This festival is great value. How do you manage to keep the price so reasonable?
Please Bring back Ian Weir. The number of times I felt so glad I came this year are too many to count from meeting Grant Lawrence in the elevator to being scared to death by Michael Slade.
It has been a wonderful weekend. Blue Pencil was also helpful.
I’m hooked; back next year!
Jacqueline Guest: Very encouraging. Awesome Master Class.
Volunteers: You rock!
Such an organised feisty event! The experience has widened my vision, enhanced & inspired my written word. My boundaries are endless!
Would like: sscreenwriting
Enjoyed the time to network and talk with other writers.
Bring back the editing workshop.
EXCELLENT conference. I received information that will inform my writing.
Presenters interested in returning: Ian Weir, Michael Slade. Best Yet!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank-you and your committee for all your hard work with the writers festival. This was my first writers retreat and I was amazed at the wealth of experience, kindness, and support that your team has fostered. I loved the Blue Pencil Cafe and Jacqueline Guest was a wealth of information.
I just wanted to send a quick note of thanks for a wonderful conference. Winning the fiction prize was such an honour.
You are all amazing and such fantastic hosts. I so look forward to next year.
You have a way of making your guests comfortable & welcome.
Great people, great venue and organization.
Would like: Memoirs.
Coffee House was a good way to get to know presenters. Enjoyed mixing with everyone.
Some out of town folks didn’t get a map to get to the College. (Map will be included in the programme for 2019!)
Ian Weir is great.
Shock Theatre: so much fun.
Interested in novel writing.
I wish I could have attended more workshops, the topics all sounded so interesting. I loved the blue pencil session. It was very helpful but it caused me to miss the most important part of one of my workshops which was disappointing. Overall, it was so great I will be back next year.
Saturday evening was a blast. Needs an MC though!
Jacqueline Guest covered all the info I was looking for. She is so interesting.
It was impossible to take in all of the workshops I wanted to see. That’s a sign of excellent presenters! I just wish it was over a longer time period to take in more of the great talent.
Would like more poetry and writing as therapy.
Super this year.
This was my 15th festival!
SAMPLE COMMENTS/CONVERSATIONS FROM PRESENTERS
Chris Humphreys: Just keep doing what you do!
Joy Vowles: is there anything above excellent?
Grant Lawrence: Amazing. Incredible location. Liked the intimacy of the college rooms. I had an absolute blast throughout the weekend. So well presented and organised so kudos to your team. * A big thankyou to Grant for his full-page article in the Vancouver Courier post-festival promoting Salmon Arm & the Festival. Our mayor loved it.
Michael Slade: I wouldn’t change a thing…if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The desserts were awesome.
Howard White: I love coming to this festival. I now feel like family. I had several former Blue Pencil ‘victims’ return for a second round and thank me for earlier advice…very rewarding.
Jacqueline Guest: No complaints here. Great organisation runs like a dream.
Sheri-D Wilson: Delighted to be invited back. Great experience and fun. So well organised
Ian Weir: The energy & excitement was electric. A tremendous weekend. My heartfelt congrats to the organisers. I have done festivals across Canada and this is one of the very finest.
SAMPLE COMMENTS FROM ATTENDEES