Finding Your Voice, Living Out Loud

For over a decade, millions of Canadians started their day with Marci Ien. As a Black female news anchor and, later, the first Black woman in Canada to co-host a national morning show, Marci felt the pressure to stay “on script”—with little room for error. She had to be great. She had to show, every day, that she deserved to be there.

When her career veered sharply away from the news, Marci embraced her new role “off script.” With a greater opportunity to speak her mind on the air, Marci now bravely shares experiences from her own life with viewers and pursues more ways to make a difference in her community.

In Off Script, Marci shares personal milestones, tales of resilience and kindness, dramatic moments from her career as a journalist and insights from the many unforgettable people that she’s met and interviewed. Living off script means having the courage to speak up, trust your voice and follow your own formula for what matters most.

MARCI IEN is a co-host of The Social and was the news anchor of Canada AM for fifteen years. Her career in television spans over three decades, and has taken her from Halifax, where she joined CTV National News as a reporter in 1997; to Vancouver, where she was news anchor for CTV’s Olympic Morning at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. In 2016, she was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award in the category of Best Talk Show Host for her work on Canada AM. A sought-after speaker and moderator, Marci Ien also works with Journalists for Human Rights and World Vision, and was honoured by the Black Business and Professional Association with a Harry Jerome Award. She lives in Toronto.

Marci Ien's profile page

“Reading Off Script is like having an intimate conversation with Marci. Heartfelt, engaging, intelligent, inspiring.” — -Amanda Lindhout, author of A House in the Sky

“Marci is a bright light of optimism and an important voice for change in Canada. I’ve witnessed first-hand her tenacity, grace and dedication to championing action in her community.” — -Masai Ujiri, president of the Toronto Raptors

“Marci Ien has been one of our country’s most important storytellers for twenty-five years, sharing the experiences and perspectives of Canadians and with nuance, compassion and sensitivity. . . . [Her] perseverance, integrity and kindness represent the very best of Canada, and provide a road map for how we can find the best in ourselves.” — -Elaine Lui, author of Listen to the Squawking Chicken and co-host of The Social

“Reading Marci’s wonderfully whimsical and thoughtful book is like being given the opportunity to interview her. Her determination through her amazing career is beyond inspiring, and her dedication to family and friends, and her mission in life to seek out joy and to never stop fighting for what is right, will stay with me for a long time.” — -Jann Arden

“Off Script feels like sitting and going through a photo album with a treasured friend. Each story is a snapshot from Ien’s fascinating life, told in vivid and beautiful detail. Weaving in lessons about kindness, resilience and leaning into change, Ien reminds us that a life well lived is paved with as many challenges as successes, and she inspires us all to live more fearlessly.” — -Cynthia Loyst, author of Find Your Pleasure and co-host of The Social

“Marci Ien has written a book that is exactly as she is: wise, generous and bursting with heart.” — -Will Schwalbe, New York Times–bestselling author of The End of Your Life Book Club