Laurier’s Faculty of Arts invites applications for the Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence position

April 8, 2026
For Immediate Release

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Arts is seeking submissions from Canadian writers for the Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence position for Winter 2027. The Writer-in-Residence will receive $21,000 for a nine-week in-person residency from January 18 to March 19, 2027. Eight weeks are to be spent at Laurier's Waterloo campus, and one week at its Brantford campus.

This full-time position requires the Writer-in-Residence to spend 40 per cent of their time encouraging the development of other writers by planning and facilitating community programming, leaving 60 per cent of the work week available for the writer’s own creative projects. Community programming will be tailored to the writer’s interests and can include reading manuscripts and consulting with students and the public, visiting classrooms, giving readings and lectures, and leading courses and workshops.

This is an in-person position; all applicants should prepare to be on campus for events and consultations. Applicants should be in the midst of a new writing project intended for publication or performance and be active participants in the writing community. All Canadian writers of established literary reputation, working in any genre, are encouraged to apply. Applications must be received by May 22, 2026.

Edna Staebler (1906–2006) was a member of the Order of Canada, an award-winning journalist and the author of 21 books, including the bestselling Schmecks series. She was a regular contributor to Maclean’s, Saturday Night, The Toronto Star, Chatelaine, and many other newspapers and magazines. Staebler achieved her 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.

The Edna Staebler Laurier Writer-in-Residence program was inaugurated in 2013. Previous Staebler Writers-in-Residence have included fiction writer and essayist Thea Lim, playwright Drew Hayden Taylor, novelist Carrianne Leung, poet Nasser Hussain, and novelist and memoirist Donna Morrissey.

In addition to the Writer-in-Residence program, Laurier’s Faculty of Arts also administers the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction, which was established in 1991.

Diversity and creating a culture of inclusion is a key pillar of Wilfrid Laurier University's Strategic Academic Plan and is one of Laurier's core values. Laurier is committed to amplifying the voices of those from equity deserving groups, including people who are Indigenous, racialized, have disabilities, and are part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Laurier encourages applications from equity deserving groups, including writers whose lived experience informs their work.

To see a full list of requirements or to apply for the Edna Staebler Laurier Writer-in-Residence position, please visit the Edna Staebler Laurier Writer-in-Residence page. Questions may be addressed to the chair of the search committee, Emily Urquhart, at emurquhart@wlu.ca.