Writing coaches


Michael Bradford (poetry, fiction)

Biography and experience:

Michael Bradford is a poet, novelist, and teacher living and writing in Saskatoon. Coteau Books published his first volume of poetry, Personal Effects, in 2004. Since then, he has published poems in many journals such as Descant, Antigonish Review, and Fiddlehead. Michael has just completed his first novel for YA readers, and is nearing the completion of his second collection of poetry.

Michael facilitated Saskatoon Public School’s literacy initiative for three years, during which time he led many writing workshops for students of all ages, and coached teachers in the development of their own programs for engaging readers and writers in schools. He is currently completing a Masters of Education at the U of S focused on the effective use of feedback to improve learning. Michael has worked with teens and adults editing poetry, short and long fiction. Most recently he edited Terry Jordan’s new novel, Been in the Storm So Long, which received the SWG’s 2009 John V. Hicks Long Manuscript Award.

As a coach Michael offers positive and constructive feedback for writers working in poetry, short and long fiction. Michael loves to talk about writing and craft face-to-face over good coffee, and he will tailor feedback to suit the writer’s learning style and circumstances during the revision and editing process. This could include detailed written feedback, phone and email conversations, as well as other methods of maintaining an ongoing virtual dialogue such as Google docs.

Test-drive format and fee: $4 per page, which includes detailed notes about the writing sample, and either a face-to-face meeting, phone conversation, or online conference about the sample, and possibilities for moving forward.

Long-journey fee: The overall fee for shorter projects (i.e. under 50 pages) will remain roughly in line with the test-drive fee. However, a lower per page fee will be negotiated for longer manuscripts, depending on its size and complexity. The writer and coach will meet as many times as required to complete the project.



Amy Jo Ehman (journalism, literary non-fiction)

Biography and experience:

Amy Jo Ehman is a freelance writer of magazine and newspaper articles. She studied journalism at the University of Regina. Her career path included: CKCK TV Regina, Ottawa Citizen, Saskatoon Star Phoenix and CBC Radio/Television, Saskatoon. In 2000, she left CBC to freelance from her home in Saskatoon.

She is published in Harrowsmith Country Life, Nuvo, Flavours, Prairies North, The National (magazine of the Canadian Bar Association), Canadian Geographic, and others. She is a columnist at the Saskatoon Star Phoenix and CBC Radio’s "Blue Sky". Her first book, a humorous adventure in eating locally in Saskatchewan, is due out in 2010.

As a coach, Amy Jo can advise on publishing fact-based articles to magazines, newspapers and corporate clients. (No poetry or short stories.) This includes: approaching an editor, preparing a query letter, negotiating contracts, building relationships, developing interview skills and writing effective articles. Her first bit of advice: sell the idea first, before you begin writing. This places the emphasis on knowing the market and crafting an effective query letter well before the writing begins.

Test-drive format and fee: $20 per hour and a good coffee for discussion of story ideas, analyzing the market, approaching editors, writing effective query letters and building a freelance career. $10 per page to read and critique written material.

Long-journey fee: same as above.



Louise Halfe (poetry)

Biography and experience:

Louise Halfe (Sky Dancer), was named Saskatchewan's Poet Laureate for 2005 - 2006. She has written three acclaimed books of poetry, and her work has appeared widely in anthologies and periodicals.

Halfe made her writing debut as a poet writing in Writing the Circle: Native Women of Western Canada, an anthology of life-writings by Native women. She has since had three books of poetry published by Coteau Books. Bear Bones & Feathers was short-listed for the Spirit of Saskatchewan Award, the Saskatchewan First Book Award, the Gerald Lambert Award, and the Pat Lowther First Book Award. In 1996 it won the Milton Acorn Award. Her second book, Blue Marrow, was short-listed for the 1998 Governor General's Award and in three categories in the Saskatchewan Book Awards: the Saskatchewan Book of the Year, the Saskatoon Book Award, and the Saskatchewan Poetry Award. Her third book, The Crooked Good, won the Saskatoon Book Award and The First Peoples Publishing Award at the 2008 Saskatchewan Book Awards.

Halfe has traveled extensively across Canada and abroad giving readings and presentations of her work and conducting writing workshops.  She has also served as writer-in-residence at the Markin-Flanagan Distinguished Writer program in Calgary, the Native Earth Performing Arts Weesageechak Festival in Toronto, and at the University of Windsor.

Born in Two Hills, Alberta, Louise Halfe was raised on the Saddle Lake First Nation and attended Blue Quills Residential School. She has a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Regina and certificates in Addictions from the Nechi Institute. Her background in these fields is reflected in the facilitative approach she brings to her writing workshops.

Halfe has lived in Saskatchewan for 28 years. She is married, the mother of two adult children and the proud grandmother of two. In recent years she has served as a Board member of the Saskatchewan Arts Board, and as the President for the Sage Hill Writing Experience.

Test-drive format and fee: tba

Long-journey fee (approximate): 25-64 pages $100; 65-100 pages $125; over 100 pages $150



Peter Jonker (literary nonfiction)

Biography and experience:

Peter Jonker completed his undergraduate degree in Literature and Classics (U of Calgary); MSc in Wildlife and Recreation; additional studies in Zoology. Throughout his career of working with Aboriginal communities and as an Environment, Science, and Technology Adult Educator (U of Saskatchewan), he has continued to nourish his interest in writing. Over the years he has produced, edited, and authored many non-fiction publications. Most prominent among the non-academic of these are:

Peter has also written several short stories, an award-winning one-act play, and occasional poetry. Currently, he is an aspiring novelist and writing a second novel.

Test-drive format and fee: $3 per page for basic copyediting (proofreading and grammatical structure); $5 per page for copyediting plus comments on story structure, image, characterization, and voice. Test-drive feedback will be provided both in writing and, if requested, during either a brief face-to-face meeting at the Broadway Roastery (8th Street, Saskatoon) or a phone conversation.

Long-journey fee: This will be negotiated directly, and will depend on the size of the total work project, the writer's expectations, and the Coach's ability to meet them. In any case, the rate would be approximately in line with the Test-drive fee.



Terry Jordan (fiction, playwriting, literary non-fiction)

Biography and experience:

Terry Jordan is an award-winning fiction writer, essayist and dramatist whose stage plays have been produced across the country. His book of stories It's a Hard Cow won a Saskatchewan Book Award and was nominated for the Commonwealth Book Prize. His first novel, Beneath That Starry Place, was published internationally and was nominated for two Saskatchewan Book Awards as well as the Chapters/Books in Canada First Novel award. The Globe & Mail called it "an achingly beautiful book."

Jordan received the first fellowship to live and write in the Wallace Stegner House in Eastend, and was the first Margaret Laurence Fellow at Trent University. In 2007-2008 he was the Saskatoon Public Library's Writer in Residence. Currently, he facilitates the Fiction workshop at Sage Hill Writing Experience and will be Writer in Residence at the Regina Public Library 2009-2010.

Test-drive format and fee: $5 per page, which includes editing and a face-to-face meeting or telephone conversation. Editing will consist of 3 separate readings of the manuscript. The last two will be marked with notes and comments as thoroughly as needed.

Long-journey fee: With longer manuscripts, meetings will be held as many times as required to properly complete the process. The fee will be negotiated directly, and will depend on the size of the total work project, the writer's expectations, and the Coach's ability to meet them. In any case, the rate would be approximately in line with the Test-drive fee.



Alice Kuipers (fiction, young adult fiction)

Biography and experience:

Alice Kuipers' first novel, Life on the Refrigerator Door, was published in 29 countries, won several awards and was long-listed for the Carnegie Medal in the UK. It was published as an adult and a young adult novel, and her second novel, coming out in May 2010, is for YA readers. Alice's stories have been published, produced for radio and made into short films. Her non-fiction has appeared in The Telegraph, Easy Living Magazine and The Guardian, and she has an essay coming out with Penguin Canada in the spring of 2009.

Alice has taught adults and teens in Canada, the US and the UK, and has edited many writers in and outside Saskatchewan. As a writing coach, she's happy to discuss writing and publishing, encourage emerging writers and give constructive criticism to help make their manuscript the best it can be.


Test-drive format and fee: $30 for 10 pages online; $50 for 10 pages plus meeting in Saskatoon; $100 for 60 pages

Long-journey fee: tba



Ron Marken (short fiction, poetry)

Biography and experience:

Ron Marken is a retired professor of poetics and Irish literature, having taught at the U of S for 40 years. Throughout the academic community and the province, Professor Marken has an established reputation for excellence in teaching. A regular theatre and book reviewer for the CBC, he is also a published poet, and his plays have been performed on stage and broadcast on radio. As well, he frequently hosts educational radio and television programs.

Professor Marken's dedication to teaching and his outstanding ability to communicate are evidenced in many ways in addition to his college teaching. He offered a course in creative writing at Prince Albert Penitentiary that inspired Don't Steal This Book, an edition of the writings of his students. His contributions to adult education include conducting effective writing workshops for an Executive Program and leading an ongoing seniors' writing circle, The Silver Quills.

Ron's belief in the "power of language to transform life" has been witnessed by his students on campus, by his students in the local penitentiary and by colleagues around the province. As a recipient of the campus Master Teacher Award, he is often a featured speaker at workshops for colleagues.

Test-drive format and fee: $25 per hour

Long-journey fee: $25 per hour



Glen Sorestad (poetry)

Biography and experience:

Glen Sorestad is a well known Saskatoon poet who has had over fifteen volumes of his poems published. He was Saskatchewan's first Poet Laureate (2000-2004), the first provincially appointed Poet Laureate in the country. He was given a Founders Award by the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, Life Member status by The League of Canadian Poets, and was awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for his contributions to the literary arts in Canada. He was a co-founder of Thistledown Press and worked at literary publishing for 25 years until he and his wife Sonia retired from publishing in 2000.

Glen brings to any one-on-one writer/coaching relationship a considerable background of experience: first, as a creative writing teacher, then as a writing workshop leader, a literary editor (with Thistledown and other presses) and anthologist, as a writing mentor (including the SWG Mentorship Program), and as an encourager of novice writers (including selecting and editing Thistledown's New Leaf series). He is especially interested in encouraging novice writers by helping them to realize "where the poem is" in their written drafts. He prefers to provide written feedback by email because this allows for more thoughtful and precise constructive criticism. He is not averse to face-to-face meetings, but definitely prefers email communication for the conveying of critical details of poetic craft. For poetry by Sorestad and for more biographical and bibliographical information, the University of Toronto Library's Canadian Poetry website at www.library.utoronto.ca/canpoetry/sorestad/index is a good place to start.

Test-drive format and fee: Glen prefers to see a ten-page sample of poetry or prose from a writer. After carefully reading the work, he will decide whether he feels he will be able to offer the writer constructive criticism. If he feels unable, there will be no cost to the writer for the reading. If he feels able, he will determine a per-page cost for his services based on the density, line length, language, etc., usually in the range of $5 to $10 per page. He will provide written feedback on all pages/poems of the work.

Long-journey fee: $5.00 per page


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