"Writers Helping Writers"
“Writers helping writers,” a collaborative philosophy, is the foundation of the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS). It shapes our outlook as an arts service organization, and it informs a complete cycle of development programming 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 pursued its mission for more than 45 years through the shared commitment and passion of its Board of Directors, its staff, and its approximately 600 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 the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) is open to anybody who writes, regardless of writing experience or place of residence. Much of our programming is now virtual, allowing active participation from writers across Canada.
Membership Benefits
- Reduced registration fees for creative writing workshops and professional development sessions, most of which are delivered virtually
- Reduced entry fees for the annual Nova Writes Competition for Unpublished Manuscripts* and twice-annual Postcard Contest*
- Eligibility for our Alistair MacLeod Mentorship Program* and our Manuscript Review and Coffee Chats programs
- Access to support services; to writing, professional development, and community resources; and to physical & virtual spaces (for launches & readings), including Virtual Launch Support
- Eligibility to post in our online Service Directory and Writing Group Listings
- A subscription to (and access to the archive of) Subtext, our weekly email newsletter providing early notice of WFNS programming (events, opportunities, and announcements), literary community news, and submission opportunities for contests, publication, and employment
- Voting privileges at the WFNS Annual General Meeting
Membership Period
WFNS membership is annual and fixed to the calendar year. You may join at any time throughout the year, but all memberships expire on December 31 and require renewal on or before the following January 1.
(For example, if you join WFNS in March, you are a member in good standing until December 31 of that year. On or before January 1 of the next year, you must renew your membership to remain in good standing.)
To take full advantage of membership, we encourage you to join WFNS early in the year. Each fall, however, we offer discounted membership dues to account for the shorter membership duration. If currently offered, those discounted dues will be available at the bottom of this page.
Info for Renewing Members
Unsure if your membership is current?
Check the “Memberships” tab of your account.
Renewing for the first time since the launch of our new website (September, 2020)?
If you’re on the Writers’ Council, please contact communications@writers.ns.ca to receive your login info.
If you’re not on the Writers’ Council, please create a new member account (as if becoming a WFNS member for the first time).
Have your financial circumstances changed?
- If your expendable income is tighter these days, please take advantage of our lower dues (available at online checkout, by phone, or by mail) for full-time students, those who are underwaged or on fixed incomes, and current members of other provincial / regional writers’ organizations. All members receive the same benefits, regardless of the dues option paid.
- If your financial situation has become more secure, consider sponsoring a membership for a writer who faces financial barriers so that WFNS can continue to build community among writers in Nova Scotia and to invest in the contributions of all Nova Scotia writers. The option to donate is available at online checkout, by phone, or by mail.
Full-Year 2022 Membership
(valid from date of payment to Dec 31, 2022)
Regular:
$65
Full-time Student or Underwaged:
$30
Current member of an eligible
Affiliate Writers’ Organization:
$30
Join or renew using your PayPal account or your credit card (processed through PayPal) by clicking “Add to Cart” above. Renewing members should ensure they are logged in before renewing.
Call us during business hours at (902) 423-8116. Please have your credit card details on hand. To complete your membership, we will also need to ask for your mailing address, email address, and phone number.
Send a cheque (payable to the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia) to
Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia
1113 Marginal Road
Halifax, NS B3H 4P7
Please include a short note indicating your mailing address, email address, and phone number.
