February is almost here – bringing new workshops, contests, book launches, and other great writing events from around the province. Scroll down to read the latest details.
Note: the Federation of BC Writers is not directly affiliated with the following organizations or groups.
Submit your event or announcement to our next blog post here, or contact Rachel at rachel@bcwriters.ca.
Book Launch: Ordinary, Extraordinary: My Father’s Life by Bernard Pinsky
Sunday, January 28, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver
950 West 41st Avenue, Vancouver, BC
FREE – Register Here
Every Holocaust survivor’s tale is a testament to their resilience, blending luck, endurance, kindness of others and determination. Ordinary, Extraordinary recounts Rubin Pinsky’s survival and showcases his post-Holocaust life. What started as Bernard Pinsky’s gift to his father while he was still alive became an extended gesture of gratitude to him and other Holocaust survivors.
Free complimentary book offered to participants (one per family).
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VANCOUVER HOLOCAUST EDUCATION CENTRE
Call for Entries: 2024 SCWES Book Contest
Submissions Open: February 1, 2024
Deadline: May 31, 2024
The Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society Book Contest is open to both traditionally and self-published authors. A first-prize winner in each genre will be announced at the Art & Words Festival, Aug. 22-25, Gibsons Public Market, with a $100 prize for each first-place winner for Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s/YA, Illustrated/Graphic Novel, Indigenous Voices, Diverse Voices and Sunshine Coast Voices.
For more information, visit https://www.scwes.ca/contests
2023 Okanagan Short Story Contest
Submissions now open
Deadline, February 2nd 2024
The Okanagan Short Story Contest awards the best new short stories by writers in the Southern Interior of British Columbia: east of Hope, west of the Alberta border, north of the US border and south of Williams Lake. Past winners have gone on to publish with Penguin Random House, Arsenal Pulp Press, and NeWest Press, as well as numerous magazines and journals nationally and internationally.
Submissions must be between 1,000 and 4,000 words in length (about 4-20 pages, typed, double-spaced). Entries must be original, unpublished works of fiction. For more information, or for the submission page and instructions, please see https://fccs.ok.ubc.ca/short-story/
Launch Your Writing Project: Get That Novel, Family History, or Memoir Started This Winter
Saturday, February 3, 10, 17, 24, March 2 and 9, 2024
ONLINE 1 pm – 3:30 PM PT
Fee: $295 + GST; please register by January 15
Have you got a story idea that needs fleshing out? Join author Jeanette Taylor and storyteller Margo McLoughlin for a special online series. Taylor and McLoughlin will help writers with a new story idea devise a plan and get started on their project, whether it’s short fiction, writing for children, or a novel. We’ll engage in discussions and try writing exercises designed to get your pen moving as you work toward a first draft.
For information, visit: https://www.mcloughlingardens.org/literary-arts
Dave Williamson National Short Story Competition
Submissions open: Friday, December 1, 2023
Deadline EXTENDED: Thursday, February 22, 2024
Fee: $20.00 per entry
The Manitoba Writers’ Guild is thrilled to announce that the Dave Williamson National Short Story Competition has returned for its second year – with cash prizes worth $2000, complimentary membership for winners, and guaranteed publication for winners and honorary mentions.
For complete guidelines visit https://mbwriters.ca/programs/short-story-competition/, or contact MWGcontesto@gmail.com (the ‘o’ in contesto is the letter ‘o’ not the number zero).
Editors Canada / Editors BC Seminar: Build Your Freelance Editing Business Website
Saturday, February 24, 2024, 1:00 to 4:00 pm PST
Online via Zoom (Registration closes February 20 at 11:59 pm)
Ready to establish your editing business online? This seminar with Erin Brenner will guide you through creating and managing a professional website to attract new clients and grow your freelance editing work. You’ll learn website technology basics, better site content, site launching and management and more. Whether you’re starting from scratch or revamping an existing website, this seminar will outline the necessary steps to create an effective online presence for your freelance editing business.
BC Editors Member: $90; Non-member: $170; Student Affiliate: $50
For more information or to register, click here.
