A podcast for writers - by writers - creating community through words.
WordCraft is a project created within the professional development branch of programming made available by the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, a non-profit organization that aims to nurture a sense of community among New Brunswick writers, with a mandate to develop and sustain professional skills and opportunities for New Brunswick writers, while raising public awareness of and engagement in the unique culture of writing, storytelling, and literature in New Brunswick.
The WFNB acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples. We honour the spirit of our ancestors’ Treaties of Peace and Friendship.
The show is hosted and produced by Jenna Morton, with technical production by Tosh Taylor.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Today’s writers have more options than ever before when it comes to sharing their work with
the world – but how do you decide if independent or DIY publishing are the best fit for your
work? And if so, what do you really need to know to successfully launch a self-published or
small press work? Joe Mahoney shares his journey as a retired broadcaster, author, and
founder of Donovan Street Press, a Riverview, New Brunswick based independent publisher
dedicated to literary and genre-bending fiction.
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest: Joe Mahoney
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which
acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded
territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
6 May 2026
Literary Agent’s Role with Maria Vicente
If your goal is to have your writing published, there will inevitably come a time when you start
searching for an agent. This is your champion, the person who will help you navigate the world
between the page and the publishing house. Part reader, part editor, part negotiator, and part
fan, a literary agent is a creative business partner who knows what the industry wants and how
to place you within it. And while this might sound like a job only found in the largest of cities,
today’s online world makes it possible for Maria Vicente to do this work from New Brunswick.
She’s a Senior Literary Agent and Senior Advisor at P.S. Literary Agency and Jenna’s guest on
this episode of WordCraft.
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest: Maria Vicente
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which
acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded
territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
29 Apr 2026
Editing & Writing Skills with Brian Henry
Episode Summary:
There are few Canadians with as much editing mentorship on their resume as Brian Henry. The
man behind the Quick Brown Fox blog has helped thousands with his newsletters and online
resources, as well as nearly three decades as an editor, writer, and creative writing instructor.
While he was facilitating several workshops for WFNB, he sat down with Jenna to talk about the
process of finding – and becoming! – an editor and the importance of paying attention to detail
in your work.
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest: Brian Henry
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which
acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded
territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
22 Apr 2026
Ai & writing with science-fiction author Robert J. Sawyer
Robert J. Sawyer is perhaps Canada’s most decorated science fiction writer. He has 25 novels
published, is a prolific contributor to magazines and anthologies, and has received the Hugo
Award, the Nebula Award, the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and multiple Aurora
Awards, among other accolades. He’s also the keynote speaker and workshop leader at WFNB’s
2026 WordSpring. In advance of his visit, we asked him to share some thoughts for this podcast.
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest: Robert J. Sawyer
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which
acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded
territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
8 Dec 2025
New Brunswick Book Award 2025 Winners Pt 2
Episode Summary:
The tenth annual New Brunswick Book Awards were handed out in May 2025, celebrating writing excellence in poetry, fiction, nonfiction and books for young readers. In this episode, we hear from two of the four award winners about the impact of the awards. Featured in this episode are Michael Pacey, whose Van Gogh’s Grasshopper won the Fiddlehead Poetry Book Prize, and Keith Helmuth, part of the writing team behind Tappan Adney: From Birchbark Canoes to Indigenous Rights, winner of the Writer’s Federation of New Brunswick’s Non-fiction Award.
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest(s): Michael Pacey, Keith Helmuth
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
2 Dec 2025
New Brunswick Book Award 2025 Winners Pt 1
The tenth annual New Brunswick Book Awards were handed out in May 2025, celebrating writing excellence in poetry, fiction, nonfiction and books for young readers. In our next two episodes, we hear from the winners about the impact of being recognized for their work. Featured in this episode are Nelson Keane, whose debut novel, Nachzehrer (published by Galleon), won the 2025 Mrs. Dunster’s Award for Fiction, sponsored by Mrs. Dunster’s Bakery, and Valerie Sherrard, who won the inaugural Books for Young Readers Award, sponsored by JD Irving Ltd., for her novel, An Unbalanced Force (published by DCB Cormorant).
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest(s): Nelson Keane, Valerie Sherrard
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
25 Nov 2025
10 Years of the New Brunswick Book Awards
Episode Summary:
To mark the 10th anniversary of its creation, WFNB is proud to shine a light on the history and future of the New Brunswick Book Awards. Host Jenna Morton brings together original committee members Ross Leckie, Ian LeTourneau, Rosalyn Hyslop, and Rayanne Brennan to reminisce, sharing a behind-the-scenes look at how the awards first came together, how they’ve evolved, and what they hope New Brunswick writers are gaining from the celebration of their works.
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest(s): Rayanne Brennan, Rosalyn Hyslop, Ross Leckie, Ian LeTourneau
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
18 Nov 2025
New Brunswick Writing Competition Provides Confidence, Creates Community for Participants
Episode Summary:
Emerging writers in New Brunswick might at first be wary of the word competition – but
previous participants in the WFNB’s annual Writing Competition say the experience helped
them find community and confidence while opening doors for future opportunities. Listen as
Jenna Morton talks with Thomas Chamberlain, who turned an Honourable Mention into a 2 nd
place and a book deal for his debut novel, Happenstance, followed by Teresa Wu, the 2024
winner of the Sheree Fitch Prize, who credits the WFNB for kickstarting a love of sharing her
writing with the world.
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest(s): Thomas Chamberlain, Teresa Wu
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which
acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded
territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
11 Nov 2025
Writers in the Schools Program Inspires Next Generation
Episode Summary:
One of the best ways to encourage writing and illustrating in the next generation is to put those
professionals in classrooms with students. That’s just what the Writers in the Schools Program
(WiSP) has been doing in New Brunswick for nearly 50 years! WiSP is funded through the
provincial Department of Education and spans read aloud sessions, writing workshops,
publishing discussions, and more.
Host Jenna Morton speaks with WiSP coordinator, Ginny Hill, and WFNB members, Valerie
Sherrard & Kelly Cooper, who share their experiences participating in the program and its
importance in creating a community that supports writing.
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest(s): Ginny Hill, Valerie Sherrard, Kelly Cooper
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which
acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded
territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
4 Nov 2025
40 years of the Writer’s Federation of New Brunswick
“It thrilled me to realize you could write about where you lived.” Ann Brennan
Imagine a room filled with New Brunswick’s literary masters – teenage Sheree Fitch and David
Adams Richards sitting alongside Alden Nowlan. Nancy Bauer takes us back to that reality in her
living room, hosting Maritime Writers’ Workshops in the 1970s and paving the way for the
creation of the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick in 1985. She’s joined by Ann Brennan and
Allan Cooper, who both played a role in the WFNB’s founding and early days. The trio reflect on
the creation and legacy of the WFNB with host Jenna Morton.
“A sense of community began to grow … [the Federation] was the perfect vehicle to do what I
believed in so strongly -- that we need our stories, our local stories, to be told.”
Credits:
Host: Jenna Morton
Guest(s): Nancy Bauer, Ann Brennan, Allan Cooper
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor
WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which
acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded
territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.
4 Sept 2024
Sue Sinclair: Place, Purpose, and Community for New Brunswick Poets.
Sue Sinclair and Jenna Morton discuss the art and practice of writing in New Brunswick, emphasising the importance of creating time and space for reflection upon life - and the unique way in which writing and reading can fulfil this need. They highlight the influence of place, purpose, and the vulnerability of putting one's work into the world. Sinclair emphasises the significance of community and a sense of place in her own writing process, underscoring the way that an energised and active w...
4 Sept 2024
Wordcraft Trailer
The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.Learn more about the WFNB at www.wfnb.ca
28 Aug 2024
Terry Armstrong: The Importance of Community, Global Reach, and Learning from Failure
Terry Armstrong discusses his diverse writing career, from songwriting to novel writing and scriptwriting. He shares his initial inspiration from a college professor and the importance of both positive and negative feedback in his development. Terry emphasises the value of alpha readers and the importance of writing for an audience, not just for oneself. He highlights the opportunities in New Brunswick for writers, despite the challenges, and stresses the need for writers to market their work...
22 Aug 2024
Jennifer McGrath: Write, Read, and Listen to the Incredible Community of Writers Around You.
Jenna Morton and Jennifer McGrath discuss the importance of embracing creative flexibility in writing, encouraging listeners to explore different genres and styles of writing without feeling guilty and taking advantage of the generous writing community in our region.. Jen stresses the value of not letting ego get in the way of creativity and exploring different sandboxes to foster more creativity. They talk about the significance of children's literature in fostering creativity, processing th...
14 Aug 2024
Len Falkenstein: Optimistic about playwriting in New Brunswick and the growth of our theatre scene
Guest, Len Falkenstein - Director of Drama at UNB and New Brunswick Playwright - discusses the importance of developing new plays by New Brunswick writers and the value of creating work rooted in the province's unique cultural and political environment. Falkenstein shares his insights on the future of playwriting in New Brunswick, expressing hope for continued growth and diversity in the theatre scene with more opportunities for emerging writers and a greater representation of marginalised vo...
7 Aug 2024
Leo LaFleur: Mental health, writing, and the impact of supportive people.
Leo LaFleur discusses the intersections of creativity and mental health with host Jenna Morton, sharing personal experiences and perspectives from his life. He emphasises the importance of creative expression and support systems in overcoming mental health challenges, and in finding and developing your creative voice. In the second part of the conversation, Leo discusses his collaborative work on multimedia projects and the value of collaboration, vulnerability, and a tremendous support syste...
31 Jul 2024
Beth Powning: Writing, Publishing, and the Power of Words in New Brunswick.
Jenna Morton and Beth Powning discuss the writer's duty to the reader, emphasising honesty, empathy, and creating a satisfying reading experience. Beth shares her experiences as a writer from New Brunswick, highlighting the importance of the relationship between the writer and reader, the importance of observation in writing, and the power of words - particularly in difficult times. She also discusses overcoming writer's block and shares her personal experience of acting as an ambassado...
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Contact WordCraft
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of WordCraft?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
