowich, who has been a member of the group for over a year.

"It could be poetry, it could be prose fiction. It could be non-fiction, magazine article submissions or folktales. It could be writing in any form."

And what does the group do?

"I guess what we do is workshop various pieces. We basically provide a resource for them. Of course, people come to the meetings and do not have to put forth stuff if they don't want to."

The group gathers for two hours every two weeks in a rather informal fashion.

"We e-mail each other and say, 'Yeah, I might bring this work to read,'" explains Badowich, though he adds that sometimes it's just a matter of having the work with you the night itself and wanting to read.

"It does take a certain level of trust," says Badowich, who favours writing for children and who has a book coming out with local publisher Raven Rock.

"When you bring a piece to be workshopped, you are kind of putting yourself on the line. It's a mutual respect, I think, that is prevalent."

Yk resident Anita Daher was still living in La Ronge, Sask., when she heard of the group.

"I was part of a writers group there," says Daher, who also writes for children. "I was also a member of the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, a member of the board for that and really involved in the writing community there."

When Daher's husband was in Yk, he returned home with the local newspaper that contained the writers' group ad.

"There was an e-mail address on that so I was actually in contact before we had even moved up here."

Being an old hand at this group thing, Daher had some loose expectations.

"Because of my experience with my previous writers group, I knew I was walking into a room of people who may be completely different; different jobs and lives. But who have a common interest and that's writing. Everybody who attend a writers group is usually there for one of several reasons."

Daher lists motivation to keep writing, which include support -- it's OK to keep writing -- some experience and help from group members and editorial skills.

For group member Madeline Sheridan, support is exactly what she wanted and it's exactly what she gets.

"I was interested in learning something about writing and getting some support," she says.

"I took English in high school, never any further. I was also interested in learning how to read my own stuff, and how to write it. And I find the group has really given me that."

According to Sheridan, who has experimented with short stories and now poetry, there couldn't be a more supportive group.

"I've been experimenting again with rhyming and I've been having a lot of fun with it."

Sheridan enjoys the feedback from her fellow writers and looks for specific kinds of responses.

"If there's gaps where they don't understand something, you know, when you're too close to your work, you don't realize what you might be missing ... so the logical gaps like that. Sometimes, if you contradict yourself. If the idea even works with people. Whether it's of interest."

As a result of being in the group, Sheridan has also learned how to comment on the writing of others.

The writers' group, along with other writers, will present a public reading Jan. 28 at the Birchwood Gallery.

"This reading is a success already for the group, even though it hasn't happened yet because it's brought forth -- from outside the group -- pieces of work that show there are a lot of talented writers in Yellowknife," says Badowich.

For more information e-mail yellowknifewriters@hotmail.