The Indie Author Income Survey, initiated by the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi - UK) was presented at the London Book Fair and reported on by The Bookseller (UK trade publishing magazine) and Publishers Weekly (US trade publishing magazine), as well as many other outlets globally. 

Over 2,500 authors took part, from all over the world, which contributed to making the data really robust. The survey was carried out by an independent third party but it was our many contacts around the world who helped us ensure our insights would be meaningful. So thank you!

Self-published authors earn more than writers with publishers. And independent (indie) author incomes are rising, year on year. Key findings included:

 Read the full report: www.allianceindependentauthors.org/resources 

What are the next steps with the research? There was so much interesting data to mine that ALLi ordered a second round of independent analysis, this time on the demographics and on cross-category insights, exploring what factors contribute to author success. This data will form part of what we’re calling the Big Indie Author Data Drop (BIADD), when multiple sources of data from across the self-publishing community will be pulled into one report, providing even more useful insights to authors, and greater visibility of self-publishing’s advances to a wider audience, including mass media outlets. Director Orna Ross will present the secondary report and the BIADD compilation at the Self-Publishing Formula conference in London on the 21st June 2023. 

The Writers' Union of Canada is pleased to announce the short list of nominees for the 26th annual DANUTA GLEED LITERARY AWARD. The Award recognizes the best first collection of short fiction by a Canadian author published in 2022 in the English language. The Award consists of cash prizes for the three best first collections, with a first prize of $10,000 and two additional prizes of $1,000 each. 

The jury this year comprised authors Cynthia Holz, Sally Ito, and Jack Wang, who determined the short list from 23 collections submitted, some by seasoned writers, others by authors being published for the first time. Those finalists are: 

Nada Alic, Bad Thoughts (Vintage Books)  
Kathy Friedman, All the Shining People (House of Anansi Press) 
Kim Fu, Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century (Coach House Books)  
Rawi Hage, Stray Dogs (Knopf Canada)  
Saeed Teebi, Her First Palestinian (House of Anansi Press)

The winners will be announced on May 25th at noon ET on The Writers’ Union of Canada’s Facebook page.

The Award was created as a celebration of the life of Danuta Gleed, a writer whose short fiction won several awards before her death in December 1996. Danuta Gleed’s first collection of short fiction, One of the Chosen, was posthumously published by BuschekBooks. The Award is made possible through a generous donation from John Gleed, in memory of his late wife, and is administered by The Writers’ Union of Canada. 

The Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) is seeking a creative, skilled, and innovative leader to oversee WFNS's fundraising, strategic, programming, and operational activities. A demonstrated passion for the arts, in particular the literary arts, is a must for this senior leadership role. This is a four-day-per-week, permanent position with a salary range of $52,000 – $58,000. The position is based in WFNS's Halifax office. Applications will be received until 5pm (Atlantic) on May 8, 2023. Check out details at https://writers.ns.ca/jobs/executive-director/

For Immediate Release

Shortlisted Titles Announced for New Brunswick Book Awards

April 11, 2023 – The Writers' Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB) and The Fiddlehead have announced the shortlisted titles for the 8th annual New Brunswick Book Awards. The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony on Saturday, June 3, as part of WFNB’s annual WordSpring writing festival in Saint John.

The program will celebrate books published in the 2022 calendar year in the poetry, fiction, nonfiction and children’s picture books categories. The finalists are as follows:

Mrs. Dunster’s Award for Fiction
Judge:  Leslie Greentree is an Alberta-based artist and is the author of four books. She has won CBC literary competitions for short fiction and poetry, and the Sarah Selecky 2013 Little Bird short fiction competition.

Valerie Sherrard, A Bend in the Breeze (DCB Cormorant), Miramichi

Meghan Rose Allen, The Summer the School Burned Down (Indie-published), Sackville

Lee D. Thompson, Apastoral: A Mistopia (Corona/Samizdat), Moncton

Alice Kitts Memorial Award for Excellence in Children’s Writing
Judge: Alma Fullerton is an award-winning PEI author- author/illustrator, whose books have been nominated and/or have won awards including the Governor General Finalist 2008 and many others.

Kelly Cooper, Midnight and Moon (Tundra), Belleisle Creek; illustrated Daniel Miyares

Jennifer McGrath, Pugs Cause Traffic Jams (Kids Can Press), Hillsborough; illustrated by Kathryn Durst

Masen Grasse, Trucks (Monster House Publishing); illustrated by Alexia LePage

The Fiddlehead Poetry Book Prize
Judge: Weyman Chan of Calgary has written six books of poetry and was a finalist for the 2008 Governor General's Award for his second book of poetry, Noise From the Laundry.

Amber McMillan, This Is A Stickup, (Wolsak and Wynn), Fredericton

Michael Pacey, Wild Apples: A Dialogue With Thoreau (Pottersfield Press), Fredericton

Sue Sinclair, Almost Beauty: New and Selected Poems (Goose Lane Editions), Fredericton

Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick Nonfiction Award
Judge: Rowan McCandless is an award-winning writer from Winnipeg whose work has appeared in various anthologies and journals. A finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award in nonfiction, Rowan is also a co-winner of the Eileen McTavish Sykes Award for Best First Book (2022). 

James Mullinger, Brit Happens* Or Living the Canadian Dream, (Goose Lane), Rothesay

Mark Anthony Jarman, Touch Anywhere to Begin (Goose Lane) Fredericton

Jon Claytor, Take the Long Way Home (Conundrum Press), Sackville

The New Brunswick Book Awards are open to traditionally published and self-published authors who have lived in the province for three of the last five years, including the award year.

The book awards program represents a partnership between the Writers’ Federation, which for more than 35 years has passionately supported the development of home-grown writers at all stages of development, and The Fiddlehead, Canada’s oldest literary magazine, which has nurtured New Brunswick's literary culture for more than 75 years.

Congratulations to all the nominees!

April 27th is poetry day in Ireland. WFNB board member Sandra Bunting is inviting Atlantic Canada poets to write a poem, playing with the theme Message in a Bottle or anything to do with Ireland. One suggestion is for poets to learn new things about Ireland and write about them. It can be a take on Irish modern society, reimagining works of the great Irish writers, mythology, descriptions of its stunning landscape or something our two countries have in common. Try to keep away from the stereotypes and the Hollywood portrayal of Ireland and the Irish. Play and have fun. Experiment. Come up with something new or perhaps you have something that would fit. I am making arrangements for the poems to be delivered in Ireland (unfortunately not in a physical bottle) and to be read by Irish poets. More details to come. Deadline: March 31 Send to sandra.bunting@gmail.com.

ATTENTION BOOK LOVERS & READERS. Exciting News! THE GREATER MONCTON RIVERVIEW DIEPPE BOOK FAIR is happening. Mark the date in your calendar - April 22nd 10am - 4pm. Over 30 Authors and their books all in one place. Please SHARE with all your friends. Visit our website and meet the authors. New listings everyday. https://gmrdbookfair.blogspot.com/

On Thursday, February 23, Marianne Ward leads the free Editors Canada webinar "Working With an Editor: An Overview for Writers."

This is your last call to register! 

Presenter: Marianne Ward
Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023
Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Length: 1.5 hours
Language: English
Level:  Introductory
Type: Informational
Price: Free

Have you always been a little mystified about what it is editors do, or even terrified at the prospect of working with one? This webinar breaks down the editing process (the stages of editing) and describes the relationship between editor and author. Bottom line: there's nothing to fear!

Can't make it this time?

We're pleased to announce this webinar will be recorded and posted on our YouTube channel.

Recordings of many of our recent webinars are now available for sale. When you buy an Editors Canada webinar recording, you'll receive a video file to watch at your leisure on your computer or mobile device. The file is yours to keep, so you can watch it again and again.

Visit our webinar recordings page to see what's available now. We're adding new recordings regularly and some are available for a limited time only, so be sure to check often.

Train online with Editors Canada

Looking for more opportunities to get your training online? Visit our webinars page to learn about our webinar season and meet our topnotch instructors.

Are you considering writing your memoir? Is your story ready to come to life in book form? 

This 90-minute panel from the University of King’s College Master’s in Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Nonfiction program will illuminate the possibilities of memoir, perhaps inspiring you to pick up that pen! 

Join our MFA alumni Pauline Dakin, Sue Harper, Jason Schreurs, and RC Shaw for a session on memoir writing on February 12. 

Register via the link below.

https://ukings.ca/events/its-time-to-write-your-story/

Are you considering writing your memoir? 

Is your story ready to come to life in book form? 

This 90-minute panel from the University of King’s College Master’s in Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Nonfiction program will illuminate the possibilities of memoir, perhaps inspiring you to pick up that pen! 

Join our MFA alumni Pauline Dakin, Sue Harper, Jason Schreurs, and RC Shaw for a session on memoir writing on February 12. 

Register via the link below.

https://ukings.ca/events/its-time-to-write-your-story/

WFNB member Dr. Gerard Collins will be reading from The Hush Sisters at the central branch of the Saint John Public Library on Feb. 24 at 3 PM.

The following day, Feb. 25, 10:30 AM to 1 PM, he's offering a workshop entitled "The Art of Storytelling".

The reading is sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts, through The Writers Union of Canada. Gerard is an award-winning novelist and short story writer who has read from his work and taught writing classes at the Louisiana Book Festival and Newcastle University in the UK, among others. For more information on Gerard, visit his website: www.gerardcollins.ca.

To register for the Saturday workshop, contact the author at: gerardcollins@gerardcollins.ca. Workshop fee is $85.

Admission for the Friday afternoon reading is free, and all are welcome.