From conference coordinator Kathy
Hello!
Six months from now, we'll be in the Sheraton Guildford enjoying our 2026 conference. Here at SiWC Central, we're already counting the days! (181 as of writing this until our virtual master class day starts things off on October 21, in case you were wondering.)
Our 2026 presenter roster is now posted on our website. We're thrilled to have a great group of people coming this year! As ever, we wish our superpower was being able to be in several places at once so we could attend all their classes and panels.
We'll have our workshop and master class schedule up at siwc.ca in the next couple of weeks so you can decide on master classes and start planning your conference schedule.
Registration for this year's conference opens Wednesday, June 3, at noon Pacific.
We STRONGLY recommend registering early if you aren't already registered. NOTE: Space in all registration packages will be much more limited than usual on registration opening day because a significant percentage of the people who registered for last year's cancelled conference elected to stay registered for this year instead of getting a refund. Don't miss out!
Already Registered? ***PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM ADMIN COORDINATOR KIM***
If you chose to move your 2025 registration to 2026 instead of getting a refund, this important information is for you.
In the coming weeks, Kim will be manually moving registrations forward to 2026, one by one. You will receive an automatically generated registration confirmation email once she has moved your 2025 registration into the 2026 system.
You might have questions about the content of this registration confirmation email, such as:
- Why does my 2026 registration confirmation email say I paid $0? Our financial system resets annually. Your 2025 payment is a part of our 2025 financial year. You have therefore paid $0 for 2026. Please refer to your records from 2025 for your receipt if you require a breakdown of your payment.
- Why are my blue pencil or pitch appointments different or blank? Some 2025 presenters are unable to join us in 2026, and others' schedules have changed. Kim will reach out to affected attendees in the order of 2025 registration to help them select new appointments. Please refrain from emailing Kim to inquire about pitch or blue pencil appointments until she has contacted you, or until the week of May 25th if you have not heard from her by then.
- Why are my master class registrations different, or missing? Due to presenter cancellations and schedule changes, some 2025 master classes have been moved or cancelled. Where possible, you have been registered for the same master classes you originally selected in 2025, even if these master class times have changed. If your master classes are now in conflict with one another, or a time change impacts your ability to attend, please wait for Kim to contact you to see if you need help making any changes.
- My appointments and master classes are not impacted by the 2026 schedule changes, but I want to request [a package upgrade, additional master classes, or new/different pitch and blue pencil appointments]. Please wait until the week of May 25th to email Kim to request registration package upgrades, master class add-ons, or changes to your fraser room appointments. We totally understand that your needs might have changed between Summer 2025 and now, and a new agent or author might be a better fit. Kim will be happy to help you with these kinds of requests after everyone from 2025 has been manually registered, and all scheduling conflicts caused by the 2026 changes have been resolved.
Bottom line: PLEASE do not email Kim before May 25 about your moved-from-2025-to-2026 registration except to reply if she emails you. Thank you for your patience!
Fundraising Update
Local event April 30: If you're in the Vancouver area, come join us on April 30 in New Westminster for Twisted Tales: a tribute to SiWC's Shock Theater with a special appearance by our Mad Hatter himself! Information and tickets here.
We now have a fundraising page on our website so you can keep up with all our fundraising activities. Currently we have the April 30 event, hanging baskets with early May pick up in Coquitlam, and our ongoing GoFundMe campaign. Thanks as always for your support. We couldn't keep SiWC going without you.
Good News
If you have good news stories about your publishing journey, you're always welcome to send them our way for inclusion on our Good News Stories page. This month, we're delighted for SiWC 2026 presenter Loghan Paylor, whose book The Cure for Drowning came first in CBC's Canada Reads this year after being championed by Tegan Quin. Huge congrats to Loghan! We couldn't be happier for them. Loghan will be teaching a very cool master class on writing for TTRPGs and teaching, sitting on panels, and taking blue pencils at the conference, too.
That's it for our news for the moment, but here's some important info from past newsletters in case you missed it.
Reminders From Past Newsletters:
Hotel Booking Link
The Sheraton Guildford, our conference hotel, has already set up our group booking link for this year, which you'll find on our website here: https://www.siwc.ca/conference/venue/hotel-room-booking/. If you're planning to attend this year's conference, we recommend booking your hotel room as soon as possible, as the hotel often sells out before conference registration opens in June.
Writing Contest
Our 2026 writing contest is already open to entries. Check out the rules here: https://www.siwc.ca/writing-contest/. First prize - the Jack Whyte Storyteller's Award - is $1000CAD and submission for publication, subject to editorial review, to Pulp Literature. Honourable mention - $150 and submission for publication, subject to editorial review, to Pulp Literature.
SiWC Year at a Glance
| Now | SiWC's scholarships are open to entries. If you're eligible, please apply! |
| Now | Hotel room booking link is available. Book early to ensure you get a room. |
| Now | SiWC's short story contest is open to entries. |
| Now | Registration rates for this year are posted. As a not-for-profit event, our prices are set to just cover the cost of running the conference. |
| Now | SiWC's 2026 presenter roster is posted |
| Early-mid May |
SiWC's master classes and conference workshop schedule will be posted. Kim will contact existing 2026 conference registrants to update appointments and/or master classes. |
| June 3 |
REGISTRATION OPENS at noon Pacific time. |
| September 15 | SiWC's writing contest and scholarships for writers from underrepresented groups close to entries. |
| September 30 | SiWC's scholarship for young writers closes to entries. |
| October 21 |
Virtual master classes. |
| October 22 | In-person and virtual master classes. |
| October 23-25 | SiWC 2026! |
A note for SiWC alumni from any year: If you've ever attended SiWC in person or online, you are eligible to join one of our alumni communities to connect with fellow SiWC alumni year-round. If you are an SiWC alumnus and don't already belong to one of our groups, you can join the Facebook alumni group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1795612307346377. We also have a year-round SiWC Alumni Discord server. To join, please email me (replying to this newsletter is fine) with the year(s) you attended and the name you used to register for the conference, and I'll send you an invite to join.
If you haven't attended SiWC yet, consider attending in 2026 and then you'll be welcome to join the alumni groups. Having a community of writers is a great way to help keep your writing going throughout the year.
More soon!
Kathy
Kathy Chung, SiWC Conference Coordinator
www.siwc.ca
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Surrey International Writers' Conference Society
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