The welcome sign for Airdrie promises “community and opportunity,” and I found plenty of both during my November stint as Airdrie Public Library’s (APL) inaugural Writer in Residence. I don’t know if there is census data available on the number of writers per capita, but if my recent experience is any indication, Airdrie is home to a disproportionate number of talented, passionate and motivated writers.
My month-long tenure underscored my belief that libraries are fundamental in supporting emerging writers, encouraging those at every level of their craft to step forward and find their community in a safe and supportive way. The writers I got to meet, the work I was trusted to read and the conversations about our writing life that ran long always left me feeling inspired by the power of words to connect us and give us hope. And it all happened during a global pandemic.
We met with masks on and stayed socially distanced. Our glasses fogged as our ideas churned. We used Zoom to connect across the ethers. We kept our spirit up by moving forward, always forward, one word, one sentence at a time. Writing is a solitary act, but writers also need to connect with a community of like-minded individuals who understand what it means to take one little idea and turn it into a novel or a short story or a poem. It can be tough to stick with a writing project when the world around us seems bent on snuffing out the flame, but the spark of human creativity is resilient. From the darkest days of the pandemic, we will emerge with new art, new songs, new books and stories that once again connect us as travellers on this long and winding road.
I tip my hat to the entire staff at APL for welcoming me and showing off their library with a great sense of pride. Special thanks to APL Director Pam Medland, Programming and Customer Engagement Manager Eric Pottie and the visionary library board for supporting the idea of a Writer in Residence in the first place. Medland and Pottie introduced me to the special place APL holds in the local writing and arts community, and for that I am grateful.
The writing talent in your community is exceptional. More important is the remarkable calibre of the people behind the writing – true grit personified. You’ll be hearing from some of these folks down the road in the form of book launches and best-seller lists; you can bank on it. I hope Airdrie continues to embrace its writers and artists, and I wish APL continued courage and excellence in the delivery of its programs.
C.B. Forrest served as APL's first Writer in Residence. Based in Calgary, he is the author of four novels, a few songs and a play. Find his writing at www.cbforrest.com
