Guide to connecting with Nova Scotian venues, event organizers, and authors
Welcome (or welcome back) to Nova Scotia! The Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) hopes to make it easier to connect with local venues, event organizers, and authors who can support your workshop, reading, book launch, or other literary event in our province.
This guide may also be useful for Nova Scotian writers who are planning events in an unfamiliars part of the province.
Q: Can WFNS help me plan or promote an in-person literary event?
The mission and core values of the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) emphasize the self-sufficiency of Nova Scotian literary communities. Accordingly, WFNS reserves its event opportunities for authors who live in Nova Scotia full-time for some portion of the year, particularly those authors on our Writers’ Council. When WFNS offers workshops, readings, and other events, the organization commits to consistent rates of compensation for involved authors as well as committing WFNS staff time to organizational, admin, promo, and other event support work. In turn, we require that instructors, readers, and other speakers abide by our Statement of Inclusion and Code of Conduct, though which we strive to foster inclusive and welcoming programming spaces, both physical and virtual.
Due to this network of responsibilities, WFNS cannot provide authors who are visiting Nova Scotia with direct compensation or direct event support (including help with event space, suggestions of potential fellow readers, and direct promotion to our membership through our social channels or other means). However, many Nova Scotian venues, event organizers, and authors may access WFNS event support on behalf of visiting authors. Connect with them through the public resources featured below.
Q: Can I offer a virtual literary event through WFNS, for its members, or with its promotional help?
The mission and core values of the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) emphasize the self-sufficiency of Nova Scotian literary communities. Accordingly, WFNS produces it own virtual programming, featuring (and compensating) authors who live in Nova Scotia full-time for some portion of the year, particularly those authors on our Writers’ Council. Authors based anywhere are welcome to connect with Nova Scotian writers by attending our virtual Workshops & Events.
WFNS does not promote, partner in the delivery of, or otherwise support virtual events or remote literary services offered by non-Nova Scotian freelancers or for-profit literary businesses based wholly outside of Nova Scotia. This includes ticketed workshops, ‘free’ workshops, info sessions, consultations, and other offerings and services. WFNS strives to offer quality virtual events and unbiased creative writing advice; because WFNS staff do not have capacity to review the quality and advertorial content of these events, nor to vet the quality and reliability of the paid services that ‘free’ events promote, the organization cannot endorse them.
We do, however, welcome inquiries from other nonprofits & charities based in Canada regarding cross-promotion of and partnership in delivering virtual literary events. Please contact the appropriate WFNS staff member.
FIND LOCAL VENUES
Our index of NS Independent Booksellers lists bookstores & bookshops by town, specialty, and (when available) details of event space. Many independent booksellers are open to hosting both free and ticketed events, and some have capacity to act as event organizers as well.
Our Literary Calendar includes venue information for each event, helping you find booksellers, libraries, arts hubs, museums, and other venues that frequently host literary events or whose events focus on the subject matter, form, or genre of your writing.
Nova Scotia Provincial Library’s Public Libraries Map provides an overview of the seven regional library systems in Nova Scotia. Contact Canning Library directly for event hosting by the only independent, volunteer-run library in Nova Scotia. Depending on individual libraries’ policies, an event being free of charge may be a prerequisite to booking space or receiving promotional support.
FIND LOCAL EVENT ORGANIZERS
Our index of NS literary festivals, book fairs, reading series, and open mic series leads to a variety of compensated and uncompensated event opportunities. Applications from visiting authors are welcomed by most organizers of festivals (whom we recommend contacting 6 to 12 months in advance) and book fairs and reading series (whom we recommend contacting 3 to 9 months in advance).
Our list of Opportunities for Young Writers includes additional literary nonprofits & charities that regularly organize programming or events for Nova Scotian writers & readers who are 18 years of age or younger.
Our index of Atlantic Publishers & Periodicals may be useful for publicists and experienced authors seeking more formal (e.g., press-to-press) collaboration in organizing a literary event or book tour.
FIND LOCAL AUTHORS
If you’re seeking Nova Scotian writers to host or perform at your literary event, you can discover them through our Author Spotlights interview series; he author & writer appearances on our Literary Calendar; and the profiles of our Writers’ Council members. You might also consider ay also browse our archives of recent participants in and recipients of WFNS Programs & Awards.
If a Nova Scotian writer does not have a public email address or social media profile, WFNS may be able to help you get in touch. We regularly forward correspondence to current and recent WFNS members. Send your initial inquiry to subtext@writers.ns.ca; we’ll let you know if we can forward your message, and if interested, the author will reply directly to you.
If you are requesting literary labour—such as emceeing an event, conducting an interview, or performing as an opening act to increase local interest—your outreach email should include a proposed compensation rate or explicitly identify the request as ‘uncompensated’ or ‘volunteer.’ Being upfront in this manner will make it much easier for the recipient to consider and reply to your request, ultimately easing your planning process.
PROMOTE LOCALLY
If you’ve collaborated with a local venue or event organizer or have recruited local writers to join your event, you may reasonably ask them to promote the event themselves. A high number of events or a strong social media presence are good indications that a venue, organizer, or author has a reliable audience for their events.
All NS booksellers, libraries, and other literary nonprofits; all NS literary festivals, fairs, and series; and all Nova Scotians who join WFNS are welcome to submit their events to our Literary Calendar. Once on the calendar, events are further promoted in our weekly members-only newsletter, Subtext. All these NS literary community members can also request that WFNS share event posts on social media.
In short, the key to accessing WFNS promotion of your event is to reach out directly to Nova Scotian literary community members in advance of your visit.
