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 two sessions per residency period.
Registration is now open! Please register by filling out the form under "Participant Registration" below.
We are excited to announce Lisa Richter is our Winter VWIR from February 2 - March 30, 2026!
Lisa Richter is an award-winning poet, writer, editor, and educator. She is the author of two books of poetry, Closer to Where We Began and Nautilus and Bone, winner of the Robert Kroetsch Award, among other honours. Her work has been published widely in literary journals and anthologies, including Best Canadian Poetry, Grain, The Fiddlehead, The Malahat Review, and Locations of Grief: An Emotional Geography. An instructor in the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies, Lisa has also taught creative writing at the University of Guelph-Humber, Sage Hill Writing Experience, Writers Collective of Canada, and Poetry in Voice. She holds a B.Ed. in Adult Education and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph. Her third full-length collection, Sublunary, is forthcoming with University of Alberta Press in March 2026.
I’m deeply honoured to be SWG’s new Virtual Writer in Residence, and to have the opportunity to work closely with writers outside of Saskatchewan’s major cities. Over the years, I’ve been extremely fortunate to learn from many extraordinary mentors. These enriching relationships and experiences have been formative to my development, not only as a writer but as a person as well. As Writer in Residence, it is a privilege to pay this generosity forward. For me, the act of writing is more than a means of creative expression: it’s a way of existing in the world, engaging with language, witnessing, exploring, and paying attention. Writing our stories, whether from memory or imagination, we resist oppressive forces by insisting that our voices matter. My goal is to create safe, supportive spaces that help each participant write their very best work, and to leave each session feeling renewed, inspired, and committed to the writing process.
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. NEW - writers can only access this service twice per term.
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 or a maximum of 10 poems/10 pages of multi-page poems. Poetry may be single-spaced or double-spaced; please make sure each new poem starts on a new page;
- 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
- Fill out our registration form (below) to confirm your eligibility. Participants are required to register once per term. Your 15 page/10 poem writing submission for your first consultation is required for your registration form. If registered successfully, a follow up meeting and submission of writing will be arranged directly with the VWIR.
- 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.
Register Here
For more information, please contact:
Program Director
T: 306.791.7743 | E: programs@skwriter.com
