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The Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) offers three broad types of programs:

  • Fostering programs create space, time, or occasion for writing, fulfilling our mission to foster creative writing and the profession of writing in Nova Scotia. (See also our Workshops.)
  • Advisory programs facilitate direct writer-to-writer assistance, fulfilling our mission to provide advice and assistance to writers at all stages of their careers. (See also our Resources.)
  • Recognition programs help writers grow their readerships, fulfilling our mission to encourage greater public recognition of writers and their achievements. (See also our public Events.)
Experience levels defined
Program nameType of programNew & emerging writersEarly-career authorsEstablished &
professional authors		Annual deadline
50 for 50 Contest Series
(50th anniversary program)		Fostering✓✓✓—
Writers of Nova Scotia
(50th anniversary program)		Recognition✓✓✓—
Alistair MacLeod Mentorship ProgramAdvisory✓✓
if 'emerging' in the form submitted		✓
if 'emerging' in the form submitted		• first Thurs of Oct
Book AwardsRecognition—✓✓• Nov 1
BooktoberfestRecognition—✓✓• mid July (varies based on number of applications received)
Coffee ChatsAdvisory✓✓✓Open year-round
Emerging Writers PrizesFostering✓✓—• first Thurs of Oct
Jampolis Cottage Residency ProgramFostering✓✓✓• second Thurs of Feb (Sponsored Residencies & Retreats)
• fourth Thurs of April + fourth Thurs of Oct (Self-Directed Retreats)
Manuscript Review ProgramAdvisory✓✓✓Open year-round
Message on a BottleFostering✓✓✓Program paused
Micro-Anthology SeriesRecognition✓✓✓• mid Jan (romance fiction)
• mid March (speculative fiction)
• mid May (crime & mystery fiction)
Nova Writes CompetitionRecognition✓✓
if 'emerging' in the form submitted		✓
if 'emerging' in the form submitted		• second Thurs of Jan
Writers In The SchoolsFostering—✓✓See "Guide for WITS Authors"

50th Anniversary Programs

The 50 for 50 Contest Series encourages Nova Scotians to reflect on the rich legacy of creative writing in our province—and to contribute to that legacy by creating and sharing new work.

The Writers of Nova Scotia profile series aims to explore and celebrate the diversity of writers across the province—including the variety of works they create and the range of backgrounds and experiences they draw from.

Annual Programs

The Alistair MacLeod Mentorship Program supports writers who are on the cusp of book-length publication and who are committed to their writing and creative development. It is a disciplined, focused, and supportive one-on-one mentorship program through which writers expand and hone their craft.

WFNS administers five book awards for Nova Scotian and Atlantic Canadian authors: two Nova Scotia Book Awards (for excellence in nonfiction and poetry) and three Atlantic Book Awards (for excellence in fiction, poetry, and YA & children’s literature). Each year’s shortlists introduce local, national, and international readers to a tremendous body of work and the vibrant literary culture of our region.

Booktoberfest is an annual literary festival that celebrates Nova Scotian authors & publishers—with a focus on books published over the past year—with sales, signings, and free creative writing workshops.

Our members-only Coffee Chats program connects writers who have questions about the writing life with experienced authors, who provide strategic advice and inspiration.

WFNS administers three prizes for emerging and early-career writers, each of which recognizes a unique set of barriers to literary creation & recognition and supports writers as they advance book-length works-in-progress.

The Jampolis Cottage Residency Program provides writing residencies and writing retreats at Jampolis Cottage, a lovingly maintained and updated 230-year-old Georgian colonial house on the shores of the Minas Basin in Avonport, Nova Scotia.

Our members-only Manuscript Review Program connects writers with experienced and skilled authors and editors, who provide feedback and creative guidance on literary manuscripts, fiction query letters, and nonfiction pitches.

Message on a Bottle is an annual micro-writing contest for the publication of very short stories and poems on the labels of locally crafted beverages.

The Micro-Anthology Series provides publication opportunities and encourages Nova Scotian readers to discover local authors. Micro-anthologies are distributed for free in print and digital formats.

The Nova Writes Competition supports emerging writers in Nova Scotia—and more established writers exploring new forms—through developmental and publication opportunities. All entrants receive feedback from competition readers; finalists receive additional feedback from judges; and winning entries are published in the annual Nova Writes anthology.

The Micro-Anthology Series provides publication opportunities and encourages Nova Scotian readers to discover local authors. Micro-anthologies are distributed for free in print and digital formats.

FOSTERING PROGRAMS

create space, time, or occasion for writing, fulfilling WFNS’s mission to foster creative writing and the profession of writing in Nova Scotia.

(See also our Workshops.)

New & emerging writers: ✓
Early-career authors: ✓
Established & professional authors: ✓
Annual deadline: —

The 50 for 50 Contest Series encourages Nova Scotians to reflect on the rich legacy of creative writing in our province—and to contribute to that legacy by creating and sharing new work.

New & emerging writers: ✓
Early-career authors: ✓
Established & professional authors: —
Annual deadline: first Thurs of Oct

WFNS administers three prizes for emerging and early-career writers, each of which recognizes a unique set of barriers to literary creation & recognition and supports writers as they advance book-length works-in-progress.

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Experience Levels

The Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) uses the following terms to describe writers’ experience levels:

  • New writers: those with less than two years’ creative writing experience and/or no short-form publications (e.g., short stories, personal essays, or poems in literary magazines, journals, anthologies, or chapbooks).
  • Emerging writers: those with more than two years’ creative writing experience and/or numerous short-form publications.
  • Early-career authors: those with 1 or 2 book-length publications or the equivalent in book-length and short-form publications.
  • Established authors: those with 3 or 4 book-length publications.
  • Professional authors: those with 5 or more book-length publications.

Please keep in mind that each form of creative writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, writing for young adults, and others) provides you with a unique set of experiences and skills, so you might consider yourself an ‘established author’ in one form but a ‘new writer’ in another.

Occasionally, WFNS uses the phrase “emerging and established writers/authors” to mean ‘writers and authors of all experience levels.’

The “Recommended experience level” section of each workshop description refers to the above definitions. A workshop’s participants should usually have similar levels of creative writing and / or publication experience. This ensures that each participant gets value from the workshop⁠ and is presented with info, strategies, and skills that suit their experience. 

For “intensive” and “masterclass” workshops, which provide more opportunities for peer-to-peer feedback, the recommended experience level should be followed closely.

For all other workshops, the recommended experience level is just that—a recommendation—and we encourage potential participants to follow their own judgment when registering.

If uncertain about your experience level with respect to any particular workshop, please feel free to contact us at communications@writers.ns.ca