Advice on Your Writing From an Experienced Author
The Virtual Writer-in-Residence (VWiR) program provides opportunities for Saskatchewan writers at all levels of development and genres to receive guidance and advice on a specific writing project from an established Saskatchewan writer.
The program gives SWG members who live in Saskatchewan outside of Regina and Saskatoon access to the services of a VWiR. The VWiR will meet one-on-one with SWG members through a one-hour video call to talk about the individual’s submitted writing and questions they have about writing.
Members may submit proposals, manuscripts or writing samples up to 15 pages in any genre for consultation. The VWiR will read your submission and be prepared to discuss your work and answer your questions during your consultation.
Members can access this free service a maximum of one session per month, up to three sessions per residency period.
Please register by filling out the form under "Participant Registration" below.
We're happy to announce Bev Brenna as the Winter (Feb-Apr 2024) Virtual Writer-in-Residence.
This program is now CLOSED to new registrations. The program will re-open in September 2024 for our Fall session.
Bev Brenna is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of 14 books for young people (including picture books, middle-grade and young adult novels, poetry and short story collections), earning a Printz Honor, a Dolly Gray Award, and a Stuchner Award for humour; her work has also been shortlisted for a Governor General’s Literary Award and listed on CBC’s Young Adult Books That Make You Proud To Be Canadian. Bev has also published 2 non-fiction titles on children’s literature, and her adult poetry, prose, and academic writing has been published in a variety of anthologies, journals, magazines, and newspapers. For more info, please see http://www.beverleybrenna.com
A message from Bev:
Hello, rural writers! I’m delighted to work with you and learn from you this term in my new role as Virtual Writer-in-Residence! Although I write widely, with a number of long-term writing interests and publications, I consider myself a late-bloomer when it comes to publishing, and I credit various mentorship programs—where I participated as a mentee—for the courage and stamina to keep creating. So here’s a chance for me to give back—and I look forward to reading your work and helping you nudge it further in your writing journey. What I believe deeply is that, with the diversity of human experience, there’s no “right” way to create—if you have a goal and some writing in any kind of draft, we can work together!
To learn more about Bev and her writing, please watch her introductory video.
Who Can Access This Service
You are eligible for this program if you are:
- a current SWG member; and
- living in Saskatchewan outside of Regina or Saskatoon.
This service is open to all Saskatchewan-based members of the SWG in good standing who do not have access to any other Writer-in-Residence programs. Writers of any genre and level of ability are welcome to access the VWiR.
Members who live in Regina or Saskatoon should refer to the Writer-in-Residence programs at their regional library for similar services. Regina writers can work with the Regina Public Library Writer-in-Residence and Saskatoon writers can work with the Saskatoon Public Library Writer-in-Residence.
The VWiR will work with a maximum of 12 writers per month, on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you have any questions regarding your eligibility for this VWiR service, please email programs@skwriter.com.
Submission Guidelines for Your Writing Sample
The writing that you would like to submit to the Virtual Writer-in-Residence should follow the SWG's standard submission guidelines:
- Maximum of 15 pages double-spaced prose. Poetry may be single-spaced or double-spaced; please make sure each new poem starts on a new page (submit a maximum of 10 poems unless the poems are multi-page poems);
- submissions must be in English;
- all material must be typed in body-text fonts like Times New Roman, Courier, or Arial;
- font size should be 12 pt;
- pages must include 1" margins;
- pages should be numbered sequentially;
- title and your name included in either header or footer;
- Word documents only; we do not accept PDFs, Google docs or other formats
Participant Registration
This program is now CLOSED to new registrations. Please stay tuned for details about our Fall Virtual Writer-in-Residence term Sept 1 to Nov 30, 2024.
How to access this service?
- Fill out our registration form to confirm your eligibility. Participants are required to register once per term. Your 15 page writing submission for your first consultation is required for your registration form. If registered successfully, subsequent meetings and submission of writing for those meetings may be arranged directly with the VWIR.
- Registrations are processed in 2-3 business days; please email programs@skwriter.com if you have not received a response to your registration after 2-3 business days to ensure we've received your registration.
- The SWG will connect you with the Virtual Writer-in-Residence to arrange your virtual consultation.
- The VWiR will respond to your email and arrange a one-hour meeting on a mutually convenient date and time. The VWIR may have specific hours during which they schedule meetings but may be flexible outside these dates/times.
- You will receive an emailed invitation link from the VWiR for your Zoom meeting. Click on the link to join the call.
For more information, please contact:
Program Director
T: 306.791.7743 | E: programs@skwriter.com
