Ken Mitchell (born December 13, 1940) is a Canadian poet, novelist and playwright. Mitchell was raised on a rural farm outside the city of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Mitchell began his post-secondary education as a journalism student at Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario. He later attended the University of Saskatchewan, where he received his MA in English. While attending university, Mitchell wrote both short stories and plays for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. After graduating in 1967, Mitchell joined the University of Saskatchewan's faculty, where he began teaching in the English department. Mitchell has had a notable influence in promoting Canadian literature; he took part in the founding of the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild (1969), and the Saskatchewan Playwrights Center (1982).