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Founded in 1969, the Saskatchewan Writers Guild represents writers in all disciplines and at all levels of development. It is one of the largest writers’ organizations in the country, with a membership of over 600.
The Guild works to foster excellence in Saskatchewan writing and to promote public awareness of our literature. It acts as an advocate for Saskatchewan writers, encourages the development of young writers in the province, and strives to improve public access to Saskatchewan writers and their work.
Membership in the Guild is open to all writers, and to those with an interest in our literature.
Professional development
At the heart of SWG’s mandate is the commitment to help writers at all stages of develoment to become better writers.
Saskatchewan Writers/Artists Colonies & Retreats
The Saskatchewan Writers/Artists Colonies provide an affordable place where writers and artists can work free from distractions and interruptions and exchange ideas with their peers. The colonies contribute significantly to the development of Saskatchewan writers. The SWG has reason to be proud of the many books and manuscripts that have been developed at a Colonies retreat.
Writing conferences
The SWG offers an annual fall writing conference in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting. The conference features a range of significant professional development opportunities for writers on the craft of writing, as well as sessions on the business of writing. In addition to the fall conference, which alternates between Regina and Saskatoon, other conferences are planned at times for other centres.
Grants to Local Writing Groups
The SWG offers grants to assist local writing groups in Saskatchewan. The grant program helps writers to operate as a group, sponsor workshops, and hold readings and other literary events in their community.
Mentorship Program
The Mentorship Program for Emerging Writers matches a limited number of promising writers with experienced professional writers for an intensive one-on-one mentorship experience of several months’ duration.
Manuscript Evaluation Service
The Manuscript Evaluation Service provides writers an opportunity to receive professional evaluation at a reasonable fee. Professional evaluators are selected on the basis of their expertise in the particular genre of writing of the manuscript in question. Fees range from $15 to $100 depending on the length of the manuscript.
Awards and Scholarships
The John V. Hicks Long Manuscript Awards recognize excellence in unpublished book-length manuscripts of poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fiction by Saskatchewan authors.
The Short Manuscript Awards recognize literary excellence in unpublished short works of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and children's literature by Saskatchewan authors.
City of Regina Writing Award provides $4,000 to a Regina writer to reward merit in writing and enable a writer to work on a specific writing project. The Award is funded by the City of Regina Arts Commission and is administered by the SWG.
The SWG also administers several scholarships to help with the professional development of Saskatchewan writers.
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Educational services and Public Programs
The Guild’s array of public programs raise awareness of Saskatchewan and Canadian writers for the public and for educational institutions—and provide an entertaining cultural experience.
Readings and School Visits Program
The Readings and School Visits Program makes Saskatchewan writing accessible in communities of every size. Every year, some of the province’s finest writers share the distinctiveness of their own stories when they visit schools, libraries, and other public venues. People of all ages are given the opportunity to meet and listen to their favorite authors and storytellers.
Author Readings
A reading is to a book what a live concert is to a CD. There’s nothing quite like the personal contact and energy of a live performance. The SWG arranges reading tours throughout the province for both well-known and emerging national and Saskatchewan writers.
Grain Magazine
Grain has gained national and international attention for Saskatchewan writing and publishing, through the excellence of its writing and production. Work published in Grain has been selected for the Journey Prize Anthology, and has won Western Magazine Awards (both poetry and fiction) and National Magazine Awards (fiction).
Grain’s mandate is to publish the best, freshest, previously unpublished writing—new voices, established voices, and voices from the edge. Grain is committed to offering a national and international stage for both new and established Saskatchewan writers, as well as for writers from other parts of Canada and occasionally from other countries.
Publications
windScript has been publishing the best of Saskatchewan high school students’ stories, poems, and visual art since 1983. The 2007/08 edition is available on-line.
First published in January 2000, spring celebrates and encourages new Saskatchewan writing. This bi-annual publication is especially for emerging writers who are residents of Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan Writes!
Saskatchewan Writes! is a wide-ranging on-line database of Saskatchewan writers and their works. Designed to help schools, libraries, and community groups choose writers for successful readings, it is also a useful resource for author studies and other classroom projects.
The Caroline Heath Memorial Lecture
The Heath Lecture, in honour of the late Saskatoon publisher and poet, is delivered annually at the fall conference to examine issues of broad concern to the reading, writing, and publishing worlds. Recent distinguished lecturers have included Sean Virgo and Janice Kulyk Keefer.
Collaborative Programs
Through partnerships with other organizations, the SWG supports communities, arts organizations, literacy efforts, education, theatre, and other worthwhile endeavours. These collaborative efforts seek to expand involvement in the arts, build on local initiative and ideas, support the development of the literary arts in Saskatchewan, and build community life.
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Member services
A range of services are offered to support and serve the writing community of Saskatchewan, and to help build a supportive network of member writers across the province.
freeLance
freeLance, the SWG’s newsmagazine, links writers living in every corner of the province. freeLance has been rated as the most important service provided by the SWG, and is especially important to those members who live in rural areas and smaller urban centres. freeLance provides SWG members with a wealth of information on writing markets and resources, SWG programs, members’ new books, literary news and issues, and more.
eBriefs
The weekly email bulletin, eBriefs is available to any member who has email access. In addition to being a useful information resource about events and markets, eBriefs helps to build a sense of community by including announcements, helpful information, and questions contributed by subscribers.
Information/Referral
The SWG office provides information and referral services to members and the public. Along with details on SWG programs, the office offers information and referral on Saskatchewan writers, Canadian writing organizations, and a variety of issues concerning writers in Canada.
Offices Services
SWG members may use the SWG photocopier and fax machine on a cost-recovery basis. (If you have a large volume of copying please call ahead and to find a time when the copier is not in use.)
Library and Serials Files
The SWG office has a library of Saskatchewan–authored books and currently has over 300 titles, including some prized rare editions donated by our members. This library, located at the SWG office, also includes some writing resource volumes. The SWG office also maintains subscriptions to a number of literary and book trade periodicals, as well as the newsletters of writers’ organizations across Canada. Members are welcome to use these resources during SWG office hours; please call ahead to make an appointment.
Toll-free Line
The SWG offers a toll-free number for incoming calls from in-province SWG members. It is for member use only. 1-800-667-6788
The Writer’s Assistance Fund
The Writer’s Assistance Fund provides short-term emergency relief to writers in a financial crisis. Contact the SWG’s executive director for information on this program. All inquiries are confidential.
email: swg@sasktel.net
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