WHAT WE DO AT WFNS
We:
· Organize and promote public readings, book launches, workshops, conferences, retreats and educational programs
· Administer Writers in the Schools, a program which brings nearly 100 writers a year to schools in every Nova Scotian county
· Maintain www.writers.ns.ca – a vast online resource containing a directory of NS writers and illustrators, event listings updated weekly, information on submission guidelines, publishing questions, and dozens of other issues of interest to writers
· Represent the interests of writers to a variety of agencies and government departments, and lobby on behalf of the interests of these writers
· Administer three Atlantic Book Awards: the Thomas Head Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, the Evelyn Richardson Non-Fiction Award, and the Atlantic Poetry Prize
· Facilitate the annual Atlantic Writing Competition for unpublished manuscripts and unproduced plays
· Offer a Mentorship Program for our finest emerging writers
· Foster creative writing and the profession of writing in the Province of Nova Scotia; provide advice and assistance to writers at all stages of their careers; encourage greater public recognition of Nova Scotian writers and their achievements; and enhance the literary arts in our regional and national culture.
WHAT YOU GET WITH MEMBERSHIP
- ‘Notes from the Fed’, a weekly email tally of events, opportunities and announcements, market listings, contests, awards, and more
- Eastword, the Federation’s bimonthly newsletter, featuring member’s news and publications, topical issues, regional literary stories, interviews, and more
- Reduced rates on WFNS workshops, programs, and competitions
- Access to the Federation’s “Buddy System” – consultation with member writers on specific questions and curiosities, and the opportunity to become a buddy yourself
- Free hour-long consultations on writing and publishing questions and concerns, including contract , copyright, grant-writing, and market advice
- Discount subscriptions to The Antigonish Review and The Fiddlehead
- Discount memberships in the Canadian Freelance Union
- ‘A Room of One’s Own’ – free office space for writing in our ‘mini-loft’
- Writer’s Council membership – updated annually, members can participate in the Writers in the Schools program and are listed in our online Writer’s Directory
- Use of our lending library - a vast resource of regional, sometimes rare, literature of all kinds, and full, up-to-date collections of numerous literary journals and magazines
- COMMUNITY – the chance to meet and connect with the vastly talented family of writers here in our home province.