FBCW upcoming events

Enrolled: Crime and Mystery Writing (4-week course), with Jonathan Whitelaw (13 Oct 2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 02:00:00 GMT

FBCW Enrolled: CRIME AND MYSTERY WRITING: A DEEP DIVE, with Jonathan Whitelaw

Member price: $120 CAD (That's just $30 a session!)

Non-member price: $170 CAD

**This series will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants each week after the session. The recordings will be available for 45 days.

If you signed up after week one and are missing any recordings, please email hello@bcwriters.ca and let us know which sessions you are missing.

NOTE: Because this is a series of ongoing sessions, there will not be reminder emails about the individual sessions. This series uses the same Zoom link each week. We suggest saving the Zoom link in a calendar event, a Word Document, or the Notes app.

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

Every great crime novel starts with a question: What really happened? Over four weeks, award-winning crime and mystery author Jonathan Whitelaw guides students through the essential craft of mystery and crime writing, from finding your voice and building a compelling detective to plotting a twist-filled case and laying the red herrings that keep readers guessing. Along the way, we'll explore how setting and time period shape a mystery's atmosphere, and close with an insider's look at the publishing side of the genre, including what agents and editors want and where crime fiction is headed next.

Each week includes optional writing prompts, giving students the chance to put new techniques into practice and get feedback from the group. Whether you're starting your first manuscript or refining a work in progress, this course offers a practical, supportive introduction to writing mysteries that hook readers from the first page.

Join us on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m., October 6 to October 27, for this fun, fast-paced series on how to take your crime and mystery writing to the next level.

Dates and time, all via Zoom:

Tuesdays, October 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2026, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Weekly topics may include:

Week 1: We'll discuss: What makes a mystery and crime novel? What are the sub-genres? How to find your voice as a crime and mystery writer. And finally, what makes the perfect detective? There's also the first completely noncompulsory assignment for the class, usually a prompt relating to what we've talked about and a chance for people to have a go at some writing between sessions.

Week 2: We'll talk about where to get ideas for murder/mystery plots and how to develop these from the first spark to putting something down on the page. Students will also have a chance to reflect on the different subgenres of crime and we will discuss how your plots, characters, setting, etc., have to fit the "style." Week two is also the first chance to discuss week 1's assignment.

Week 3: We'll talk about what a "red herring" is in mystery fiction and how it's an important aspect of any and every crime plot. We'll dive into the importance of location to mystery stories, whether that's literal location (city vs. rural) or the time period.

Week 4: A look at the "mystery writer's mentality," which is a recap of everything we've talked about. Jonathan will also examine and share the professional and industry side of mystery writing: what agents do, what publishers are looking for, what the industry is expecting/looking for, as well as expected trends in mystery writing in 2027 and beyond.

Bio:

Jonathan Whitelaw is an award-winning author, journalist and broadcaster. After working on the frontline of Scottish politics, he moved into journalism. Subjects he’s covered have varied from breaking news, the arts, culture and sport to fashion, music and even radioactive waste—with everything in between. Jonathan’s work has appeared in The Sun, Daily Mail, Scotsman, STV, and The Scots Magazine as well as numerous international newspapers and websites. He is also a regular contributor to both BBC and CBC. He is a multi-published author of the Bingo Hall Detectives series as well as his latest release, All At Sea, available now from HarperCollins.

For more info about Jonathan, follow him on Instagram, @jdwhitelaw13, or visit www.northbanktalent.com/clients/jonathan-whitelaw.

October Writers' Social (13 Oct 2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Join us on Tuesday, October 13, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM Pacific for our monthly Writers' Social.

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 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). Email hello@bcwriters.ca to suggest a discussion topic for an upcoming Writers' Social.

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 on our benefits page. Email hello@bcwriters.ca with any questions about joining.

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

Thursday Evening Webinar: Picture Book Workshop, with Gabrielle Prendergast (15 Oct 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Thursday Evening Webinar: Picture Book Workshop with award-winning author and Orca Books Editor Gabrielle Prendergast

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:

This seminar will cover the “Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How” of picture books for children. With instruction and optional homework exploring types of picture books, literary devices in picture books, and where to find inspiration for picture books, we will discuss examples and analyze different techniques and styles.

We will also discuss the picture book publishing process, including querying publishers and working with illustrators. Attendees will leave with the tools to try their hand at writing picture book manuscripts suited to today’s market.

Gabrielle has provided a Reading List for this workshop for registrants who want to familiarize themselves with the concepts and techniques to be discussed. List is included below.

About the presenter:

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 honours. 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, The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt

**Digital doors open at 6:55 p.m. Event starts at 7:00 p.m.**

READING LIST:

Picture Book Workshop with Gabrielle Prendergast

Reading List

The Ugly Dumpling by Stephanie Campisi

Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen

The Big Honey Hunt (Berenstain Bears) by Stan and Jan Berenstain

The Book with No Pictures by B. J. Novak

Press Here by Hervé Tullet

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch

Sheep in Wolves' Clothing by Satoshi Kitamura

This Story Is Not About a Kitten by Randall de Sève

Ish by Peter H. Reynolds

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

If Pluto Was a Pea by Gabrielle Prendergast

Say Goodnight by Helen Oxenbury

I Want To Be An Astronaut by Byron Barton

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Go Sloth Go by Gabrielle Prendergast

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman

The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier

Blackout by John Rocco

When Isaac Hears the Rain by Julie Thompson

I’m Here by Peter H. Reynolds

Dear Polar Bears by Gabrielle Prendergast

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French

Sienna’s Scrapbook by Toni Trent Parker

Extra! Extra! Fairy-Tale News From Hidden Forest by Alma Flor Ada

Simone Biles: Who HQ Illustrated Biography by Crystal Hubbard

Meet the Cephalopods by Celia Svedhem

Little Volcano by Johanna Wagstaffe

One, Two, I Love You by Julie Thompson

123 Counting on Community by Annemarie Guertin

ABC Who Can She Be? by Sugar Snap Studio

Four Furious Flamingos by Kelly Bourne

ABC of Equality by Channa Giselle Ewing

One Tiny Treefrog by Tony Piedra and Mackenzie Joy

The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith

Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

Nature’s Partners by Eugenia Perrella

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss

Go, Dog. Go! by P. D. Eastman

The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz

Saturday Webinar: Author Newsletters: Platforms and Practical Tips to Build Your Subscriber List, with Elizabeth Oldham (17 Oct 2026)

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Saturday Morning Webinar: Author Newsletters: Platforms and Practical Tips to Build Your Subscriber List, with Elizabeth Oldham

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:

An author newsletter is a necessary component in any author’s writing platform. But how do authors start, and how do they gain readers?

This workshop will review several successful author newsletters and discuss the different platforms and approaches they use. Attendees will learn about tools to gain new readers, how to ensure that they are delivering what the reader expects, and how to use the newsletter as a marketing tool. We will dive into the challenges of maintaining a newsletter, and attendees will participate in an exercise designed to plan a newsletter launch, including: 1) which platform is right for them; 2) what messages they want to convey in their newsletter (aside from, “Buy my books!”); and 3) what value they can offer their readers.

Attendees will learn:

1. Advantages and disadvantages of different newsletter platforms;

2. The importance of motivation in determining an individual's approach to newsletters;

3. The definition of success is up to the author;

4. How to use tools to increase subscribers; and

5. How to find the right audience.

About the presenter

Elizabeth Oldham, a lifelong writer, resides in Castlegar with her husband, assorted chickens, and a crazed rescue dog. She has published two novels with unique narrators: a dog, for example, and a woman with dementia. Her first novel, Tail of Humanity, published in 2023, was a finalist for the 2023 Best Book Awards and shortlisted for the 2024 Whistler Independent Book Award. Her second novel, Shadows on the Heart, came out in March 2025.

Follow Elizabeth online:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Substack

Buy her books:

**Digital doors open at 9:55 a.m. Event starts at 10:00 a.m.**

Sunday Webinar: Keeping Writing Thrilling, with Angela Douglas (18 Oct 2026)

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Sunday Webinar: KEEPING WRITING THRILLING, with Angela Douglas, award-winning thriller author and founder of Eyes on Books

Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific/Vancouver)

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 great premise may hook a reader, but sustained tension keeps them turning pages. In this session, Angela Douglas breaks down the essential elements of suspense and demonstrates how to keep readers engaged long after the opening chapter. From pacing and escalation to red herrings, reveals, and cliffhangers, you'll learn practical techniques for creating the kind of story readers can't put down and can't stop thinking about after they've finished!

Intended audience:

Writers of any skill level

About Angela:

Angela Douglas is an award-winning Canadian author of psychological thrillers, based in the Okanagan. Her debut novel, EVERY FALL, has been recognized by the Crime Writers of Canada Excellence Awards, the Canadian Book Club Awards, the Pen Craft Awards, and the National Indie Excellence Awards. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers of Canada, the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Sisters in Crime.

She is also the founder of Eyes on Books, a Book Marketing Hub. When she isn’t working or hanging out with her family, she hides in her studio, writing. Her latest psychological thriller, THE MENTOR, came out in September, and will be released in audiobook format on October 27, 2026.

Learn more about THE MENTOR here!

Grab your copy here: https://www.Books2Read.com/TheMentor

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

October 2026 Member Orientation (19 Oct 2026)

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 21:00:00 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 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 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.

Have a question that can't wait for orientation? Email hello@bcwriters.ca

Monday Night Reading Event: Dark Fiction Spotlight! (19 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Monday Night Reading Event: Dark Fiction Spotlight

Event is free to the public. (Donations to FBCW always welcome and so appreciated.)

Event Description

Just in time for Halloween!

Date/time: Monday, October 19, 2026 at 7:00 pm PCT

Join us for the second annual Dark Fiction Spotlight reading event, featuring the FBCW’s Dark Fiction Writing Circle!

Readers Kelli Etheridge (group facilitator), Louise Dumayne, Desiree Friesen, Max Goldsmith, Kim Harbridge, Rebecca Cremini, Ennis Lucy, Kristyn Pacione, and Ernst Wiebe will share their best tiny terrors and excerpts from longer, even more blood-chilling works.

Once you've registered, a link will be sent to you. When it’s time for the event, click on the link to join the live Zoom event. To find out more about the FBCW’s online Writing Circles, visit https://bcwriters.ca/circles.

For more information about the Dark Fiction Writers:

www.darkfictionwriters.com

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.

Enrolled: Crime and Mystery Writing (4-week course), with Jonathan Whitelaw (20 Oct 2026)

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:00:00 GMT

FBCW Enrolled: CRIME AND MYSTERY WRITING: A DEEP DIVE, with Jonathan Whitelaw

Member price: $120 CAD (That's just $30 a session!)

Non-member price: $170 CAD

**This series will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants each week after the session. The recordings will be available for 45 days.

If you signed up after week one and are missing any recordings, please email hello@bcwriters.ca and let us know which sessions you are missing.

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

Join us on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m., October 6 to October 27, for this fun, fast-paced series on how to take your crime and mystery writing to the next level.

Dates and time, all via Zoom:

Tuesdays, October 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2026, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Weekly topics may include:

Bio:

For more info about Jonathan, follow him on Instagram, @jdwhitelaw13, or visit www.northbanktalent.com/clients/jonathan-whitelaw.

Enrolled: Crime and Mystery Writing (4-week course), with Jonathan Whitelaw (27 Oct 2026)

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 02:00:00 GMT

FBCW Enrolled: CRIME AND MYSTERY WRITING: A DEEP DIVE, with Jonathan Whitelaw

Member price: $120 CAD (That's just $30 a session!)

Non-member price: $170 CAD

**This series will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants each week after the session. The recordings will be available for 45 days.

If you signed up after week one and are missing any recordings, please email hello@bcwriters.ca and let us know which sessions you are missing.

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

Join us on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m., October 6 to October 27, for this fun, fast-paced series on how to take your crime and mystery writing to the next level.

Dates and time, all via Zoom:

Tuesdays, October 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2026, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Weekly topics may include:

Bio:

For more info about Jonathan, follow him on Instagram, @jdwhitelaw13, or visit www.northbanktalent.com/clients/jonathan-whitelaw.

Writer Talk: With Angela Douglas (29 Oct 2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Writer Talk: With Angela Douglas, award-winning thriller author and founder of Eyes on Books

Tonight's event will celebrate the launch of Angela's latest book, The Mentor. One dollar of the sale of each book will go toward the efforts to rebuild Summerland after this summer's devastating wildfires. For more info about the book and Angela's fundraising campaign, visit https://www.angeladouglasbooks.com/.

Event is free to the public. (Donations to FBCW always welcome and so appreciated.)

Event Description

WRITER TALK is our live interview series designed to pull back the Curtain of Mystery on the publishing world. Join us for a casual chitchat—not a workshop or webinar—just a low-key Q&A between host and guest where you can bring your writing and publishing questions.

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 Angela:

Learn more about THE MENTOR and grab your copy 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!

And as always, if you have a WRITER TALK topic or guest idea, drop us an email at hello@bcwriters.ca!

Saturday Webinar: Hit Submit! with Lisa Hislop (31 Oct 2026)

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Saturday Morning Webinar: Hit Submit! with short story writer and editor Lisa Hislop

Member Price: $18

Non-Member Price: $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:

Are you ready to submit your first short story? First-time submitters are invited to join editor Lisa Hislop for a walk-through of the submission process, tips to avoid rejection, and an extended Q&A (plus a bundle of templates to make submitting your work easier).

This webinar is best suited to beginners who are just starting out on their submission journey! We will go over the vocabulary, how to find publications, the submission process, how to track submissions, and more.

Attendees will learn:

- how to search for a publisher to submit to

- how to evaluate the suitability of your story

- how to format your submissions

- how to navigate submission guidelines (and avoid mistakes that end in rejection)

About the presenter

Lisa Hislop is a professional editor specializing in the preparation of short stories, collections, and anthologies for submission, query, and publication. She's helped authors successfully submit their short stories to The Plaza Short Story Prize, Grain Magazine, Women on Writing, and Pulp Literature. You can find her at www.theshortstoryeditor.com.

**Digital doors open at 9:55 a.m. Event starts at 10:00 a.m.**

Tuesday Webinar: How to Write a Two-Page Synopsis without Screaming, with Bonnie Jacoby (3 Nov 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 03:00:00 GMT

How to Write a Two-Page Synopsis without Screaming, with Bonnie Jacoby

Tuesday, November 3, at 7:00 p.m. (Pacific/Vancouver)

Member price: $18

Non-Member price: $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:

Writing a synopsis of your novel is something that can help at any time during the drafting, revising, querying, and pitching stages. Most commonly a synopsis is written for agents and editors, or to submit along with the opening of your story to contests.

There are many techniques to either cut or build the synopsis to fit 500 words. In this workshop, you’ll identify your theme and some key story points that will keep you focused on the essence of the story without getting lost in the forest.

Intended audience:

Writers of any skill level

About the presenter:

Bonnie Jacoby is the author of the YA fantasy series, Dragon Descendants of Drakkoia, featuring rebellious teen dragons and adventurous teens. Her debut book, Dreams of a Dragon Girl, was awarded 5 stars by IndieReader.

After many years in the query trenches, she pivoted to indie publishing and hasn’t looked back. Now she helps writers hone their queries, write snappy synopses, polish their first pages, and support each other through multiple online and in person writing communities.

Follow Bonnie online or buy her book(s):

Website: https://www.bonniejacoby.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonniejacobyauthor/

Books: https://books2read.com/Bonnie-Jacoby/

**Digital doors open at 6:55 pm, event starts at 7:00 pm**

Fall 2026 Writing Circles Preview Night (5 Nov 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 01:30:00 GMT

As we prepare for the fall launch of the Writing Circles program, we are pleased to invite you to our Writing Circles information night! Come hear which groups have open spaces and see which might be a good fit for you.

The FBCW's Writing Circles are a place to connect with, support, and learn from peer writers. This program is led by a team of passionate volunteers, who facilitate ongoing Writing Circle groups. Thank you, facilitators, for all that you do for the FBCW community!

If you are hoping to join a writing circle as a facilitator, we are also hosting an information session for new facilitators on October 8th, sign up here. If you can't make it to that session, or if you missed it, please email us at hello@bcwriters.ca to find out how to get involved.

The Writing Circles are a member perk. We welcome guests to attend to see if they would like to join our community. Learn more about all the benefits of membership here.

Digital Doors Open at 5:25 PM, Event Starts at 5:30 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.

Enrolled: Write a Holiday Romance Novella (4-week course), with Jody Holford/Sophie Sullivan (7 Nov 2026)

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

FBCW Enrolled: Write a Holiday Romance Novella with best-selling author Jody Holford/Sophie Sullivan

Member price: $120 CAD (That's just $30 a session!)

Non-member price: $170 CAD

**This series will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants each week after the session. The recordings will be available for 45 days from the last session date.**

If you signed up after week one and are missing any recordings, please email hello@bcwriters.ca and let us know which sessions you are missing.

Dates and times:

~ Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 21, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 28, 11 a.m.

A little holiday magic, a whole lot of chemistry, and a happily ever after worth rooting for. What does it take to bring them together in a novella?

Join Jody Holford, who also writes as Sophie Sullivan, for a hands-on course in writing a holiday romance that keeps readers turning the pages. Through guided activities and writing exercises, you’ll develop a story idea and work toward a draft of your own holiday romance novella, learning how to make room for an emotionally satisfying love story within a shorter word count.

Keeping things short and sweet takes careful choices. You’ll explore how to choose an idea suited to the novella format, create characters readers can connect with quickly, and give your romantic leads compelling reasons to fall for each other—with just enough standing in their way. Along the way, you’ll consider how holiday traditions, expectations, and settings can shape the story and bring your characters closer together.

With an emphasis on keeping the essentials, the course will explore how to:

Develop a focused premise with enough conflict to sustain a novella.
Build chemistry and a believable emotional connection in fewer pages.
Use the holiday backdrop to influence character choices and romantic complications.
Keep scenes purposeful and recognize when a subplot or secondary character is crowding the story.
Bring the romance to a satisfying conclusion without rushing the happily ever after.

Whether you’re arriving with an idea already simmering or a blank page and a fondness for holiday love stories, this course will help you find your focus and make progress on your draft. Come ready to brainstorm, experiment, and write!

Course objective: For each attendee to develop a story idea and work toward a draft of a unique holiday romance novella, learning how to make room for an emotionally satisfying love story within a shorter word count.

Weekly schedule (tentative):

Week one: The tree skirt

Meet and greet; who we are, background, favourite romance books and holiday movies
Choosing and narrowing an idea
Laying the foundation for our holiday novellas
Characters, setting, problem
Homework!

Week two: Bottom third of the tree

Participants who feel comfortable sharing will be invited to share their work with the group. We will discuss what is keeping characters apart, how to balance the holiday atmosphere with romance, and ways to build and create romantic situations.

Week three: Middle and top of the tree

This session will start with student check-ins to share and discuss what story problems might have come up during the writing week. Discussion will be based around where people feel they are stuck, and we’ll roll with those blocks and find ways around them. We will also talk about how to layer in conflict, how to ensure we’re not adding too much backstory, and we’ll start brainstorming a satisfying resolution. Jody will plan to introduce critique partners and demonstrate how to give feedback.

Week four: Time for the star!

We will review how critique partner feedback went and discuss where we are in our stories, including character development, the holiday element, and what’s compelling readers to keep turning pages to reach that happily ever after.

Presenter bio:

Jody Holford/Sophie Sullivan is a Canadian author as well as a cookie-eating, Diet Pepsi-drinking, Disney enthusiast who loves reading and writing romance in almost equal measure. She writes around her day job as a teacher and spends her spare time with her sweet family watching reruns of Friends. She's had plenty of practice writing happily ever after as her alter ego, Jody Holford.

Follow Jody/Sophie online:

https://www.sophiesullivanauthor.com/

https://www.instagram.com/authorsophiesullivan/

Sunday Webinar: Writing Unapologetically, with Kare Rae (8 Nov 2026)

Sun, 08 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Sunday Webinar: Writing Unapologetically, with Kare Rae

Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific/Vancouver)

Member Price: $18

Non-Member Price: $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:

Through discussion and examples, Kare will spend this time sharing how this personalized slogan has helped her craft her novels, play in poetry again, and brave the realm of non-fiction. Participants will take some time and explore events that could happen in your characters' lives that shape them into the character you want to see on the page. Lastly, Kare will share some of her experience of overcoming the fear of telling family friends that she is a writer, and what that looked like, while explaining there are also 'strings of truth' in fiction writing.

Takeaways:

Courage to explore characters' past traumas and triumphs.

If you are not calling yourself a writer now, hopefully at the end you'll be introducing yourself as a writer at the first Christmas Party and owning it forward.

Intended audience:

Writers of any skill level

Presenter bio:

Kare Rae is a member of the Okanagan Indian Band, although she was born and raised in the small rural town of Fort St. James, BC in the traditional territory of Nak'azdli Whut'en.

After putting the pens away for years, she picked them back up again four years ago. Since then, she’s joined the board of the Federation of BC Writers and was recently long-listed for the Pulp Literature Hummingbird competition 2026, and completed three full fictional novels.

A romantic at heart, her smile illuminates every time she says, “I married my high school prom date, and September 2026, we celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary.” Kare and her husband enjoy the personalities of their fur-babies, their old sassy Cat, and four-year-old Goldendoodle. Friday nights, Kare is usually found down the street for family dinners her parents host, with her sister, cousins, and sometimes an auntie or two. Her aspirations include writing love stories that aren’t the easiest to tell, and representing late-twenties to midlife love stories.

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

November Writers' Social (10 Nov 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 03:00:00 GMT

Join us on Tuesday, November 10, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM Pacific for our monthly Writers' Social.

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

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

Evening Webinar: For the Love of Gore, with Julie Hiner (12 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 03:00:00 GMT

Thursday Evening Webinar: For the Love of Gore, with Julie Hiner

Member Price: $18

Non-Member Price: $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

Whether you want to moisten up your scene or have it dripping with internal juices; splatter a few drops of blood onto the page or have every syllable oozing with gore, there are ways to make your readers gasp, squirm, cringe and gag. This course will cover the elements of extreme horror and strategies that you can apply to dial up the extreme in your writing.

Bring your notebook or your laptop and be prepared to stretch your creative limits. Walk away with fresh ideas and your own extreme toolbox for writing high voltage characters and wild and crazy plots.

Warning: This is a course on extreme horror, and topics of sex, violence, torture, psychological trauma, and other disturbances will be discussed. There will be graphic and explicit examples used to demonstrate concepts.

Key Takeaways

- Extreme horror definitions;

- Extreme horror examples and inspiration (books, movies, music);

- Extreme horror writing toolkit (a set of strategies for writing extreme horror)

Intended audience:

Writers of any skill level.

Bio:

Julie Hiner spent her childhood lost in the pages of books. The only thing that took precedence was her Walkman. She is still an 80s rocker.

She has lived her entire life in Calgary, AB, and loves the mountains. Her first writing project was a work of non-fiction about facing fear and anxiety by cycling up famous European mountains. These days, she loves to put on her boots and hike up to a peak.

Julie writes psychological suspense, crime, and horror infused with heavy metal and rock. She has published an 80s/90s serial killer vs detective series, three horror novellas, and co-curated a horror anthology. She has had several short stories published, and Torrid Waters of Crystal Lake Publishing published her deep-sea horror novella. Julie collaborates with local musicians to create custom soundtracks for her books. Her latest release is an extreme horror novella titled Stella’s Scream. You can find her at KillersAndDemons.com serving up a toxic cocktail of metal and murder.

Follow the presenter online:

https://killersanddemons.com/

https://www.facebook.com/KillersAndDemons

https://www.instagram.com/killersanddemons/

Buy Julie’s novella: https://books2read.com/Stellas-Scream

**Digital doors open at 6:55 pm, event starts at 7:00 pm**

November 2026 Member Orientation (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 19:00:00 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 10:55 AM, Event Starts at 11:00 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.

Have a question that can't wait for orientation? Email hello@bcwriters.ca

Enrolled: Write a Holiday Romance Novella (4-week course), with Jody Holford/Sophie Sullivan (14 Nov 2026)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

FBCW Enrolled: Write a Holiday Romance Novella with best-selling author Jody Holford/Sophie Sullivan

Member price: $120 CAD (That's just $30 a session!)

Non-member price: $170 CAD

**This series will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants each week after the session. The recordings will be available for 45 days from the last session date.**

If you signed up after week one and are missing any recordings, please email hello@bcwriters.ca and let us know which sessions you are missing.

Dates and times:

~ Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 21, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 28, 11 a.m.

A little holiday magic, a whole lot of chemistry, and a happily ever after worth rooting for. What does it take to bring them together in a novella?

With an emphasis on keeping the essentials, the course will explore how to:

Develop a focused premise with enough conflict to sustain a novella.
Build chemistry and a believable emotional connection in fewer pages.
Use the holiday backdrop to influence character choices and romantic complications.
Keep scenes purposeful and recognize when a subplot or secondary character is crowding the story.
Bring the romance to a satisfying conclusion without rushing the happily ever after.

Weekly schedule (tentative):

Week one: The tree skirt

Meet and greet; who we are, background, favourite romance books and holiday movies
Choosing and narrowing an idea
Laying the foundation for our holiday novellas
Characters, setting, problem
Homework!

Week two: Bottom third of the tree

Week three: Middle and top of the tree

Week four: Time for the star!

Presenter bio:

Follow Jody/Sophie online:

https://www.sophiesullivanauthor.com/

https://www.instagram.com/authorsophiesullivan/

Sunday Webinar: Stop Telling & Start Selling: Your Four-Part Blurb Formula, with Jessica Snyder (15 Nov 2026)

Sun, 15 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Sunday Webinar: Stop Telling & Start Selling: Your Four-Part Blurb Formula, with Jessica Snyder

Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific/Vancouver)

Member Price: $18

Non-Member Price: $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:

Write your back cover copy using the plug-and-play elements that hook readers like character, conflict, stakes, tropes, and even psychology. We’ll dig into best-selling blurbs to see what makes them work and you'll leave with a template to follow for future blurbs.

Takeaways:

Apply the four-part blurb structure
Distinguish sales copy from a synopsis
Craft an intentional hook
Escalate stakes and conflict throughout the blurb
Analyze genre comps

Intended audience:

Writers of any skill level

Presenter bio:

Jessica Snyder is a fiction editor, author coach, and host of The HEA Club, a community for romance authors. Her clients, who range from New York Times–bestselling authors to pre-published writers, appreciate her combination of honesty, kindness, snark and market knowledge to support their career growth. She leverages a background that includes three decades of romance reading, over ten years working in the publishing industry, military service, and a lifelong love of language to help romance authors happily ever after.

Follow the presenter online:

www.heaauthorservices.com

https://www.facebook.com/heaauthorservices

https://www.instagram.com/heaauthorservices/

https://www.threads.com/@heaauthorservices

https://www.tiktok.com/@heaauthorservices

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

Marketing Writing Intensive: Books That Sell (16 Nov 2026)

Mon, 16 Nov 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Join us for five days of online learning from Monday, November 16 to Friday, November 20, 2026.

ABOUT THIS INTENSIVE:

Marketing a book can feel like a second full-time job—one for which most writers never received the training manual. The Federation of BC Writers’ weeklong Marketing Intensive is designed to replace the guesswork with practical information, realistic strategies, and a clearer understanding of how readers discover and choose books.

Running online from November 16 to 20, 2026, this expanded intensive will feature multiple sessions each day covering different aspects of author and book marketing. Participants will learn from writers and publishing professionals working across the industry, with sessions designed to address both the larger marketing picture and the specific tools authors can put to work.

Whether you are preparing to publish, launching a new release, reviving a backlist, or trying to build a sustainable author career, the intensive will help you identify which marketing activities serve your books, your readers, and your available time. The emphasis will remain firmly on useful, achievable approaches—not the exhausting fiction that every author must be everywhere, doing everything, all at once.

The week will conclude with a panel Q&A and online social, giving participants an opportunity to ask questions, compare approaches, and connect with other writers navigating the same complicated terrain.

A complete schedule of sessions and presenters will be announced soon, so check back here often.

EVENT SCHEDULE OVERVIEW: We are offering THREE instructional sessions per day!

All the sessions are one hour long, except for the panel Q&A discussion on Friday, which is 1.5 hours.

Featuring ...

~ Monday night KEYNOTE at 6 p.m. from Ariel Hudnall of Serif.inc (https://serif.inc/): Timing Is Everything

~ Angela Douglas, author and founder of Eyes on Books: Marketing Campaign Planning - From Overwhelmed to Organized

~ Mark Leslie Lefebvre, author, podcaster, bookseller, and well-known educator: Learn to Love Metadata: Proper Setup to Boost Discoverability

~ Suzanne Jolly of JollyGood MultiMedia: Marketing Specifically for Writers

~ Erin Alladin, publicist and author: Marketing Your Book: Proven Strategies from a Publishing Professional

~ Kate Larking from Kate Larking Book Marketing: Intro to Paid Ebook Promotions

~ Eliana West, bestselling author and founder of Writers for Diversity: Branding Yourself and Your Books

~ Evan Parrott, multi-published author and entrepreneur: Selling Techniques for In-Person and Online Sales

~ Darren Groth, bestselling author and educator: Postmortem on Working with a Publicist

~ Jenn Sommersby, author, editor, educator: Yes, You Need an Author Website

Final presenter slots will be confirmed shortly.

All times are in Pacific (Vancouver) time.

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. Writing sprints will not be recorded.

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 Monday, November 9, 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 October 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Refunds for half of registration fees will be issued until November 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

No refunds are possible after November 14, 2026, at 12:00 a.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 organization 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 minimizing 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 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.

Enrolled: Write a Holiday Romance Novella (4-week course), with Jody Holford/Sophie Sullivan (21 Nov 2026)

Sat, 21 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

FBCW Enrolled: Write a Holiday Romance Novella with best-selling author Jody Holford/Sophie Sullivan

Member price: $120 CAD (That's just $30 a session!)

Non-member price: $170 CAD

**This series will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants each week after the session. The recordings will be available for 45 days from the last session date.**

If you signed up after week one and are missing any recordings, please email hello@bcwriters.ca and let us know which sessions you are missing.

Dates and times:

~ Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 21, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 28, 11 a.m.

A little holiday magic, a whole lot of chemistry, and a happily ever after worth rooting for. What does it take to bring them together in a novella?

With an emphasis on keeping the essentials, the course will explore how to:

Develop a focused premise with enough conflict to sustain a novella.
Build chemistry and a believable emotional connection in fewer pages.
Use the holiday backdrop to influence character choices and romantic complications.
Keep scenes purposeful and recognize when a subplot or secondary character is crowding the story.
Bring the romance to a satisfying conclusion without rushing the happily ever after.

Weekly schedule (tentative):

Week one: The tree skirt

Meet and greet; who we are, background, favourite romance books and holiday movies
Choosing and narrowing an idea
Laying the foundation for our holiday novellas
Characters, setting, problem
Homework!

Week two: Bottom third of the tree

Week three: Middle and top of the tree

Week four: Time for the star!

Presenter bio:

Follow Jody/Sophie online:

https://www.sophiesullivanauthor.com/

https://www.instagram.com/authorsophiesullivan/

Sunday Webinar: Fantasy Essentials 1: Bringing Your Vision to Life: An Overview of Fantasy World Building, with Evan Parrott (22 Nov 2026)

Sun, 22 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Sunday Webinar: Fantasy Essentials 1: Bringing Your Vision to Life: An Overview of Fantasy World Building, with Evan Parrott

Sunday, November 22, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific/Vancouver)

Member Price: $18

Non-Member Price: $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:

Fantasy enthusiasts and aspiring writers alike are invited to join Evan Parrott as he unravels the secrets of crafting compelling fantasy worlds. He will delve into every aspect of world-building, starting from the spark of an idea to constructing the intricate frameworks of history, government, and currency. Attendees will also explore character creation, familial connections, and the development of unique magical systems that breathe life into fantastical narratives.

Whether you're a budding author or a fan of the genre, this event promises to inspire and ignite your creative passions. The session will of course end with a Q&A, so be ready to fire up those imaginations.

Intended audience:

Writers of any skill level.

Presenter bio:

Evan Parrott lives in Penticton with his wife, twin toddlers, cat, and bunny. You'll either find him writing at the local Second Cup, pestering the local bookstore, or out hiking in the wilderness if he's not at home attempting to entertain two eighteen-month olds. He published the first book of his debut fantasy series, Wind's Embrace, in June 2024 and had the fourth book, Tears of Eternity, hit the shelves in May 2026. Book five is slotted for a January 2027 release.

Follow the presenter online or buy their book(s):

www.evanparrottauthor.com

https://www.facebook.com/evanparrottauthor

Instagram: @evanparrottauthor

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

Enrolled: Write a Holiday Romance Novella (4-week course), with Jody Holford/Sophie Sullivan (28 Nov 2026)

Sat, 28 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

FBCW Enrolled: Write a Holiday Romance Novella with best-selling author Jody Holford/Sophie Sullivan

Member price: $120 CAD (That's just $30 a session!)

Non-member price: $170 CAD

**This series will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to registrants each week after the session. The recordings will be available for 45 days from the last session date.**

If you signed up after week one and are missing any recordings, please email hello@bcwriters.ca and let us know which sessions you are missing.

Dates and times:

~ Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 21, 11 a.m.

~ Saturday, November 28, 11 a.m.

A little holiday magic, a whole lot of chemistry, and a happily ever after worth rooting for. What does it take to bring them together in a novella?

With an emphasis on keeping the essentials, the course will explore how to:

Develop a focused premise with enough conflict to sustain a novella.
Build chemistry and a believable emotional connection in fewer pages.
Use the holiday backdrop to influence character choices and romantic complications.
Keep scenes purposeful and recognize when a subplot or secondary character is crowding the story.
Bring the romance to a satisfying conclusion without rushing the happily ever after.

Weekly schedule (tentative):

Week one: The tree skirt

Meet and greet; who we are, background, favourite romance books and holiday movies
Choosing and narrowing an idea
Laying the foundation for our holiday novellas
Characters, setting, problem
Homework!

Week two: Bottom third of the tree

Week three: Middle and top of the tree

Week four: Time for the star!

Presenter bio:

Follow Jody/Sophie online:

https://www.sophiesullivanauthor.com/

https://www.instagram.com/authorsophiesullivan/