RETREATS
American author (and WFNB member!) Peter Von Ziegeser and his business partner, screenwriter and professor Melissa Scholes Young, will conduct another Tennants Cove Writers' Workshop again this summer from July 20-25, which focuses on memoir, fiction or screenwriting projects. They had an amazing time last year with mostly Nova Scotia and New Brunswick writers. Peter has worked as a professional editor, and Melissa has also spent a lot of time working with other fiction and nonfiction writers. Together, they have real expertise in helping people find out where they’re heading, evaluating their work, and helping them find a direction for the rest of their manuscript. They also keep n touch with their authors and monitor their progress. Check out their website for more information: http://tennantscovewriters.com/. Tennants Cove Writers Ltd. is an entirely Canadian company that also buys all of its supplies and pays its taxes in Canada.
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Go and Write! 2025 retreats open for registration
Join award-winning New Brunswick authors Dr. Gerard Collins and Jane Simpson on one of Go and Write!’s inspiring and immersive writing retreats. Participants include emerging and published writers of all genres—novelists, poets, dramatists, children’s authors, memoirists, and those who just want to sketch with words in their journals.
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Akar Communications offers a spring cohort of Writing Through from April 17th - May 15th. Writing Through is a 5-part online creative writing workshop series that will take place for 2 hours every Thursday at 4:30 PM Pacific Time/8:30 PM Atlantic Time. The sessions will be facilitated live in English.
They are offering this creative space as a way to process and reflect on climate justice and collective liberation in a hostile world. In the past cohort, participants have shared profound poems, prayers, stories, collages and letters. There is no writing experience needed - the outcome is the space we co-create together.
Thanks to a generous donation, Akar has been able to set up a scholarship for women and gender-diverse racialized youth aged 20-29 who’d like to participate. The scholarship covers 90% of the cost to attend (for tickets valued at C$270). Applications are accepted until the end of day Monday, April 14.
Those who are not eligible for the scholarship can still sign up via the available scaled pricing. Sign up here by end of day Monday, April 14.
CALLS FOR SUBMISSION
Sunspot Lit Goldilocks Zone 2025 Contest
The Goldilocks Zone contest seeks the best blend of craft and appeal. $100 plus publication for the winner. Authors and artists eligible in all genres/forms. Opens April 1. Closes April 30. Guidelines and entry form here: https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit/318761/goldilocks-zone-2025-100-for-fiction-cnf-poem-art-graphic-novel.
RESIDENCIES
Applications are now open for the Banff Centre upcoming programs, including Comics and Graphic Novels, Early Career Writers of Young Adult and Children's Books, Deep Winter Writers, Contemporary French Literature, Spring Writers Residency, and Mountain Writers Intensive.
For inquiries or marketing opportunities, contact us at arts_info@banffcentre.ca.
Comics and Graphic Novels 2025
Comics and Graphic Novels is a self-directed residency that considers how creatives use this unique media as a place for personal narrative, memoir, and exploration. The residency provides writers with the time and space to delve deep into their creative project away from the constraints of everyday life, take advantage of an artistic community of peers, and consult with experienced faculty.
Program dates: October 6 – 17, 2025 | Application deadline: May 21, 2025
Early Career Writers of Young Adult and Children's Books 2025
This self-directed writing residency supports new writers of young adult and children’s books at varying levels of accomplishment—from not-yet-published writers to those with one published book—to improve their writing skills and expand their practice, taking it to the next level.
Program dates: November 24 – December 5, 2025 | Application deadline: June 4, 2025
Deep Winter Writers 2026
This 19-day self-directed residency offers the opportunity to work away from the constraints of everyday life, delve deep into a creative project and take advantage of a community of artistic peers. Deep Winter Writers provides opportunities for consultations with exceptional mentors Holly Pester, Divya Victor, and Nasser Hussain and professional guest Joshua Rothes, as well as optional group sessions.
Program dates: January 12 – 30, 2026 | Application deadline: August 20, 2025
Contemporary French Literature
This 12-day contemporary writing residency will provide French citizens with the opportunity to explore craft and voice while introducing them to the North American publishing market. Participants will be able to workshop their original prose or poetry manuscripts with a faculty of accomplished writers and translators of French and English.
Program dates: February 9 – 20, 2026 | Application deadline: September 24, 2025
Spring Writers Residency
Banff Centre’s Spring Writers Residency provides participants with the time and space for creative exploration away from the constraints of everyday life. Writers will be able to delve deep into their creative project, meet with a community of artistic peers, and take advantage of workshops and mentorship opportunities with faculty.
Program dates: March 16 – 27, 2026 | Application deadline: October 15, 2025
Mountain Writers Intensive
Mountain Writers Intensive is a three-week residency for eight writers working on mountain narratives, environmental journalism, stories of adventure, or projects with an environmental theme. Writers can work in any genre, and will enjoy dedicated, uninterrupted writing time in a spectacular mountain setting, the communality of a small group of artistic peers and support from renowned faculty.
Program dates: October 29 – November 18, 2025 | Application deadline: May 28, 2025
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Regina Public Library invites applications from accomplished Canadian writers for the position of Writer in Residence.
Term: This is a 40-week residency, from September 2, 2025 – June 22, 2026.
Location: This residency is to be conducted in-person in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Writer in Residence will be provided with an office in a Regina Public Library branch.
The successful candidate must spend at least 16 hours a week working with Regina Public Library to schedule and deliver individual consultations, in-person or online writing workshops and in-person or online community and school visits. The remaining time will be devoted to personal writing projects.
Our candidate of choice will have:
- Published works, and a background in the literary field in Canada
- Experience working with the public
- Effective interpersonal skills
- Encouraging attitude with a strong ability to inspire others
- Adept at handling group facilitation activities to bring members of the public together in a shared experience
- Exceptional instructional skills aimed at ensuring positive learning, and a demonstrated ability to provide constructive criticism in a compassionate manner
- Experience working effectively with technology
Remuneration: The Writer in Residence salary is $1,000 per week, to a maximum of $40,000 for the 40-week residency, with a minimum of 16 hours a week.
- During this period, the Writer in Residence shall designate two weeks (e.g. 14 days), either together or separately, during which services shall not be provided. These two weeks shall be unpaid.
- Moving expenses to Regina, Saskatchewan, are not provided by Regina Public Library.
Apply: Applications should include -
- Introductory cover letter
- CV or résumé
- 10-page writing sample (no more than 10 pages)
- Letter of reference from a supervisor or community leader who can attest to your writing and mentorship skills
- Contact information for two additional references that may be contacted for more information (references must include a daytime and evening phone number as well as a contact email address).
Please ensure the cover letter provides information on your suitability for the role, taking into consideration and addressing the requirements outlined above, as well as an explanation of your writing – the genres you prefer, the format of your writing, and where your works have been published. As part of your application, include examples of previous experience working with the public, leading workshops, one-on-one coaching, and/or mentoring, etc.
Note: only complete applications will be considered.
Application Closing Date: 4:00pm on May 23, 2025
THAT'S IT FOR THIS MONTH. SEE YOU IN MAY!
