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• Memoir Writing Intensive: Avoiding the Potholes of Memory Lane

  • Start
    11 May 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM
  • End
    15 May 2026
  •  
    3:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  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.

  
  

  
  

  Show details
• May 2026 Member Orientation

  • When
    24 May 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  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.

  Show details
• Evening Webinar: Setting our Stories in Canada with Erik D'Souza

  • When
    2 Jun 2026
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  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.

  Show details
• Writer Talk: With Best-Selling Canadian Author K.A. Tucker

  • When
    3 Jun 2026
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  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.

  Show details
• June 2026 Member Orientation

  • When
    12 Jun 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  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 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.

  Show details
• Sunday Webinar: A Novelist's Guide to Writing Memoir with Darren Groth

  • When
    28 Jun 2026
  •  
    2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  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

  
  

  Show details
• July 2026 Member Orientation

  • When
    15 Jul 2026
  •  
    2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  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 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.

  Show details
• August 2026 Member Orientation

  • When
    14 Aug 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  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 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.

  Show details