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Judy L Mohr. Photo by Anthony Hovens
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Hello and welcome, Judy, please tell
us a little bit about yourself and your writing.
Let me start by saying a big thank you,
Kura. I’m feel honoured that you would ask to interview me. Now
that’s said, we can get to the questions and answers.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve
always made up stories. As a child, I would spend hours with a tape
recorder, making up plays for my Barbies to act out. (Yes, I’m
really that old.) As soon as I could write, my mother encouraged me
to kept a diary; I wrote poems and lyrics to songs. While I was
studying my PhD, the writing became a much-needed escape from the
pressures of being a part-time research student and a full-time
mother of two. Even now, I use the writing to help me find the
strength to face reality. The recent quakes have generated pages of
writing. I’m also a freelance editor, and launched my own business,
Black Wolf Editorial Services, back in December 2015.
My personal writing tends to have a
fantastical flair, filled with adventure, dark monsters, humour and
romance. Science fiction leaks in too, thanks to my PhD in Astronomy
and Masters in Engineering. I have many projects on the go, but tell
me what writer doesn’t.
You’re very involved with the
Christchurch writing community. What’s your current role with the
Christchurch Writers’ Guild?
I’m currently the president of the
Christchurch Writers’ Guild and one of the coordinators for
EastSide Writers, a coffee group for writers that meets every
Thursday. I’m also one of the Municipal-Leaders for NaNoWriMo
within the Christchurch region. Everything that I do for the writing
community is meant to give back by paying it forward. So many I have
meant on this journey have helped me develop my craft and become a
better writer. I want to be able to do the same for others.
When was the CWG established?
Christchurch Writers’ Guild was
established in 2012 by Angela Oliver and Beaulah Pragg. They noticed
that many of the local writing groups required their members to
produce works for critiquing and review, among other things. For a
new writer, sharing your writing can be extremely daunting. Not only
that, membership fees in some cases was beyond the means of the
average new writer, and with very little reward. They wanted a group
where everyone felt welcome with none of the pressure to share your
writing, accessible to all. The Christchurch Writers’ Guild was
born.
Since then, the membership has grown to
over 80 members. In May 2015, the Guild became an incorporated
society.
What is the CWG’s mission
statement/ main purpose?
The Guild is a community of people who
understand what it is to be a writer, from the first draft through to
publication, and not just through traditional publishing houses.
We’re there to help our members develop their craft to a level that
they feel confident in sharing their writing with others.
At the same time, we love to celebrate
our members’ successes. Writing can be a very isolated road. We aim
to make it not so lonely.
What sort of writers can join? Do
you have to be published?
Christchurch Writers’ Guild is open
to all writers, published and unpublished, regardless of the genre.
It doesn’t matter whether you write poetry, short stories, novels,
or even screen plays — if you write, then you’re welcome to join
us.
Are there any fees?
At this stage, there are no membership
fees to join the Guild. All you have to do is visit our website and
fill in the membership form with your contact details. It’s as
simple as that.
Does the CWG offer its members
internal competitions?
At the moment, the Guild does not run
any internal competitions. However, we do offer our members with
opportunities to participate in various anthologies, a chance to
become published.
The criteria for each will depend on
the anthology itself. More information can be found on our website.
What do you see as the benefits of
being part of the CWG?
The biggest benefit of being part of
the Guild is the support network. So many writers feel isolated,
because their family and friends don’t understand who much of an
obsession writing can be. Through the various activities that the
Guild runs, writers are able to meet other kindred spirits.
Guild members also are entitled to
discounts on our workshops, which are spread throughout the year.
Where does the CWG meet and how
often?
Currently, the Guild runs two different
weekly groups. The Night Owls meet every Tuesday night from 7pm at
Coffee Culture in Bush Inn. Eastside Writers meet every Thursday
morning from approximately 10:30am at Robert Harris in the Palms.
Members from the Guild also meets every
second Monday of the month from 7pm at Undercroft at the University
of Canterbury (under the James Hight Library).
These meetups are open to all. We
always welcome new members.
Where can we find the CWG online?
The CWG has its own website (www.christchurch.wordpress.
Recently, the Guild has also joined the
world of Twitter. Our username is @ChChWriters
And of course, if anyone just wants to
send us an email, our address is
christchurchwritersguild@gmail.com
Thanks so much for your time, Judy,
the Christchurch Writer’s Guild sounds like a very supportive
bunch.
You're welcome. It was no problem at all.
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