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• Book Club for Writers: "Self Publishing in Canada" with special guest Suzanne Anderson

  • When
    18 Sep 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
  • Location
    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 Pacific Time

  **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 September 2025 pick is Self Publishing in Canada: A Complete Guide to Designing, Printing, and Selling Your Book. We are thrilled to have the author, Suzanne Anderson, join us! 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:

  Today more writers are turning to self-publishing to get their books into the hands of readers quickly. They are also taking control of their book and making money with the first book they sell. This book makes the process easy to understand as you are guided step-by-step to publishing your own book. This new edition gives current information for today’s self-publisher and includes a chapter on e-books.

  PRESENTER BIO:

  
  

  Suzanne Anderson is an author and publishing coach who helps writers navigate the world of independent publishing. She self-published her first book in 1997 and has written four more books since. A blogger, she also writes freelance and has had articles in Cadence Magazine and WordWorks. She has a website and Facebook group.

  Suzanne has been a guest speaker at Vancouver’s Word-On-The-Street, the Royal City Book Festival and the Okanagan Valley Writer’s Festival. She has given self-publishing presentations at many writers festivals in BC and presented workshops at Vancouver Island University, Camosun College, and Simon Fraser University. She has given workshops throughout BC on both self-publishing and creative writing.

  A member of the Federation of BC Writers, Suzanne volunteers in several capacities. She is the Cowichan Area Rep and is on three marketing teams, including the WordWorks distribution team and the social media team.

  The first edition of Self Publishing in Canada won a Writer’s Digest Self-Publishing Award Honorable Mention. The book was written about in the Vancouver Sun. Suzanne was a guest on CTV Toronto speaking about self-publishing.

  
  

  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 Self Publishing in Canada at your local bookstore
  • Purchase paperback from Red Tuque Books or Amazon
  • Purchase ebook from Kobo or Kindle

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

  
  

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

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• Regional Spotlight: Victoria Writers' Society

  • When
    23 Sep 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  Join us Tuesday, September 23 at 7:00 pm Pacific for a Regional Spotlight featuring the Victoria Writers’ Society (VWS) with host Meaghan Hackinen and readers S.M. Perkins Carr, Valerie Chalker, R. Paul Faubert, Britta Gundersen, Hope West, and VWS President Dana Reinhardt!

  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.

   

  S.M. Perkins Carr is an author, poet, and music therapist. Originally from North Vancouver, she lived in England for ten years and moved back to Canada’s west coast in 2019, settling in Victoria. In 2022, she founded Melikos Publishing and self-published her debut novel, Searching for Persephone. Since then, she’s had poems and short stories published on a variety of platforms, and was recently shortlisted in the Federation of BC Writers Literary Contest, with her short story, “Mining for Moonlight.” She has a long-standing appreciation for the culture, landscapes and mythology of Greece, and the country often acts as her muse. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  R. Paul Faubert lives and writes in Victoria, B.C. He has written extensively in a career with the provincial civil service, though such a career does not result in external publication. Daily writing of briefing materials, policy papers and the occasional political speech, has enabled an ability to seamlessly blend fact, fiction and fantasy. His writing, exemplified by his short story Come Home published in the Winter 2024 edition of Island Writer Magazine, focuses on viewing shared experiences from multiple perspectives.

  
  He is currently seeking a publisher for his debut novel, A Criminal Act of Heroism, while drafting his second, Dreaming of The Walker. He has a third novel fully planned with the working title Unravelled as well as a multitude of others striving to make the leap from his head to the page.

  
  

  Britta Gundersen writes non-fiction and poetry, inspired by the many places she has lived around the world. Her work has been published by the Victoria Writers’ Society, the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, the British Columbia Historical Federation and the Victoria History Society. She also has published two memoirs: Ominous – An African Journey (2023) and Island-Wise – Global Reflections (2025). She is currently working on a biography that covers life on Vancouver Island between 1920 – 1940 and a historical account of conflict in the borderlands of New France and New England in the early 18^th century. Photo courtesy of J.A. Bryden  

  
  

  
  

  Hope West lives on Salt Spring Island. Her enchanting allegorical adventure, The Once Upon a Time of Now: mythic adventures, discoveries and meditations in the forest of consciousness, was shortlisted for the 2024 Eric Hoffer Grand Prize, won the Eric Hoffer Award for Best Spiritual Fiction, as well as The First Horizon Award for Best First Novel. In addition, her book was awarded an IPPY Gold Medal for Visionary/ New Age Fiction, a Silver Nautilus Book Award, and a Bronze Medal in the Foreword INDIES. Her poem, For a Moment of Everything, received the First Prize for poetry in the 2024 Island Writer's contest. Hope's previous publications include a children’s book, Snow Changes Everything and a book of photography and poetry, Incantations: reflections on the language of yoga.

  With a lifelong involvement in Indian mythology and art history, Hope has worked closely with some of the world’s most prestigious scholars in the field of South Asian studies. Inspired by her research, as well as her many pilgrimages to the great temple complexes of Tamil Nadu, her poetry and stories playfully explore storytelling's unique access to the consideration of life's big questions. 

  Valerie Chalker is a 2015 graduate of The Writers Studio, SFU when she started to leave behind academic writing, where ‘one is not encouraged to make things up’ and enter the fascinating world of creative writing, where ‘freeing one’s mind to make things up’ is the main point. This process allowed her creative side, which was suppressed for most of her life, to begin to appear with the encouragement of her mentor, teachers and workshop mates.

  Recently moved to Sidney, Vancouver Island, she is engaged with the Victoria Writers Society and Peninsula Newcomers Club while working on her first novel about her imagined ancestry. She has recent publications in Island Writers Magazine (Victoria Writers Society) and in Feisty Deeds: Historical Fictions of Daring Women, an anthology published by the Women’s Fiction Writers Association.

  
  

  Plus Dana Reinhardt coming soon!

  
  

  
  

  

  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 and is available in print, ebook, and audiobook. Find her online: meaghanhackinen.com 

  
  

  Show details
• Writing Intensive: 2AI Or Not 2AI

  • Start
    17 Nov 2025
  •  
    9:30 AM
  • End
    21 Nov 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  
  

  Join us for 5 days of digital learning from Nov 17 to 21, 2025 Online.

  
  

  ABOUT
  

  Artificial Intelligence is a heated topic in writing communities around the world. It has led partly to the downfall of NaNoWriMo, created changes to publishing contracts, and added new levels of complexity to contests, submissions, and much more.

  The one thing we can say about AI with certainty is that it is here, and it is permeating our lives whether we like it or not.

  We’ll be honest, at the Federation of BC Writers, we have shied away from the topic as we did not want to invite controversy to our community, but the questions are many and the need for knowledge is ever growing. We are excited to host an entire week of discussions, workshops, and panels on the role AI is playing in the writing community.

  Join us for the Writing Intensive: 2AI Or Not to AI. We will discuss what AI and AI related terms mean, unpack the ways that AI threatens and complicates the careers of writers, and look to ethical uses for AI in enhancing and strengthening our creative and professional endeavours.

  
  

  EVENT SCHEDULE

  • 9:30 am Introduction and Tech Help (Nov 21 only)

  • 11:00 am Main Sessions (5 Sessions starting on day 1)

  • 2:00 pm Bonus Sessions (2+ Sessions as presenters are available)

  • Additional activities will be added over the summer as they are confirmed.

  All times are in Pacific (Vancouver) time

  
  

  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 Thursday November 13th 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

  • FBCW MEMBERS: $60
  • GUEST: $75
  • 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 by August 15th so that we can help you in the timeframe available.

  REFUND POLICY

  • Full refunds will be issued up to October 1st.

  • Refunds for half of registration fees will be be issued until November 15th 11:59pm.

  • No refunds are possible after November 16^th 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
• Book Club for Writers: "How to Talk About Writing" with special guest Barbara Turner-Vesselago

  • When
    20 Nov 2025
  •  
    2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Register

  
  

  
  

  Member Price: Free (with donation options)

  Non-Member Price: $10

  **Digital doors open at 1:55 pm; event starts at 2:00 pm Pacific Time

  **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 final 2025 pick is How to Talk About Writing: A Fundamental Shift in Perspective (Vivid Publishing). We are thrilled to have the author, Barbara Turner-Vesselago, join us! 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:

  This book provides invaluable advice for all who long to respond constructively to writers who seek their input, but who don’t know how or where to begin.  With insight and clarity, Barbara Turner-Vesselago distils the essentials of ‘How To Talk About Writing’ into six revolutionary discoveries

  Seasoned writing mentors and editors will be inspired to abandon old paradigms of editorial criticism. Those new to giving feedback will find straightforward tips—easy to comprehend and instantly rewarding to apply.

  PRESENTER BIO:

  Barbara Turner-Vesselago is the author of two successful writing books and a mentor to hundreds of published authors worldwide. Informative and user-friendly, this is a vital guide for writers’ groups, university seminars, and even for frank and informal one-on-one discussions between friends.

  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)

  • Order How to Talk About Writing from your local bookstore
  • Purchase direct from the publisher
  • Purchase from Amazon
  • Purchase ebook from Kobo or Kindle

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

  
  

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

  Show details