The Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence Award at Wilfrid Laurier University

Call for Applicants

The Faculty of Arts of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, invites

submissions from Canadian writers for the Edna Staebler Laurier Writer-in-Residence position, for three months from January 13 to April 11, 2014.  The Writer-in-Residence will be paid, in accordance with Canada Council guidelines, $25,000.00 for the three- month residency.

Edna Staebler (1906–2006) was a member of the Order of Canada, an award-winning

journalist and the author of 21 books, including the outstanding bestsellers, her Schmecks

series of books. She was a regular contributor to Maclean’s, Saturday Night, The Toronto

Star, Chatelaine, and many other newspapers and magazines. Edna achieved writing

success later in life, much of which she attributed to the mentoring of a passionate

teacher. She was determined to provide that same encouragement to developing writers.

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Arts is the proud administrator of Staebler’s

legacy in the forms of the Edna Staebler Award in Creative Non-Fiction (established

1991) and the Edna Staebler Laurier Writer-in-Residence program.  

This full-time position (40 hours/week) requires 40% of the author’s time to be spent on

community programs or projects, leaving 60% of the work-week available for the

writer’s own creative projects. Community programs and projects will include reading

manuscripts and consulting with students and the public, visiting classrooms, giving

readings and lectures, leading workshops, or participating in similar community

programming, on Laurier’s three campuses. 

Requirements 

• Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

• Established literary reputation with critically well-received work published in one

or more of the following genres: fiction, poetry, drama or creative non-fiction. 

• Professional teaching or public speaking experience.

• Willingness to engage with the public one-on-one and in group

settings.

• Active participant in the writing community.

• In the midst of a new writing project intended for book-length publication.

The successful applicant must live in Waterloo during the term of the residency. Accommodation will be provided by WLU in

Lucinda House, a century home close to the Waterloo campus of WLU.

Your application for the Writer-In-Residence position must include the following:

1. A cover letter, including:

• a clear statement of your availability during the proposed dates;

• a statement of what you hope to achieve during the residency;

• several methods of contacting you immediately should your application

be successful;

2. A literary C.V., including:

• complete details for all published books and produced plays, screenplays or

performance art;

• writing awards, prizes and other honours;

• related volunteer and work experience teaching, mentoring, editing, assessing

manuscripts, leading workshops, etc.;

• two letters of reference from members of the writing community that discuss your

abilities as a writer and as a mentor to other writers.

(Letters of reference must be sent by the referee directly to Dr. Ute Lischke,

 Chair, Edna Staebler Writer in Residence Committee:

  ulischke@wlu.ca with a cc: to mich0760@mylaurier.ca.)

3. A 20- to 30-page sample from recent published or unpublished work.

4. Reviews of your published or produced work in nationally-recognized

publications. 

5. A single-page description of the writing project that you would be working on

during the residency.

The following will be considered assets:

*       experience in writing in more than one genre;

*       experience in working with youth;

*       experience in working with the public and with beginning writers.

Applications must be received by 4 p.m., May 31, 2013. A decision will be made

promptly, so please make sure that your cover letter indicates several alternate methods

of contacting you. The successful applicant will be asked to commit to residency dates in

writing by July 1, 2013. WLU reserves the right not to proceed with the grant

application at all should no suitable candidate be found by the deadline.

Apply electronically (all documents must be in .pdf format) to:

Dr. Ute Lischke, Chair

Edna Staebler Laurier Writer-in-Residence Search Committee

Email:  ulischke@wlu.ca                    

with a cc to : mich0760@mylaurier.ca

Subject Line: Writer-in-Residence Search