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  • Information Session: Winter 2025 Writing Circle Preview

    • 8 Jan 2025
    • 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM
    • Zoom
    Register

    Join us for an information session about all of the Writing Circles that open for registration in January! Circle facilitators will be on deck to pitch their groups and explain how their Circles will function. We will also share general Writing Circle guidelines and expectations. We anticipate the preview will take about an hour with an additional 15 minutes for questions at the end (75 minutes total).

    Please note that registering for this event is separate from registering for a Writing Circle. Registration for Fall Writing Circles will open on Monday, January 13 at 12:00 pm. Visit https://bcwriters.ca/circles to view up-to-date descriptions and register.

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

    *This event is being recorded. If you cannot attend, please register and a link to the recording will be emailed to you within 48 hours of the event.

    Winter 2025 Writing Circles Coming Soon--Stay Tuned!

    Show details

  • Book Club for Writers: "Build Better Characters" by Eileen Cook

    • 9 Jan 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Member Price: Free (with donation options)

    Non-Member Price: $10

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

    **Portions of this event will be recorded and made available to registrants to view for 30 days. Breakout room discussions will not be recorded.


    The Federation of BC Writers invites you to participate in our newest programming initiative: Book Club for Writers! This online book club for writers offers an opportunity to read and discuss books related to the craft of writing.Book Club events are 75 minutes long and feature a combination of small group discussion using breakout rooms, large group discussion in the main room, as well as an opportunity to hear the author’s insights and ask questions.


    Our January 2025 pick is Build Better Characters: The Psychology of Backstory & How to Use It In Your Writing to Hook Readers by Eileen Cook. We are thrilled that Eileen will be there to share her insights. Register here (bcwriters.ca/events-for-writers) to receive the event link, discussion questions, and reminders. Purchase the book, review the discussion questions, and when it's time for the event, click on the link to join the live Zoom event. We look forward to seeing you there!


    BOOK BLURB:

    Compelling characters are what keeps readers turning pages and buying books — from fantasies to mysteries to the great literary novel. But how to do you create characters that feel three dimensional and real on the page? Counsellor and author Eileen Cook shares common psychological techniques to help you build your characters and take your story to the next level.

     
    Covering understanding your character’s backstory and how it impacts their choices in your book by doing a structured counselling interview, personality structure (Myers Briggs and Emotional Intelligence) and how that may lead to conflict, and understand dissecting the Stages of Change to see how your character moves through them.
     
    This is the second book in the Creative Academy Guides for Writers series.


    PRESENTER BIO:


    Eileen Cook is a multi-published, award winning author in both non-fiction and fiction. She's a popular speaker/instructor at conferences, with Simon Fraser University's The Writer's Studio, and with The Creative Academy for Writers. Her most recent non-fiction guide is Build Better Settings.


    STEPS:

    1. Register here to receive the discussion questions and event link

    2. Purchase your print or electronic version of the book

    3. Read the book and consider the discussion questions (emailed two weeks before meeting)

    • Find Build Better Characters in print
    • Purchase the ebook on Kindle 

    4. Join the Book Club meeting using the Zoom link to discuss your responses and hear from the authors!


    Please email Meaghan@bcwriters.ca if you have any questions, or would like to suggest a book.

    Show details

  • January Writers' Social

    • 14 Jan 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Join us for our first Writers' Social of the new year on Tuesday, January 14th from 7:00 - 8:15 PM Pacific by registering here (bcwriters.ca/events-for-writers) and a Zoom link for the event will be sent to you. When it’s time for the event you can click on the Zoom link to join the event.


    Many of us strive for a connection with our fellow writers. This members-only monthly event is designed to bring us together for casual chats with breakout rooms. Join us to talk craft, career, and connection for about 75 minutes over Zoom. Meet new people and get the most out of being a part of a provincial organization! Below are the proposed discussion groups for January's meeting (subject to change). Please consider which discussion group you would like to join before you arrive, and email meaghan@bcwriters.ca if you would like to suggest a discussion topic. See you soon!


    Discussion Groups:

    • 2025 writing goals

    • Memoir/CNF writers connect 

    • All about poetry

    • Agents and publishers

    • New writers: how and when to start sharing your work
    • Managing characters: how do writers keep track of many characters in large family/community settings or over generations
    • Connecting writers with chronic illnesses
    • Adding romance to your fiction

    • General writing discussion


    Digital Doors Open at 6:55 pm, Event Starts at 7:00 PM Pacific

    Show details

  • Writing Intensive: Writing For Change

    • 20 Jan 2025
    • 9:00 AM
    • 24 Jan 2025
    • 3:00 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Join us for 5 days of digital learning from January 20 to 24, Online.

    Writing for Change is inspired by the times in which we now find ourselves. Many of us wish to see and inspire change in our work where it is on a large societal scale or for our friends and family. This intensive will provide workshops, and inspiration to be the change.

    All times are in Pacific (Vancouver) time. Our event is focused on the steps towards publication. Please note the times listed are a range and may vary, especially on the first day)


    KEY DETAILS


    SESSIONS AND ACTIVITIES (Titles are not yet Finalized)

    • Amplifying the Message: Theme, Metaphor, and Subtext
    • Stories That Do Heavy Lifting
    • Panel: Surfing the Zeitgeist: How to Ride the Wave of Current Ideas and Themes
    • Memoir: Passing Along Our Stories and Knowledge
    • Poetry that Moves
    • Writing Letters to the Editor
    • Managing Backlash and Negative Feedback
    • Daily Mindfulness Session
    • Writing Sprints
    • and More!
    We are finalizing our roster of speakers, please check back as we update the list. The list of speakers will be updated as contracts and presentation titles are finalized.


    ZOOM LINK

    • The Zoom link will be sent out in the days immediately before the event and will be included in most communications to you after that date.
    • 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 it within 24 hours of registration, please check you spam folders.
    • Contact us at hello@bcwriters.ca if you have not received your confirmation by Friday January 17th 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

    • Our goal is to help you on your journey to publication. You do not need to be ready to publish to attend. Participants who have a work in progress, an idea for a project, or have a finished manuscript will benefit the most from these sessions.
    • Sessions will be a combination of talks, activities, and workshops.
    • Most sessions will be 1 hour in length. Q&A may extend the session longer, but participants are not required to stay.
    • Participants are encouraged to have a pen and paper handy for all sessions.
    • If you are working on a specific project, it is advisable to consider who you plan as your intended audience to help you get the most out of the sessions. Don’t stress about this, but it is helpful to consider if you are writing for the general population, a specific community, or friends and family.


    RATES

    EARLY BIRD (UNTIL Dec 31 AT 11:59PM 2024)

    • FBCW MEMBERS: $65
    • GUEST: $80

    REGULAR (AS OF Jan 1st, 2025)

    • FBCW MEMBERS: $80
    • GUEST: $95

    SCHOLARSHIP:

    • Limited scholarship-based discounts are available for those experiencing financial difficulties.  Please email us at hello@bcwriters.ca to inquire.


    SCHEDULE

    (Specific Presentation times will be released in Mid-January. Current listed presentations may shift to other slots as we finalize the schedule.)

    MONDAY


    9:00:AM: Tech Help and Welcome


    11:00 AM: Stories that Do Heavy Lifting with Dr. Ruth DyckFehderau


    2:00 PM: 



    TUESDAY


    9:00 AM: Mindfulness Session and Writing Sprint


    11:00 AM Amplifying the Message: Theme, Metaphor, and Subtext with KT Wagner


    WEDNESDAY


    9:00 AM: Mindfulness Session and Writing Sprint


    11:00 AM: 


    2:00 PM: 


    THURSDAY


    9:00 AM: Mindfulness Session and Writing Sprint


    11:00 AM: 


    2:00 PM: 


    FRIDAY


    9:00 AM: Mindfulness Session and Writing Sprint


    11:00 AM: 


    2:00 PM: Poetry that Moves with Renée Sarojini Saklikar


    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. We have increased the time frame by 15 days to enhance your experience.
    • Reach out if you have any tech challenges related to access of the recordings by February 7th so that we can help you in the timeframe available.

    REFUND POLICY

    • Full refunds will be issued up to January 10th.
    • Refunds for half of registration fees will be be issued until January 17th 11:59pm.
    • No refunds are possible after January 17th at 11:59pm 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 and that 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 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

  • Regional Spotlight: Westbank Writers

    • 21 Jan 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Join us Tuesday, January 21 at 7:00 pm Pacific for a Regional Spotlight featuring the Westbank Writers with host Meaghan Hackinen and readers Geneva Ensign, Jeane Manning, Tanya Sarah Pauls, and Irwin Wislesky. Register here (bcwriters.ca/events-for-writers) and a link will be sent to you. When it's time for the event, click on the link to join the live Zoom event. We look forward to seeing you there!

    Digital Doors Open at 6:55 pm!

    *This event will be recorded.

    Geneva Ensign has lived much of her adult life in Alberta, and further north, after moving to Canada in 1965 with her family from the United States.  Her professional career involved working in northern Canadian communities for over forty years as an individual and group psychotherapist, mainly with Indigenous communities.

    Retired, she is now a full-time author living in West Kelowna, British Columbia.  Her first book, Community Healing: A Transcultural Model, was published by Hancock House in 2018. Her latest book, Whittlings: The Human Conditioned as Experienced by F. Robert Langin, was published just this fall and is co-authored with Laurie Finer, daughter of Robert Langin. In between her first and last book, Geneva published two books of poetry, a book of legends from Manus Island, PNG, and a book about her brother’s adventures in Alaska. All are available on Amazon.ca.





    For decades, Jeane Manning has been interviewing physicists, inventors and engineers involved in non-conventional energy breakthroughs. She is internationally known for her books about truly clean alternatives and what Nikola Tesla’s followers are learning about working in harmony with Nature’s ways.

    She has bridged from the science to the public by authoring The Coming Energy Revolution (Avery Publishing Group of NY, 1996) and Energie (Omega Verlag, Germany, 2002) and co-authoring other books including indie-published Breakthrough Power (2011) and Hidden Energy (2019). Based in Kelowna, Jeane is currently working on a book for today’s unprecedented times. https://jeanemanning.com/




    Tanya Sarah Pauls was born on Christmas Day in 1969. She took up writing in 1989 when she travelled extensively around the States, Europe and Canada with her father studying his gentle bodywork called Ortho-Bionomy.

    Tanya's first works were poetry, journal-writing then short stories as well as fine art and photography. In 1990 she travelled solo across-the-board Canada and ended up in Kelowna, BC and opened up a therapeutic practice of her father's work and would often write articles for local magazines.

    Tanya settled down a few years later and had two kids with her husband at the time, though stole moments to write. When she left her husband six years ago, she felt inspired to write a time travel book that is currently still in the works and has a few more under the back burner.

    More recently Tanya is working on children's dog adventure stories and a mystery and gets great feedback and encouragement from the Westbank Writers group and would love to be published soon. She is very happy to share her work and be part of the Spotlight series.


    Irwin Wislesky: I have worked as an engineer most of my life and am currently nearing retirement. My focus in life has primarily been on the physical, designing structures to suit the physical world. However, my work has required travel around the globe where I developed a strong sense of and connection to spirituality, the other half of life, through observation and interaction with numerous souls birthed in numerous cultures.

    About 5 years ago, while traveling on one of my many long trips to Peru, I remembered a kiss on my cheek that I received from my mother the moment she died. I was physically very far away. I wrote that memory on the back of my plane ticket and my first novel was born (Invisible Footprints In Time?). I enjoyed the writing experience so much and have started a sequel as well as another fictional story loosely based on my family’s beginning in Canada in the early 1900s.   




    Meaghan Hackinen (FBCW host): is a bike-obsessed bookworm on a lifelong hunt for exceptional cycling routes, both on and off the pavement. Her cross-continental bike race memoir, Shifting Gears, was released by NeWest Press in 2023. This year, she is gearing up to compete in the Mountain Race Series, a trio of self-supported adventures that take place in the remote wilderness of Morocco, Greece, and Kyrgyzstan. Find her online: meaghanhackinen.com 


    Show details

  • February Writers' Social

    • 18 Feb 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Join us for a Writers' Social on Tuesday, February 18 from 7:00 - 8:15 PM Pacific by registering here (bcwriters.ca/events-for-writers) and a Zoom link for the event will be sent to you. When it’s time for the event you can click on the Zoom link to join the event.


    Many of us strive for a connection with our fellow writers. This members-only monthly event is designed to bring us together for casual chats with breakout rooms. Join us to talk craft, career, and connection for about 75 minutes over Zoom. Meet new people and get the most out of being a part of a provincial organization! Below are the proposed discussion groups for February's meeting (subject to change). Please consider which discussion group you would like to join before you arrive, and email meaghan@bcwriters.ca if you would like to suggest a discussion topic. See you soon!


    Discussion Groups:

    • Memoir/CNF writers connect

    • Self publishing

    • MFA and other writing programs: what's out there, and how do you know if this is the right option for you.

    • Beta Debug: Beta testing is an opportunity for real users to use a product in a production environment to uncover any bugs or issues before a general release. Similarly, beta readers review a manuscript and provide feedback before a writer submits their work for publication. In this breakout room, writers will have a chance to pitch their work with the aim of finding compatible beta readers to exchange work for preliminary feedback 

    • Connecting Writers with chronic illnesses 

    • General writing discussion


    Digital Doors Open at 6:55 pm, Event Starts at 7:00 PM Pacific

    Show details

  • Writing Intensive: Back to Basics

    • 24 Feb 2025
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Feb 2025
    • 3:00 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Join us for 5 days of digital learning from February 24 to 28, Online.

    Back to Basics is our attempt to help writers of all skill levels to hone their skills in core ideas like setting, plot, point of view, dialogue, and more.

    All times are in Pacific (Vancouver) time. Our event is focused on the steps towards publication. Please note the times listed are a range and may vary, especially on the first day)


    KEY DETAILS


    SESSIONS AND ACTIVITIES (Titles are not yet Finalized)

    • Plot
    • Character
    • Point of View
    • Setting
    • Dialogue


    We are finalizing our roster of speakers, please check back as we update the list. The list of speakers will be updated as contracts and presentation titles are finalized.


    ZOOM LINK

    • The Zoom link will be sent out in the days immediately before the event and will be included in most communications to you after that date.
    • 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 it within 24 hours of registration, please check you spam folders.
    • Contact us at hello@bcwriters.ca if you have not received your confirmation by Friday February 21st 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

    • Our goal is to help you on your journey to publication. You do not need to be ready to publish to attend. Participants who have a work in progress, an idea for a project, or have a finished manuscript will benefit the most from these sessions.
    • Sessions will be a combination of talks, activities, and workshops.
    • Most sessions will be 1 hour in length. Q&A may extend the session longer, but participants are not required to stay.
    • Participants are encouraged to have a pen and paper handy for all sessions.
    • If you are working on a specific project, it is advisable to consider who you plan as your intended audience to help you get the most out of the sessions. Don’t stress about this, but it is helpful to consider if you are writing for the general population, a specific community, or friends and family.


    RATES

    EARLY BIRD (UNTIL Jan 31 AT 11:59PM 2025)

    • FBCW MEMBERS: $65
    • GUEST: $80

    REGULAR (AS OF Feb 1st, 2025)

    • FBCW MEMBERS: $80
    • GUEST: $95

    SCHOLARSHIP:

    • Limited scholarship-based discounts are available for those experiencing financial difficulties.  Please email us at hello@bcwriters.ca to inquire.


    SCHEDULE

    (Specific Presentation times will be released in Late-January. Current listed presentations may shift to other slots as we finalize the schedule.)

    MONDAY


    9:00:AM: Tech Help and Welcome


    11:00 AM:


    2:00 PM: 



    TUESDAY


    9:00 AM:


    11:00 AM:


    WEDNESDAY


    9:00 AM:


    11:00 AM: 




    THURSDAY

    9:00 AM:


    11:00 AM: 




    FRIDAY


    9:00 AM:


    11:00 AM: 




    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. We have increased the time frame by 15 days to enhance your experience.
    • Reach out if you have any tech challenges related to access of the recordings by February 7th so that we can help you in the timeframe available.

    REFUND POLICY

    • Full refunds will be issued up to February 14th.
    • Refunds for half of registration fees will be be issued until February 14th 11:59pm.
    • No refunds are possible after February 21th at 11:59pm 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 and that 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 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

  • Regional Spotlight: UBC Okanagan MFA Poets

    • 25 Feb 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    We are excited to welcome back the talented voices of UBC Okanagan MFA Poets! Join us Tuesday, February 25 at 7:00 pm Pacific for a Regional Spotlight featuring UBCO MFA Poets with host Meaghan Hackinen and readers:

    • Jesse Norman
    • Nicholas Kucher
    • Meghan Reyda-Molnar
    • Slava Bart
    • Amy Wang

    Register here (bcwriters.ca/events-for-writers) and a link will be sent to you. When it's time for the event, click on the link to join the live Zoom event. We look forward to seeing you there!

    Digital Doors Open at 6:55 pm!

    *This event will be recorded.


    Jesse Norman was born in Comox on the unceded territory of the K’ómoks First Nation. He mostly writes poetry but also adores the mediums of short fiction, graphic prose, and film. His poetry is published in The Malahat Review, Unlost: a journal of found poetry & art, and CV2. He was the 2022 recipient of the Philip Pickering Award in Poetry. He’s currently an MFA student at the University of British Columbia (Okanagan), living and working on Sylix territory.







    Nicholas Kucher is a queer poet operating from within the Okanagan Valley, originally hailing from the docks and shores of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. His work attempts to reconcile the constructed and the natural, finding the parity between the structural organization of society and the uncompromising wild beyond. After securing a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia Okanagain, he is back once again as he pursues his Masters of Fine Arts.







    Meghan Reyda-Molnar is a poet currently residing on the land of the Syilx/Sw̓ kʷnaʔqin people, having moved to pursue an MFA at UBC Okanagan. Their work has been published in The Malahat Review, This Side of West and Dyke News. 












    Slava Bart is a second-year international MFA student at UBCO. He comes from Israel and enjoys multilingual and collaborative writing with a penchant for venturing deep into the past and far into the future, reaching across borders and disciplines, to promote community and peace. His thesis in poetry reinterprets the books of Genesis and Exodus using multiple languages to tell a personal story of the loss of home after the collapse of the USSR.







    Amy Wang is a second-year MFA student whose work focuses on intersectionality within Chinese-Canadian experience. Funded by SSHRC and the BC Arts Council, you can find Amy’s writing in That’s What [We] Said, Paper Shell, The Goose, and more.







    Meaghan Hackinen (FBCW host): is a bike-obsessed bookworm on a lifelong hunt for exceptional cycling routes, both on and off the pavement. Her cross-continental bike race memoir, Shifting Gears, was released by NeWest Press in 2023. Find her online: meaghanhackinen.com 


    Show details

  • March Writers' Social

    • 11 Mar 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Join us for a Writers' Social on Tuesday, March 11 from 7:00 - 8:15 PM Pacific by registering here (bcwriters.ca/events-for-writers) and a Zoom link for the event will be sent to you. When it’s time for the event you can click on the Zoom link to join the event.


    Many of us strive for a connection with our fellow writers. This members-only monthly event is designed to bring us together for casual chats with breakout rooms. Join us to talk craft, career, and connection for about 75 minutes over Zoom. Meet new people and get the most out of being a part of a provincial organization! Below are the proposed discussion groups for March's meeting (subject to change). Please consider which discussion group you would like to join before you arrive, and email meaghan@bcwriters.ca if you would like to suggest a discussion topic. See you soon!


    Discussion Groups:

      • Memoir/CNF writers connect

      • Marketing and finding audiences

      • All about poetry

      • Connecting writers with chronic illnesses

      • Historical fiction

      • General writing discussion


    Digital Doors Open at 6:55 pm, Event Starts at 7:00 PM Pacific

    Show details

  • Book Club for Writers: "The Memoir Project" with special guest Wiley Wei-Chiun Ho

    • 13 Mar 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Member Price: Free (with donation options)

    Non-Member Price: $10

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

    **Portions of this event will be recorded and made available to registrants to view for 30 days. Breakout room discussions will not be recorded.


    The Federation of BC Writers invites you to participate in our newest programming initiative: Book Club for Writers! This online book club for writers offers an opportunity to read and discuss books related to the craft of writing.Book Club events are 75 minutes long and feature a combination of small group discussion using breakout rooms, large group discussion in the main room, as well as an opportunity to hear the author’s insights and ask questions.


    Our March 2025 pick is The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life by Marion Roach Smith. We are thrilled that award-winning writer and FBCW board member Wiley Wei-Chiun Ho will be joining us to share her insights and lead the conversation. Register here (bcwriters.ca/events-for-writers) to receive the event link, discussion questions, and reminders. Purchase the book, review the discussion questions, and when it's time for the event, click on the link to join the live Zoom event. We look forward to seeing you there!


    BOOK BLURB:


    The greatest story you could write is one you've experienced yourself. Knowing where to start is the hardest part, but it just got a little easier with this essential guidebook for anyone wanting to write a memoir.


    Did you know that the #1 thing that baby boomers want to do in retirement is write a book—about themselves? It's not that every person has lived such a unique or dramatic life, but we inherently understand that writing a memoir—whether it's a book, blog, or just a letter to a child—is the single greatest path to self-examination.

    Through the use of disarmingly frank, but wildly fun tactics that offer you simple and effective guidelines that work, you can stop treading water in writing exercises or hiding behind writer's block. Previously self-published under the title, Writing What You Know: Raelia, this book has found an enthusiastic audience that now writes with intent.


    PRESENTER BIO:


    With roots in Taiwan and Canada, Wiley Wei-Chiun Ho identifies as Generation 1.5, inhabiting the liminal spaces between cultures, languages, places, and identities. Her award-winning short stories and personal essays have appeared in anthologies and literary journals. She is at work on a memoir about growing up in a Taiwanese-Canadian “astronaut” family.


    STEPS:

    1. Register here to receive the discussion questions and event link

    2. Purchase your print or electronic version of the book

    3. Read the book and consider the discussion questions (emailed two weeks before meeting)

    4. Join the Book Club meeting using the Zoom link to discuss your responses and hear from the authors!


    Please email Meaghan@bcwriters.ca if you have any questions, or would like to suggest a book.

    Show details

  • Writing Intensive: Poetic Possibilities

    • 7 Apr 2025
    • 9:00 AM
    • 11 Apr 2025
    • 3:00 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Join us for 5 days of digital learning from April 7th to 11th, Online.

    Poetic Possibilities explores the creative and practical components of many poetic forms. Whether you are new to poetry, poet laureate, or anywhere in between, there will be something for you at this event. Join us as we celebrate National Poetry Month with workshops, actives, and discussions to help you on your poetry journey.

    All times are in Pacific (Vancouver) time. Our event is focused on the steps towards publication. Please note the times listed are a range and may vary, especially on the first day)


    KEY DETAILS


    SESSIONS AND ACTIVITIES (Titles are not yet finalized and may be subject to change)

    • 2x Workshops on Specific Poetic Forms
    • Chap Book Making
    • Editing and Refining Poetry
    • Panel on Publishing Options for Poets
    • Planning a Poetry Reading Event and Funding
    • Spoken Word Workshop
    • Poetry Open Mic
    • And more

    We are finalizing our roster of speakers, please check back as we update the list. The list of speakers will be updated as contracts and presentation titles are finalized.


    ZOOM LINK

    • The Zoom link will be sent out in the days immediately before the event and will be included in most communications to you after that date.
    • 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 it within 24 hours of registration, please check you spam folders.
    • Contact us at hello@bcwriters.ca if you have not received your confirmation by Friday February 21st 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

    • Our goal is to help you on your journey to publication. You do not need to be ready to publish to attend. Participants who have a work in progress, an idea for a project, or have a finished manuscript will benefit the most from these sessions.
    • Sessions will be a combination of talks, activities, and workshops.
    • Most sessions will be 1 hour in length. Q&A may extend the session longer, but participants are not required to stay.
    • Participants are encouraged to have a pen and paper handy for all sessions.
    • If you are working on a specific project, it is advisable to consider who you plan as your intended audience to help you get the most out of the sessions. Don’t stress about this, but it is helpful to consider if you are writing for the general population, a specific community, or friends and family.


    RATES

    EARLY BIRD (UNTIL March 7 AT 11:59PM 2025)

    • FBCW MEMBERS: $65
    • GUEST: $80

    REGULAR (AS OF MARCH 8TH, 2025)

    • FBCW MEMBERS: $80
    • GUEST: $95

    SCHOLARSHIP:

    • Limited scholarship-based discounts are available for those experiencing financial difficulties.  Please email us at hello@bcwriters.ca to inquire.


    SCHEDULE

    (Specific Presentation times will be released in Late-February. Current listed presentations may shift to other slots as we finalize the schedule.)

    MONDAY


    9:00:AM: Tech Help and Welcome


    11:00 AM:


    2:00 PM: 



    TUESDAY


    9:00 AM:


    11:00 AM:


    WEDNESDAY


    9:00 AM:


    11:00 AM: 




    THURSDAY

    9:00 AM:


    11:00 AM: 




    FRIDAY


    9:00 AM:


    11:00 AM: 




    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. We have increased the time frame by 15 days to enhance your experience.
    • Reach out if you have any tech challenges related to access of the recordings by May 22nd so that we can help you in the timeframe available.

    REFUND POLICY

    • Full refunds will be issued up to March 28th.
    • Refunds for half of registration fees will be be issued until April 4th 11:59pm.
    • No refunds are possible after April 4th at 11:59pm 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 and that 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 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

  • April Writers' Social

    • 8 Apr 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Join us for a Writers' Social on Tuesday, April 8 from 7:00 - 8:15 PM Pacific by registering here (bcwriters.ca/events-for-writers) and a Zoom link for the event will be sent to you. When it’s time for the event you can click on the Zoom link to join the event.


    Many of us strive for a connection with our fellow writers. This members-only monthly event is designed to bring us together for casual chats with breakout rooms. Join us to talk craft, career, and connection for about 75 minutes over Zoom. Meet new people and get the most out of being a part of a provincial organization! Below are the proposed discussion groups for April's meeting (subject to change). Please consider which discussion group you would like to join before you arrive, and email meaghan@bcwriters.ca if you would like to suggest a discussion topic. See you soon!


    Discussion Groups:

      • Memoir/CNF writers connect

      • Self Publishing

      • All about poetry

      • Connecting writers with chronic illnesses

      • Creating vibrant settings

      • General writing discussion


    Digital Doors Open at 6:55 pm, Event Starts at 7:00 PM Pacific

    Show details

  • Book Club for Writers: "Writing the Breakout Novel" with special guest Frances Peck

    • 15 May 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
    • Zoom
    Register


    Member Price: Free (with donation options)

    Non-Member Price: $10

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

    **Portions of this event will be recorded and made available to registrants to view for 30 days. Breakout room discussions will not be recorded.


    The Federation of BC Writers invites you to participate in our newest programming initiative: Book Club for Writers! This online book club for writers offers an opportunity to read and discuss books related to the craft of writing. Book Club events are 75 minutes long and feature a combination of small group discussion using breakout rooms, large group discussion in the main room, as well as an opportunity to hear the author, contributor, editor, or special guest’s insights and ask questions.


    Our March 2025 pick is Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass. We are thrilled that award-winning writer and FBCW Ambassador Frances Peck will join us to share her insights and lead the conversation. Register here (bcwriters.ca/events-for-writers) to receive the event link, discussion questions, and reminders. Purchase the book, review the discussion questions, and when it's time for the event, click on the link to join the live Zoom event. We look forward to seeing you there!


    BOOK BLURB:


    Maybe you're a first-time novelist looking for practical guidance. Maybe you've already been published, but your latest effort is stuck in mid-list limbo. Whatever the case may be, author and literary agent Donald Maass can show you how to take your prose to the next level and write a breakout novel - one that rises out of obscurity and hits the best-seller lists.


    Maass details the elements that all breakout novels share - regardless of genre - then shows you writing techniques that can make your own books stand out and succeed in a crowded marketplace.

    You'll learn:
       • establish a powerful and sweeping sense of time and place
       • weave subplots into the main action for a complex, engrossing story
       • create larger-than-life characters that step right off the page
       • explore universal themes that will interest a broad audience of readers
       • sustain a high degree of narrative tension from start to finish
       • develop an inspired premise that sets your novel apart from the competition


    Then, using examples from the recent works of several best-selling authors - including novelist Anne Perry - Maass illustrates methods for upping the ante in every aspect of your novel writing. You'll capture the eye of an agent, generate publisher interest and lay the foundation for a promising career.


    PRESENTER BIO:


    Frances Peck worked as an editor, ghostwriter, and instructor of editing and writing for three decades. Then she returned to her childhood preoccupation, creative writing. Her debut novel, The Broken Places, about a major earthquake rocking Vancouver, was a Globe and Mail best book of 2022 and a finalist for the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. Her second novel, Uncontrolled Flight, about the death of a BC firefighting pilot, made 2023 book-of-the-year lists at 49th Shelf and Consumed by Ink. Frances grew up in Cape Breton, lived in Ottawa, and in 2005 moved to North Vancouver. She is at work on a new novel.


    STEPS:

    1. Register here to receive the discussion questions and event link

    2. Purchase your print or electronic version of the book

    3. Read the book and consider the discussion questions (emailed two weeks before meeting)

    4. Join the Book Club meeting using the Zoom link to discuss your responses and hear from the authors!


    Please email Meaghan@bcwriters.ca if you have any questions, or would like to suggest a book.

    Show details

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