General Membership
The Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) is a charitable, nonprofit arts service organization founded on a collaborative philosophy: writers helping writers. This philosophy informs an annual programming cycle and a wide array of professional services that support the craft of writing, the business of being a writer, and the promotion of Nova Scotia writers as integral to the province’s cultural life and creative economy. WFNS has over 700 annual members, at all career stages, who are engaged in a diverse range of forms, genres, and writing practices.
WFNS has pursued its mission for nearly 50 years through the shared commitment and passion of its Board of Directors, its staff, and its approximately 700 members, who join at all career stages and who engage in a diverse range of genres, forms, and writing practices.
Truly, WFNS could not exist without its members, whose dues and donations contribute to essential funding, whose skills and experiences make programming possible, and whose concerns and aspirations drive our mandate.
General Membership in WFNS is open to anyone with an interest in creative writing, regardless of writing experience or place of residence. Much of our programming is virtual or includes virtual elements, allowing the active participation of writers across Nova Scotia, across Canada, and beyond. Gift memberships are available.
2026 Nova Scotia Student Membership
• Application required• Valid for up to 13 months
(Dec 1, 2025, through Dec 31, 2026)
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For first-time members up to 30 years old who are full- or part-time students at Nova Scotian post-secondary institutions
Fall 2026
General Membership
• One-time payment • Valid for up to 5 months
(Aug 1, 2026, through Dec 31, 2026)
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Reduced dues for full-time students, the underwaged, and those on fixed incomes:
$30$15
Annual General Membership Subscription
• Initial discounted dues ($10) followed by recurring dues ($65/$30)• Valid from date of subscription
to the Dec 31 following cancellation
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Reduced dues for full-time students, the underwaged, and those on fixed incomes:
$30$10
2027
General Membership
• One-time payment • Valid for up to 13 months
(Dec 1, 2026, through Dec 31, 2027)
-
Reduced dues for full-time students, the underwaged, and those on fixed incomes: $30
Fall 2026
+ Full-Year 2027
General Membership
• One-time payment • Valid for up to 17 months
(Aug 1, 2026, through Dec 31, 2027)
-
Reduced dues for full-time students, the underwaged, and those on fixed incomes:
$60$40
2026 Nova Scotia Student Membership
• Application required• Valid for up to 13 months
(Dec 1, 2025, to Dec 31, 2026)
-
For first-time members up to 30 years old who are full- or part-time students at Nova Scotian post-secondary institutions
2026 Membership
• One-time payment• Valid for up to 13 months
(Dec 1, 2025, to Dec 31, 2026)
-
Reduced dues for full-time students, the underwaged, and those on fixed incomes: $30
Annual Membership Subscription
• Initial and recurring payments• Valid from date of subscription
to the Dec 31 following cancellation
-
Reduced dues for full-time students, the underwaged, and those on fixed incomes: $30
If renewing online, please ensure you are logged in before adding dues to cart.
To pay dues by phone, call us between 10am and 3pm on weekdays at 902 423 8116 with the following details prepared: credit card information, mailing address, email address, and phone number.
To pay dues by mail, send a cheque (payable to “Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia”) along with your mailing address, email address, and phone number to WFNS, 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax, NS, B3H 4P7.
If reduced dues still present a barrier, please email us at contact@writers.ns.ca before joining or renewing. Funds are available to assist writers with membership dues.
- Eligibility to submit events to our Literary Events Calendar, as well as access to free, bookable event spaces at our Halifax office and on our Zoom accounts
- Eligibility to submit listings to our Literary Services Directory and Nova Scotia Writing Groups resources
- Eligibility for health insurance through the Writers’ Coalition
- Eligibility to apply for Writers’ Council status, a designation for authors with professional bodies of work and demonstrated literary skills, which provides access to compensated opportunities
- Subscription to Subtext, our weekly email newsletter, which highlights WFNS programming, literary community news & events, and prize & publication opportunities
- Voting privileges at the WFNS Annual General Meeting, held virtually each June
- Eligibility to submit events to our Literary Events Calendar, as well as access to free, bookable event spaces at our Halifax office and on our Zoom accounts
- Access to our Manuscript Review and Coffee Chats programs
- Special registration rates (usually $30 to $65 off) for most of our creative writing & professional development workshops
- 25% off all application and submission fees for our Alistair MacLeod Mentorship Program, Emerging Writers Prizes, and Jampolis Cottage Residency Program‘s sponsored residencies and retreats (Please note: these programs are open to permanent NS residents only, i.e., those who currently live in NS and have lived here for at least 12 months)
- 25% off all submission and entry fees for our Ellemeno Visual Literature Prize, Message on a Bottle contest, and Nova Writes Competition (Please note: these programs are open to current NS residents only)
- 100% off all application fees for our Jampolis Cottage Residency Program‘s self-directed residencies
- Access to our Manuscript Review and Coffee Chats programs
You may join WFNS or renew your WFNS General Membership at any time, but General Membership is annual and fixed to the calendar year.
Each General Membership is up to 13 months in duration, activating on December 1 (or the date you pay dues, whichever is later) and expiring on the next December 31. In other words, each December represents an overlap of the current membership year and the upcoming membership year.
Beginning each summer (usually in August or early September), we offer discounted dues for the current membership year to account for the shorter duration (i.e., five months or fewer). When offered, these discounted dues will be listed in the tab “Dues options.”
Q: How can I ensure that my General Membership remains current?
Renewals for the following year are available starting in September. Renewal reminders are sent by email on December 1 each year, and we also encourage renewals through Subtext, our members-only newsletter, around the same time.
In 2023, we introduced the option to automate your dues payments through our Annual Membership Subscription. Find details of this subscription in the tab “Dues options.” If you’ve already subscribed, you can check or change the status of your subscription in the “Annual Membership Subscription” tab of your “Account” page or by emailing contact@writers.ns.ca.
Q: I’m renewing my General Membership for the first time since the launch of the new WFNS website in September, 2020. What should I do?
If you hold Writers’ Council status, please email contact@writers.ns.ca to receive your login info (ensuring you have access to your existing Writers’ Council profile) and then login before selecting your dues level and proceeding to checkout.
If you do not hold Writers’ Council status, please select your dues level and proceed to checkout as if becoming a General Member for the first time. We’ll ensure our records reflect your previous years as a General Member.
Q: Should I pay the same dues rate each year?
While annual dues are required to keep your General Membership active, you should pay the dues rate that best suits your current financial situation. Regardless of the dues rate paid—even if dues are waived—all General Members receive the same benefits.
Whenever you need, please take advantage of our reduced dues rate for full-time students, the underwaged, and those on fixed incomes. We do not ask for any explanation or documentation to support your selection of the reduced dues rate.
If your financial situation has improved since your last dues payment, please consider switching to the regular dues rate and/or donating to sponsor a General Membership for a writer of more limited financial means. Such donations are significant: they allow WFNS to continue welcoming new writers into our literary community regardless of their financial means.
Reduced dues, switching dues rates, and the option to donate while renewing are available online, by phone, or by mail. If you’ve subscribed for automatic renewal, the option to switch your dues rate is available in the “Annual Membership Subscription” tab of your “Account” page.
