About the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia
If you have any questions about writing or about WFNS, give us a shout at (902) 423-8116. We'll be glad to answer your questions.
WFNS is a registered not-for-profit organization that operates with funds raised from membership dues, fund-raising endeavors and corporate sponsorships, with operating support from the Government of Nova Scotia and with project assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts and Heritage Canada - all of whom we gratefully acknowledge for helping to make our work possible.
We also search for mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses and other not-for-profit organizations, which help us keep program costs low and membership and workshop fees affordable.
WFNS is 800 members strong and growing. Our members are at all stages in their writing careers. We are as concerned about the problems of a rural freelancer trying to build a new career as we are for an established novelist searching for a fourth publishing contract.
- Keeping you informed: Our many contacts keep our members in touch with writing communities across Canada. WFNS is a member of: Access Copyright, Atlantic Provinces Library Association, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Access Copyright, Cultural Federations of Nova Scotia, IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People), and Nova Scotia Children's Literature Roundtable. We also exchange newsletters and information with other provincial organizations. We send out regular bulletins by email and our website includes event, market and resource listings.
- Advocacy: We represent the interests of writers to a variety of agencies and government departments, and work on behalf of those interests.
- Awards for Published and Unpublished Work Atlantic Poetry Prize: For the best book of poetry by an Atlantic Canadian. Evelyn Richardson Non-fiction Prize: For the best non-fiction book by a Nova Scotian. Thomas Head Raddall Atlantic Fiction Prize: For the best work of fiction by an Atlantic Canadian. Atlantic Writing Competition: Beginning writers may try their hand in a variety of genres. A team of judges provides written critiques to each entrant. Cash prizes are awarded at an annual gala event. For unpublished works only.
- Contract Advice: The sight of all that fine print can be daunting. Members may make an appointment to bring in their contract and our staff will lead them through it, clause by clause (please note that this service is unavailable until further notice; we are however able to offer more general contract information and advice).
- Eastword: Our bimonthly newsletter contains a plethora of information on who's doing what, markets and contests, and current writing events and issues. Archives of Caught in the Web, imPRESSed!, workshop reports and occasional articles are reproduced on the web page. The newsletter is available to members in print and in Adobe Acrobat pdf format.
- Frequently Addressed Queries: Online how-to guides for every genre.
- Festivals: We hold Atlantic Book Week in the spring, and we participate in The Word on the Street in Halifax each September.
- Library: Members enjoy access to over 3000 titles, including Nova Scotian novels, non-fiction books, children's literature and poetry, and reference material on every writing genre. Our library also features the Atlantic collection of the Canadian Children's Book Centre, catalogues from many Canadian publishers, and a number of literary journals/magazines.
- Mentorship Program: Since 2001, WFNS has offered an annual mentorship program in which emerging writers are matched with published authors to work together over a 5-month period.
- Photocopying at cost: Generally around 7 cents per page.
- Promotional Services: Members may insert promotional material for upcoming book launches, events or publications in the bimonthly Eastword mailing, on a first-come first-served basis.
- Workshops: WFNS offers workshops for modest fees to members and non-members alike. Members receive a reduced rate.
- Writers in the Schools Program: Every year we arrange and subsidize author visits to the province's public schools to inform and inspire children and teachers about the world of writing and publishing. Over 70 professional writers from all over the province are involved. Educators are encouraged to ask us about how to book a writer. This program is funded by WFNS, the Government of Nova Scotia and corporate sponsorships.
- Nate Crawford, Executive Director
Born and raised in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley, Nate graduated from Acadia University in 1996 with a degree in Theatre/English. His next decade was spent directing, producing, administrating and acting with the region's theatre companies from A (Atlantic Theatre Festival) to Z (Zuppa Theatre Company). In 2003, he co-founded the Forerunner Playwright's Co-op, which has since gone on to provide all- important first productions for many Atlantic Canadian plays, including Catherine Banks' Bone Cage, Pam Calabrese MacLean's Sunnyside Café, and his own Table Mountain Cabin.
Nate has also worked as a librarian, a bookseller, a writer-researcher, a corporate statistician, and an adult educator, and has served on the boards of several arts-based organizations, most notably the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre (PARC), which he has been involved with for over ten years. Nate began work with WFNS in 2009 as program officer, and took the position of Executive Director in February 2010. He lives proudly and quietly in Halifax's North End.
- Hillary Titley, Program Officer
Hillary moved to Halifax from tiny Port Dover, Ontario in 2002 to attend Dalhousie University. Her passion for movies and writing consistently distracted her from her studies, though she eventually got her B.A [Sociology] in 2009. Her writing has appeared regularly on the film pages of The Coast weekly newspaper since 2006 and she has been a member of the WFNS since 2007. Prior to working for the WFNS, she was the programs coordinator for the Linda Joy Media Arts Society, an awards-giving organization for emerging film and video-makers. She is a sucker for a hand-written letter, fresh stationary and notebooks, movie matinees, yarn stores, book stores and recipes that yield plenty of leftovers. She lives with her boyfriend, Dave Howlett, a comic book author and artist, and their cat, Jones.
- Sue Goyette, Communications Officer
Sue Goyette lives in Halifax and has published two books of poems, The True Names of Birds and Undone (Brick Books). Her novel, Lures (HarperCollins), was published in 2002. She's been nominated for several awards including the Governor General's Award for Poetry, the Pat Lowther, the Gerald Lampert, the Thomas Head Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award and won the 2008 CBC Literary Prize for Poetry. Her third collection of poems, Outskirts, is forthcoming from Brick Books in the spring of 2011. Her poetry has appeared on the Toronto subway system, in wedding vows and spray-painted on a sidewalk somewhere in St. John, New Brunswick. Sue has taught at the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Blue Heron Workshop, the Sage Hill Experience and currently teaches in the Creative Writing Program at Dalhousie University. She also participates in the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia's Mentorship and Writers in the Schools programs.
- Heidi Hallett, Writers in the Schools Officer
Heidi Hallett has been working with words for over two decades. From newspaper publishing, to writing advertising copy, to owning and running an independent bookstore, Heidi is passionate about words. Whether writing grant proposals, developing marketing materials or critiquing manuscripts, Heidi brings a wealth of information and enthusiasm to every project.
Hallett was the recent owner of Frog Hollow Books and a past co-owner of The Coast, Halifax's Weekly. A student of life and a graduate of St. Mary's University, with a B.A. in English Literature, Heidi brings a unique perspective to everything she does. In addition to her role at WFNS, Heidi is the creative writer for wordbird, a communications company in Halifax, NS and the Communications Director for The Verden Group in NY.
Heidi's support for the Canadian book industry is on-going. She currently holds a seat on the Atlantic Books Today Editorial Committee and occasionally writes for Halifax Magazine.
- Stephen Kimber, Past President
Stephen Kimber, the Rogers Communications Chair in Journalism at the University of King's College in Halifax, is an award-winning writer, editor and broadcaster. He is the author of one novel and seven nonfiction books. For more about Stephen, click here.
- Stephens Gerard Malone, President
Stephens Gerard Malone has written for a variety of media, including television and periodicals. His second novel, Miss Elva (Random House Canada) was short-listed for the Dartmouth Book Award. For more about Stephens, click here.
- Kathleen Martin, Vice President
Author of the children's non-fiction books Swimming Salmon and Soaring Bald Eagles, among others, Kathleen has also been published in several magazines and newspapers. For more about Kathleen, click here.
- Don Roy, Treasurer
Don Roy started writing in his forties, after taking a creative writing class at Saint Francis Xavier University. He is a self-professed writing workshop junkie, having attended The Community of Writers in Tatamagouche, Writing With Style and The Wired Studio at The Banff Centre and numerous WFNS workshops.
- Brett Loney, Secretary
Bretton Loney is a former reporter, columnist and editor of both The Daily News in Halifax and The Telegram in St. John's, Newfoundland. For more about Brett, click here.
- Brian Braganza, Member
- Liz Crocker, Member
Co-owner of Woozles Bookstore, Liz wrote Life Beyond Teaching and Rosalynn Rabbit. For more about Liz, click here.
- Vicki Grant, Member
A Gemini winner for Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program, Vicki Grant is the author of the comic YA novels The Puppet Wrangler and Quid Pro Quo. For more about Vicki, click here.
- Steven Laffoley, Member
As a freelance writer, columnist, and broadcaster, Steven has written dozens of articles and essays for more than 40 print and online magazines and newspapers, and has produced columns for the CBC. For more about Steven, click here.
- Judith Meyrick, Member
Judith is a freelance writer and editor. She writes articles and reviews and is currently working on a novel for 7-11 year olds, and several other shorter works for children. She edits a variety of different writings, including adult manuscripts and other non-fiction works and reports. For more about Judith, click here.
- Shandi Mitchell, Member
Writer and film producer, Shandi Mitchell has won numerous awards for her nationally-screened television drama Baba's House. For more about Shandi, click here.
- Jon Tattrie, Member
Jon Tattrie is a freelance journalist and writer based in Halifax, Canada. He works for CBC.ca, Metro Canada, The Chronicle-Herald, Halifax Magazine and Progress magazine, among others. For more about Jon, click here.
- Ryan Turner, Member
Ryan's stories have appeared in Prairie Fire, filling Station, Qwerty, Front&Centre and The New Quarterly. His first book, What We're Made Of, a collection of stories, was published by Oberon Press in the fall of 2009. For more about Ryan, click here.
Membership is open to anybody who writes. Benefits include the right to vote and thereby participate in the direction of programming, a subscription to our bimonthly newsletter Eastword, reduced workshop fees, use of the resource library and writer's studio, invitations to special events and celebrations, the opportunity to meet and network with writing colleagues, and a variety of support services including photocopying at cost, contract advice and promotional services.
Members who meet the professional writing standards detailed in the Constitution may apply for Writers' Council membership by supplying the WFNS office with a list of their publications or productions. Only Writers' Council members may participate in the Writers in the Schools program and 10 of the 12 Board seats are filled by Writers' Council members. Deadline for applications to Writers' Council is April 30 each year.
Click here to go to the membership page.
.Since the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia was established in 1975, many great photographs of past events are floating through our office. We have a few images we would like to share, so click on the pictures below to get started!
1113 Marginal Road, Halifax, NS B3H 4P7
Phone: (902) 423-8116
Fax: (902) 422-0881
We love phone calls the most, but our typing skills are okay too!
For information and questions relating to WFNS and its programming, including workshop enrolment, mentorships, competitions, our newsletter, et cetera, email Hilary Titley at programs [at] writers.ns.ca.
To list an event on our website and/or e-loop, and for manuscript evaluation and writer-in-residence queries, email Sue Goyette at events [at] writers.ns.ca.
For information and questions relating to our Writers in the Schools program, email Heidi Hallett at wits [at] writers.ns.ca.
For everything else, including WFNS literary awards and writing, writers, and publishing in Nova Scotia and abroad, email Nate Crawford at director [at] writers.ns.ca.
