FBCW upcoming events

Memoir Writing Intensive: Avoiding the Potholes of Memory Lane (11 May 2026)

Mon, 11 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Join us for five days of online learning from May 11 to 15, 2026.

ABOUT

Memoir Writing Intensive: Avoiding the Potholes of Memory Lane is a week for writers looking to shape lived experience into meaningful story, with sessions exploring big-picture memoir ideas such as:

finding the right slice of a life;

identifying the hook or angle;

creating structure;

writing for legacy as well as publication;

using interviews and memory as tools for excavation;

connecting to your readers through personal narrative;

and navigating ethics, consent, and the many truths that memoir must hold.

The week of learning, activities, and connection will include ten (10) hour-long sessions, including a Q&A midweek and a wrap-up event on Friday at 4 p.m. for participants to reflect on what they've learned and their future goals.

Presentations will be recorded and available to registrants for 45 days after the intensive. The recordings will all be emailed at once, within a week of the end of the intensive. Socials and writing sprints will not be recorded.

EVENT SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

All times are in Pacific (Vancouver) time

11:00 a.m. Workshop sessions

2:00 p.m. Workshop sessions or socials

DETAILED SCHEDULE

MONDAY May 11

9:00–10:00 a.m.: Introduction, Tech Help, & Writing Sprint

Join your friendly FBCW team for a quick overview of the week's structure, a chance to get help with Zoom or the event's other technical requirements, followed by a 30 minute writing sprint.

11:00 a.m.: Exploration for Personal Narrative (Part 1) with Stella Harvey

In this two-part workshop, Stella Harvey explores personal narrative as a form of first-person storytelling that transforms lived experience into meaningful, resonant writing. Participants will consider what makes personal narrative effective, including perspective, emotional honesty, structure, reflection, and connection with the reader. This workshop will help writers move beyond simply recounting experience and begin shaping memory into story with clarity, purpose, and emotional impact.

2:00 p.m.: To Share or Not to Share with Višnja Milidragović

Get tips and learn strategies for navigating the emotional, ethical, and practical challenges of sharing drafts with loved ones. Through examples, reflections, and discussion, participants will explore how to seek out and apply feedback without compromising authorial integrity with the help of memoirist and SFU's The Writer's Studio alum Višnja Milidragović.

TUESDAY May 12

9:00–10:00 a.m.: Writing Sprint

Start the day with some quiet writing time. A prompt will be provided.

11:00 a.m.: Interviewing as Excavation with Rachel Dunstan Muller

Whether you’re mining your own memories or interviewing other people, the right preparation will set you up for richer results. We’ll explore the use of open-ended prompts, silence, sensory recall, and other tools that will help you dig deeper, plus the value of triangulating accounts for accuracy.

2:00 p.m.: Top Ten Content Mistakes with Stephanie Watterson

Writer, editor, and podcaster Stephanie Waterson shares the top ten content mistakes she wishes she didn't have to edit in clients' works. Find solutions and learn what editors look out for!

WEDNESDAY May 13

9:00-10:00 a.m.: Writing Sprint

Start the day with some quiet writing time. A prompt will be provided.

11:00 a.m.: Memoir Structure with Dana Goldstein

Quell the chaos and clarify your work with memoirist, journalist, and novelist Dana Goldstein. This interactive presentation will help memoir writers in any stage of their manuscript figure out their theme, determine a structure and outline key points.

2:00–3:30 p.m.: Discussion and Q&A with Christina Myers

Details coming soon!

THURSDAY May 14

9:00–10:00 a.m.: Writing Sprint

Start the day with some quiet writing time. A prompt will be provided.

11:00 a.m.: Truth and Consequences: The Challenges of Memoir and Ethics with Christina Myers

When we write about our own lives, what kind of ethical framework should guide us? How do we work in the intersection of truth and creativity without straying into misleading embellishment and untruth? This session will include time for questions from participants.

2:00 p.m.: Memoir is Not a Life, it's a Lens with JJ Lee

Learn the braiding structures and techniques applied by memoirist and nonfiction anthology editor JJ Lee to integrate a wide range of nonfiction forms into one work of memoir.

FRIDAY May 15

9:00–10:00 a.m.: Writing Sprint

Start the day with some quiet writing time. A prompt will be provided.

11:00 a.m.: Keeping True Stories True with Lynne Melcombe

In this session, review how memory works, why nonfiction writers should never rely on memory alone, and how memoirists can ensure they're not unwittingly allowing inaccurate recollections to turn factual accounts of their lives into fictional flights of fancy.

2:00 p.m.: Exploration for Personal Narrative (Part 2) with Stella Harvey

Join Stella Harvey again to discuss and exchange feedback on personal narrative, and explore practical next steps for your work.

4:00 p.m.: Wrap-Up

A chance to chat with the new friends you made this week! We'll use breakout rooms so you can choose the discussion topics that interest you. To suggest a breakout room theme, email jennifer@bcwriters.ca.

ZOOM LINK

The Zoom link will be included in your registration confirmation and in follow-up reminders.

We will be using the same zoom link for the duration of the event.

Please watch your email for a confirmation of registration email.

If you do not receive your confirmation within 24 hours of registration, please check your spam folders.

Contact us at hello@bcwriters.ca if you have not received your confirmation by Thursday, May 7th to ensure we can get you the needed information.

RECORDINGS

Sessions (except social/discussion-based events) will be recorded and made available for 45 days after the last session.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Sessions will be a combination of talks, activities, and workshops.

The FBCW's statement of participant expectations applies in all settings. Please help us make this intensive a fun, safe experience for our presenters and community members by being respectful and considerate in your participation.

Most sessions will be 1 hour in length. Q&A may extend the session, but participants are not required to stay.

Participants are encouraged to have a pen and paper handy for all sessions.

RATES

FBCW MEMBERS: $69.50
GUEST: $89
SCHOLARSHIP: Limited scholarship-based discounts are available for those experiencing financial difficulties. Please email us at hello@bcwriters.ca to inquire.

POLICIES

RECORDINGS

Our presenters are provided with contracts that stipulate the length of time that recordings are available. We are obligated to respect these contracts. No extensions are possible.

Reach out if you have any tech challenges related to access of the recordings so that we can help you in the timeframe available.

REFUND POLICY

Full refunds will be issued up to April 30 at 11:59 p.m.

Refunds for half of registration fees will be be issued until May 9 at 11:59 p.m.

No refunds are possible after May 9 at 11:59 p.m. except in the case of severe illness, death, or other urgent situations determined on a case-by-case basis.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

We are an organization that cherishes the work of writers and artists. To that end, we ask that all participants respect the intellectual property of our presenters, recordings, and material shared. Do not reproduce or distribute Writing Intensive materials without written permission.

Similarly, if other participants share information or excerpts from their projects, please respect their intellectual property.

LIABILITY

In registering, participants understand and agree that the Federation of BC Writers (FBCW), its board, staff, presenters, and members are not liable for any damages or losses arising and waive any of the above from any and all liability.

The FBCW provides a space for presenters to share their experiences and insights with participants. The writing industry is a complex and ever-changing environment. As such, the FBCW does not endorse any specific information shared in our programming as being complete or accurate in all scenarios. Participants have a responsibility to research and make informed decisions on any information given or implied.

Difficult and triggering topics can arise as part of artistic practices that are unforeseeable for staff, volunteers, and other participants. The FBCW is not liable for any damages or harms caused by participating in our programming.

PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS

The FBCW is an organisation that celebrates diversity and inclusion; taking part in the program means that participants are expected to be respectful, inclusive, and support the dignity of all people regardless of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, language, ability, nationality, ability, health status, religion, and socioeconomic status. All people have identities that intersect the categories above. Examples of behaviour that undermine the above are: crude jokes, unwanted communication, statements minimising others’ experiences/histories, and threats.

Participants are expected to arrive a few minutes before sessions start. This allows for any technical issues to be resolved without the group being disrupted.

If a participant is late, we ask that they refrain from asking “what did I miss” type questions so that the event can proceed smoothly. Staff and facilitators will do the best they can to assist if vital information has been shared, but the recording should be able to resolve any questions of this nature.

We ask that participants be mindful of the amount of time they speak at events. All participants should have the ability to join in. Participants are expected to keep comments on topic and under a minute so that as many people as possible can participate.

Participants understand that if they are muted, it is not an intentional slight to them, but is needed to keep the session moving forward. Participants can be muted at the discretion of the FBCW facilitators.

Difficult topics can arise, and participants understand that we cannot always know or understand other people’s histories. To help make the space as welcoming and safe as possible, if a participant’s is to share information or read excerpts from works that contain certain themes (outlined below), they will identify this prior to reading it to the group. (e.g. sexual assault, extreme violence, self-harm/eating disorders/suicide ideation, abortion/miscarriage, mental illness, graphic adult content).

Participants are expected to understand, be sensitive to, and respect the fact that the work of writers, and their opportunity to read their work may be triggering and/or therapeutic to them. Artistic works require vulnerability and the safety to be vulnerable, especially with sensitive topics. Participants agree to do their best to maintain a safe and supportive space for the sharing of the work, regardless of its nature.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND ACCESSIBILITY

The Federation of BC Writers strives to make our events accessible to folks across ability and neurodivergence. We will do what we can to make our programming available to all people.

Our programming is based on zoom which means there are some limitations on what can be accomplished, but also advantages such as closed captioning and the ability to join from anywhere.

Accommodations are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Accommodations that would significantly hinder the ability of other participants to be involved or participate are not possible.

Some accommodations may be beyond our financial and administrative capabilities. In such cases, we will seek funding or alternatives if possible.

Sessions normally last for an hour. Participants are welcome to step way from their computers if they need to while turning off their camera and microphone, but we will not be able to fill people in on what they missed. Participants are asked to return to the recording in such instances.

May 2026 Member Orientation (24 May 2026)

Sun, 24 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Whether you’re a new FBCW member or a seasoned member who wants a refresher, join us for Member Orientation! We’ll be discussing member benefits, focusing on ways that the FBCW members can: Learn, Write, Connect, and Promote. Find out about the latest events, writing sprints, how to get involved, and where to get the information you seek.

The orientation overview will take about 20 minutes, and then there will be 10 minutes for questions at the end (30 minutes total).

Digital Doors Open at 9:55 AM, Event Starts at 10:00 AM Pacific Time

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.

Evening Webinar: Desire, Difficulty, Decision: A Big-Picture Revision Toolkit with Tara Avery (28 May 2026)

Fri, 29 May 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Desire, Difficulty, Decision: A Big-Picture Revision Toolkit

with Tara Avery

Member Price: $18

Non-Member Price is $28

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.

Workshop/Event Description

Before jumping into polishing scenes or rearranging chapters, it helps to know whether the core elements of your story are working: what your character wants, what makes that desire difficult, and what meaningful decision the story ultimately demands.

Through short guided exercises, you’ll use three practical questions to examine plot, character, stakes, and emotional arc. What is driving the story forward? What obstacles, pressures, or costs make the journey matter? And what does the character choose or do by the end that they could not have done at the beginning?

You’ll leave with a clearer sense of your draft’s big-picture strengths and gaps, plus one focused next step for revision. Bring a story, novel, memoir, essay, or narrative nonfiction project to work with.

Intended Audience:

Writers of any skill level

Bio:

Tara Avery has worked as a writer, editor, and writing coach for over twenty years. She holds a BFA in Theatre, Film, and Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. In 2025, she was a finalist for the Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence. Tara is the Chair of Editors BC and the President of the Board of the Federation of BC Writers. She believes in the power of words to inspire, unite, and entertain. Mostly, she’s thrilled that she’s achieved her childhood dream of working with them for a living.

Find her online at taraavery.com.

Evening Webinar: Setting our Stories in Canada with Erik D'Souza (2 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Setting our Stories in Canada

with Erik D'Souza

Member Price: $18

Non-Member Price is $28

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.

Workshop/Event Description

Should you set your stories in Canada? It depends on your writing goals. If you want to hit the NY Times Best Sellers list or sell 1000s of books on Amazon, could a Canadian setting hold you back?
Erik interviewed top BC authors, including Sam Wiebe and Robyn Harding, and will share their insights.

Key Takeaways

Whether Canadian‑set books sell to American audiences
Publishers' openness to Canadian settings
The pros and cons of self-published authors using Canadian settings

Intended Audience:

Writers of any skill level

Bio:

Erik D'Souza is an author, publisher, and podcaster residing in Port Moody. His writing portfolio is diverse, encompassing mystery novels, creative non-fiction, and anthologies. He is currently working on "The Suzanne Rickson Mystery Series," set on the Sunshine Coast of BC, featuring a charming and resourceful senior sleuth.

In addition to his writing, Erik serves as the Marketing and Communications Manager for Crime Writers of Canada and hosts their popular podcast (Crime Writers of Canada Podcast). He is the President of the Tri-City Wordsmiths, a local writing group that organizes an annual Literary festival, and he hosts the popular reading series "Writers in Our Midst" at the Port Moody Library.

Writer Talk: With Bestselling Canadian Author K.A. Tucker (3 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Writer Talk: With K.A. Tucker
Free, or by donation

Event Description

WRITER TALK is our new live interview series designed to pull back the golden curtain on the publishing world. Casual chitchat—not a workshop or webinar—a low-key Q&A between host and guest where you can bring your writing and publishing questions.

Each session features a guest from within this crazy industry—writers of all career stages repping a variety of genres and styles, successfully published authors, freelance and publishing house editors, agents, publicists, and other book-world professionals—in a candid chat meant to inform and inspire. We’ll dig into the real questions we all have about how to go from page 1 to published.

Digital doors open at 6:55 pm!

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.

About our Guest:

K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.

She is the internationally bestselling author of over thirty books, including Ten Tiny Breaths, The Simple Wild, and the Fate & Flame series, Until It Fades, Say You Still Love Me, and Keep Her Safe. Her books have been featured in national publications, including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher's Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.

K.A. lives outside of Toronto. When she's not writing, you can find her reading recipes she'll never make or chasing rabbits away from her hostas.

She can be found online at www.katuckerbooks.com, as well as on Facebook and Instagram.

Pick up her latest book

Here

After the initial Q&A, attendees will have the opportunity to ask their own questions and join the discussion. If you’ve ever wanted to sit in on the kinds of conversations that usually happen behind closed doors, then we shall save you a spot!

If you have a topic burning a hole in your brain, drop me an email at jennifer@bcwriters.ca, and I will do my best to find an expert to sit in our very comfy, not-at-all-hot seat.

June Writers' Social (9 Jun 2026)

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Join us for a Writers' Social on Tuesday, June 9, from 7:00 - 8:15 PM Pacific by registering here and a Zoom link for the event will be emailed to you.

Many of us strive for connection with other writers. This monthly members-only event is designed to help bring us together for casual chats, with Breakout Rooms for specific topics, genres, and niches. Join us for 75 minutes of craft, career, and connection talk, with the chance to meet new people and get the most out of being a part of the FBCW.

Below are the proposed discussion groups for this month's meeting (subject to change). Please email hello@bcwriters.ca if you would like to suggest a discussion topic for an upcoming meeting. See you there!

Discussion Groups:

All about poetry
Editing and revision
Children's books / picture books
What are you reading? Current reads, favourite books
Memoir writers connect
Non-fiction writers connect (travel writing, journalism/reporting, research, etc)
Connecting writers with chronic illnesses
Romance writers
Traditional publishing chat (publishers, queries, finding an agent, etc.)
Self-publishing chat
Writing and visual arts (film, theatre, photo essays)
General writing discussion

This event is exclusive to FBCW members. If you’re not a member yet, we would love to have you join us. You can find out more about membership at https://www.bcwriters.ca/benefits.

Digital doors open at 6:55 PM. Event starts at 7:00 PM Pacific.

June 2026 Member Orientation (12 Jun 2026)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 19:00:00 GMT

The orientation overview will take about 20 minutes, and then there will be 10 minutes for questions at the end (30 minutes total).

Digital Doors Open at 11:55 AM, Event Starts at Noon Pacific Time

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.

Writer Talk: With Award-Winning Author Gabrielle Prendergast (17 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Writer Talk: With Gabrielle Prendergast
Free, or by donation

Event Description

Digital doors open at 6:55 pm!

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.

About our Guest:

G. S. (Gabrielle) Prendergast is the bestselling author of numerous books for children and teens. Her books have received nominations for the White Pine Award, the Silver Birch Award, the Canadian Library Association Award, the Vancouver Book Prize, and several other honors. She won the BC Book Prize for her YA sci-fi Zero Repeat Forever and the Westchester Award for her YA novel in verse Audacious. Born in the UK and both an Australian and New Zealand citizen, Gabrielle now writes and works as a children’s book editor and lives in East Vancouver in a permanent state of “under-construction."

She can be found online at gsprendergast.com.

Pick up Gabrielle's latest book

Here

Writing Intensive: Edit Trek - The Next Iteration (22 Jun 2026)

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Last year, we held our first Editing focused Writing Intensive and you told us it was a hit! We are excited to share that it is coming back for a second pass, with new workshops and learnings. While this even does not require any prior knowledge or attendance, we are excited to share that we will be sending out highlights from last year's recordings as a bonus to everyone who signs up.

Join us for five days of online learning from June 22 to 26, 2026.

ABOUT

EDIT TREK: THE NEXT ITERATION is a weeklong online editing intensive focused on the messy, necessary, deeply transformative work of revision.

Running via Zoom from June 22 to 26, this editing- and revision-focused intensive will help writers look beyond the first draft and into the real craft of shaping, strengthening, and polishing a manuscript. With sessions offered at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Pacific, participants can choose from a range of workshops, talks, and discussions led by editors, authors, and publishing professionals with different areas of expertise.

Revision is not one single pass through a manuscript. It is a process of discovery, diagnosis, decision-making, and refinement. Whether a writer is revising their first short story, preparing a novel for submission, reworking a memoir, polishing poems, strengthening nonfiction, or returning to a long-abandoned project, this intensive will offer practical tools and thoughtful guidance for every stage of the journey.

Sessions will explore the full arc of revision, from big-picture structural work to scene-level refinement, character development, pacing, clarity, language, self-editing strategies, working with feedback, choosing beta readers, participating in critique groups, and understanding when a manuscript may be ready for professional editing or submission.

Designed for writers at all levels and career stages, EDIT TREK: THE NEXT ITERATION invites participants to approach revision not as punishment for an imperfect first draft, but as the creative process that turns raw material into a stronger, clearer, more compelling piece of writing.

Bring your questions, your courage, your problem chapters, your half-solved endings, your overstuffed middles, your comma anxieties, and your willingness to see the work anew. The next draft is where the real adventure begins.

EVENT SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

All times are in Pacific (Vancouver) time

MON, JUNE 22

TUES, JUNE 23

WEDS, JUNE 24

THURS, JUNE 25

FRI, JUNE 26

11:00 a.m.

TECH and Welcome (Bryan)

11:00 a.m.

SPRINT w/ PROMPTS (Bryan/Jenn)

11:00 a.m.

SPRINT w/ PROMPTS (Bryan/Jenn)

11:00 a.m.

SPRINT w/ PROMPTS (Bryan/Jenn)

11:00 a.m.

SPRINT w/ PROMPTS

(Jenn)

2 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

2 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

2 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

2 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

2 p.m.

PANEL DISCUSSION

7 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

7 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

7 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

7 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

4 p.m.

Social

Presentations will be recorded and available to registrants for 45 days after the intensive. The recordings will all be emailed at once, within a week of the end of the intensive. Socials and writing sprints will not be recorded.

DETAILED SCHEDULE: Full Schedule coming soon!

ZOOM LINK

The Zoom link will be included in your registration confirmation and in follow-up reminders.

We will be using the same zoom link for the duration of the event.

Please watch your email for a confirmation of registration email.

If you do not receive your confirmation within 24 hours of registration, please check your spam folders.

Contact us at hello@bcwriters.ca if you have not received your confirmation by Thursday, June 18th to ensure we can get you the needed information.

RECORDINGS

Sessions (except social/discussion-based events) will be recorded and made available for 45 days after the last session.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Sessions will be a combination of talks, activities, and workshops.

The FBCW's statement of participant expectations applies in all settings. Please help us make this intensive a fun, safe experience for our presenters and community members by being respectful and considerate in your participation.

Most sessions will be 1 hour in length. Q&A may extend the session, but participants are not required to stay.

Participants are encouraged to have a pen and paper handy for all sessions.

RATES

FBCW MEMBERS: $69.50
GUEST: $89
SCHOLARSHIP: Limited scholarship-based discounts are available for those experiencing financial difficulties. Please email us at hello@bcwriters.ca to inquire.

POLICIES

RECORDINGS

Our presenters are provided with contracts that stipulate the length of time that recordings are available. We are obligated to respect these contracts. No extensions are possible.

Reach out if you have any tech challenges related to access of the recordings so that we can help you in the timeframe available.

REFUND POLICY

Full refunds will be issued up to June 12th at 11:59 p.m.

Refunds for half of registration fees will be be issued until June 19th at 11:59 p.m.

No refunds are possible after June 19 at 11:59 p.m. except in the case of severe illness, death, or other urgent situations determined on a case-by-case basis.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

We are an organization that cherishes the work of writers and artists. To that end, we ask that all participants respect the intellectual property of our presenters, recordings, and material shared. Do not reproduce or distribute Writing Intensive materials without written permission.

Similarly, if other participants share information or excerpts from their projects, please respect their intellectual property.

LIABILITY

In registering, participants understand and agree that the Federation of BC Writers (FBCW), its board, staff, presenters, and members are not liable for any damages or losses arising and waive any of the above from any and all liability.

The FBCW provides a space for presenters to share their experiences and insights with participants. The writing industry is a complex and ever-changing environment. As such, the FBCW does not endorse any specific information shared in our programming as being complete or accurate in all scenarios. Participants have a responsibility to research and make informed decisions on any information given or implied.

Difficult and triggering topics can arise as part of artistic practices that are unforeseeable for staff, volunteers, and other participants. The FBCW is not liable for any damages or harms caused by participating in our programming.

PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS

The FBCW is an organisation that celebrates diversity and inclusion; taking part in the program means that participants are expected to be respectful, inclusive, and support the dignity of all people regardless of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, language, ability, nationality, ability, health status, religion, and socioeconomic status. All people have identities that intersect the categories above. Examples of behaviour that undermine the above are: crude jokes, unwanted communication, statements minimising others’ experiences/histories, and threats.

Participants are expected to arrive a few minutes before sessions start. This allows for any technical issues to be resolved without the group being disrupted.

If a participant is late, we ask that they refrain from asking “what did I miss” type questions so that the event can proceed smoothly. Staff and facilitators will do the best they can to assist if vital information has been shared, but the recording should be able to resolve any questions of this nature.

We ask that participants be mindful of the amount of time they speak at events. All participants should have the ability to join in. Participants are expected to keep comments on topic and under a minute so that as many people as possible can participate.

Participants understand that if they are muted, it is not an intentional slight to them, but is needed to keep the session moving forward. Participants can be muted at the discretion of the FBCW facilitators.

Difficult topics can arise, and participants understand that we cannot always know or understand other people’s histories. To help make the space as welcoming and safe as possible, if a participant’s is to share information or read excerpts from works that contain certain themes (outlined below), they will identify this prior to reading it to the group. (e.g. sexual assault, extreme violence, self-harm/eating disorders/suicide ideation, abortion/miscarriage, mental illness, graphic adult content).

Participants are expected to understand, be sensitive to, and respect the fact that the work of writers, and their opportunity to read their work may be triggering and/or therapeutic to them. Artistic works require vulnerability and the safety to be vulnerable, especially with sensitive topics. Participants agree to do their best to maintain a safe and supportive space for the sharing of the work, regardless of its nature.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND ACCESSIBILITY

The Federation of BC Writers strives to make our events accessible to folks across ability and neurodivergence. We will do what we can to make our programming available to all people.

Our programming is based on zoom which means there are some limitations on what can be accomplished, but also advantages such as closed captioning and the ability to join from anywhere.

Accommodations are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Accommodations that would significantly hinder the ability of other participants to be involved or participate are not possible.

Some accommodations may be beyond our financial and administrative capabilities. In such cases, we will seek funding or alternatives if possible.

Sessions normally last for an hour. Participants are welcome to step way from their computers if they need to while turning off their camera and microphone, but we will not be able to fill people in on what they missed. Participants are asked to return to the recording in such instances.

Sunday Webinar: A Novelist's Guide to Writing Memoir with Darren Groth (28 Jun 2026)

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 21:00:00 GMT

A Novelist's Guide to Writing Memoir

with Darren Groth

Member Price: $18

Non-Member Price is $28

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.

Workshop/Event Description

A short exploration of novel-writing techniques that prove useful, and at times even essential in a first-time journey penning memoir. This 90-minute session showcases 5 novel-writing techniques that don't just translate to memoir, but make it sing.

Key Takeaways

Observing real people and their narratives through the lens of character
Bringing novel-like structure to a real-life story, filtering through an overarching motif and/or theme
Using literary craft to turn the factual into the beautiful
Employing novelistic authenticity to fill gaps in the memory
Engineering reader emotion with a novelist’s sensibility

Intended audience:

Writers of any skill level

Bio:

Described as a “masterful writer” and “brilliant storyteller”, Darren Groth is the internationally published author of works including Are You Seeing Me?, Munro vs. the Coyote, Boy in the Blue Hammock, and his upcoming collection of personal essays, Marooned: A Memoir of Fandom, Fatherhood and the Far Side of the World. He is an Adelaide Festival Award for Literature winner and has been nominated for numerous other prestigious prizes, among them the Governor General’s Literary Awards, the BC & Yukon Book Prizes, the OLA White Pine Award, the CBCA Book of the Year (Australia), and the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards (Australia).

Darren is a passionate advocate for the intellectual disability community, and is the proud father of a son with life-long cognitive and communication challenges. When he’s not watching American Ninja Warrior with his beautiful wife, he’s eating Fatburger with his wondrous twins.

For more information, visit his website: https://darrengroth.com/

Pick up Darren's latest book

Here

Digital doors open at 1:55 pm, event starts at 2:00 pm

July Writers' Social (14 Jul 2026)

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Join us for a Writers' Social on Tuesday, July 14, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM Pacific by registering here and a Zoom link for the event will be emailed to you.

Discussion Groups:

All about poetry
Editing and revision
Children's books / picture books
What are you reading? Current reads, favourite books
Memoir writers connect
Non-fiction writers connect (travel writing, journalism/reporting, research, etc)
Connecting writers with chronic illnesses
Romance writers
Traditional publishing chat (publishers, queries, finding an agent, etc)
Self-publishing chat
Writing and visual arts (film, theatre, photo essays)
General writing discussion

This event is exclusive to FBCW members. If you’re not a member yet, we would love to have you join us. You can find out more about membership at https://www.bcwriters.ca/benefits.

Digital doors open at 6:55 PM. Event starts at 7:00 PM Pacific.

July 2026 Member Orientation (15 Jul 2026)

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:00:00 GMT

The orientation overview will take about 20 minutes, and then there will be 10 minutes for questions at the end (30 minutes total).

Digital Doors Open at 1:55 PM, Event Starts at 2:00 PM Pacific Time

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.

Writer Talk: With Literary Agent Jennifer Chevais (15 Jul 2026)

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Writer Talk: With Jennifer Chevais
Free, or by donation

Event Description

Digital doors open at 6:55 pm!

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.

About our Guest:

Literary agent Jennifer Chevais is a generalist with a strong interest in commercial horror, speculative fiction, as well as children’s fiction and “just the right fit” nonfiction projects. As a generalist she is primarily drawn to character-driven stories peopled by characters so strong they'll either break your heart or pull it right out of your body.

She can be found online at www.therightsfactory.com/Agents/jennifer-chevais.

Writing Intensive: Easy, Breezy Beach Reads (20 Jul 2026)

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join us for five days of online learning from July 20 to 24, 2026.

ABOUT

EASY BREEZY BEACH READS is a weeklong online writing intensive focused on the craft, discipline, and deceptive difficulty of writing books that feel effortless to read. Beach reads are often described as “light,” but lightness is not the same as simplicity. Just because something is an easier read does not mean it is an easy write.

While each session is designed to stand alone, the overall writing intensive has been carefully curated to offer a range of practical craft lessons that build toward a cohesive and rewarding learning experience. Participants will explore the invisible engineering behind page-turners.

In a crowded and competitive field, quality matters. Readers may arrive looking for pleasure, escape, humour, romance, reinvention, or emotional release, but they stay because the writing is doing its job with precision. This program will also consider how serious themes—grief, class, power, identity, aging, desire, and transformation—can live inside accessible, pleasurable stories.

Designed for writers at all levels and career stages, EASY BREEZY BEACH READS invites participants to take light reading seriously as a demanding and rewarding craft. Bring your sunny premises, messy protagonists, half-built hooks, unresolved secrets, emotional undertow, and respect for the reader. The book may feel easy in their hands—but on the page, every effortless moment has to earn its place.

EVENT SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

All times are in Pacific (Vancouver) time

MON, JUNE 22

TUES, JUNE 23

WEDS, JUNE 24

THURS, JUNE 25

FRI, JUNE 26

11:00 a.m.

TECH and Welcome (Bryan)

11:00 a.m.

SPRINT w/ PROMPTS (Bryan/Jenn)

11:00 a.m.

SPRINT w/ PROMPTS (Bryan/Jenn)

11:00 a.m.

SPRINT w/ PROMPTS (Bryan/Jenn)

11:00 a.m.

SPRINT w/ PROMPTS

(Jenn)

2 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

2 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

2 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

2 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

2 p.m.

PANEL DISCUSSION

7 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

7 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

7 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

7 p.m.

Workshop /

Session

4 p.m.

Social

Presentations will be recorded and available to registrants for 45 days after the intensive. The recordings will all be emailed at once, within a week of the end of the intensive. Socials and writing sprints will not be recorded.

DETAILED SCHEDULE: Full Schedule coming soon!

ZOOM LINK

The Zoom link will be included in your registration confirmation and in follow-up reminders.

We will be using the same zoom link for the duration of the event.

Please watch your email for a confirmation of registration email.

If you do not receive your confirmation within 24 hours of registration, please check your spam folders.

Contact us at hello@bcwriters.ca if you have not received your confirmation by Thursday, July 16th to ensure we can get you the needed information.

RECORDINGS

Sessions (except social/discussion-based events) will be recorded and made available for 45 days after the last session.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Sessions will be a combination of talks, activities, and workshops.

The FBCW's statement of participant expectations applies in all settings. Please help us make this intensive a fun, safe experience for our presenters and community members by being respectful and considerate in your participation.

Most sessions will be 1 hour in length. Q&A may extend the session, but participants are not required to stay.

Participants are encouraged to have a pen and paper handy for all sessions.

RATES

FBCW MEMBERS: $69.50
GUEST: $89
SCHOLARSHIP: Limited scholarship-based discounts are available for those experiencing financial difficulties. Please email us at hello@bcwriters.ca to inquire.

POLICIES

RECORDINGS

Our presenters are provided with contracts that stipulate the length of time that recordings are available. We are obligated to respect these contracts. No extensions are possible.

Reach out if you have any tech challenges related to access of the recordings so that we can help you in the timeframe available.

REFUND POLICY

Full refunds will be issued up to July 3rd at 11:59 p.m.

Refunds for half of registration fees will be be issued until July 17th at 11:59 p.m.

No refunds are possible after July 17th at 11:59 p.m. except in the case of severe illness, death, or other urgent situations determined on a case-by-case basis.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

We are an organization that cherishes the work of writers and artists. To that end, we ask that all participants respect the intellectual property of our presenters, recordings, and material shared. Do not reproduce or distribute Writing Intensive materials without written permission.

Similarly, if other participants share information or excerpts from their projects, please respect their intellectual property.

LIABILITY

In registering, participants understand and agree that the Federation of BC Writers (FBCW), its board, staff, presenters, and members are not liable for any damages or losses arising and waive any of the above from any and all liability.

The FBCW provides a space for presenters to share their experiences and insights with participants. The writing industry is a complex and ever-changing environment. As such, the FBCW does not endorse any specific information shared in our programming as being complete or accurate in all scenarios. Participants have a responsibility to research and make informed decisions on any information given or implied.

Difficult and triggering topics can arise as part of artistic practices that are unforeseeable for staff, volunteers, and other participants. The FBCW is not liable for any damages or harms caused by participating in our programming.

PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS

The FBCW is an organisation that celebrates diversity and inclusion; taking part in the program means that participants are expected to be respectful, inclusive, and support the dignity of all people regardless of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, language, ability, nationality, ability, health status, religion, and socioeconomic status. All people have identities that intersect the categories above. Examples of behaviour that undermine the above are: crude jokes, unwanted communication, statements minimising others’ experiences/histories, and threats.

Participants are expected to arrive a few minutes before sessions start. This allows for any technical issues to be resolved without the group being disrupted.

If a participant is late, we ask that they refrain from asking “what did I miss” type questions so that the event can proceed smoothly. Staff and facilitators will do the best they can to assist if vital information has been shared, but the recording should be able to resolve any questions of this nature.

We ask that participants be mindful of the amount of time they speak at events. All participants should have the ability to join in. Participants are expected to keep comments on topic and under a minute so that as many people as possible can participate.

Participants understand that if they are muted, it is not an intentional slight to them, but is needed to keep the session moving forward. Participants can be muted at the discretion of the FBCW facilitators.

Difficult topics can arise, and participants understand that we cannot always know or understand other people’s histories. To help make the space as welcoming and safe as possible, if a participant’s is to share information or read excerpts from works that contain certain themes (outlined below), they will identify this prior to reading it to the group. (e.g. sexual assault, extreme violence, self-harm/eating disorders/suicide ideation, abortion/miscarriage, mental illness, graphic adult content).

Participants are expected to understand, be sensitive to, and respect the fact that the work of writers, and their opportunity to read their work may be triggering and/or therapeutic to them. Artistic works require vulnerability and the safety to be vulnerable, especially with sensitive topics. Participants agree to do their best to maintain a safe and supportive space for the sharing of the work, regardless of its nature.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND ACCESSIBILITY

The Federation of BC Writers strives to make our events accessible to folks across ability and neurodivergence. We will do what we can to make our programming available to all people.

Our programming is based on zoom which means there are some limitations on what can be accomplished, but also advantages such as closed captioning and the ability to join from anywhere.

Accommodations are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Accommodations that would significantly hinder the ability of other participants to be involved or participate are not possible.

Some accommodations may be beyond our financial and administrative capabilities. In such cases, we will seek funding or alternatives if possible.

Sessions normally last for an hour. Participants are welcome to step way from their computers if they need to while turning off their camera and microphone, but we will not be able to fill people in on what they missed. Participants are asked to return to the recording in such instances.

August Writers' Social (11 Aug 2026)

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Join us for a Writers' Social on Tuesday, August 11, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM Pacific by registering here and a Zoom link for the event will be emailed to you.

Discussion Groups:

All about poetry
Editing and revision
Children's books / picture books
What are you reading? Current reads, favourite books
Memoir writers connect
Non-fiction writers connect (travel writing, journalism/reporting, research, etc)
Connecting writers with chronic illnesses
Romance writers
Traditional publishing chat (publishers, queries, finding an agent, etc)
Self-publishing chat
Writing and visual arts (film, theatre, photo essays)
General writing discussion

This event is exclusive to FBCW members. If you’re not a member yet, we would love to have you join us. You can find out more about membership at https://www.bcwriters.ca/benefits.

Digital doors open at 6:55 PM. Event starts at 7:00 PM Pacific.

August 2026 Member Orientation (14 Aug 2026)

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 19:00:00 GMT

The orientation overview will take about 20 minutes, and then there will be 10 minutes for questions at the end (30 minutes total).

Digital Doors Open at 11:55 AM, Event Starts at Noon Pacific Time

**This event will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants within a week of the session. The recording will be available for 45 days.