No Better Feeling

Graham Wardle's Writing Community

Sometimes in life, through whatever crazy “coincidental” circumstances, you encounter another person who has a unique method of inspiring and challenging you in ways that contribute to your decision to do completely unexpected things like quit your job, pick up your long lost writing skills and start a blog. I can’t give sole credit because I also heard from God and some wise friends as well as my husband before I jumped off the imaginary cliff into the blogging world. At a time in my life that I was failing to acknowledge that something had to change, came a voice from above. Canada to be exact.

If you’re like me, you MIGHT have binge watched your way through the awful pandemic lockdowns of 2020. And if you were binge watching like me, you MIGHT have encountered “Heartland”, a Canadian family drama set on a ranch in Alberta. There are a LOT of seasons of Heartland and when you immerse yourself in 13 seasons of one show over a period of a couple months, you MIGHT begin to feel curious about the people behind the characters and you MIGHT take the time to explore their online activities.  And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how I discovered Graham Wardle.

Photo credit: Kerry James

I soon came to learn that Graham was so much more than an actor on a television show. He is not only an actor, he’s a producer, filmmaker, photographer, podcaster, entrepreneur, storyteller, writer and all around good human. There’s a lot I could say about Graham’s many gifts and talents and how he so openly connects with people, but because my passion is writing, I want to focus on Graham, the writer.  He graciously gave me permission to share his writing journey, which inspires so many, including myself.

Graham openly shares about the fact that he went through some difficult times in his teens and at one point his mom handed him a journal and suggested he write his feelings. Though reluctant at first, he soon found expressing deep feelings through writing to be cathartic. Several years ago a coach suggested that he publish a book of poetry based on his journal writings over a span of years.  Find Your Truth is a personal, raw, revealing collection of poems and thoughts which he says, “included some of my darkest days and some of the best times I’ve ever had.”  He never believed anyone would want to read his writing, and he’s very grateful for that coach’s encouragement and belief in him.  I asked Graham how poetry came to be his most common form of expression. He responded, “I never thought of it as poetry really.  I was just writing to purge what I was feeling inside.  Since I started in film and television at a young age, I was aware of the idea of keeping things short and to the point, which then led me to writing short sentences to convey my point. I also have always been fascinated with metaphors as a way to express something difficult.  Eventually I tried rhyming and alliteration to have more fun with it.”

Photo credit: grahamwardleonline.com

Graham always writes from his heart which may be why his poetry is so relatable. He shared with me about his writing process. “I feel it out. There’s a level of inspiration and sometimes I’ll have an idea in my head and I’ll think it’s really good and then I’ll be like, ‘Get into your heart, Graham.  What’s the feeling you want to communicate? What’s the state of being you want to share and then how do you include people in that sharing so that there’s a way to collectively celebrate this or feel this?’ ” If you pay attention to Graham’s many avenues of communication, including his popular podcast “Time Has Come”, you’ll discover that Graham is a deep thinker, spiritually motivated, and highly articulate; definitely more than just an actor. 

Graham’s first book became a hit and he started getting requests via social media for him to read his poems aloud and share his thoughts behind the pieces of writing.  Graham always looks for what else he is being guided to do, so he was inspired to start a writing community here on Substack.  “It felt like the next step. After a few requests….to read my poems and talk about them, I thought I could expand this idea into something more consistent.  I’m grateful so many decided to join and be a part of the community.”  His Substack site quickly became very popular as he began to share new poetry and encourage his readers to respond to his writing. Graham likes to change things up so in August he hosted a writing challenge to encourage creativity in written form. “I’m always looking for ways to have more fun and break free from routine. I was feeling a pull for something different, but I didn’t know what it was.  Then the idea of a writing challenge popped into my head and it felt right, so I went with it.”  He challenged even non-writers to try writing for the first time and gave opportunity for more seasoned writers to try something outside of their usual lanes.  The response was overwhelming and the challenge resoundingly successful with thousands of comments. When I asked Graham what that kind of feedback means to him, he said, “There’s not a better feeling in the world than sharing your heart, then you see other people being touched….when you come from that place and it is impactful to another human being, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

Poem and photo courtesy of Graham Wardle

So what’s next for Graham, the writer?  Writing continues to be an important form of expression in his life. He says that only a small portion of what he writes ever gets published, but that he is inspired to write often and journaling continues to be a frequent part of his routine.  He’s currently working on a much anticipated new book to highlight more of his poetry and photography which will be available for purchase early in 2023. His writing community is moving to a brand new platform that Graham has created where his followers can not only find his writing, but share their own.  His site includes all of his creative endeavors and affords him the opportunity to interact with his supporters.  Some content on his site is free and some is via paid subscription.  Besides his weekly writing, the site includes his podcasts and projects and even “behind the scenes” footage and sneak peeks of what he’s working on currently.  He hosts monthly Zoom chats to personally connect with members of his writing community and encourage interaction between them.  I, personally, am very grateful for his support and encouragement for my own writing.

I’ve been blessed by this crazy “coincidental” encounter with Graham Wardle.  He’s one of those genuine, humble, thoughtful, creative people who make life richer for all who get to know him.  If you don’t know him already, you can find him at the links below.  Thanks, Graham, for being a bright light and inspiration to so many and for allowing me to point to that light. 

Graham’s online platform: Time Has Come

Graham’s website: grahamwardleonline.com

Graham on Twitter, Graham on Instagram, Graham on Telegram

Find Your Truth is available for purchase in digital format on his website.  Stay tuned for his new book in early 2023!