Saleema Nawaz

Saleema Nawaz is the author of two novels, most recently, Songs for the End of the World. Her first novel, Bone and Bread, won the Quebec Writers' Federation Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction and was a finalist for the 2016 Canada Reads competition. She is also the author of the short story collection Mother Superior and a winner of the Writers' Trust of Canada / McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize. Saleema has been an artist-in-residence at Yaddo and previously taught creative writing at the Banff Centre and McGill University. Born and raised in Ottawa, she currently lives in Montreal.

Saleema’s advice for Writer’s Studio applicants

What are you looking for in your workshop group?
I am looking for writers with curiosity, dedication, generosity, respect, humour, and humility, ideally paired with talent and insight. I would like the group to be a safe learning environment where every writer is willing to share and listen and be fully present to help develop their writing, reading, and editing skills. 

What do you look for when reading an applicant’s submission?
All of the above qualities, combined with an attention to detail in language and a core ability to tell a story. I would also like to see a commitment to the craft and a sense of a distinct voice.