Join the WFNS Writers' Council
Benefits:
Writers’ Council members are eligible for numerous, competitively compensated opportunities through WFNS programs. (Rates of pay are noted in parentheses.)
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- Instructing: leading creative writing workshops and professional development sessions for our general members ($100.00 per hour of instruction)
- Instructing: if you are a Nova Scotia resident, presenting and leading workshops at NS schools through our Writers in the Schools (WITS) program ($175 per half-day visit)
- Jurying: joining peer assessment juries for our Alistair MacLeod Mentorship Program, Elizabeth Venart Prize, and Poetry in Motion program as well as WNFS-administered Atlantic Book Awards ($250 + up to $10 per item assessed)
- Mentoring: assisting apprentice writers through our Alistair MacLeod Mentorship Program ($2500), Manuscript Review Program ($75+ per manuscript), and Coffee Chats program ($50 per half hour consultation)
- Speaking & reading: participating in WFNS-organized public writers’ panels and readings ($150 for panel participation; $250 for a solo reading or equivalent; $125 for a shared reading or equivalent)
APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS
1. Eligibility Criteria
You must be a general member in good standing of the WFNS and have produced body of work that is professionally recognized according to one of the below streams.
Stream 1
Writers with a book professionally published by a third-party book publishing company
Supporting documentation
A link to your book’s listing on your publisher’s website or a link to your book’s library listing or other public info demonstrating the book’s professionally-published status
If your book is self-published or published through a partner or hybrid press, please apply under Stream 3.
Stream 2
Writers with works in periodicals published by third-party editorial boards or committees
Supporting documentation
A list of eligible periodical publications that total 30,000 words; for each work, note the word count and provide a link to the work as published (if online) or a scan of the work as published (if in-print only)
Contact our office if you are unsure whether a periodical you have been published in counts towards your total.
Stream 3
Writers with a full professional membership in another professional writers’ association or organization
Supporting documentation
Confirmation from the association that you are a full professional member in good standing, such as a link to your profile on the association’s website or a confirmation email from the association sent directly to the WFNS
Membership in the association or organization must be granted only after an application process and cannot be associate- or friend-level membership
Eligible associations include but are not limited to The Writers’ Union of Canada (which accepts writers who have self-published or published through a partner or hybrid press), the League of Canadian Poets (Full membership), the Professional Writers’ Association of Canada (Professional designation), Canadian Authors’ Association (Professional designation), and CANSCAIP (Member).
Contact our office if you are unsure whether your professional designation counts or if you are a playwright, screenwriter, or other type of writer not covered under the above.
Stream 4
Spoken word artists and storytellers with a full body of work demonstrating a professional commitment and proficiency in their field (as determined by the membership committee)
Supporting documentation
An outline of your performance history and involvement with the spoken word or storytelling community and links to audio tracks or videos that the membership committee can listen to or view online
A full body of spoken word or storytelling work may include
- a recorded studio album
- participation on a spoken word team, including touring and competing for at least two years
- three featured performance sets of at least 15 minutes each
- print materials, including chapbooks, anthology contributions, publications in literary magazines, etc.
- commitment to the community through teaching and/or creating performance spaces for other artists
2. Application Requirements
- A brief biography (no more than 500 words), including either a statement that you are a Nova Scotia resident or an explanation of your significant connection to Nova Scotia (as determined by the membership committee)
- A simple declaration that the applicant is a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant
- The supporting documentation outlined under one of the four streams above
3. How to Apply
1. Ensure you are a member in good standing of the WFNS. Only WFNS members may apply to the Writers’ Council. Before assembling an application, ensure you have paid your annual dues for the current membership year. Our office can confirm your membership status.
2. Email your biography, declaration, and supporting documentation to director@writers.ns.ca with the subject line “Writers’ Council – [Your name].”
3. Wait for the review of your application by the WFNS Membership Committee and (if approved in committee) for the approval of your application’s by the WFNS Board of Directors. This process can take up to six weeks, as our Membership Committee and Board of Directors meet once a month for most of the year and less frequently during the summer. You will be contacted notified of your application results.
4. If your application is approved, you will be immediately eligible to create a publicly accessible Writers’ Council profile on the WFNS website (optional). If you wish to create a Writers’ Council profile, you will need to login to your online account and fill out the necessary details.
Writers’ Council membership is permanent. If your general membership ever lapses, you will retain your Writers’ Council status and will be eligible for all Writers’ Council benefits as soon as you renew your general membership.
