Bill Arnott’s Beat: No Power? No Problem!
We were set up with Netflix, the evening shaping up fine, then the lights softly surged, and with an almost audible "pop" we were cast into dark. A power outage.
Bill Arnott’s Beat
Vancouver author, poet, songwriter Bill Arnott is the national bestselling author of Gone Viking: A Travel Saga (WIBA Book Awards Finalist and ABF International Book Awards Finalist). His work is published in literary journals and anthologies in Canada, the US, UK, Europe, Asia and Australia and his column Bill Arnott’s Beat is a feature at New Reader Magazine, Canadian Authors Association, The Miramichi Reader, Federation of BC Writers, and League of Canadian Poets. Bill’s been awarded for prose, poetry, songwriting and performed at hundreds of events internationally. He’s a Director on numerous Boards, Writer-in-Residence, creator of Bill’s Artist Showcase, and for his eight year Gone Viking trek has been awarded a Fellowship at London’s Royal Geographical Society. @billarnott_aps | https://billarnottaps.wordpress.com/
Bill Arnott’s Beat: NPM ’22 and the Haiku Hedge
It was the cusp of NPM. Spring was in full bloom, literally. National Poetry Month coincided with Vancouver’s Cherry Blossom Festival and the city’s trees were putting on a show.
Indie Bookstores: Connecting Communities
Independent bookstores are a story of perseverance and connection, Bill Arnott says.
Bill Arnott’s Beat: On Buddhism
Bill Arnott reflects back on his "private" audience with the Dalai Lama.
Bill Arnott’s Beat: The Authors’ Lounge Interview
Let me start by thanking The Miramichi Reader and editor-in-chief James M. Fisher for being a great supporter and friend to Bill Arnott’s Beat. Much of the success of the column-series and subsequent book, Bill Arnott’s Beat: Road Stories … Continue reading
Bill Arnott’s Beat: Original Art
To my delight I was contacted by the Royal Geographical Society in London, informing me I’d been granted a Fellowship in their venerable group of professionals.
Bill Arnott’s Beat: Webinar on The Power of Cross-Promotion
Originally presented on September 13th, 2020, This two-hour webinar features Bill Arnott giving a recorded workshop he gave for the Federation of BC and Yukon Writers for both self-published and traditionally published authors. Workshop attendees paid $45, but accessing the … Continue reading
Writers’ Tips from Bill’s Workshop Series II
The Essentials of Ads and Promo
Here’s something you might know. If not, let me share.
For some time, we’ve needed to see an ad multiple times before it resonated—stuck—sufficiently looping in our headspace to motivate us to act, in … Continue reading
Writers’ Tips from Bill’s Workshop Series I
Writers, whether you know it or not, you’re a business owner. Specifically, an entrepreneur. The sooner you acknowledge and embrace this, the better. And the easier it’ll be to promote and sell books.
Crafting Arts
Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way … Continue reading
Unexpected Beauty
Unexpected beauty. In a highrise, surrounded by a sky-scraping copse of towers, nature abounds. Gulls soar, fixed-wing on thermals pumped from rooftop HVACs. Summer settles into place, reluctantly, with every shade of green—Irish hues in streetscapes, courtyards, boulevards—while deciduous and … Continue reading
Open Mics: Lifeblood of Local Writers
First time I showed up at an open mic I was the only one there. It was a Vancouver pub. (Still is, I suppose.) I had my Seagull six-string acoustic (no pickup), both the guitar and I showing our age. … Continue reading
Writers’ Primer: Ratios, the Sure-Fire Way to Get Published
Ratios are a simple, effective way to quantify your effort as a writer. And if your primary goal is getting published, knowing your ratios is essential.
The Story of Steve – Part 2 of 2
Six years later, with my pet Steve-the-African-tree-frog, I headed off to grad school, a four-thousand-kilometre drive. Late on the third day, I was stopped for speeding. It was starless dark and the officer used a flashlight to approach our car. … Continue reading
The Story of Steve – Part 1 of 2
Fifteen years ago Wonderful Magical Words, my first book, was published, raising twenty grand for Make-A-Wish Foundation, for which I’m eternally grateful. Here’s a passage I hope you enjoy, The Story of Steve …
I was twelve. And I … Continue reading