Napa (In-Person): Piecing together Yuba City, Hollywood, and Napa: Co-creating a Memoir
2022-10-12 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Denver) | Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Ave, Napa, CA
$5 Fee for members, $7 for non-members. Students with ID – free.

Piecing together Yuba City, Hollywood, and Napa:
Co-creating a Memoir

Napa Valley Writers will feature actress Charlotte Stewart and writer Andy Demsky on Wednesday, October 12 from 7-9 p.m. Charlotte Stewart, a veteran actor of TV and film, worked with writer Andy Demsky to write her memoir Little House in the Hollywood Hills, published by Bear Manor Media in 2016. Stewart and Demsky will discuss their process for creating the book, offering approaches that worked for them to write and publish a successful memoir.
Charlotte Stewart is a celebrated film and television actor, widely known as beloved schoolteacher Miss Beadle on Little House on the Prairie, as well Mary X in David Lynch’s cult classic, Eraserhead, and as Betty Briggs in Lynch’s iconic TV series, Twin Peaks. She has worked with leading men from Jimmy Stewart and Elvis Presley to Kevin Bacon and Kyle MacLachlan. Today she makes her home in Napa and throughout the year enjoys attending fan events.
Andy Demsky is a writer who has co-written A Vineyard in Napa with Doug Shafer and Little House on in the Hollywood Hills with Charlotte Stewart. Most recently he wrote Unleash Your Inner Tudor, a mock-self-help book written in the voice of Henry VIII, based on Demsky’s popular Twitter account: @KngHnryVIII

Writers of Kern (In-Person): Do the Twist
2022-10-15 09:00 - 11:30 | Hodel’s Country Dining, 5917 Knudsen Drive, Bakersfield, CA, 93308, United States
15 October 2022 | Featured Speaker: Mike Apodaca | Do the Twist

You’re Invited to Our Next Writing Workshop
Pop in at one of our monthly meetings/workshops to see what Writers of Kern is all about.
Not a member? No problem! We’d love to have you.

When: The 3rd Saturday of the month, 9:15-11:15 am. Join us 30 minutes early for breakfast and writer’s fellowship, January, February, April and June-November.
Where: Hodel’s Country Dining, 5917 Knudsen Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308.
Fee: $10 for members, $15 for guests. Both include buffet breakfast. Pay at the door or skip the line and pay online.

Sacramento (Hybrid): Crossing Genres
2022-10-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave, Sacramento, CA, United States
Crossing Genres

Free Monthly Meeting
Live and Zoom presentation
(includes Q&A)
Saturday, October 15, 2022
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Arden-Dimick Library
891 Watt Avenue
Sacramento, CA
– OR –
Click here to register for Zoom

with
ML HAMILTON
Amazon Top 100 Mystery Author
People always say, “Write what you know,” but to be successful you need to write what you love.
Attendees will:

Learn the features of the fantasy genre
Learn the features of the mystery genre
Learn how to switch genres successfully
Learn what makes a “good” book no matter the genre
Learn how to evaluate their own goals for writing

In 2010, ML Hamilton made her first New Year’s resolution – to get serious about her writing. That same year she found a publisher, Wild Wolf Publications, in England and became a traditionally published author. After five years with Wild Wolf, she decided to venture into the exciting world of self-publishing. Since that time, she’s published 65 novels, written an award-winning screenplay, and sold more than 300,000 eBooks.

SF Peninsula (In-Person): Editing & Self-Editing
2022-10-15 10:00 - 12:00 | CA
Stuart Horwitz

Editing & Self-Editing

10:00 am – Club business and
mingle with fellow writers
11:00 am — Speaker

Join us in person at the
Redwood City Yacht Club, 441 Seaport Ct.,
Redwood City, CA 94063
Please bring a mask.
Editing & Self-Editing
Writers are usually tasked with editing other people’s work at some point, either as a beta reader, as part of a critique group or through a sideline as a developmental editor. We may not always have the editing skills we need when called upon in this capacity, however. This session will help you develop fifteen skillsets which you can then apply to your work as well.
A general introduction will cover adopting a mindset of neutrality, how editing is a conversation, and knowing how to respond based on what draft a writer is in, followed by a set of specific tools such as working with genre conventions, narrative arcs and plot holes, scenic writing, links and transitions, tone of voice, characters and relationships, point-of-view, and theme.

Stuart Horwitz is a ghostwriter, independent editor, and founder of Book Architecture (www.bookarchitecture.com). His clients have reached the best-seller list in both fiction and non-fiction, and have appeared on Oprah!, The Today Show, and in the most prestigious journals in their fields. He is the author of three acclaimed books on writing: Blueprint Your Bestseller: Organize and Revise Any Manuscript with the Book Architecture Method (Penguin/Perigee), which was named one of the year’s best books about writing by The Writer magazine; Book Architecture: How to Plot and Outline Without Using a Formula, which became an Amazon bestseller; and Finish Your Book in Three Drafts: How to Write a Book, Revise a Book, and Complete a Book While You Still Love It.
Horwitz holds degrees in literary aesthetics from New York University and East Asian studies from Harvard University. He is also an award-winning poet and essayist. He recently relocated to California with his family from New England, something he should have done years ago.

Tri-Valley (In-Person): How to use surroundings/location as a character
2022-10-15 14:00 - 16:00 | CA
Glenda Carroll, Author, October 15, 2022

Glenda Carroll is the author of the Trisha Carson mysteries that are set in the San Francisco Bay area. Open water swimming is the undercurrent that runs through all the thrillers. The series includes Dead in the Water, Drop Dead Red,and Dead Code. She is currently working on the fourth Trisha Carson book, Dead to Me. During her presentation, she’ll talk about:
How to use surroundings/location as a character
Take the journalistic approach – who, what why, where when, how
Be specific
Does the surroundings/locations reflect your protagonist’s mood/feelings
The more you look, the more you see

Read More »

Register Here

Consent to be recorded
By registering for this meeting, you acknowledge that the meeting may be recorded. Your consent to be recorded is implied in your registration. See meeting information for full details.

Berkeley (Zoom): Intergenerational Dialogue
2022-10-16 13:00 - 15:00 | CA
“Intergenerational Dialogue” with Lyndsey Ellis on October 16th, 2022

The 3rd week of October is California Writers Week! This year we celebrate California’s deep, historical diversity with an exciting conversation with an up-and-coming West Coast & Midwest author.

The Nuances of Writing Cultural Complexity

Regardless of race and class, many attitudes, behaviors, and belief systems stem from values hat are specific to our age groups. Exploring intergenerational exchanges helps us to better understand ourselves and each other as our life experiences intersect. This evening’s talk sheds light on how we, as writers, can capture the differences and commonalities in the conversations between a grandparent and a child, a teacher and a student, a new-hire and a retiree, or any characters from multigenerational settings in our stories, encouraging our readers to stop stigma, cultivate empathy, and learn from the knowledge gaps that destabilize our communities.
About Lyndsey Ellis

Lyndsey Ellis is a writer, editor, and teaching artist with work that has appeared in Kweli Journal, Catapult, Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Joyland, Shondaland, and several anthologies. She was a recipient of the San Francisco Foundation’s Joseph Henry Jackson Literary Award and Barbara Deming Memorial Fund for her fiction. Ellis has led creative writing workshops with a focus on craft, publication, networking opportunities for writers, and cross-arts collaboration. She is currently a prose editor for Great Weather for Media and The Account: A Journal of Poetry, Prose, and Thought. Her first novel, Bone Broth (Hidden Timber Books, 2021), is a 2022 Friends of American Writers Literature Award winner and a first-year read at Maryville University in St. Louis.

Website: www.lyndseyellis.com
Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

Event Schedule
$5 for members, $10 for guests, free tickets available*
Community
12:00 Club leaders check-in
12:30 Welcome and networking with members & guests
Program
1:00 p.m. Club Announcements
1:30 p.m. Member Spotlight: Jordan Pastor
1:45 p.m. Featured Speaker: Lyndsey Ellis
2:30 p.m. Book Sales & Networking
Tickets include admission to our online craft and marketing support groups, now meeting Thursdays. more info here.
See meetings for more info.

Get Tickets Now

Register on TicketSource

Mendocino (Zoom): Ekphrasis Returns
2022-10-16 15:00 - 17:00 | CA
EKPHRASIS RETURNS
Sunday, October 16, 3 p.m. Zoom
This annual event reveals the secret pairings of WMC writers with artists from The Artists’ Co-op of Mendocino.
Writer Initiators: Lynn Kiesewetter, Nona Smith, Naty Osa, Michelle Blackwell, Sharon Bowers, Norma Watkins, Nancy Harris McLelland, Mary Ellen Mynatt, Les Cizek.
Art Responders: windflower, Susan Fisher, Karen Lewis, Maureen Eppstein, Holly Tannen, Elizabeth Vrenios,
Bill Mann, Priscilla Comen, Nancy Wallace Nelson.
Participating Artists: Mary Anderson, Shanti Benoit, Karen Bowers, Mary-Ellen Campbell, Laura Corben, Joseph DuVivier, Claire Fortier, Sharon Garner, Stephen Garner, Marlee Greene, Rachel Lahn, Debora Lenox, Karen Reynolds, Bob Rhoades, Bob Spies, Larry Wagner, Lynne Whiting, Lynne Zickerman Olson.
Second Saturday, October 8th, meet participants and see their work at the Artists’ Co-op
(the northwest corner of Kasten and Albion Streets) 4 – 7 p.m.

North State (Hybrid): How to Write Frightful Fiction that Sells
2022-10-17 18:00 | Chico Veteran’s Hall, 54 Rio Lindo Ave., Chico, CA, United States
Oct. 17: N.J. Hanson, “How to Write Frightful Fiction that Sells.”
Meetings begin at 6:00 p.m., are hybrid events, and are free to all. In-person at Chico Veterans Hall, 554 Rio Linda Ave., Chico. To request the Zoom link, send an email to northstatewriters@gmail.com no later than 5:00 p.m. the Sunday prior to the meeting.

Central Coast (In-Person): Booktoberfest
2022-10-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Pacific Grove’s Juice n’ Java, 599 Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA
Booktoberfest!

CCW is sticking with our tradition of hosting Booktoberfest
in October. Seven of our members will be readers. Each reader will
be allotted approximately 8 minutes of reading time.

Inland Empire (In-Person): Websites that wow readers: How to create or update your online home
2022-10-22 10:30 - 12:00 | Ovitt Family Community Library, 215 E. C Street, Ontario, CA, 91764, United States
Saturday, October 22, 2022
Websites that wow readers: How to create or update your online home

Your website is the cornerstone of your writer platform, and it needs to work hard for you, 24 hours a day. Learn easy tips and insider tricks so you can spend less time battling technology, and more time writing your next book.

~ When is the ideal time to create your writer website? … and why it might be sooner than you think.
~ How technology is becoming simpler and more affordable, whether you want to build your first website, or switch your existing site to a new platform.
~ How to identify the one clear call to action your website must deliver.
~ Current trends in website design; how to avoid a site that looks dated.
~ How to stretch your website budget.

Pauline Wiles is an indie author turned website designer who builds beautiful, custom websites for writers who mean business.
As a writer herself, she noticed others were often overwhelmed by this task. Now, she aims not only to create powerful websites for other writers, but also to dispel some of the myths around how difficult a web project should be.
British by birth, Pauline is now a contented resident of California, although she admits to an occasional yearning for afternoon tea and historic homes. Her professional resume includes teaching computing to adults on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as desktop support, entrepreneurship education, and marketing analysis.

Fremont (Zoom): Things Writers Should Know about the Law
2022-10-22 14:00 - 16:00 | CA

Marin (Zoom): Finding Your Voice
2022-10-26 19:00 - 20:30 | CA
Topic: Finding Your Voice – Member Panel Discussion
Voice is about establishing our personalities as writers and connecting with readers through our writing style. Our tools include tone, verb tense, point of view (first, second, and third-person pronouns), and more. How we use these tools is important because it shapes what we are saying and why.
Do you have advice for others, or do you want to share your challenges?
Our October meeting will kick off with three diverse approaches to Voice and Point of View, provided by panelists selected from our own writing community. We will then open it up to discussion from the audience. We hope many of you will want to be active participants.
Members: RSVP here.
Only $5 for Non-Members.

October 2022 Meeting

Non CWC Member $5.00 USD

East Sierra (In-Person): Beyond the Book: websites, blogging, audio versions, publishing others, consulting, and podcasts
2022-11-03 18:30 - 20:30 | Ridgecrest Presbyterian Church, 633 W. Las Flores, Ridgecrest, CA, United States
JENNIFER CRITTENDEN BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
On the heels of her extremely successful summer program, Ridge Writers has brought publisher/author Jennifer Crittenden back to Ridge Writers to address a new subject, this time “Beyond the Book:” websites, blogging, audio versions, publishing others, consulting, and podcasts.” She will speak on Thursday evening, November 3, 6:30 pm in the meeting room of Ridgecrest Presbyterian Church, 633 W. Las Flores. Admission free. Masks requested.
Crittenden has written three books, The Discreet Guide for Executive Women; You, Not I; and The Mammoth Letters. Her company, Whistling Rabbit Press, has published four. She maintains three websites devoted to various aspects of her business and writing and publishing.
A devoted life-long reader, she says, “I fooled around a bit with writing in my teens and twenties. After I stopped working full-time, I returned to writing with a vengeance. I worked in corporate America so I wrote my fair share of emails, strategic plans, government and shareholder reports, and thinly disguised requests for money. Most business writing is awful, so I tried to do my part to generate clean, precise prose in a messy world.”
In tandem with this goal through Whistling Rabbit, she plans and produces the Eastern Sierra Book Festival in Mammoth Lakes in July.
We hope to see you when she comes to visit Ridgecrest and Ridge Writers.

Orange County (In-Person): If You Can’t Stand the Heat…Stay in the Kitchen and Write About It
2022-11-05 09:00 - 11:00 | Anaheim Packing House, 440 S. Anaheim Blvd, Anaheim, CA, 92805, United States
D.J. MacHale

Topic
“If You Can’t Stand the Heat…Stay in the Kitchen and Write About It”

D.J. MacHale is the best-selling author of the middle-grade Pendragon adventure series, the spooky Morpheus Road trilogy, and The Monster Princess picture book.
His writing success led to career in Hollywood as a writer, director, executive producer, and creator of several popular television series and movies.
MacHale will talk about the pressures of writing, something of which he knows very well from all angles. Please join us for this fascinating journey with one of the most successful authors to grace our stage.
To learn more about this speaker, visit: https://djmachalebooks.com

Coastal Dunes (Hybrid): Not Just Another Book About War
2022-11-05 10:00 - 12:30 | Nipomo Library, 918 West Tefft Street,, Nipomo, CA, United States
Our next meeting is Saturday, November 5, 2022, in person at the Nipomo Library and via Zoom, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM.

Speakers: Annette Langlois Grunseth
Annette Langlois Grunseth, is published widely in journals and anthologies. She has won awards with Wisconsin People and Ideas, Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets, and The Mill: A place for writers. Her first book, Becoming Trans-Parent: One Family’s Journey of Gender Transition (Finishing Line Press) earned a Pushcart Prize nomination. Her book, Combat, and Campus: Writing Through War, (Elm Grove Press) won a Gold Medal with the Military Writers Society of America. When not writing, you will find her kayaking Wisconsin lakes or riding a bike trail where her muse tags along, just for the exercise. Learn more at www.annettegrunseth.com
Topic: Not Just Another Book About War- Uncensored letters from a journalist about what really happened in Vietnam jungle combat are paired with his sister’s story of antiwar protest from a Big Ten campus. Grunseth includes letters along with poetry to process what happened then, and in the years since the Vietnam war.
Come join us this November 5, 2022!
Our in-person monthly meetings are open to the public and held at the:
Nipomo Library, Community Room, 918 West Tefft Street, Nipomo, CA
Directions: From 101 northbound or southbound, take the Tefft Street exit.
Proceed west for .9 miles. At Orchard, turn right into the library parking lot.
Date/times: Saturday mornings (the first Saturday of each month unless a holiday weekend)
10:00 AM- 10:30 Check-in and Networking
10:30-10:45 CWC Announcements
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM: Featured Presentation
12:15 – 12:45: Q&A, Book Signing if applicable
Refreshments are provided; admission is free.
For our 2022 calendar of speakers, visit our Event Calendar page.
Questions about our upcoming meeting?
Contact Information Desk

San Fernando (Zoom): The Power of Myth in Story Telling
2022-11-05 13:00 - 15:00 | CA
November 5th – Vincent Virom Coppola

The Power of Myth in Story Telling

The San Fernando Valley Branch of the California Writers Club is pleased to welcome author, philosopher and lecturer, Vincent Virom Coppola, as the keynote speaker on Saturday, November 5 at 1:00 pm via Zoom, with a presentation titled, “The Power of Myth in Story Telling.”

Vincent Virom Coppola lectures at UCLA. As well as studying the classics and English Literature, he has a PhD in philosophy and an MFA in Film and TV. His filmmaking career spans the full spectrum, from concept to composite, working in preproduction, production, and postproduction. Also, he was a script doctor at Paramount and Columbia. Films he has worked on include The Conversation and Godfather II, as well as writing for the TV show, Hotel. He has just finished a screenplay called The Street of Chance. His most recent book is Supermetaphysics, and he is working on a novel.

This in-depth and fascinating presentation will explore the root meaning of the word Myth and see it in light of its power and passion in works of art from the Greeks to the present. Nietzsche said all storytelling must have passion, Dionysius must be present. We will see that is so in flesh and blood, that is the characters or actors who bring the story alive for us. In brief, we shall take in the heart and soul of a story, however that story is told, whether on stage, screen, or on an iPad, and in that truly see the power of Myth.

Please note that all members of the CWC-SFV will receive a Zoom invitation to this presentation. Members of other CWC branches should contact VP/Zoom Monte Swann by noon on November 4th at cwcsfvhost@gmail.com for an invitation. Other guests may purchase single-day admission at www.cwc-sfv.org by noon on November 4th which will be followed by a Zoom invitation. We regret we cannot accommodate late requests.

Napa (In-Person): Ten Cookbooks that Changed How America Eats
2022-11-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Ave, Napa, CA
Napa Valley Writers meets second Wednesday of the month
7 – 9 p.m.
$5 Fee for members, $7 for non-members. Students with ID – free.

“Ten Cookbooks that Changed How America Eats”

Napa Valley Writers will feature Janet Fletcher, James Beard award-winning food writer. She is the author or co-author of more than 30 books on food and beverage, including the just-released Audible lecture series Cultured: The Epic Story of Cheese.
Janet publishes the weekly Planet Cheese blog and is the cheese columnist for Specialty Food and Tasting Panel magazines. Janet teaches cooking and cheese-appreciation classes around the country. She is a past president of the San Francisco Professional Food Society.

Napa Valley Writers, a branch of the California Writers Club, holds meetings at Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Avenue, Napa. Cost is $5 for members, $7 for non-members. Students with ID, free. For more information, contact lenorehirsch@att.net or see napavalleywriters.online. Always open to the public.

Mt. Diablo (In-Person): Three of Our Own & Holiday Book Sale
2022-11-12 11:00 - 14:00 | Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant, 611 Gregory Ln, Pleasant Hill, CA, 94523, United States
Three of Our Own and Holiday Book Sale

Saturday November 12, 2022

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Holiday Book Sale
The event is happening a month early!
Published Members are welcome to bring their books to sell and sign

Feature Presentation
Three of Our Own: Just One Thing
That One Sure Thing that works to promote each speaker’s work.
We’ll ask for ideas from the audience also!

Jill Hedgecock
Jill is an award-winning and internationally-published author. She writes book review columns for The Diablo Gazette and Books ‘N Pieces Magazine. She is the author of four novels. Follow her at www.jillhedgecock.com.

Michael Barrington
Michael has published four books and numerous articles both fiction and non-fiction. His current historical/biographical novel will be published later this year.

Suzy Orpin

Suzy views the world through her own narrative, weaving in the fascinating challenges, triumphs, and lifestyles of the people she meets. With these stories, she creates a companion book of recipes.

Schedule

11:00 – Check-in
11:00 – 12:45 Holiday Book Sale (Sales may contine through lunch)
12:00 – Buffet Lunch
12:45 – Business Meeting
1:00 – Three of Our Own

Click Here to Register

San Joaquin (Zoom): How to Make Writing Your Day Job
2022-11-12 12:00 - 14:00 | CA
Nov. 12: Jennifer Grainger Schoenborn, “How to Make Writing Your Day Job.”
Meetings are Zoom only, noon to 2:00 p.m. Free for all. For the link, sign up for the branch mailing list,
https://sjvalleywriters.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=899132e01f7a84cc55e31563e&id=7acdb2b23f

Long Beach (Hybrid): Your Mission Statement
2022-11-12 15:00 - 17:00 | Ruth Bach Neighborhood Library, 4055 N. Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA
Veronica Rossi
“Your Mission Statement”
Veronia Rossi is a Brazilian-American novelist known for her debut New York Times-bestselling book trilogy Under the Never Sky.

In this post-pandemic time, we are testing hybrid (in-person and Zoom)
meetings. In-person attendance is for members.

Our in-person meetings are open to visitors who request a seat in advance, or request a Zoom link, for a specific month. Make a request at info@calwriterslongbeach.org by the first of the month of the second Saturday monthly program you wish to attend in person or on Zoom.
(Seating is limited. First come, first served.)
.

All members, and visitors by request (as stated above), will receive a Zoom link by email
for specific monthly meetings.
Many of our speakers also invite followers via Zoom on their social media.

If you are interested in joining our organization,
please see the Contact page and Application tab.

South Bay (Zoom): Crash Course on Writing a Mystery
2022-11-14 19:00 - 21:00 | CA
Nov 14 at 7PM: “Crash Course on Writing a Mystery” with Hallie Ephron
by Tatyana Grinenko | Oct 23, 2022 | Speaker, Writing

Nothing hooks a reader like a masterfully written mystery. Anthony Horowitz has observed, “As far as I’m concerned, you can’t beat a good whodunnit: the twists and turns, the clues and the red herrings and then, finally, the satisfaction of having everything explained to you in a way that makes you kick yourself because you hadn’t seen it from the start.” Although meticulous planning is critical, the writer must place equal importance upon spontaneity and intuition. Alfred Hitchcock emphasized the latter aspects of the craft when he said, “One must never set up a murder. They must happen unexpectedly, as in life.”
During our monthly meeting on November 14, Hallie Ephron will guide us through the writing of a gripping mystery.
About:

New York Times bestselling author Hallie Ephron, Edgar Award finalist and five-time finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award, writes books readers can’t put down. Her newest suspense novel, Careful What You Wish For (2019), was described by Publisher’s Weekly in a starred review as “outstanding.” Her novel You’ll Never Know, Dear (2017) is set in South Carolina. It tells the story of a little girl’s disappearance and the porcelain doll that may hold the key to her fate. It was named a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award, an Earphones Award winner, and one of the “Top 10 Mystery and Suspense” audiobooks of 2017 by Audiofile.

Hallie teaches writing at workshops and writing conferences across the country and abroad. A revised and expanded edition of her Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel (Writers Digest Books) is widely available. It was nominated for Edgar and Anthony awards. Lee Child called it “the best how-to guide I have ever seen — I just wish I could have read it twenty years ago.” An award-winning crime fiction book reviewer, Hallie wrote an ON CRIME column for the Boston Globe for more than ten years. Her sister, the late Nora Ephron, wrote and directed “Sleepless in Seattle” and wrote “When Harry Met Sally.”

When: Monday, Nov 14th at 7pm
Where: Zoom – Please pay by Nov 12th to ensure you receive the Zoom link.
After payment is received, a ZOOM link will be emailed to you at least 1 day PRIOR to the meeting.
If you don’t receive it at least 1 day before the event, contact pr@southpaywriters.com

Cost:
$5 Members
$10 Non-Members
Pay via Check or PayPal
If you choose to send a check, allow a week for it to arrive. Make a check out to:
CWC-SOUTH BAY WRITERS
PO BOX 3254
SANTA CLARA, CA 95055
(PayPal will let you use a non-PayPal card. On the PayPal screen, scroll down for the button:
“Pay with Debit or Credit Card” to use your card of choice.)

Select member status and amount of meetings your are paying for

Member (1 meeting) $5.00 USDNon-Member (1 meeting) $10.00 USDMember (pre-payment for 6 meetings) $25.00 USDNon-Member (pre-payment for 6 meetings) $65.00 USD

Become a South Bay Writers Member here
If you aren’t on our event email list yet, you can get a zoom meeting invite by contacting Tatyana Grinenko (pr@southbaywriters.com) who will add your email to the South Bay Writers publicity and Constant Contact list.

Central Coast (In-Person): Why We Need More LGBTQ+ Historical Fiction
2022-11-15 18:00 - 20:00 | Pacific Grove’s Juice n’ Java, 599 Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA
Why We Need More
LGBTQ+ Historical Fiction
Shannon Pufahl grew up in rural Kansas and teaches at Stanford University, where she was a Stegner Fellow in Fiction. Before this, she worked for many years as a freelance music writer and bartender. Her essays, on topics ranging from eighteenth-century America to her childhood, have appeared in The Threepenny Review, The Paris Review, The New York Review of Books, and elsewhere. Her novel On Swift Horses (2019) was a Lambda Literary Award Finalist.

Marin (Zoom): Choosing Your Publishing Path: Traditional, Hybrid, or Self
2022-11-16 18:00 - 19:30 | CA
Topic: Choosing Your Publishing Path: Traditional, Hybrid, or Self
Choosing how to publish your book can feel overwhelming. In this presentation, you’ll learn:

How each path words (roles/responsibilities)
the pros and cons of each option
tips for choosing based on your vision, goals, platform, budget and skills/interests
what traditional publishers and agents are looking for
steps to take for each path

Plus, we’ll have plenty of time to answer your specific questions.
About the speaker
Lisa Tener is an award-winning author, book writing and publishing coach, and speaker. Her recent book, The Joy of Writing Journal: Spark Your Creativity in 8 Minutes a Day, won the three prestigious awards including the Nautilus Book Award. Lisa received the Stevie Award for Coach/Mentor and has helped thousands of writers tap into their creativity and publish. Her clients have signed 5- and 6-figure book deals with Hachette, Random House and other top publishers. Lisa is quoted in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Vice, and appeared on national and local TV, including PBS. Lisa is also expert at helping writers access creative flow and the wisdom of their inner muse, as she does in her popular Get Your Writing Done program.
November Meeting PayPal Button

November 2022 Meeting

CWC Member $5.00 USDNon CWC Member $10.00 USD

November Speaker Donation Button

Writers of Kern (In-Person): Crush Imposter Syndrome and Start Writing!
2022-11-19 09:00 - 11:30 | Hodel’s Country Dining, 5917 Knudsen Drive, Bakersfield, CA, 93308, United States
Joan Raymond
Crush Imposter Syndrome and Start Writing!
Pop in at one of our monthly meetings/workshops to see what Writers of Kern is all about.
Not a member? No problem! We’d love to have you.

When: The 3rd Saturday of the month, 9:15-11:15 am. Join us 30 minutes early for breakfast and writer’s fellowship, January, February, April and June-November.
Where: Hodel’s Country Dining, 5917 Knudsen Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308.
Fee: $10 for members, $15 for guests. Both include buffet breakfast. Pay at the door or skip the line and pay online.

Redwood (Hybrid): At the Heart of Screenplay: Character / Conflict
2022-11-19 13:00 - 14:30 | Finley Communiy Center, 2060 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa, CA, United States
Saturday, November 19, 2022
At the Heart of Screenplay: Character / Conflict
Toney Merritt

A comprehensive overview of the development practices of turning ideas into screenplays/scripts for film and/or video productions. The screenplay is a comprehensive set of instructions written in a specific format that addresses all of the crafts related to producing a movie; casting, cinematography, costume and set and sound design, direction and editing to list a few. Along with story development, a screenplay has two goals: Economy and Clarity. Economy in writing as few words as possible avoiding overly descriptive language. Clarity, so that everyone working on the film knows exactly what is required from their craft.
Toney Merritt, (MFA 1979) has been an Interdisciplinary Artist and Independent filmmaker for over 50 years, having completed over 30 personal films and videos; experimental, narrative and documentary. His films have screened a various venues such as the Paris Cinematheque, The London Coop, Pacific Film Archives, the San Francisco Cinematheque, Ann Arbor and Mill Valley Film Festivals, Anthology Film Archives, New York and the Oakland and DeYoung Museums, and recently, with a one-person retrospective at Lightbox Cinema in Philadelphia in 2021. Toney was the Program Director for the Mendocino Film Festival for 2 years, 2014 and 2015. He taught Film Production and Digital Editing at City College San Francisco, and Screenwriting for the San Francisco State University’s Digital Video Intensive Program. He was invited to present as a writer/director at the 2007, what was known as, Squaw Valley Community of Writer’s Conference, and invited back in 2008 to serve as a screenwriting mentor to 4 aspiring screenwriters. He has also served as a panelist for various festivals such as the SF International Film Festival and as a panelist for Independent Television Service, (ITVS) and the Rockefeller and Jerome Foundations, and most recently, the National Endowment of the Arts. www.toneymerritt.com

Tri-Valley (In-Person): Muse Boards: A Visual Writing Aid for All Genres
2022-11-19 14:00 - 16:00 | CA
Jill Hedgecock, Author and Freelance Writer, November 19, 2022
August 29, 2022

Jill Hedgecock will present “Muse Boards: A Visual Writing Aid for All Genres” at the Tri-Valley Writers November 19, 2022 meeting. When distilled down to its very essence, a writer’s job is to immerse their readers in a three-dimensional world through words. Just as fine artists often find it easier to paint what they see, many writers find that prose can be inspired by viewing images. This need was the inspiration to develop the muse board tool.
A muse board is a versatile visual aid designed to create mood, assist in character development, inform book structure, and inspire descriptive text. Its versatility means it can be specialized to fit any genre. And one of its most powerful features is assisting writers in keeping details straight. This talk will describe how to make and use a muse board and the many advantages of investing the time to create one.
In this craft talk, Jill will describe:
• Different Possible Muse Board Formats
• Various Materials that Can be Used
• How to Create Your Board
• Outline Twelve Benefits of This Time-Saving Tool
• How to Use the Muse Board to Market Your Book

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Consent to be recorded
By registering for this meeting, you acknowledge that the meeting may be recorded. Your consent to be recorded is implied in your registration. See meeting information for full details.

Berkeley (Zoom): Story Telling Crossover: Incorporating Video into Your Writing Projects
2022-11-20 13:00 - 15:00 | CA
“Story Telling Crossover” with Chris Hennessy on November 20th, 2022￼

Incorporating video into your writing projects

Attendees of this event will learn:
The How and Why of incorporating film & video into your writing projects—

How your writing skills can help you craft an award-winning film;
How to make quality film/video projects at little or no cost;
How to use film/video to get a book deal with a traditional publisher;
How to pre-promote your book during writing to create buzz. (e.g., get published in newspaper, miscellaneous publications, TV news appearances); and
How to employ unique, simple, stand-out social-media marketing tips to get known.

Hennessey may also talk about making your book into a feature film (on the traditional big screen or screening platforms), and how to motivate yourself, your team, and your readers to create/write/perform at your best.
About Chris Hennessy
Chris Hennessy has resided in Northern CA as an independent filmmaker, TV Producer, author, and speaker since 1990. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Sacramento branch of the CWC.
Hennessy’s cable TV show, Yolo YoYo’s, won, ‘Best New TV Series 2019,’ Sac 17/18. The episode ‘The Stage; Following our Wildest Dreams!’ won, ‘Best Narrative Episode,’ at the 2022 ACM Western Region WAVE Cable TV Awards.

Chris and daughter, Hannah

Battling prostate cancer in his lungs since 2009, Chris has decided that “Instead of sulking, (he’s) busy achieving (his) potential.” His 3500-word memoir, ‘This is What I just Went Through’ will be published early in 2023. He is also writing a memoir – Touched by Hannah – about a man with cancer (Hennessy), his 1 lb. newborn Hannah, and their fight for life. ‘Miracles,’ a promotional film for ‘Touched by Hannah’ took a ‘Film Heals’ award at the 2022 Manhattan Film Festival in NYC. The festival has been known as a place to celebrate filmmakers who use film to promote peace, humanity, and inspiration.
Recently, Hennessy wrote and had 6 articles published in local newspapers, and has written/produced 4 award-winning films since October 2021. He is now working on a screenplay for Netflix alongside sharing his story about battling cancer.

Email: chrishennessyfilms@gmail.com
Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin

Get Tickets Now

Event Schedule
$5 for members, $10 for guests, free tickets available*
Community
12:00 Club leaders check-in
12:30 Welcome and networking with members & guests
Program
1:00 p.m. Club Announcements
1:30 p.m. Member Spotlight: Kathleen Orozco
1:45 p.m. Featured Speaker: Chris Hennesy
2:30 p.m. Book Sales & Networking
Tickets include admission to our online craft and marketing support groups, now meeting Thursdays. more info here.
See meetings for more info.

Mendocino (Zoom): Writing Flash Fiction
2022-11-20 15:00 - 17:00 | CA
WRITING FLASH FICTION
Elizabeth Stix
Sunday, November 20, 3 p.m. Zoom
According to novelist and short story writer Peter Orner, “The difference between a short story and a novel is the difference between a pang in your heart compared to the tragedy of your whole life. It’s all a matter of how you feel the pain.” This is even more true with flash fiction. There’s no strict definition of flash: some say it’s anything under 2,000 words, some say 500 words, others say even shorter than that. While a work of flash fiction contains elements of a short story, in flash these aspects are often compressed or implied. It’s a form that invites playfulness and experimentation. In this workshop, you’ll learn what makes a great flash story pop off the page, and use prompts to create flash stories of your own.
Bay Area native Elizabeth Stix’s short stories have appeared in McSweeney’s, Tin House, Ploughshares, Alaska Quarterly Review, The Los Angeles TimesSunday magazine, and elsewhere. Her flash fiction is anthologized in Best Microfiction 2019 and won second prize in The Southampton Review Short-short Fiction Contest. Other flash stories have been published in The Racket Journal, The Tusk, The Fabulist, Paper Darts, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. (www.elizabethstix.com Twitter: @ElizabethStix)

North State (Hybrid): Researching Local History
2022-11-21 18:00 | Chico Veteran’s Hall, 54 Rio Lindo Ave., Chico, CA, United States
Nov. 21: David D. Bruhn, “Researching Local History.”
Meetings begin at 6:00 p.m., are hybrid events, and are free to all. In-person at Chico Veterans Hall, 554 Rio Linda Ave., Chico. To request the Zoom link, send an email to northstatewriters@gmail.com no later than 5:00 p.m. the Sunday prior to the meeting.

Inland Empire (In-Person): Reading from Tiki Man & Character Development
2022-11-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Ovitt Family Community Library, 215 E. C Street, Ontario, CA, 91764, United States
Saturday, November 26, 2022 – Thomas Atkinson
Reading from Tiki Man & Character Development

Thomas M. Atkinson is an author and playwright. His new novel, TIKI MAN, came out in October from Regal House Publishing as part of their Sour Mash Southern Literature series. His most recent story, “Kentucky Unicorn,” received a 2022 Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award for Fiction and was a Top 10 Finalist for the 2022 Prime Number Award for Short Fiction. His work has appeared in The Sun, December, Southern Indiana Review, North American Review, Tampa Review, Doubleback Review, Madison Review, Fifth Wednesday, Indiana Review and others. “Grimace in the Burnt Black Hills,” which originally appeared in The Sun, received two Pushcart nominations, and was selected for New Stories from the Midwest 2016. “Grace in the Embers,” won December’s 2016 Curt Johnson Award in Fiction and received an O. Henry nomination. Other stories have been included in anthologies in the UK and Ireland. Strobe Life is his first novel. His fiction and drama have received numerous awards, including six Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Awards, an Ohio Arts Council/Fine Arts Work Center Collaborative Writing Residency, and his short play, Dancing Turtle, won the 38th Annual Samuel French Off Off Broadway Festival.
