*NOWW to host LitFest online to announce and celebrate writing contest winners*

The Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop believes all writers should be celebrated for their hard work and dedication to the craft and even though we cannot gather in the traditional sense, there’s still reasons to celebrate.

Earlier this year, NOWW launched its 22nd Annual Writers and winners are normally announced during the LitFest Gala. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, NOWW is planning to host a virtual LitFest via Zoom on Saturday, May 30.

“We understand that these are very challenging times and while we always look forward to the LitFest Gala and celebrating our contest winners, this year we have to make some changes, while still shining the spotlight on literary talent from the region and beyond,” said NOWW president, Jodene Wylie.

The annual writing contest was launched in January and has once again there were many entries from writers across the country and the world.

The categories this year included short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, the Bill MacDonald prize for prose (nonfiction), and the special category art review.

This year’s judges once again represented some of the best literary talent in the country and include Madeleine Thien, Russell Smith, Gwen Benaway, Amy Jones, and Steven Beattie.

“Our annual writing contest brings so many people together and we are always so pleased to have such big names in Canadian literature serve as judges for our contest,” Wylie said. “We invite everyone who entered the contest to join us on Saturday as well as anyone interested in sharing in some stories and celebrating writing in Northwestern Ontario.”

Three winners in all categories will be announced and a short excerpt from each first place winner will be read, as well as sharing comments from the judges. Winners will be posted to the NOWW website on June 1.

Everyone is welcome to join NOWW for LitFest on Saturday May 30 at 8 p.m. A link to sign into the Zoom meeting and more information can be found on the NOWW website www.nowwwriters.ca.

This Media Release