The Power of Words: How Kingston WritersFest Found Its Rallying Cry
In a year marked by uncertainty and renewal, Kingston WritersFest has embraced a new rallying cry: “A Word After a Word After a Word is Power.” This phrase, now the festival’s 2025 tagline and supplementary word mark, carries a rich history and deep resonance for our community.
The line originates from Margaret Atwood’s poem “Spelling,” published in her 1981 collection True Stories. The poem begins with a tender scene—Atwood’s young daughter learning to spell, perhaps to cast spells—then shifts to the historical suppression of women and, more broadly, to the suppression of free speech. The phrase quickly became a rallying cry for writers everywhere, a reminder that words have undeniable power. Tyrants have always feared the chroniclers, the journalists, the poets—those who wield words as tools of truth and resistance. Atwood’s own The Handmaid’s Tale stands as a global symbol of defiance against authoritarianism.
This phrase is forever linked to Atwood. A documentary film marking her 80th birthday bore the same title, and Canada Post issued a commemorative stamp featuring her portrait against a backdrop of the phrase, repeated like a mantra. It is her flag and standard.
For Kingston WritersFest, adopting this phrase was both serendipitous and essential. In early 2025, as Canada faced economic and political uncertainty, a small group of festival veterans rallied to revive the festival. Their efforts, supported by previous patrons, new donors, and authors—including Atwood herself—were driven by a shared love of books and the community they create. Atwood, the festival’s inaugural headliner in 2009, became an early donor and agreed to headline a fundraising event, inspiring others to join the cause.
In this rebuilding year, “A Word After a Word After a Word is Power” perfectly captures the spirit of resistance, hope, and community that defines Kingston WritersFest. It is our own “Elbows Up!”—a call to action and a celebration of the enduring power of storytelling.
Join us in celebrating the power of words, from September 18-21 at the Kingston Marriott.