Amanda Merritt

Amanda Merritt is a poet and a creative writing instructor from Victoria, BC, who spent her formative years in Campbell River, BC, and Edmonton, Alberta. Amanda’s debut poetry collection, The Divining Pool, was published in October 2017 by Wundor Editions, and was recently nominated for the Gerald Lampert award. Previously, she was presented with the 2015 Anstruther poetry award, and was among the finalists included in Aesthetica’s 2017 Creative Writing Annual anthology. Her work appears in journals in Canada and the UK, including Descant, Grain, Prairie Fire, Qwerty, Untethered and Stand.

Amanda holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry from the University of St Andrews, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Victoria, where she was awarded the F.E. Chapman Achievement award, the Philip Pickering award in poetry, the G&I Few Achievement award, and the Pat Bevan Scholarship.

Over the course of her Masters degree Amanda was instrumental in founding the University of St Andrews’ first undergraduate creative writing program, as well as the online journal of poetry and prose, The Scores. Amanda teaches creative writing in continuing education and community settings throughout the city.

For more information about Amanda's workshops and publications, visit her website here.