General Membership
“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 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.
2025 Nova Scotia Student Membership
• Application required• Valid for up to 13 months
(Dec 2024 through Dec 2025)
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For first-time members who are 30 years of age or younger and are full- or part-time students at Nova Scotian post-secondary institutions
2025 Membership
• One-time payment• Valid for up to 13 months
(Dec 2024 through Dec 2025)
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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 following cancellation
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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 contact communications@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 event and meeting space at our Halifax office
- Eligibility to submit listings to our Literary Services Directory and Nova Scotia Writing Groups resources
- Eligibility for health insurance through the Writers’ Coalition
- Access to our Manuscript Review and Coffee Chats programs
- 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 event and meeting space at our Halifax office
- $65 discount on all registration fees for creative writing & professional development workshops
- 25% discount on 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 available to permanent NS residents only)
- 25% discount on 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 available to current NS residents only)
- 100% discount on all application fees for our Jampolis Cottage Residency Program‘s self-directed residencies
- $65 discount on all registration fees for creative writing & professional development workshops
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 September, we offer discounted dues for the current membership year to account for the shorter duration (i.e., four 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. Automated renewal reminders are sent by email on December 1 each year, and we 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 communications@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 do hold Writers’ Council status, please email communications@writers.ns.ca to receive your login info (ensuring you have access to your existing Writers’ Council profile) and then login before adding dues to cart.
If you do not hold Writers’ Council status, please add dues to cart 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, and they allow WFNS to continue inviting new writers into our literary community and investing in their literary development.
Reduced dues, switching dues rates, and the option to donate while renewing are available online, by phone, or by mail. If you’re subscribed for automatic renewal, the option to switch your dues rate is available in the “Annual Membership Subscription” tab of your “Account” page.
