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Writer in Residence, Saskatoon Public Library

  • Saskatoon, SK, Canada

Full-time

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Writer in Residence, Saskatoon Public Library

Saskatoon Public Library, Saskatoon

Deadline: September 01, 2026 - November 15, 2026

Contact

Name: Jocelyn Wedel

Phone: 306-986-3037

E-mail: j.wedel@saskatoonlibrary.ca

Website: https://saskatoonlibrary.ca/about/careers/

Deadline

November 15, 2026

Closing Date: Nov 15, 2026

Status: Full time, temporary (nine-month contract from Sep 1, 2027 – May 31, 2028)

Location: Saskatoon Central Library (321 2nd Avenue North)

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week

Grant Amount: $40,000

Position Overview

The Writer in Residence is a full-time term position open to writers from across Canada who are

Canadian citizens or permanent residents. This individual acts as a mentor to writers in and around

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, reviewing manuscripts and providing criticism and advice about

publishing. The Writer offers individual consultations, group workshops and programs, author

readings and participates in other special events during their residency.

In addition to working directly with local writers, the Writer in Residence program enables the

author to work on their own writing projects. This residency requires working collaboratively with

the public through individual consultations, school visits, group workshops and public lectures or

seminars. The position requires 36.25 hours a week: 14.5 hours (40 percent) of the author’s time

will be devoted to library programs and projects, while 21.75 hours (60 percent) will be used for

their own creative writing.

Why Apply?

Saskatoon Public Library’s Writer in Residence program has a long and illustrious history. It was

founded in 1981 and has employed a number of nationally acclaimed writers, including Guy

Vanderhaeghe, Yann Martel and Meredith Hambrock. In addition to the program’s well-established,

positive reputation in Saskatoon, there are many other reasons to apply:

Flexibility: You can make your own schedule provided 40 percent of your hours are allocated

towards library projects (i.e., consultations and programs) and 60 percent is used for your own

creative writing.

Make a Difference: Through meeting with and providing direction/advice to new and aspiring

writers, you’ll be enriching and strengthening the Canadian literary community.

The City: Located on Treaty 6 territory and the homeland of the Métis, Saskatoon is a flourishing

and culturally vibrant city of nearly 320,000 people straddling the beautiful South Saskatchewan

River. The city features 60 km of riverside trails, a world-class arts scene and renowned culinary

destinations - all of which has helped the city earn its nickname, Paris of the Prairies.

Work Environment & Location: The office for this position is located at Saskatoon’s new Central

Library. Inspired by Indigenous cultures and architecture and featuring several new and exciting

spaces, the new central library will support world-class library services in our community for

decades to come. Its design celebrates Saskatoon, its people and its history, while affirming the

library’s long-standing commitment to fostering lifelong learning and community connections. The

Writer in Residence will have the opportunity to work from this new civic and cultural space during

a pivotal chapter in SPL’s history.

Qualifications

Applicants must:

  • Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
  • Have a minimum of one professional publication prior to the application deadline (this

includes books of fiction, novels, short stories, poetry, drama, young adult or children’s

literature, graphic novels, or literary non-fiction).

  • Have made a significant contribution to their discipline.
  • Be active in their profession.
  • Intend to work on a new writing project (normally intended for book-length publication).
  • Be an active participant in a local writing community.
  • Be proficient at public speaking, planning and presenting programs.
  • Have previous experience in programming and facilitation in the area of creative writing.

Previous experience as a writer in residence, teacher or writing mentor would be an asset.

  • Have demonstrated effective interpersonal skills in dealing with the public and

co-workers.

  • Have demonstrated the ability to work independently, organize work and meet deadlines.
  • Have demonstrated reliability, initiative and willingness to try new ideas.

Application Details

Applications Must Include:

  • A cover letter and resume outlining literary publications and previous experience. The cover

letter must include a description of the applicant’s writing project, as well as some program or

workshop ideas they would be interested in exploring during the residency.

  • A sample (20 – 30 pages, double-spaced) of recent work (reviews of earlier work are

encouraged but not required). This may include published work or unpublished work-inprogress.

  • Three signed letters of reference.

Reviews of earlier work are encouraged but not required.

Please submit your application package using the online form at saskatoonlibrary.ca/careers. All

applications must be received by Nov 15, 2026.

A current, acceptable Criminal Record Check/Vulnerable Sector Check will be required.

Closing Date: Nov 15, 2026

Status: Full time, temporary (nine-month contract from Sep 1, 2027 – May 31, 2028)

Location: Saskatoon Central Library (321 2nd Avenue North)

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week

Grant Amount: $40,000

Position Overview

The Writer in Residence is a full-time term position open to writers from across Canada who are

Canadian citizens or permanent residents. This individual acts as a mentor to writers in and around

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, reviewing manuscripts and providing criticism and advice about

publishing. The Writer offers individual consultations, group workshops and programs, author

readings and participates in other special events during their residency.

In addition to working directly with local writers, the Writer in Residence program enables the

author to work on their own writing projects. This residency requires working collaboratively with

the public through individual consultations, school visits, group workshops and public lectures or

seminars. The position requires 36.25 hours a week: 14.5 hours (40 percent) of the author’s time

will be devoted to library programs and projects, while 21.75 hours (60 percent) will be used for

their own creative writing.

Why Apply?

Saskatoon Public Library’s Writer in Residence program has a long and illustrious history. It was

founded in 1981 and has employed a number of nationally acclaimed writers, including Guy

Vanderhaeghe, Yann Martel and Meredith Hambrock. In addition to the program’s well-established,

positive reputation in Saskatoon, there are many other reasons to apply:

Flexibility: You can make your own schedule provided 40 percent of your hours are allocated

towards library projects (i.e., consultations and programs) and 60 percent is used for your own

creative writing.

Make a Difference: Through meeting with and providing direction/advice to new and aspiring

writers, you’ll be enriching and strengthening the Canadian literary community.

The City: Located on Treaty 6 territory and the homeland of the Métis, Saskatoon is a flourishing

and culturally vibrant city of nearly 320,000 people straddling the beautiful South Saskatchewan

River. The city features 60 km of riverside trails, a world-class arts scene and renowned culinary

destinations - all of which has helped the city earn its nickname, Paris of the Prairies.

Work Environment & Location: The office for this position is located at Saskatoon’s new Central

Library. Inspired by Indigenous cultures and architecture and featuring several new and exciting

spaces, the new central library will support world-class library services in our community for

decades to come. Its design celebrates Saskatoon, its people and its history, while affirming the

library’s long-standing commitment to fostering lifelong learning and community connections. The

Writer in Residence will have the opportunity to work from this new civic and cultural space during

a pivotal chapter in SPL’s history.

Applications Must Include:

  • A cover letter and resume outlining literary publications and previous experience. The cover

letter must include a description of the applicant’s writing project, as well as some program or

workshop ideas they would be interested in exploring during the residency.

  • A sample (20 – 30 pages, double-spaced) of recent work (reviews of earlier work are

encouraged but not required). This may include published work or unpublished work-inprogress.

  • Three signed letters of reference.

Reviews of earlier work are encouraged but not required.

Please submit your application package using the online form at saskatoonlibrary.ca/careers. All

applications must be received by Nov 15, 2026.

A current, acceptable Criminal Record Check/Vulnerable Sector Check will be required.

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    More about this job

    Responsibilities

    Mentor writers in and around Saskatoon by reviewing manuscripts and offering consultations, publishing advice, workshops, readings, school visits, and public programs. Dedicate 40% of working hours to library programs and projects and 60% to the resident writer’s own creative writing.

    Requirements

    Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, have at least one professional publication, be active in their profession and local writing community, and plan a new writing project. They must also have creative-writing programming and facilitation experience, strong public-speaking and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work independently and meet deadlines; prior residency, teaching, or writing-mentoring experience is an asset.

    Skills

    • Creative Writing
    • Manuscript Review
    • Writing Mentorship
    • Publishing Advice
    • Workshop Facilitation
    • Program Planning
    • Public Speaking
    • Public Lectures
    • Interpersonal Communication
    • Independent Work
    • Organization
    • Deadline Management
    • Reliability
    • Initiative

    Visa sponsorship

    Not detected in the job text

    Hiring contact

    Jocelyn Wedel

    Hiring contact email

    j.wedel@saskatoonlibrary.ca

    Categories

    • Creative & Media
    • Education
    • Customer Service & Support

    Keywords

    • Writer in Residence
    • Creative Writing
    • Literary Publications
    • Manuscript Review
    • Publishing Advice
    • Writing Mentorship
    • Individual Consultations
    • Group Workshops
    • Library Programs
    • Author Readings
    • School Visits
    • Public Lectures
    • Program Planning
    • Program Facilitation
    • Public Speaking
    • Literary Community
    • Writing Project
    • Criminal Record Check
    • Vulnerable Sector Check

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