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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get more information about the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, their programs and publications, and SWG membership?
Yes. Just fill out this form, and we will send you more information in the mail.
How do I become a member?
To become a member, you can fill out our online membership form and mail in the payment ($65 or $45 if you are a senior over 60 or a student). Or you can print off our membership form, fill it out and mail both it and the payment at the same time.
Mail to:
Saskatchewan Writers Guild
PO Box 3936
Regina, SK S4P 3R9
Once we receive your membership information form and the payment, we will process your membership and send you a new member package.
Can I pay for my membership or workshop fees by credit card or online?
Currently, we are only able to accept cheque, cash, or money order. We do not recommend that you send cash through the mail.
I'm currently living in another province, but I lived in Saskatchewan for several years. Can I still join the Saskatchewan Writers Guild?
Yes, Of course!
Can you put me in contact with Writer X?We are unable to release any member's contact information not listed in the Saskatchewan Writes Database. However, we can forward a message on to the writer if we know his/her address. You can send an email or a letter addressed to that person to us, and we will send it on.
Could you tell me how to obtain a list of book clubs in Saskatchewan?
The SWG doesn't have that information. Try contacting your local Public Library; they might have a list of book clubs.
How can I join a Writers Group?Many writers groups are closed or by invitation only. However, you can put a notice in our weekly e-newsletter, eBriefs, to indicate you are looking to join one. To do so, email windscript@sasktel.net with a short notice stating what genre you write in (children's, romance, sci-fi, etc.), the level at which you are writing (beginner, intermediate, advanced), whether you want to meet in person or prefer an online group, and how often you'd like to meet. Sometimes writers groups that are looking for new members will advertise in eBriefs as well.
You might also want to come to the Writers Group Session at the annual Fall Conference. This session will be of interest to those who belong to writers groups, those who would like to join one, or those who are interested in learning more about them. This session will take place over dinner; it will be a great opportunity to meet each other, discuss issues of common interest, and perhaps plan ways to work together. This is also a good opportunity for those wanting to join a writers group to meet others who would like to form groups or whose groups are open to new members.
How can I start a Writers Group?
These links will give you some helpful information on starting a Writers Group:
Can someone at the Writers Guild look at my poems/novel/screenplay and tell me if it's any good?
The office staff is not available to read work. However, we do run a Manuscript Evaluation Service which offers that service for a modest fee. The service is available to Saskatchewan residents 19 years and older.
Can someone at the Writers Guild look over my manuscript and fix the grammar and spelling?
The office staff is not available to read work. What you are looking for is an editor. Try the Editors Association of Canada.
How do I submit my short works to journals and magazines?
First, always check the submission guidelines for the magazine or journal in which you would like to be published. We have an extensive list of periodicals and their websites here. For extra information on submitting to journails and magazines, go here.
How do I get my book published?
The first step is to research the book publishing market. Some helpful books that can be easily found at the public library are The Canadian Writers' Guide, Writer's Market, and The Canadian Writer's Market. These books will help you find publishers that publish books like yours (if it is a book on gardening, you wouldn't want to send it to a publisher that specializes in cookbooks).
Once you have compiled a list of publishers, research those publishers' submissions guidelines. The guidelines are listed in the books above, and you can also find them on the publishers' websites. Our website has a list of publishers' websites here. Most publishers don't accept unsolicited manuscripts, but require a query letter or book proposal first. Be sure to check the submission guidelines for each publisher for their preference.
The Manitoba Writers' Guild has a good explanation of How to Write a Query Letter. The Writers Federation of Nova Scotia has a detailed explanations of how to write a book proposal for Fiction and for Non-Fiction.
What is the difference between self publishing and vanity publishing?
For a good explanation of the difference between these two, as well as commercial publishers and subsidy publishers, go here.
For more information on vanity and self publishing, go here. For helpful advice on how to self publish, go here.
Should I self publish?
When you self publish, you arrange and pay for a number of copies of your book in the paper, format, binding and design of your choice. The storage, marketing and distribution is your responsibility.
If your book will only have a small and specialized market, self publishing might be the best option. Here are some types of books suitable for self publishing: church, family, or regional histories; personal memoirs; and chapbooks.
Here are some books you might find helpful if you decide to self publish:
How to Self Publish and Make Money by Marion Crook and Nancy Wise,
The Self Publishing Manual by Dan Poynter,
The Complete Guide to Self Publishing by Tim and Marilyn Ross.
How do I get an International Standard Book Number (ISBN)?Contact the National Library of Canada's Canadian ISBN Agency by phone at (819) 994-6872, fax at (819) 953-8508 or email at isbn@nlc-bnc.ca.
Do I need an agent?Not necessarily. When you're first starting out, getting an agent is even more difficult than getting published. So, it's best if you do the work of an agent (researching the publishers, submitting your work, and negotiating contracts) yourself at first. However, if you want to get published in America, where most publishers only accept manuscripts from agents, you will likely need an agent. A list of Canadian Agents can be found here.
How do I protect my copyright?
First, always remember that you can't copyright an idea—you can only copyright the written expression of that idea.
In Canada, you automatically have the copyright to your finished work. On a cover page, type the year and the symbol © to indicate that you own the copyright.
However, if you wish to protect your copyright, you can take your manuscript and put it in an envelope, seal it, and mail it to yourself by registered mail. Once you receive it, put it aside in a safe place (do NOT open it). If you ever need to demonstrate to a judge that you wrote your work before someone else did, you have a dated package that will prove it.
You don't need to register your copyright, but the official documentation that doing so provides is extra protection against infringment. For more information on registering your copyright, go here.
Does the Guild offer any travel grants to Saskatchewan Writers for out-of-province events?
The SWG does not administer any travel grants. Check with the Saskatchewan Arts Board or the Canada Council for the Arts.
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| ©2005 Saskatchewan Writers Guild. All Rights Reserved. |
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