RETREATS AND WORKSHOPS

Go and Write! Retreats created by writers, for writers

Writing retreats offered by award-winning authors Dr. Gerard Collins and Jane Simpson, from New Brunswick, Canada. Participants include emerging and established writers of all genres.

For more information, visit www.goandwrite.ca and post a note to their contact page.

Springtime Writing in the Cotswolds

Retreat to Old Town Lunenburg, NS

Retreat to Kingsbrae - St. Andrews by the Sea, NB

Go and Write! Merry and Bright - Christmastime in the Cotswolds, 2026

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WFNB member Mike Thorn is offering three workshops through CSAC and the UNB Art Centre this winter.

Writing Horror Fiction: Step into the shadows and uncover the craft behind what truly frightens us! Join acclaimed horror author Mike Thorn for an immersive workshop on writing horror fiction. From building tension and atmosphere to creating characters that haunt the page long after the story ends. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, this session will ignite your imagination and help you bring your darkest ideas to life. Thursdays, January 29 - March 5 from 7 - 9 p.m. in the Community Room (CSAC) Writing Horror Fiction

Reading Like a Writer: Reading is arguably the most crucial practice for any serious writer. In this course, you will “reverse engineer” acclaimed short stories to determine how and why they work. You will use these stories as lenses into key aspects of effective fiction (dialogue, plotting, voice, character, etc.) The course will help you to identify the key features of various distinctive prose styles, and you will participate in guided writing exercises inspired by those styles. Wednesdays, February 11 - March 25 (no class March 4)
6:30 - 8 p.m. Reading Like a Writer

Novel Writing: For beginners and advanced writers alike, this course is for you. Whether you're plotting your outline or polishing that final draft, this course will offer an intensive workshop environment with the focus on breaking down the barriers to completing your novel. Writing will be the class focus, with a strong emphasis on sharing constructive feedback. Discussion topics will include, but not be limited to, narrative structure, character, plotting and pacing, and of course publishing. No materials required. Tuesdays, March 24 to May 12 (8 weeks) Novel Writing

Mike Thorn is a fiction writer and critic. He is the author of Shelter for the Damned, Darkest Hours, and Peel Back and See. His stories have been published in a range of anthologies, magazines, and podcasts, including Augur, Vastarien, NoSleep, and Tales to Terrify. His essays and articles have been published in American Gothic Studies, The Fiddlehead, The Weird: A Companion, American Twilight: The Cinema of Tobe Hooper, The Film Stage, and elsewhere. He holds his PhD in English from the University of New Brunswick, and he co-hosts the writing-themed Craftwork podcast with Miriam Richer.https://mikethornwrites.com/

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Canadian Freelance Guild workshop, live at 7 PM ET on THURSDAY, January 15, 2026 – Special Discount for WFNB members. Check the members only page on wfnb.ca for the discount code.

Register here: https://canadianfreelanceguild.wildapricot.org/event-6409751

Social media never sits still — and neither do the freelancers who depend on it. As algorithms shift, platforms rise (and fall), and audiences change how they engage, staying ahead of the curve can feel like a full-time job.

Join our panel of CFG experts — all working professionals who live and breathe this stuff — as they share insights on where social media is headed in 2026. We’ll explore what’s working now, what’s fading fast, and what new trends might reshape how freelancers market themselves, connect with clients, and build communities online.

Whether you manage client accounts or just want to keep your own socials sharp, this session will leave you inspired, informed, and ready to scroll into the new year with confidence. See more about the CFG at their website: https://canadianfreelanceguild.ca/en/

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Milkbag Magazine

Spring 2026: The Green Issue

"Green as in grass and leaves and money and greed and jealousy and new growth and old growth and mold and Kermit the frog and lights and go and envy and capitalism and environmentalism and hope and vitality and algae and pondscum and weed and weeds and peas and jolly giants and juice and renewal and spring buds and chlorophyll and inexperience and hope and avocados and forest and vegetal and arsenic and poison and green and green and green and green."

We pay our contributors as well as our contest winners via a profit share model, meaning we charge a small submission fee. However, contributors facing financial barriers are encouraged to reach out directly - fee waivers are handled on a case-by-case basis and priority will be given to historically underrepresented communities.

We accept submissions via our Duosuma portal where all submission guidelines can also be found. For even more information, please visit our website or reach out directly. 

MARITIME RESIDENCIES

The Hideout Scholarship deadline for Maritime writers is March 1

Applications are open for the 2026 Hideout residencies and the Susan Buchanan Hideout scholarship. Now in its seventh year, the Hideout Residencies welcome writers, artists, musicians, therapists, and self-care practitioners to Prince Edward Island’s south shore each spring and fall. Residencies are a week in length and allow for uninterrupted time to work on a creative project. In 2025, The Hideout welcomed residents and guests from 11 countries and all corners of Canada to create and restore. For more information about the Hideout Residencies, the application process, or the scholarship, visit www.thehideoutpei.com. 

In order to support Maritime writers and practitioners, the Susan Buchanan Hideout scholarship covering residency costs to an emerging or established writer or practitioner with financial need. Writers or wellness practitioners who identify as BIPOC or 2SLGBTQ+ are especially encouraged to apply. The scholarship deadline for 2026 is March 1.

Created by writer Trevor Corkum and psychotherapist Joshua Lewis, The Hideout offers retreat and vacation space to writers, creative folk, and visitors from across Canada and around the world. The Hideout is located on the scenic south shore of PEI, a few minutes outside the village of Victoria-by-the-Sea. The Hideout Residency program was founded in 2020.

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