Ted Barris

Fighting Hollywood for history: How writers can compete with a culture of memes and fake news

Since the release of my first book in 1977, I’ve had the good fortune to have 22 nonfiction manuscripts published (not self-published) by mainstream publishers – houses as diverse as McClelland & Stewart, Macmillan, Key Porter, Thomas Allen, Dundurn, HarperCollins and (my current book) with Sutherland House. Quite often the subjects of my books have previously suffered from misrepresentation by moviemakers, the mainstream media and even educators. As I can illustrate by example, getting a book through to a publisher or gaining greater exposure in the media (and, yes, social media) often comes down to positioning your work as “the true … the real… and/or the untold” version of the story.

Ted Barris is a Canadian writer, broadcaster, and historian with a focus on Canadian history, particularly military subjects. His writing career began in high school, contributing stories to a local newspaper. Barris studied Radio and Television Arts at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, graduating in 1971, and later earned a degree in Applied Arts. He worked part-time as a radio host and documentary producer while exploring music journalism and writing for publications like *The Globe and Mail* and *Rolling Stone*. Barris later shifted to educational TV work and freelance writing, leading to his first book, *Fire Canoe*. Over two decades, he worked for CBC Radio, National Public Radio, and hosted TV programs. He eventually specialized in Canadian military history, producing several books on the subject.