Created Author Bank at abcbookworld.com for writing and publishing in British Columbia . • Co-founded the B.C. Book Prizes and created the VanCity Women's Book Prize and the BC Gas Lifetime Achievement Award. • From 1992 to 1995, served as the Executive Director of the West Coast Book Prize Society that administers British Columbia's literary awards. • Served as the Writers Union of Canada representative on the original Board of Directors for the Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing at Simon Fraser University. Served as a board member of the City of Vancouver's Public Art Committee and the Vancouver Cultural Alliance.

In 1994 organized events to honour George Woodcock. • From May of 1995 to November of 1998, contributed a weekly editorial page column to The Province. • Have written for Macleans, Globe & Mail, Ottawa Citizen, Vancouver Sun, etc. • Freelance writer in the 1970s and 1980s. Wrote regularly for The Province as a books columnist for seven years, for Quill & Quire as a contributing editor for nine years, as a book columnist for Step magazine for two years and as a theatre critic for both Georgia Straight and CBC Radio for six years. • Frequent guest on CBC Radio as an arts commentator. • Many photographs have appeared in various publications. • Coordinated a fundraising campaign for the B.C. Civil Liberties Association in 1999.

"There is something recklessly heroic about Alan Twigg's series of books on BC's literary history." - George Fetherling

"Twigg is the Ali Baba of Canadian literary studies. He finds literary gems from the often silent and discursive past and brings them to life." – Barry Gough

Reactions to Alan Twigg's first book of interviews with Canadian authors, For Openers:

“For Openers is much the best thing of its kind I've ever read, and much more difficult to achieve than the casual reader would guess.” – Hugh MacLennan

“He has a truly remarkable talent for gaining people's confidence and finessing telling answers to his own incisive questions.” – Doug Fetherling, Whig Standard

“One can appreciate the zest, the engaging lack of stuffiness, with which Twigg confronts his authors.” – Ken Adachi, Toronto Star

“He has done his homework, and has a way of getting the authors to reveal more about themselves than they perhaps intended.” – William French, Globe & Mail

“For Openers is probably the best popular introduction to Canadian Literature that one could own.” – Charles Campbell, The Ubyssey

“The collection is indeed a smorgasbord of intellectual delights.” – Barbara Novak, London Free Press

Reactions to the political biography, Vander Zalm: From Immigrant to Premier

“Alan Twigg poses the most intriguing question of all when he wonders whether the Vander Zalm enterprise has, ‘the same sort of debt-equity ratio the bank would demand of thee and me for a $5.7 million loan?'” – Marjorie Nichols, Vancouver Sun

“… it gets the job done. It just records what the boy has done and said, and it unconsciously makes for mirthful stuff. – Allan Fotheringham, Macleans

Reactions to Alan Twigg's only poetry collection, Intensive Care:

“One of the most unlikely and riveting poetry books of recent seasons” – George Fetherling, New Brunswick Reader

“An affirming flame” – Jane Rule

“Enough to make you cry” – Vancouver Sun

Reactions to First Invaders , The Literary Origins of British Columbia , Vol. 1

“First Invaders is a delightful blend of coastal history and literary exploration. I got lost and found in it.” – Edith Iglauer

“First Invaders is the most enjoyable book on B.C. history that I have read for years.” – Jim Christy, Georgia Straight

“First Invaders is a treasure-trove of little-known information… It's hard to imagine a more enthusiastic guide.” – Robert Wiersema, Quill & Quire

Engrossing. It's hard to imagine anyone better qualified to undertake the project than Twigg – David Colterjohn, Vancouver Sun

“There is absolutely no substitute for this panorama.” – Mark Forsythe, CBC

“The best readily-available introduction to the bibliography of the exploration of the Pacific Northwest, with brief biographies, followed by bibliographies, of explorers, traders and map-makers from Drake and Hakluyt to Malaspina, John Boit and George Vancouver. A wonderful resource.”– Murdoch's Bookshoppe

Reactions to Aboriginality, The Literary Origins of British Columbia , Vol. 2:

“Twigg's new book alters the face of Canadian literature.” – Wendy Wickwire, University of Victoria

“Aboriginality is unprecedented and indispensable.” – Howard White

“It's a ‘must-have' for anyone interested in First Nations.” – Randy Fred, founder, Theytus Books

“I am wowed by the way he picks powerful, if necessarily short, excerpts from his subjects' writing.” – Carellin Brooks Barnes, Vancouver Sun

“Aboriginality is wonderfully unique.” – Chuck Davis

Miscellaneous:

“Tireless” – David Grierson, CBC (2004)

“An irrepressible, febrile guy” – Lynne Van Luven, Times Colonist (2004)

“The Robin Hood of Canadian book reviewing” – Stan Persky, Vancouver Sun

“Literary maven” – Globe & Mail

“As a writer, Twigg is almost unique in his willingness to sacrifice so much of his energy, time and personal ambition to the greater good of promoting B.C.'s books and writers in a fashion that is partisan on the national stage, yet strictly non-partisan on the home turf. This is a polite way of saying Alan is the only person every writer in B.C. really likes.” – John Moore, Vancouver Lifestyles

“In a conversation, he can coast along very laid back, his presence almost unnoticed, and then engage you in a sudden overdrive and whip you along an idea as if it were a 100-mile stretch of straight open blacktop.” – George Melnyk, Interface

“It's fascinating how Alan, in his mid-40s, has become something of a patriarch of B.C.'s book publishing as a multiple author and founder-publisher of the omnipresent BC BookWorld ” – Jan Drabek

“Is there anyone in British Columbia who knows more about its authors than Alan Twigg. The short answer is no.” – Chuck Davis

“The list of people who have seriously affected readers and writers in British Columbia is short… To it, I'd add Alan Twigg.” – Charles Lillard, Times-Colonist

“Since the deaths of W. Kaye Lamb, Willard Ireland, Margaret Ormsby and Charles Lillard, Twigg has been the main voice for what I call the British Columbia narrative.” – Barry Gough, Papers of the Bibliographical Society of Canada

Reactions to Reactions to Understanding Belize: An Historical Guide:

"He gives startling details travelers are unlikely to get in the tourist guides. . . . His understated affection for the country and its rainbow of peoples pulses through the historical detail, enlivening material that could otherwise occasionally overwhelm. . . . An ex-singer in a rock band and occasional film producer, Twigg knows how to keep interest. He does it partially through a quirky blend of authoritative, factual writing and informal, wry comments." - Cherie Thiessen, January magazine