by Nate Hoffelder | May 15, 2026 | Classes and Workshops
Join us on third Sundays for an informal social gathering. We want to meet you, hear about what you’re writing, share knowledge, cheer for and support each other!
CWC MARIN COFFEE SOCIAL
11 am – 12 pm
Studio Fourth Street
1569 Fourth St (bet 4th and F), San Rafael
- Bring your own coffee and crumpet
- It’s free, but a donation to the Tip Jar is appreciated
- Newcomers and old friends are loved equally
- Depending on schedules we sometimes skip a month, so subscribe to the newsletter so you don’t show up on the wrong date (https://cwcmarin.com/newsletters/)! We send out reminders and notices.
by Nate Hoffelder | Nov 3, 2023 | Classes and Workshops
Mark your calendars! The annual CWC Members-Only Holiday Party is coming soon.
Sunday, December 17th 4 – 6 pm
Larkspur (exact address to be announced a few days before the event only to registered guests)
Please plan to bring a drink or hors d’oeuvres to share.
The party will be indoors.
Please:
a) confirm that you are a current CWC member
b) tell us whether you will bring a guest
by Nate Hoffelder | Oct 17, 2023 | Classes and Workshops
Writing Workshop: The Imitation Method
Saturday, November 4, 2023
12:00 – 1:30 pm
In-Person at Mill Valley Public Library
Kick off National Novel Writer’s Month with fresh literary tools and rhetorical strategies for your writing. This workshop will delve into the imitation writing method, drawing inspiration from stylistic choices and techniques of author Brian Doyle, recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature and three Pushcart Prizes. Whether you’re a writer of creative nonfiction or fiction, this workshop will give you new ways to think about the craft of writing.
CWC Marin member Diane Waite’s experience as an English teacher spans over 30 years. She has taught writing to a wide range of students, from those new to the English language to advanced writers who have gone on to prestigious institutions like M.I.T and Columbia. With an M.A. in Linguistics, Diane brings a unique perspective to exploring writing and language learning through a linguistic lens.
Free, In-Person Only
Reserve your seat at https://millvalleylibrary.libcal.com/event/11107101
by Nate Hoffelder | Apr 28, 2023 | Classes and Workshops
Topic: Tighten Your Writing with a Poetry Game
Monday June 26 6:30-7:30PM
Live/Limited seating Free for all Participants
Co-presented by CWCM and Mill Valley Public Library
RSVP here: Mill Valley Public Library Events/Poetry Writing Game
Anyone who aspires to be a better writer knows the importance of thoughtful word choice and editing. The best writers exercise these muscles every day—but sometimes we forget how much fun writing can be, especially when we do it with friends. Bring your pencil to this one-hour interactive poetry workshop cohosted by CWC Marin and the Mill Valley Public Library. The game is a riff on the Japanese linked verse game known as renga, played by Japanese aristocrats a thousand years ago. In it, each person composes a haiku, then passes it to a neighbor, who completes it with a 14-syllable couplet. This simple, limited poetry form encourages participants to choose words and metaphors with care. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a great poet, you just have to be ready to play with words.
About the Speaker:
Jean has been a student of the Japanese language since she first went to Japan as an exchange student in the 1980s. She is currently writing a book about Japanese feminist poet Yosano Akiko (1878-1942). She has translated hundreds of Akiko’s poems and posted them online. Jean is a Board member of the California Writers Club of Marin and a member of the Marin Poetry Center, the Tanka Society of America, Left Coast Writers, and the Japan Foundation.
by Nate Hoffelder | Mar 27, 2023 | Classes and Workshops
Topic: How to Sell More Books: Laying the Foundation for Bigger Book Sales
Tuesday, May 23, 6:00 – 7:30 pm PT via Zoom
Laying the foundation for success is one of the key factors that will determine whether your book will make it or not. Branding and platform are terms we hear a lot, but does this really matter to book sales? In fact it does. This class will break down creative ways to build a foundation that will support your book and build your success.
Penny demystifies concepts like brand and author platform and will teach attendees a pathway to create more book sales. We’ll learn simple tools everyone needs including easy ways to research the things that matter to your audience, branding made easy, and social media: where do you really need to be to drive book sales? Hint: you don’t need to be on every social media platform.
by Nate Hoffelder | Jan 29, 2023 | Classes and Workshops
Topic: Writing an Eye-Catching Query
