by Nate Hoffelder | Nov 9, 2026 | Events
The Reporter’s Toolkit
Saturday, Jan. 30 @ 1:00 pm
Mill Valley Public Library
Mark Your Calendar
RSVP Link Coming Soon
Writers will learn how to research like a newsroom pro—tracking sources, cross-checking facts, and interviewing for character depth—while keeping narrative flow and emotional truth intact. Whether you’re building historical settings, crafting realistic dialogue, or shaping suspense, The Reporter’s Toolkit gives novelists the practical skills to write fiction that feels real, alive, and unforgettable.
About the Speaker
Geri Spieler is a journalist and investigative reporter. She has written for the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Forbes and as a Research Director for Gartner, a global technology advising company and currently is a regular contributor to Truthdig.com, an award-winning investigative reporting website.
Her nonfiction book, Housewife Assassin: The Woman Who Tried to Kill President Ford, published by Diversion Books, has won many first-place awards and has been optioned for a ten-episode TV series by Fox Entertainment.
Geri is a past president of the California Writers Club, member of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Internet Society, and Book Critics Circle.www.gerispieler.com
This program is presented in collaboration with Mill Valley Public Library.
by Nate Hoffelder | Oct 20, 2026 | Events
CWC Marin Holiday Party
Sunday, Dec 6, 2026
4 to 6 pm
Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Celebrate your 2026 writing accomplishments and toast the New Year with us! Admission is free for registered Members and their guests, but let’s show our love for Book Passage by buying something on the way in.
- Current CWC Members (any branch) and their guests (one per member) are welcome
- Potluck – please bring an hors d’oeuvres or dessert to share
- Book Exchange! Details below.
- Can you help us with clean up or break down? Please specify in the RSVP form.
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How the Book Exchange Works
- Bring a book (unwrapped) — It can be a gently used book, your own book, or a new one, but it should be a book you love. We’ll lay them out on a table for everyone to admire.
- Everyone will be given a chance to introduce his/her book — thirty seconds — (I chose this book because x. I love this book because y).
- Everyone takes a number from a hat.
- The person with #1 goes first. He/she chooses a book.
- Person #2 can either choose a book from the table or steal the book from #1.
- If stolen, #1 goes back to the table and chooses another book.
- #3 goes next. He/she can choose a book from the table or steal one.
- * No ‘steal-backs’. A book can only be stolen twice.
- When stealing, you must address your ‘victim’ by name.
- Nobody ‘has to play’. Feel free to just watch!
by Nate Hoffelder | Oct 4, 2026 | Events
How to Write Stunning Sentences with Nina Schuyler
Saturday, Nov 7 @ 1:00 pm
Mill Valley Public Library
Join us for this hands-on opportunity to explore questions every writer asks. What kind of sentence captures anxiety? Thought? A reminiscent narrator? A feeling of euphoria? Exhaustion? The style of the sentence–the diction, imagery, syntax, rhythm, and sound–isn’t frivolous decoration, but content. Come to class prepared to try out different ways of writing sentences. You’ll begin to learn how to write sentences that do more than move the story along.
Nina Schuyler is an award-winner author. Her short story collection, In This Ravishing World, won the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award, the W.S. Porter Prize for Short Story Collections, and the Prism Prize for Climate Literature. Her novel Afterword won the Foreword INDIE Book of the Year Award for Literary and Science Fiction. Her novel The Translator won the Next Generation Indie Book Award for General Fiction. She teaches creative writing at Stanford Continuing Studies, and for the independent bookstore, Book Passage. Nina’s weekly Substack newsletter, Stunning Sentences, can be found at ninaschuyler.substack.com. Her newest novel, Open the Floodgates, will be published on September 15, 2026 by Reverberations Books and is available for preorder now.
This program is presented in collaboration with Mill Valley Public Library.
by Nate Hoffelder | Aug 18, 2026 | Events
Authorpreneurship
Authorpreneurship
with publisher, book coach, and author
Brooke Warner
Sunday, October 18, 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Mill Valley Public Library
In today’s writing and publishing world, authors are taking on an ever-growing responsibility for the market success of their work. Brooke Warner, co-founder and publisher of She Writes Press, is at the forefront of current publishing trends and the tools required for writers today. Gain useful skills and resources from a true author’s advocate.
Brooke Warner is a publisher with She Writes Press, an imprint of The Stable Book Group. She is a memoir coach and author of Write On, Sisters!, Green-light Your Book, What’s Your Book?, and three books on memoir. She’s also a TEDx speaker (“Green-light Revolution”), weekly podcaster of “Memoir Nation” with co-host Grant Faulkner, and publishes a weekly newsletter, Writerly Things, on Substack at brooke warner.substack.com.
This event is co-hosted by CWC Marin and the Mill Valley Public Library. It is free and open to the public
by Nate Hoffelder | Jun 24, 2026 | Events
Comedy Workshop
A Comedy Writing Workshop
with Award-Winning Writer Jenny Jedeikin
Tuesday September 15, 5:30-7:30
Mill Valley Public Library
Discover your authentically funny voice in this engaging and fun writing workshop with writer Jenny Jedeikin. This two-hour, in-person class will focus on personal narrative to explore and cultivate material for a comedic essay through writing exercises. There will be time to share your work, along with tools you can use to develop your draft.
Don’t miss this chance to work with a pro.
Jenny Jedeikin is a writer and editor with experience both in current online media platforms as well as national magazines, TV, and radio. She’s worked as a Segment Producer/Writer for MTV’s The Jon Stewart Show and as a stand-up comedian both live in New York City and on Comedy Central. She has published locally in The San Francisco Chronicle, The Advocate, Spiralbound, Pacific Sun, North Bay Bohemian, SF/Arts, Whole Life Times, The Bold Italic and more. As a freelance writer, her contributions have won three MarCom awards, and two Hermes Creative awards.
September 15, 5:30-7:30 pm at the Mill Valley Public Library
This CWC Marin-sponsored event is free and open to the public
by Nate Hoffelder | Apr 26, 2026 | Events
Summer Salon
Summer Salon Open Mic Nights are back!
Join us for sparkling summer backyard parties in July and August and sign up to read your work aloud.
July 26 (Sun) 4 – 6 pm Mill Valley (Member’s Home)
Sorry, spots are filled. Grab a spot in August!
Aug 16 (Sun) 4 – 6 pm San Rafael (Member’s Home)
Sorry, all spots are filled!
Registered participants should have received an auto-reply upon submitting their RSVP form. During the week of Aug 10 you will receive another confirmation email including a list of readers.
Questions? marin@cwcmarin.com
- CWC Marin Members only
- Reading spots are limited so don’t wait to RSVP. We will maintain a short waitlist. Priority in August will be given to those who didn’t get a chance to read in July.
- Readers have five minutes only (about 750 words). We use a stopwatch, so practice out loud beforehand! We don’t want to interrupt you but we have to give fair time to everyone.
- Any original work is welcome (essay, excerpt, poem, etc.)
- You don’t have to read. You’re welcome to come and just listen.
- Members may bring one guest; specify on the RSVP form.
- Potluck. Please bring a food or dessert to share. Drinks will be provided.
- Exact address will be sent just prior to the event to registered guests
- Questions? Ask at marin@cwcmarin.com
