Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle
Press Release
The Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle is a six-month mentorship and workshop program for
emerging First Nations, Inuit and Métis writers in Canada looking to elevate their stories.
The 2025 program will launch on June 2nd; apply to participate today!
As a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, Audible invests in the creative economy worldwide, fostering communities of performers, writers, sound engineers, and other creatives. We help equip emerging storytellers around the world with the skills to bring their work to life. As part of this mission, we work to elevate the voices of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, to enhance equity and support reconciliation.
The Indigenous Writers’ Circle supports the next wave of emerging Indigenous writers by leveraging Audible’s resources and connections with the creative community to provide mentorship and learning opportunities to help program participants tell their stories.
Emerging writers in the program are paired with Indigenous mentors who coach and guide participants through the creative process. They will help them identify and pursue opportunities aligning with their goals as writers.
Participants will also benefit from immersive workshops where they will learn from some of the industry’s leading creators, publishers, content managers, writers and marketers.
Audible will provide additional support to participants throughout the program, including guidance on how participants can promote their work. At the end of the program, participants may explore opportunities with Audible depending on the stage each writer is at in their creative work and how they choose to share their writing.
Each selected emerging writer is eligible for a $ 1,500 CAD bursary to support their participation in the Indigenous Writers’ Circle, and there is no cost to participate in the program.
The Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle supports equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, physical ability or disability.
The 2025 program year will begin on June 2nd and end on December 19th.
Program eligibility
The Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle invites emerging writers who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis and meet the following criteria to apply for the six-month program.
You are a great fit if you self-identify as First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis and:
- Have background knowledge, interest or training in writing. This could include self-study, mentorships, academic study or a combination of these types of training
- Are pursuing or considering pursuing a career in literary arts
- Can provide an example of your literary work
- Examples of your work can include works of fiction, non-fiction, biographies/autobiographies, memoirs, graphic novels, illustrated books, blogs, poetry, children’s literature, audiobooks and narrative podcasts.
- Are at least 18 years old as of January 1, 2025
- Reside in Canada (at this time, residents of Quebec are not eligible for the program due to provincial regulations)
Assessment process and guidelines
Applicants will be assessed by a panel led by Indigenous literary artists. The panel will consider the following when reviewing each application:
- The strength of the artistic intention for the sample of work
- Potential benefits of the Indigenous Writers’ Circle to the development of the applicant’s practice
We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest. Upon submission, you will receive a notification via email that your application has been received. Once reviewed, all applicants will be contacted regarding the status of their application.
How you can apply
Applications for the 2025 program are now being accepted! Please fill out an application here: https://audibleindigenouswriterscircle.formstack.com/forms/applications_2025. The application deadline is Monday, April 21, at 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight Saving Time. Email audiblewriterscircle@yulupr.com for any questions about the application process or program.
In your application, you’ll be asked to share the following:
- Your name, contact information and the form(s) of literary art you practice
- A personal reflection (maximum 500 words), indicating:
- Why you wish to participate in this program, what you hope to contribute and learn, and what impact it could have on your future practice
- A description of your writing practice
- A brief overview of your body of work to date. This could include short descriptions of any talks or workshops you’ve given, readings you’ve done, work you’ve published (online, audio, print, etc.), or community engagement experience you have that is related to the literary arts.
- If you could choose any writer, living or deceased, to work with as your mentor, who would you select and why?
- Please provide a single sample of your work in written or audio format. The accepted file types are Word, Google Doc, MP3 or M4A. If you submit a poem under 500 words, you may include a secondary and third piece of poetry, so long as you do not exceed the 2,500-word limit.
- Submissions should not exceed 2,500 words or 15 minutes in length. The file size limit is 10MB. If your sample of work exceeds the maximum word count, it will be trimmed to 2,500 words.
- Submissions can be fiction, non-fiction, biographies/autobiographies, children’s literature, poetry, memoirs, graphic novels, illustrated books, blogs, audiobooks and narrative podcasts.
- If you would like to submit a piece of work that falls outside this list, please contact us with your request at audiblewriterscircle@yulupr.com
- Your answers to three voluntary Indigenous self-identification questions
- Proof of Indigenous ancestry is not required. The information collected will be confidential. In the context of these voluntary self-identification questions, an Indigenous person in Canada, as recognized in the Constitution Act, 1982, is a person who identifies with First Nations (Status / Non-Status), Inuit or Métis cultural and/or ancestral background
- Based on this definition, do you attest and self-identify as an Indigenous person? Please indicate yes or no
- Do you identify with any of these specific identities? Please indicate all that apply to you: First Nations (Status/Non-Status), Inuit, Métis, Alternate identity term (e.g. Kanien’kehá:ka, Anishinaabe, Treaty #3, etc.)
- What community/nation/group are you affiliated with? Please specify or indicate unknown or unsure.
- Proof of Indigenous ancestry is not required. The information collected will be confidential. In the context of these voluntary self-identification questions, an Indigenous person in Canada, as recognized in the Constitution Act, 1982, is a person who identifies with First Nations (Status / Non-Status), Inuit or Métis cultural and/or ancestral background
Questions about the application process can be emailed to audiblewriterscircle@yulupr.com.
Frequently asked questions
Am I eligible to participate in the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle?
What do I need to include in my application?
How can I apply to participate in the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle?
What is the application deadline?
I’ve submitted my application, but need to make edits. Can that be done?
I submitted an application for a previous iteration of the program, can I apply to participate this year?
If I participated in a previous iteration of the program, can I apply to participate this year?
What format and size should my sample of work be?
How long is the review process after submission?
Will I be notified about the status of my application?
What can I expect if I am selected to participate in the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle?
What specific qualities is the selection panel looking for in choosing participants for the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle?
When does the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle begin?
What does program participation entail?
Where will the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle take place?
What should I do if I have issues accessing the program?
What is Audible?
Who can I reach out to for more information?
What are the Terms and Conditions around the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle?
What language will the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle be held in?
What is the end result of the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle?
Is there a cost to participate in the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle?
Will the Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle provide funding to support program participants?
The Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle team is grateful to live and work on the ancestral lands of the
still living, still sovereign Munsee Lunaape (lu-naa–pau) peoples, communities and nation.
We recognize the many diverse Indigenous peoples who call this region home — past, present, and future.
ILR5
