Clarisse Baleja Saïdi (b. Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire) is a bilingual writer of Rwandan and Congolese (DRC) descent and Ugandan and Canadian dual nationality. A graduate of the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, she’s received fellowships from Hedgebrook, MacDowell, Yaddo, ART OMI, and the Vermont Studio Center, among others. Her writing has been awarded the Theodore Roethke Poetry prize, Hopwood Prizes in fiction, nonfiction and drama, the John Wagner Prize, a Marina Nemat Creative Writing Prize, Penguin Random House’s Short Story Prize and more. She is the recipient of grants from the Canada Council, Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, and was named a 2022-2023 Fine Arts Work Center fiction fellow.

Baleja is at work on a novel and an essay collection, among other projects. Her recent short form work has appeared in The Kenyon Review, POETRY magazine, Harvard’s Transition Magazine and Atlantic Canada’s The Fiddlehead.

Writings

There is something magical about long form writing. I cherish the practice and privilege of slowly amassing then chiseling away at a story. Eventually, order does emerge, and with it, a world that it turns out was always there yet defies expectations.

I am the occasional fellow, lecturer, speaker, teacher and editor, but mostly you’ll find me at a desk, crafting narratives on home, agency, power and love—on being, othering, emerging and belonging.

I’m also learning to say the little things often. Subscribe to my Substack newsletter, Virtual Village, where I connect with my digital and dispersed communities. Think ‘belief pieces’ rather than opinion ones. Join me there.

En attendant— merci. Thank you for reading me in the in-between.

Offerings

I conduct courses, craft talks, and seminars. Find my upcoming workshops and classes under the events page.

Currently, I offer the following, via my contact page:

  • Coaching (for a book or project or writing support, for English, French or bilingual scripts)

  • Consulting (a one-time discussion, informational interview, or expert evaluation for professional writers)

  • Office Hours (open-door writing or reading discussions, no project required)

Check out my LinkTree for archives and resources (like this free podcast interview on Artist Residencies) or drop me a question.

Clarisse Baleja Saidi is represented by literary agent Heather Schroder at Compass Literary.