Craft
Join Us November 15 for ‘Taking the Show on the Road’ with Susan Spann
Successful travel writing transports readers to another time and place. Join Us November 15 to learn the secrets of helping your readers see, hear, smell, and taste locations that leap off the page and ignite the imagination. Whether you’re writing nonfiction (memoir,...
Plotting, Creativity, and the Universal Story — An Interview with Martha Alderson
Martha Alderson, MA, has been exploring and writing about plot and creativity for more than thirty years, and helping writers develop plot and structure, character transformation and change. Author of The Plot Whisperer, along with several other plot books, Alderson’s...
‘Rewrite Right’ Slides and Video
Thank you for joining us yesterday. It was wonderful that so many of you were able to participate — about 40 of you, think. I hope you learned something that will help you face your rewriting challenges.
Here are the slides from the presentation, as well as a video.
Bring Your Book to Life in Audio—An Interview with Becky Parker Geist
Becky Parker Geist will be presenting, “How to Bring Your Book to Life in Audio—and Make It Work for You,” on Sunday, June 23, 2 pm, at Book Passage, hosted by the California Writers Club Marin.
I asked her some questions on the phone earlier this week.
Q: Tell me about your journey to creating your audiobooks business. I don’t imagine that was your goal way back when.
No, it wasn’t. I started out training as an actor, and one of my first jobs after grad school was narrating books for Talking Books for the Blind. Through the Library of Congress.
‘Setting That Works’ in Oakland June 5
[Note: This event has been rescheduled from April 3 in Berkeley to June 5 in Oakland.] On June 5 at 6 pm, I’ll be leading a two-hour workshop for the California Writers Club in Berkeley — Setting That Works: How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character,...
Five Takeaways from C.S. Lakin’s Ten Scenes Workshop
We had the pleasure last Sunday to participate in C.S. Lakin’s workshop — “10 Key Scenes to Frame Up Your Novel.” She not only helped me strengthen my novel’s structure, she was lively and entertaining too. It was especially fun to see movie clips that demonstrated...
‘Readers Expect Structure — They Get Antsy If It’s Not There’
A Conversation with Author, Coach, Editor, and Teacher C.S. Lakin C.S. Lakin is an author, coach, editor, teacher, and more, and on March 24, she’ll be presenting “10 Key Scenes That Frame Up Your Novel” at Book Passage, a workshop for the California Writers Club...
Setting That Works
How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character, Echo Theme, and More [This post is distilled from a November 2018 CWC-Marin workshop I led at Book Passage in Corte Madera.] Flash Flood In my first novel—Bones in the Wash: Politics is Tough. Family is...
Setting That Works — How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character, and Echo Theme
The best setting is more than a pretty, or gritty description. It’s lean and strong, because it’s working two or more jobs—pushing your story along, helping us get to know your protagonist better. Join us for Setting That Works on November 11. In this hands-on...
Four Takeaways from Marin Writers Conference
Thank you to the participants, presenters, and organizers of the Marin Writers Conference for an inspiring and stimulating day at Book Passage. Here are a few takeaways from the presentations and discussions yesterday. (Note to participants: Please add your takeaways...
CWC MARIN COFFEE SOCIAL
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...
RSVP for the Summer Salon
Summer Salon Summer Salon Open Mic Nights are back! Join us for a sparkling summer backyard party and sign up to read your work aloud. July 26 (Sun) 4 - 6 pm Mill Valley (Member's Home) Aug 16 (Sun) 4 - 6 pm San Rafael (Member's Home) RSVP for July 26 Event HERE July...
RSVP for the May 2026 Meeting
A Writer's Guide to AI May 14 (Thurs) 6:00 - 7:30 pm Online (Zoom) Members (any CWC branch) $5 Non-Members $10 Beat the Bots: A Writer’s Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Age of AI, with Jane K. Cleland You have a story to tell, an important story, your story....
To Was or Not to Was
Like other writing coaches, I have often called out the use of “was” in literary works. Its passivity robs sentences of story impact. The common advice is that writers conduct global search and destroy missions to rid writing of those three letters in favor of...
RSVP for April 2026 Book Fair
CWC Marin, Left Coast Writers, and Book Passage present LOCAL AUTHOR BOOK FAIR Celebrating National Independent Booksellers’ Day April 25, 1:00 – 3:15 pm Book Passage, Corte Madera Join us in a celebration of independent bookstores like Book Passage and support fellow...
RSVP for March 2026 Meeting
Your Path through Today’s Publishing Labyrinth March 29 (Sunday) 1:00 – 2:30 pm MVPL Creekside Room This workshop will coach participants to consider what they want out of publishing, and which of today’s many paths is best suited for their personally defined...
RSVP for February 2026 Meeting
Perfect Pitch! Elevator Pitch Workshop with Brenda Knight Feb 3 & 17, 2026 6:00 pm Mill Valley Public Library Creekside Room An elevator pitch is a key component to selling your art, whether it's a novel, a play, or other written concept. Crafting an...
RSVP for January 2026 Meeting
Unlocking Voice on the Page Writing Workshop with Jordan Rosenfeld Jan 11, 2026 1:00 - 3:00 pm Mill Valley Public Library Creekside Room RSVP HERE Ideal for any writer who wants to polish prose and write vibrant characters and improve sentence level writing. Your...
RSVP for the CWC Holiday Party
CWC Marin Members-Only Holiday Party Sunday, Dec 7, 2025 4 to 6 pm Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera Come celebrate our 2025 accomplishments and toast the New Year with us! Our ranks have swelled this year: CWC Marin is now too large to fit into...
RSVP for November 2025 Poetry Writing Workshop
A Poetry Writing Workshop Saturday, Nov 1 1:00 - 2:30 pm Mill Valley Public Library FREE, but seating is limited RESERVE MY SEAT Poets often write their poems in response to the work of other poets. Sometimes, these poets are close friends, sometimes they are...