Call for Applications: The 2027 Lori Schubert Writer in Residence

Deadline to Apply: September 30, 2026

Thanks to the unprecedented generosity of a long-time supporter of QWF, and in honour of our departing executive director, the Quebec Writers’ Federation is thrilled to announce a new writer-in-residence program for a Quebec-based, English-language writer over the age of 60. The Lori Schubert Writer-in-Residence Program, which has been funded in perpetuity, will take place annually over a four-month period from January through April.

The selected writer will divide their residency hours between working on their own project and offering 30-minute online or email consultations with QWF members who have questions about writing or publishing or who would like editorial or global feedback on short pieces of writing. The precise nature of the available services will be determined by the writer in residence in consultation with an oversight committee from the QWF.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered eligible for the residency, a writer must:

• Be working in English
• Be over the age of 60
• Have a permanent residence in the province of Quebec
• Have a demonstrated record of professional literary publication
• Have an interest in engaging with QWF members at all levels of their writing practice

This opportunity is open to published literary writers in all genres.

If you’d like to explore the possibility but aren’t sure if you’re eligible, contact us at info@qwf.org.

Terms of Engagement

The writer in residence will be expected to devote 100 hours over four months (approximately 25 hours per month) to be divided roughly equally between the following:

• Private research and writing on a project of your choice
• Public engagement with QWF members (one on one or in small groups, online)

While the public engagement component may on occasion include broader sessions on specific topics, the writer in residence should privilege individual consultations with community members.

In addition to the above, the writer in residence will be expected to participate in a final, in-person, public-facing event, for which they will be paid an additional honorarium of $250. At this event, QWF members who consulted the writer during the four-month term will have the opportunity to sign up for an open mic. After, the writer in residence will present what they have accomplished, learned, or experienced during the residency. The writer in residence is encouraged to include a reading from their project.

Note that this residency is a remote position. No office space is available through QWF. Consultations with members will be conducted remotely unless otherwise arranged by the successful applicant.

The selected writer will be asked to submit two brief reports on the progress of their residency, one after approximately half of the hours, and one after the public event.

Stipend

A stipend of $10,000 will be awarded according to the following schedule:

• $5,000 in January 2027, at the beginning of the four-month residency
• $5,000 in March 2027, upon presentation and approval of the mid-residency report after the completion of 50 hours

2026–2027 Timeline

• Deadline for applications: September 30, 2026
• Announcement of writer in residence at QWF Awards Gala: November 9, 2026
• Term of residency: January to April 2027, but with some flexibility
• Public event: late April or early May 2027

Application Process

To apply, eligible writers must submit the following as a single document (Word or PDF) via Submittable:

1. A detailed literary CV including publications, awards, and teaching or related experience
2. A recent writing sample; maximum length:
   • Prose: 2,500 words, double spaced
   • Poetry: 5 pages
3. A statement of your approach to peer support and your history of community engagement, including a list of the services or kinds of advice you can realistically offer to aspiring or emerging writers via 30-minute Zoom appointments and/or email—e.g., line editing, global feedback on a short text, professional advice, etc. (maximum 1 page)
4. An outline or description of the project you intend to work on during the residency (maximum 1 page)
5. A confirmation of availability in late April–early May 2027 to participate in person at a public event

The deadline for submissions is September 30, 2026.

About Lori Schubert

Executive Director of the Quebec Writers’ Federation from 2003 to 2026, Lori Schubert has been foundational to the flourishing of Quebec’s English-language literary community over the past two decades. Lori presided over a period of sustained growth for QWF, greatly expanding its existing programs and launching new initiatives to serve writers of all genres, levels, ages, backgrounds, and regions of Quebec. Under her leadership, QWF added awards for children’s and young adult literature, playwriting, and spoken word; created new professional opportunities for writers, including racialized and underrepresented writers through the Fresh Pages Diversity Initiative; launched two literary journals; and expanded its membership to well over 1000.  For Lori, among the highlights of her tenure at QWF were the addition of two projects for young writers, Quist and the new youth mentorship program. With this residency, which she designed with the support of members of the QWF board, she is delighted to contribute to the available opportunities for more senior members of the QWF community.

Beyond her work at QWF, Lori was instrumental in the founding of Quebec’s English-language Arts Network (ELAN) and the National Juries and Awards Working Group (NJAWG), and she has served in an advisory capacity for YES Montreal, the Blue Metropolis Foundation, and the Atwater Writers’ Exhibit. She chaired the Arts & Culture Education and Skills table for the Department of Canadian Heritage and ELAN, leading to the creation of a professional development program for mid-level cultural workers to benefit English-language arts and culture organizations throughout the province. Lori was selected as one of TALQ’s 30 for 30 Community Leaders in the fall of 2025.

For over twenty years, Lori’s warmth, candour, and generous spirit have been at the heart of QWF, establishing it as a welcoming space for all writers, one that nourishes their creativity and nurtures them through every stage of their careers.

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QWF actively seeks to maximize diversity in its staff, part-time employees, members, and board of directors. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and encourage Indigenous people, people of colour, LGBTQ+ and gender-nonconforming people, people with disabilities, people living with socio-economic hardship, women, and members of any other marginalized group to self-identify if they are comfortable doing so.