Ongoing Events
SCI BC Monthly Writers’ Workshop
Host: Lisa Hislop
Date: 1st Wednesday of every month
Time: 6 – 8 pm (Pacific)
Cost: Free
In partnership with Spinal Cord Injury BC, I lead a virtual writers’ workshop. This group is a cozy place for disabled writers to take turns sharing our writing and learning how to give and receive productive feedback. All bodies and brains are encouraged! Join.
SCI BC Weekly Book Club
Host: Lisa Hislop
Date: Every Monday
Time: 6 – 7 pm (Pacific)
Cost: Free
In partnership with Spinal Cord Injury BC, I host a weekly virtual book club. We read titles of all sorts (usually via audiobook), an hour at a time, and then get together once a week to dive a little deeper into the text. All brains and bodies are encouraged! Join.
Vancouver Public Library
Blue Pencil Sessions
Host: VPL and Kyle Hawk from Editors Canada
Dates: Seasonal
Guest Editors: Various, including me!
Cost: Free
Need an expert opinion on how to take your writing project to the next level? Sign up for a free 30-minute ‘blue pencil’ editing session with a member of the B.C. Branch of Editors Canada and get feedback on your writing. Register.
Past Events
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Feb 7, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat. Learn more about FFM‘s Authors Only Collective to register.
Hit Submit: Start Sending Your Writing to Magazines and Anthologies
Host: Federation of BC Writers
When: Thursday, Jan 29, 2026
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $75 (Intensive)
Are you ready to begin submitting your stories, CNF, poems, or essays to literary magazines and anthologies? Join editor Lisa Hislop for a walk-through of what to expect, tips to avoid getting stuck in the slush pile, and a bundle of templates to make submitting easier. Learn more at FBCW.
Refresh Your Writing Practice
Host: SCI BC
When: Friday, Jan 23, 2026
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: Free
Has your writing practice turned from an inspiration-driven expression of your creativity to just another thing on your to-do list? Join professional editor Lisa Hislop and the SCI BC Writers’ Group for an afternoon of writing, personalized feedback, playful exploration and spirited discussion to refresh every part of your writing process.
Nailing the Middle Build of Your Romance Story
Host: Federation of BC Writers
When: Monday, Nov 19, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $75 (Intensive)
Struggling with your middle build? It’s no wonder! The middle build of a story spans fifty percent or more of the words on the page. In this session, discover how to fill that space with tension-building plot points that lead to a satisfying climax (pun intended).
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Nov 15, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Last one before the new year! Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Live Editing with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Oct 18, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: Free
Have you ever wanted to know how an editor reviews, critiques, and edits your stories? Now is your chance to see the process of an experienced editor. Lisa Hislop will edit a story live on screen and narrate the process in real-time. She will explain her editing decisions and answer your questions.
Want to volunteer your story? We are looking for a volunteer to be the subject of the live edit. In exchange for being the volunteer, Lisa will provide you with a completed and detailed edit of your story after the event. The author of the story will remain anonymous.
Old-School Marketing to Maximize Mental Health
Host: Federation of BC Writers
When: Monday, Oct 6, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $75 (Intensive)
Have you ever wondered, after doom-scrolling for two hours of your writing time, whether you really need social media to succeed as a writer? Join elder-millennial and editor, Lisa Hislop, for some old-school techniques to cultivate personal connections with your readers (and maybe ditch the feed).
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Sep 20, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Are you ready for focus fall? Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Jul 26, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Revision Quest: 5 Ways to Unstick a Story
Host: Federation of BC Writers
When: Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $75 (Intensive)
Join Lisa Hislop for this intensive editing workshop to learn five ways to take a more objective perspective on your story so you can see what’s going wrong and where to go from here.
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Jun 21, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, May 31, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Apr 12, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Autistic Writers’ Group
Hosts: Wendy Cooper (& Lisa Hislop until Apr 2025)
Date: 3rd Wednesday of every month
Time: 3 – 5 pm (Pacific)
Cost: Free
Fellow autistic, and mental health self-advocate Wendy Cooper and I wanted a place where we could talk about writing with other autistics. So, we started an autistics-only writers’ group. Are you an autistic writer? Register here.
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Mar 22, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
A second session for those who missed out! Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Mar 7, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Feb 8, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Live Editing with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine & Me
When: Saturday, Jan 25, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: Free
Have you ever wanted to know how an editor reviews, critiques, and edits your stories? Now is your chance to see the process of an experienced editor. Lisa Hislop will edit a story live on screen and narrate the process in real-time. She will explain her editing decisions and answer your questions.
Critique Group with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine
When: Saturday, Jan 11, 2025
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: $49 USD
Happy New Year! Would you like real-time feedback on a story from Lisa and five other writers? Join us to read a piece of flash fiction (no more than 1000 words) or an excerpt from a longer story and receive supportive critique. The session will be recorded so you can review it later, download the transcript, and chat.
Live Editing with Lisa
Host: Flash Fiction Magazine & Me
When: Saturday, Dec 7, 2024
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost: Free
Have you ever wanted to know how an editor reviews, critiques, and edits your stories? Now is your chance to see the process of an experienced editor. Lisa Hislop will edit a story live on screen and narrate the process in real-time. She will explain her editing decisions and answer your questions.
So, You Want to Be an Editor?
Host: University of Manitoba
Presenters: Editors Canada Ambassadors Lisa Hislop & Michelle Waitzman
Date: November 1, 2024
Cost: Private Seminar
Attention graduate students! Join professional editors Lisa Hislop and Michelle Waitzman from Editors Canada to learn about a career in editing. Lisa and Michelle will talk about the types of editors and editing, the variety of career paths and training required, and answer any questions you have about exploring the profession further.
Writing for Tomorrow Today
Host: 2024 Surrey International Writers’ Conference
Panel: Amber Riaz, Amanda Goldrick-Jones, Molly Cernik, & Lisa Hislop
Date: Sunday, Oct 27 at 11:45 – 1pm (PT)
Location: Virtual and Recorded
Cost: Included with access pass.
Trends in language are constantly changing. Phrasing and framing ideas to be in line with the expectations of the future can help writing stand the test of time. Writers can stay ahead of the curve to expand their potential audience and the relevance of their work. In this panel discussion, professional editors will address how conventions are changing to address diversity, equity, inclusion, sensitivity concerns, conscious language, and other issues.
The Neurodivergent Publishing Conference
Presenter: Lisa Hislop
Title: Picking a POV that Pops!
Date: February 16 – 18, 2024
Cost: $35 USD
Picking a POV that Pops! If you use the same POV for every story because stepping into the unknown has you mired in narrative distance, limits of perception, biases, and objectivity, take my hand. I’ll demystify the jargon of narrative point of view, then guide your deep dive into the qualities and characteristics of first-, second-, and third-person points of view so the next POV you pick, pops.
Revising Your Short Story:
The Quick and Dirty DIY
Host: Manitoba Writers’ Guild
Date: Nov 9, 2023 at 5 pm (PST)
Cost: Free for Guild members
Over the course of this virtual 40-minute presentation, Lisa Hislop will outline each phase of the editing process and the key elements for short story development. She will provide exercises and tools you can use to address common problems and polish your manuscript prior to sending it off to a contest or a publisher.
Editing Skills for Self-Advocates: Four-Part Series
Host: Lisa Hislop in partnership with Autism BC
Dates: Jan 30, April 17, Jul 18, and Oct 10, 2023
Time: 6 – 8 pm
Cost: Free
Revising advocacy writing is much more than just grammar and spelling. Crafting an impactful piece from your first draft is less about the mechanics of writing than it is about making difficult ideas relatable, skillfully putting words to your most challenging emotions, and captivating a compassion-fatigued audience. Even with the first draft on paper, it can feel like an overwhelming task. In this ongoing, four-part series Editing Skills for Self-Advocates—From First Draft to Publication, you will learn valuable skills for every step of the revision process.
Part 1 – Developing your ideas (January)
Part 2 – Organizing your content (April)
Part 3 – Developing your writing style (July)
Part 4 – Navigating writing rules (October)
How to Write a Story: A Weekend Writing Retreat
Host: Lisa Hislop in partnership with SCI BC
Dates: Jul 28 – Jul 30, 2023
Cost: Free
Have you always wanted to write a story but need help figuring out where to start? Or maybe you have a great scene or real-to-you character that you’d like to write into a story but don’t know how. Great news! SCI BC is hosting How to Write a Story, a creative writing workshop to help you write a story from beginning to end, all during a single weekend.
Neurodiversity Inclusion Seminar
Host: Kwantlen Polytechnic University Creative Writing Department
Date: Sep 22, 2023 at 8:00 – 11:30 am
Private Seminar
In this department-wide seminar, you will learn about the neurodivergent perspective from a neurodivergent person, gain skills for integrating the neurodivergent perspective into the way you instruct, and establish relationships with each other to help troubleshoot students’ needs together in the future.
Editing Skills for Self-Advocates
Host: Lisa Hislop in partnership with Autism BC
Date: May 6, 2022 at 6:30 – 8:00 pm (Pacific)
Cost: Free
New and seasoned writers are welcome to come and learn about taking a piece of writing from first draft to publication. We will cover: how to undermine the imposter, writing skills for the self-advocate, self-advocacy skills for the writer, and the revision checklist.
Revision for Writers 101
Host: Lisa Hislop in partnership with Technology for Living
Date: April 7, 2022 at 6 – 8:30 pm
in partnership with Technology for Living
Cost: Free
Peers on Pages is a virtual, peer-led writers’ workshop hosted by Monica Gartner in partnership with Technology for Living. This week, I was invited to share some tips and tricks for writers getting their work ready for submission and publication.
Creative Writing 101
Host: Lisa Hislop in partnership with SCI BC
Dates: Feb 19 & 20, 2022 at 2 – 5pm
Cost: Free
In this six-hour weekend workshop you will learn a little bit about all the stages of the writing process:
- four ways to get your ideas on paper
- the importance of a shitty first draft
- the difference between writing and revision
- what to do with a finished piece.
All brains and bodies are encouraged.