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-in-progress.
• 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.