Writer in Residence

Toronto Public Library (TPL)’s Writer in Residence program supports writers and encourages exchanges between the author and the community. The Writer in Residence creates and delivers programs, evaluates submitted manuscripts, meets with writers from the general public, and works on their own project(s).

Writers who have held residencies at the library include Gail Bowen, Chester Brown, Austin Clarke, Karen Connelly, Deborah Cooke, Farzana Doctor, Sarah Ellis, Rabindranath Maharaj, Elizabeth Ruth, Robert J. Sawyer, Karl Schroeder, Allan Stratton, Sugith Varughese, Tim Wynne-Jones, Alissa York, David S. Young, Kate Cayley, Kim Echlin, Vikki VanSickle, Howard Shrier, Dan Werb, Thea Lim, and Jamie Michaels.

Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang | Spring 2024 Writer in Residence – Poetry

One-on-One Consultation Sessions

Toronto Public Library’s Writer in Residence offers poets the opportunity to submit poetry samples for review and feedback. The Writer in Residence will meet with the first 10 authors whose poetry submissions satisfy the requirements below. Meetings with the Writer in Residence are by appointment only.

Submission Requirements

Please submit poetry that is between 1-10 pages in length. Submissions can be standalone pieces, long poems, or excerpts from long poems. Submissions should include your name and an email address. Please describe if you are new to the genre or if you have some experience (if you have some experience you can submit a brief biography of no more than 200 words). Material submitted will not be returned so please do not submit originals.

Mail or bring your submission to:

Writer in Residence – Toronto Reference Library
Languages & Literature Department (4th Floor)
789 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4Y 2B6

Please email your submission to: trllanglit@tpl.ca

Deadline: The submission window for this session has now closed. Please stay tuned for the next opportunity.

Apply to be Writer in Residence

Toronto Public Library invites applications from Canadian writers with extensive writing and literary experience in the area of Horror Fiction for an adult audience for the paid Fall 2024 Writer in Residence position based at Toronto Reference Library.

Deadline to apply is Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 4 pm.

To apply, submit the following documents through the Writer in Residence page at: https://torontopubliclibrary.bonfirehub.ca/opportunities/79645

To access a *PDF version of the Expression of Interest (EOI): Download PDF (237 KB)

*This PDF version is provided for information only. In order to ensure receipt of further information pertaining to the EOI, please note that all applicants are required to download the EOI from https://torontopubliclibrary.bonfirehub.ca/opportunities/79645