Thursday, January 12, 2012

We reached our goal!

We reached our goal of raising $1000.00  in the 50/50 project. Thank you so much to all who have donated.  

When I saw the post in the WFNS newsletter I was struck by the quiet brilliance of Kathy's 'Writers who Care' idea - I love the simplicity of it: donate $50, have 50 pages reviewed by another author. It raises money to help people struggling in a part of the world so far from here - that in itself is reason enough to participate, and each dollar spent in Somalia will have a ripple effect in the lives and communities of the people who receive the funds. But the initiative does something else as well - bringing together writers in disparate genres to review and comment on each other's work. That adds another ripple to the effect of each dollar - a layer of community support 'back home'. My own writing project is about Africa, and about my relationship with a small, struggling village there, so I am particularly aware of how the ripples reinforce. Thanks for the great idea, Kathy. And, for the push!

-Munju Ravindra

The 50/50 project is an inspired idea. How could I pass up the chance to help war-ravaged Somalia, especially when I'd get something so valuable in return? The critique I received from Jacquelyn Mitchard gave me the feedback I needed to shape the opening of my YA novel, UNIVERSAL FORCES, and the encouragement I needed to finish the project. I'm grateful for her comments!

-Monica Shaughnessy


I donated to this cause because I believe in supporting writers. I have always loved to write and to dabble with writing; believing and dreaming that I can. I believe that writers all over the world should have the right to express their feelings, thoughts and visions through the written word, for all to see.  Writers have contributed so much to humanity whether it be Rumi, The Brontes, Munroe, Attwood, Chomski, or local writers like Shauntay Grant, Wayne Johnston, etc. Writers are suffering in prisons just for their words, I ache for them.I believe in the freedom of the word and in the freedom to read a book and in the freedom to write in all forms.

My own writing has been mainly from my life experiences. My life in Newfoundland was shaped by rich, everyday "stories" and what a joy it would be for me to put these into a book...My current life interacting with refugees and new Canadians is rich. I have many words swirling in my head waiting for me to make a decision - which path shall I take?  "Two paths diverged into a wood and I took the one less taken and that has made all of the difference."

-Ruth Larson

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