by Nate Hoffelder | Apr 11, 2024 | Events
Ask-Me-Anything
with Literary Agent Kimberley Cameron
Wednesday, June 12, 6 – 7:30 pm
Mill Valley Public Library
Looking to get your novel published but don’t have an agent yet? This event is for aspiring writers seeking representation. In this program, literary agent Kimberley Cameron will take your questions on changes in the publishing industry and tips for how to get an agent. Aspiring authors can leave this program feeling empowered to take the next step in their publishing journey.
Kimberley Cameron is president of the successful literary agency that bears her name, based in Tiburon, CA. She has been a literary agent for thirty years, representing both fiction and nonfiction manuscripts. She has found success with many different genres, and loves the thrill of securing representation for debut authors.
This event is presented by the Mill Valley Library in partnership with the California Writers Club of Marin. Register for the event on the Library website at: https://millvalleylibrary.libcal.com/event/12201246
by Nate Hoffelder | Mar 17, 2024 | Events
How to Write a Killer Book Blurb
Saturday, May 18, 10 – 11:30 am
Book Passage Corte Madera
$5 for CWC Members, $10 for Non-Members
Having a killer book blurb for the back cover of your book and online sales page is critical! Only your cover and title are more important in attracting readers. In this hands-on workshop, John will walk us through the art of creating a teaser that grabs readers’ attention and makes them want to know more.
Submit your blurb in advance (100 words or less, one per participant) if you’d like a live critique! Send it to marin@cwcmarin.com by May 10 or share with us during the workshop. We will collaborate to make your hook stronger and sharper.
John Byrne Barry is a writer, designer, actor, director, and crossing guard. He is author of four novels and three plays, including “Sausalypso Houseboat Wars Murder Mystery,” which he wrote and directed in 2023, and has adapted into a novel called Pirates of Sausalito: Houseboat Wars Murder Mystery. johnbyrnebarry.com
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by Nate Hoffelder | Feb 18, 2024 | Events
The Secret to Writing a Good Novel:
Take Off Your Writer’s Hat
Wed. April 10th, 7 – 8:30 pm PT
Online Only (Zoom)
$5 for CWC Members, $10 for Non-Members
Whether you’re struggling to start a novel, stuck in the middle, or overwhelmed by a revision, the natural tendency for writers is to write their way out of their story problems. But writing forward is not always the best thing to do. It often pays to take off your writer’s hat and define the foundational elements of your story before you keep writing — which means understanding your motivation, considering your reader’s expectations, and making sure your story has a solid structure that will hold up inside and out from beginning to end.
In this interactive presentation, top book coach Jennie Nash will walk us through the foundational elements of story in her 14-step Blueprint process. Participants will receive a digital copy of Jennie’s Blueprint for a Book and the confidence and clarity to put it to use.
Jennie Nash is the founder and CEO of Author Accelerator, a company on a mission to lead the emerging book coaching industry with rigorous training, high standards for certification, and ongoing support for coaches while they build their businesses. Her own coaching clients have landed top New York agents and six-figure book deals with traditional publishing houses such as Penguin, Scribner, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette, and won dozens of national indie book awards. Jennie is the author of 12 books in 3 genres, including her Blueprint for a Book, Blueprint for a Nonfiction Book and Blueprint for a Memoir. Visit her at authoraccelerator.com and jennienash.com.
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by Nate Hoffelder | Jan 18, 2024 | Events
How to Succeed at Anything with Dierdre Wolownick
Sat. March 16th, 10-11:30 am
Book Passage Corte Madera
$5 for CWC Members, $10 for Non-Members
Reserve Your Seat:
Raising Alex Honnold, the first person to climb Yosemite’s El Capitan without safety ropes, is only one of Dierdre Wolownick’s accomplishments. She struggled to raise two kids as a single mother, and overcame her situation to become a marathoner in her fifties, an independent publisher, an orchestra conductor, and at 66, the oldest woman to climb El Capitan.
In her book The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story, she reveals how her climbing achievement reflects an inspiring story of courage and persistence.
Dierdre will talk about her method to get you anywhere you want to go in life, even help you get your book out there!!
by Nate Hoffelder | Dec 22, 2023 | Events
Topic: Perfect Pitch
Co-hosted by CWC Marin and the Mill Valley Public Library
Both sessions will take place in-person in the Library’s Creekside Room.
RSVP at the Library website: https://millvalleylibrary.libcal.com/event/11602407
FREE
You may not be ready to make a formal pitch to agents and publishers, but you should always be ready to talk about your book with clarity and confidence. You never know who you will meet. The time to practice your pitch is before you find yourself sitting on the plane next to a publisher. This special two-part event will get you ready!
Session A: Create Your Elevator Pitch. Thurs, Feb 8, 6 – 7:30 pm. Pitch-O-Rama and veteran publisher Brenda Knight will coach us through the basics of a great elevator pitch: what do publishers and agents need to hear? What will turn them off, and what will pull them in? RSVP here: https://millvalleylibrary.libcal.com/event/11602407
Session B: Now, Practice It! Thurs, Feb 15, 6 – 7:30 pm. Stand up before a friendly, informal audience and deliver your 3-minute pitch. If you wish, the audience can provide feedback. CWC Marin President Daniel Bacon will moderate. RSVP here: https://millvalleylibrary.libcal.com/event/11602408
About the Coach
Brenda Knight is a twenty-year publishing veteran, starting at HarperCollins. She authored American Book Award-winning Women of the Beat Generation, Rituals for Life and Wild Women and Books. She is the President of the Women’s National Book Association, which hosts the annual Pitch-O-Rama. Knight has worked with many bestselling authors including Mark Nepo, Phil Cousineau, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, and Paolo Coehlo. She is founding editor of Viva Editions, a division of Cleis Press. https://wnba-sfchapter.org/participant/brenda-knight/
