How are the semi-finalists picked to play Canada Writes on CBC Radio One?
Brent Bambury on GO! on CBC Radio One puts out the call for entries in the five Canada Writes categories in January. The Canada Writes / GO! production team creates a short list of 20 names, ten from the East (residents of Ontario eastward) and ten from the West and North (residents from Manitoba and all points west and north). These 20 short-listed candidates are then auditioned for the game shows through a short telephone interview and a one-hour timed writing challenge. The aim is to choose the best game-show contestants: they are not only the best writers but also those who can write under pressure and bring personality to the presentation of their work on-air.
