For many writers, November is a time to take on a big project. Many of us aim to get a first draft of 50,000 words completed. This year, we have put together a new program merging the formats of our previous NaNoWriMo events and our Summer Writing Challenge.
Join us over zoom for a month of withing with sprints, check-ins, and tips and tricks to keep you writing. The Kick-off and First Page Challenge events will be recorded and available to participants for the month.
What’s Included:
* Note: The Federation of BC Writers is running a week-long Writing Intensive from Nov 18-21. There are no sessions between the two events that are running simultaneously, but they each use a different zoom link.
Schedule:
Wednesday
Oct 30
12:00 pm
Kick-off event
Friday
Nov 1
9:30 am
First Pages Challenge
Sunday
Nov 3
10:30 am
Weekend Warrior Writing Sprint
Monday
Nov 4
Writing Sprints
7:00 pm
Thursday
Nov 7
12:30 pm
Check-in
Nov 10
Nov 11
Nov 14
Nov 17
Nov 18
Nov 21
Nov 24
Nov 25
Nov 28
Dec 2
Wrap-Up Open Mic
POLICIES
RECORDINGS
REFUND POLICY
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
LIABILITY
PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS
ACCOMODATIONS AND ACCESSIBILITY
The Federation of BC Writers is excited to launch two major events in November. To streamline the process for those interested in both events, one can bundle them the two together with an added discount.
Event details for both are below.
SESSIONS AND ACTIVITIES
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
WHAT TO EXPECT
RATES
EARLY BIRD (UNTIL OCT 31 AT 11:59PM)
REGULAR (AS OF NOV 1st)
SCHOLARSHIP:
SCHEDULE
MONDAY
10:30:AM: Tech Help and Welcome
11:00 AM:
2:00 PM
TUESDAY
9:30 AM: Researching Comps and Genres
11:00 AM: Demystifying Publishing Platforms with Suzanne Anderson
2:00 PM: TBA
WEDNESDAY
9:30 AM: Editing Sprint
11:00 AM: TBA
2:00 PM: Researching Publishers and Agents
THURSDAY
9:30 AM: Social Media Planning
FRIDAY
9:30 AM: Bio Writing
2:00 PM Wrap-Up Social
Join us over zoom for a month of withing with sprints, check-ins, and tips and tricks to keep you writing. The Kick-off and First Page Challenge events will be recorded and available to participants for the month. The Kick-off event and First Page Challenge will be recorded and available to participants for the month.
Join us for 5 days of digital learning from November 18 to 22, Online.
All times are in Pacific (Vancouver) time. Our event is focused on the steps towards publication.
KEY DETAILS
11:00 AM: Pitching with Cadence Mandybura
2:00 PM: Final Touches: Common Line Editing Issues with Michelle Barker and David Brown from the Darling Axe (editing)
9:30 AM: Researching Comps and Genres Activity
11:00 AM: Submitting Short Fiction with KT Wagner
9:30 AM: Social Media Planning Activity
11:00 AM: Panel on Royalties and Fees for Writers with Access Copyright and Public Lending Right
2:00 PM: What's In a Contract with Jonathan Arkle (Partner) at Doak Shirreff Lawyers LLP
9:30 AM: Bio Writing Activity
11:00 AM: Unlock Series Potential: Authoring Multiple Books in Oliver Evensen from Scrivener
ACCOMMODATIONS AND ACCESSIBILITY
Member Price: $15
Non-Member Price is $25
**This event will be recorded. Registrants can access the recording for 30 days.
Description:
What point of view to use is one of the most important decisions a writer has to make. Point of view helps readers connect with the story, changes the tone of the work, and can add depth and richness to a story. Experimenting with point of view can add new levels of skill to your writing. In this workshop, we'll go over the rules of point of view and learn when and how to break them, and practice the different ways to approach POV with guided generative writing exercises.
Outcomes:
Participants will leave the session with enhanced understanding of point of view and possibly two first drafts of stories
Intended audience:
Writers of every skill level
Bio:
Finnian Burnett is a writer whose work explores the intersections of the human body, mental health, and gender identity. They are a recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts grant, a finalist in the 2023 CBC nonfiction prize, and a 2024 Pushcart nominee.
Their work appears in Blank Spaces Magazine, Reflex Press, The Daily Sci-Fi, and more. Their two novellas-in-flash, The Clothes Make the Man and The Price of Cookies, are available through Ad Hoc Fiction and Off Topic Publishing respectively.
When not writing or teaching, Finnian enjoys cold weather hiking, Star Trek, and cat memes.
Digital doors open at 1:55 pm, event starts at 2:00 pm
Welcome to EditFest! Our goals for this event are to help writers make progress on self-editing their work, learn about working with professional editors, and meet editors in a "Speed Dating"-type activity. (We are planning additional events just like this one in other cities around BC for 2025.) The event features: A writing/editing space with snacks, coffee, and tea for the full two days. A printer on hand for black and white printing if you need or want to work on paper (by optional donation). A seat in our common writing and editing space; coffee, tea, and snacks; a sounding board session; three workshops/presentations; and one live editing session (activity descriptions below). Blue pencil sessions can be added at the time of registration or at the event, if space permits. We will join our friends from the SFU Writers Studio at the Red Truck Beer Company a few blocks away on the evening of Saturday, December 7 for an unstructured evening gathering to make new friends and talk writing. Parking, drinks, and food at the Red Truck Beer Company are not included. Full Schedule and Workshop Descriptions: Saturday 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM An Editor's Tips for Self-Editing Spoiler Alert: Don't trust your spelling and grammar checkers. In this session, we'll go over some tips and tricks writers can use to get their manuscript in the best possible shape. Saturday 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM Editors: What Do They Do? In this session, learn about the editorial process and the different levels of editing a manuscript might go through. We'll also touch on the different roles played by folks with "editor" in their title in traditional publishing, indie publishing, and magazine publishing. Sunday 10:30 AM What to Expect When You're Expecting (to Hire an Editor) In this session, we'll discuss not only the kinds of questions a writer should ask their potential editor, but also the questions an editor might ask of their potential clients. You've worked on that baby for ages; you want to be sure you're passing it into hands you trust. Sunday: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM Live Editing Session In this session, we'll work from one attendee’s sample (submitted on Saturday) to highlight opportunities to strengthen one's writing. Tara and the team from Editors BC will offer helpful suggestions of line-by-line edits on our projector. You won't want to miss this event. The chosen submission will be selected based on the best opportunities for education, not the quality of work. Please don't make assumptions that the piece is viewed as "good” or "bad." Instead, see it as a great opportunity to highlight the kinds of changes that make a piece shine. Activity Descriptions The Sounding Board Book a short session to talk to an editor about an issue with your writing. Maybe you're struggling with character motivation or direction. Maybe you need a bit of outside perspective. Maybe you just need to talk out loud until clarity starts to set in. It's like therapy. But for your storytelling. Speed Dating for Writers and Editors Not every writer and editor are the right fit for each other. In these lighthearted speed dating sessions, writers and editors get the chance to meet, greet, and evaluate whether they might click--professionally. Blue Pencils (1000 words) $45 add-on In these appointments, an editor looks over a few pages of your work, offering suggestions and corrections where appropriate. Typically, blue pencils are most helpful for line and copy editing, where context for the entire work is less necessary.
Our goals for this event are to help writers make progress on self-editing their work, learn about working with professional editors, and meet editors in a "Speed Dating"-type activity. (We are planning additional events just like this one in other cities around BC for 2025.)
A writing/editing space with snacks, coffee, and tea for the full two days. A printer on hand for black and white printing if you need or want to work on paper (by optional donation). A seat in our common writing and editing space; coffee, tea, and snacks; a sounding board session; three workshops/presentations; and one live editing session (activity descriptions below). Blue pencil sessions can be added at the time of registration or at the event, if space permits. We will join our friends from the SFU Writers Studio at the Red Truck Beer Company a few blocks away on the evening of Saturday, December 7 for an unstructured evening gathering to make new friends and talk writing. Parking, drinks, and food at the Red Truck Beer Company are not included.
Saturday 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM An Editor's Tips for Self-Editing Spoiler Alert: Don't trust your spelling and grammar checkers. In this session, we'll go over some tips and tricks writers can use to get their manuscript in the best possible shape. Saturday 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM Editors: What Do They Do? In this session, learn about the editorial process and the different levels of editing a manuscript might go through. We'll also touch on the different roles played by folks with "editor" in their title in traditional publishing, indie publishing, and magazine publishing. Sunday 10:30 AM What to Expect When You're Expecting (to Hire an Editor) In this session, we'll discuss not only the kinds of questions a writer should ask their potential editor, but also the questions an editor might ask of their potential clients. You've worked on that baby for ages; you want to be sure you're passing it into hands you trust. Sunday: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM Live Editing Session In this session, we'll work from one attendee’s sample (submitted on Saturday) to highlight opportunities to strengthen one's writing. Tara and the team from Editors BC will offer helpful suggestions of line-by-line edits on our projector. You won't want to miss this event. The chosen submission will be selected based on the best opportunities for education, not the quality of work. Please don't make assumptions that the piece is viewed as "good” or "bad." Instead, see it as a great opportunity to highlight the kinds of changes that make a piece shine.
Saturday 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
An Editor's Tips for Self-Editing
Spoiler Alert: Don't trust your spelling and grammar checkers. In this session, we'll go over some tips and tricks writers can use to get their manuscript in the best possible shape.
Saturday 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Editors: What Do They Do?
In this session, learn about the editorial process and the different levels of editing a manuscript might go through. We'll also touch on the different roles played by folks with "editor" in their title in traditional publishing, indie publishing, and magazine publishing.
Sunday 10:30 AM
What to Expect When You're Expecting (to Hire an Editor)
In this session, we'll discuss not only the kinds of questions a writer should ask their potential editor, but also the questions an editor might ask of their potential clients. You've worked on that baby for ages; you want to be sure you're passing it into hands you trust.
Sunday: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Live Editing Session
In this session, we'll work from one attendee’s sample (submitted on Saturday) to highlight opportunities to strengthen one's writing. Tara and the team from Editors BC will offer helpful suggestions of line-by-line edits on our projector. You won't want to miss this event. The chosen submission will be selected based on the best opportunities for education, not the quality of work. Please don't make assumptions that the piece is viewed as "good” or "bad." Instead, see it as a great opportunity to highlight the kinds of changes that make a piece shine.
Activity Descriptions
The Sounding Board Book a short session to talk to an editor about an issue with your writing. Maybe you're struggling with character motivation or direction. Maybe you need a bit of outside perspective. Maybe you just need to talk out loud until clarity starts to set in. It's like therapy. But for your storytelling. Speed Dating for Writers and Editors Not every writer and editor are the right fit for each other. In these lighthearted speed dating sessions, writers and editors get the chance to meet, greet, and evaluate whether they might click--professionally. Blue Pencils (1000 words) $45 add-on In these appointments, an editor looks over a few pages of your work, offering suggestions and corrections where appropriate. Typically, blue pencils are most helpful for line and copy editing, where context for the entire work is less necessary.
The Sounding Board
Book a short session to talk to an editor about an issue with your writing. Maybe you're struggling with character motivation or direction. Maybe you need a bit of outside perspective. Maybe you just need to talk out loud until clarity starts to set in. It's like therapy. But for your storytelling.
Speed Dating for Writers and Editors
Not every writer and editor are the right fit for each other. In these lighthearted speed dating sessions, writers and editors get the chance to meet, greet, and evaluate whether they might click--professionally.
Blue Pencils (1000 words) $45 add-on
In these appointments, an editor looks over a few pages of your work, offering suggestions and corrections where appropriate. Typically, blue pencils are most helpful for line and copy editing, where context for the entire work is less necessary.
Join us for a Writers' Social on Tuesday, December 10th 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 December'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 for one of our 2025 Writers Socials. See you soon!
Discussion Groups:
Editing and revision
All about poetry
Memoir/CNF writers connect
Connecting writers with chronic illnesses
Young adult and middle grade fiction
BIPOC writers connect
General writing discussion
Digital Doors Open at 6:55 pm, Event Starts at 7:00 PM Pacific
Email us at hello@bcwriters.ca
PO BOX 3503 Courtenay, BC, V9N 6Z8
Registered Charity Number: 127661718