Programs & Services: FAQ
· Frequently Asked Question about the Writers Guild of Alberta
· Frequently Asked Questions about Writing

Frequently Asked Questions about the Writers Guild of Alberta

1. What does your organization do?

2. What kind of programs and events do you hold?

3. What kind of services do you provide? How can I gain access to them?

4. What can I do to help further the goals of the WGA?

5. What is the Member Directory

6. Can I submit my work to the Alberta Literary Awards? How do I do this?

7. Why should I become a member?

8. What about young writers? What kind of information and services do you have for kids and youth?

9. How  can I become a member?

10. How can I contact the Writers Guild of Alberta?

1. What does your organization do?

The Writers Guild of Alberta is a provincial arts service organization that represents both professional and emerging writers in Alberta. Our mission is to support, encourage and promote writers and writing, to safeguard the freedom to write and to read, and to advocate for the well-being of writers. We plan events and programs catered to Alberta’s writers and provide services to benefit our members.


2. What kind of programs and events do you hold?

Along with our biggest and most exciting annual events, which include the Annual General Meeting, Conference and Alberta Literary Awards and Gala, we plan monthly events which are free for our members and are offered to the public for a small fee. Some past workshops have included “Writing the Rural: Words Inspired by People and Place”, “Publishing Contract Dos and Don'ts”, “An Editor's Perspective: Writing and Editing for the Ever-changing Media Environment”, and more. These events are also a great chance to get away from your writing desk to socialize with other writers, talk about what's happening in the writing world and learn more about the Writers Guild of Alberta. Monthly WGA Events are currently held in both Edmonton and Calgary. We also offer other programs and events throughout the year. See our events page for information about our upcoming programs and events!



3. What kind of services do you provide? How can I gain access to them?

We are glad you asked! To name a few, the WGA provides access and information regarding the Alberta Literary Awards, Annual General Meeting and Conference, Critiquing Groups, Guild-to-Go programming, Writing Resources, Manuscript Reading Service, Retreats, WriteClick E-Newsletter, WGA events, WestWord Magazine and Youth Programs.  You can learn about all these services by clicking on “program and services” above.

To gain access to all of the services we provide you will need to become a member of the Writers Guild of Alberta! Join Now!



4. What can I do to help further the goals of the WGA?

Becoming a member is a great way to help support, encourage and promote writers and writing, to safeguard the freedom to write and to read, and to advocate for the well-being of writers. Membership fees help to pay for the programs and services we provide.

The WGA is also a registered charity, and you will receive a tax receipt for any donation you make.

Another way you can help is through our Guild-to-Go program. This new initiative aims to bring programming and resources to writers in rural communities across Alberta. Contact us for more information about becoming a Guild-to-Go volunteer and developing programming and providing resources to fellow writers in your community.



5. What is the Member Directory?

The Member Directory helps to connect Alberta writers. When you join you can add your information to this directory, allowing you to advertise the services you provide (are you an editor? do you provide lecture services?), the genres you work in and any other relevant information. Additionally, the Member Directory allows you to view other members’ pages helping you to look into and connect with our vibrant writing community.



6. Can I submit my work to the Alberta Literary awards? How do I do this?

More information about the Alberta Literary Awards, including submission guidelines and instructions, can be found here. Updated submission guidelines are posted each year in the fall.



7. Why should I become a member?

See here for a list of benefits you will gain by becoming a member!



8. What about young writers? What kind of information and services do you have for kids and youth?

We are always trying to keep our young writers in mind! Not only do we provide a discounted membership rate for students ($30/year) but we also do specialized programming. We have a 14 year history of providing summer programs for young writers. In 2009, we are developing exciting new day camps in Edmonton and Sherwood Park, and hope to hold similar camps in locations all across the province in years to come. Additionally, we provide youth programs throughout the year – currently there are WGA Teen Writing Groups in Edmonton and Calgary.



9. How can I become a member?

That’s easy! Click here!



10. How can I contact the Writers Guild of Alberta?

We have all the information on our contact page. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Frequently Asked Questions about Writing

The following are some of the most common questions we receive about writing at the WGA office.  

1. How do I get published?

2. Do I need an agent?

3. How do I submit to a magazine or book publisher?

4. What should I include in my query letter?

5. How long should I wait to hear from a publisher?

6. What are simultaneous submissions?

7. How do I protect my copyright?

8. What should I look for (or look out for) in a contract?

9. How much should a writer be paid?

10. Can you put me in contact with "Writer X"?


1. How do I get published?

First, you need to write something.  You'd be surprised how many people jump the gun by calling the Writers Guild to find out about submitting to publishers, finding an agent, selling movie rights, and many other details before they've even written a word!  You should also realize that except for a very few, extremely talented writers, your first draft is just that.  You will need to re-write your manuscript many times to polish it.  How many re-writes do you need to do?  At least a few. Some writers might do dozens of re-writes.  As you become more experienced, you'll know when something feels ready.  Joining writing groups and seeking peer feedback can help as well.  Also, many universities and libraries have free writer-in-residence programs, where you can meet with a professional writer and get feedback on your work.



2. Do I need an agent?

It depends.  For many Canadian writers, especially those who are unpublished or early in their careers, an agent probably isn't necessary.  You can do most of the legwork of researching and submitting to publishers, dealing with contracts and so on, yourself.   And if you do have success with a book, the agents may come to you.

For writers who are trying to get published by an American publisher (or one of the larger Toronto-based Canadian publishers) and/or if you are a writer working in genre fiction (romance, horror, mystery, western), an agent will likely be much more useful than if you are a literary writer trying to get published in Canada by a small or regional press.  

We have heard from authors who were very happy to continue representing themselves (and saving a 15% commission on what are often already slim royalties) once they realized they could do most of an agent's job themselves.  We have also talked to authors who feel that agents are very important to them in getting the best deal, helping to negotiate ancillary rights (foreign publishing, movie rights, reprints, etc.) and providing information, experience, and contacts within the publishing world.   

The Writers’ Union of Canada maintains a list of Canadian literary agents on their website . Bowker's Literary Market Place is a pay site (weekly or annually) which has a more comprehensive list of agents, including many in the United States.



3. How do I submit to a magazine or publisher?

Most magazines and publishers have web sites which include their specific submission guidelines.  Although each publisher will have slight variations, there are some standard rules to follow: submit your typed manuscript using 1" margins, 12 pt Times New Roman font with double-spacing (unless you are submitting poetry).  If you're sending a full manuscript or sample chapters, always include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) so the publisher can return your manuscript to you.  

Publishers will differ whether they want a query letter only, a proposal, (a) sample chapter(s), or the full manuscript. The Saskatchewan Publishers Group has a fairly comprehensive page outlining the process.



4. What should I include in my query letter?

You want your query letter to a publisher to be a short, snappy introduction to you and your work.  It should be no more than one page long and include a brief summary of your book along with your own publication history and/or any relevant experience that you bring to the subject.  A Google search for "book publisher query letter" will provide more information and some sample letters.



5. How long should I wait to hear from a publisher?

The industry standard for responses is 6-8 weeks but you should realize that most publishers are inundated with submissions and for some presses, 6-8 months is closer to the norm.  A polite e-mail or letter after 8 weeks is one way to follow-up on the status of your submission.



6. What are simultaneous submissions?

We encourage any writers who choose to do simultaneous submissions – submitting the same manuscript to more than one publisher at the same time – to be up-front and honest in their query letters to publishers that they are doing this, and to send out submit to a small number of publishers at the same time (for example, 3-4).  If a manuscript is accepted by one publisher, the author should immediately notify all other publishers to withdraw the manuscript from their consideration – that way they don’t invest time and effort reading a manuscript that has already been accepted elsewhere.



7. How do I protect my copyright?

In Canada, you automatically have the copyright to your work once it is set-down in a final, finished format (although to clarify, you can't copyright an idea, only the final finished version.)  Many beginning writers are nervous about having their work stolen by unscrupulous publishers but as long as you take care to make sure you are submitting to a reputable publisher who's been around for awhile and who has a strong track record, you should be okay.  Think of it this way - if a publisher went around stealing ideas, you can be sure that they wouldn't be in business very long!  For information about formally registering your copyright, see the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.



8. What should I look for (or look out for) in a contract?

Many first-time writers are so excited to see their name on a book that they sign the first contract that a publisher sends them.  Although most standard publishing contracts are basically fair and most publishers are honest, they are also businesspeople and will often try to get deals in their favour.  (And unfortunately, there are those who have no qualms about taking advantage of a naive writer.)  Remember - a contract is just a way to formalize an agreement between two parties and all clauses should be negotiable. It's very unlikely that a publisher who's interested in your manuscript will withdraw their offer if you suggest a few changes to their contract.  Some of the most common areas for negotiation are royalty rate (industry standard is 10% of cover price but this varies widely), rights given to the publisher versus rights retained by the author, and the length of contract itself.

It is never a bad idea to have a lawyer review your contract before you sign. The Writers’ Union of Canada also offers a contract review service to writers with a book publishing contract in hand.

On the subject of contracts, you should always have a signed contract for any type of writing you do before you begin the project - even if it's a freelance article for your local newspaper, an assignment outside your job description at work, or a project you're doing with a close friend. The WGA receives numerous inquiries from writers who have had the verbally-agreed to terms changed once an assignment is completed or even cases where their employer/partner thought one thing while the writer thought another. If the defining terms of the arrangement are never discussed, let alone put in writing, this can be a difficult situation which often ends in damaged relationships and even possible court action.



9. How much should a writer be paid?

The Professional Writers Association of Canada has a good guide for fees for different types of writing including newspapers, magazines, business writing, editing, ghostwriting, etc.  This is only a guideline though; each writer's rates will vary based on their experience and other factors.



10. Can you put me in contact with "Writer X"?

The policy of the Writers Guild of Alberta is to not give out contact information for our members. You may try finding them in the Member Directory. You may also contact an author via their publisher, or through their own personal website.