September 8, 2016
The Berkeley Branch is the founding branch of the oldest professional writers’ club West of the Missisippi.
CWC Berkeley Branch welcomes all California Writers Club members and guests to our monthly speaker program and affordable workshops on the art and business of writing.
Our events are open to the public!
Our programs begin on September 18th with a
Hosted by historical novelist Francine Howard
We are accepting new members! Click here to commit to your writing career.
September 8, 2016
Events, Member Events francine howard, mini-workshop, pitch Leave a comment
The California Writers Club—Berkeley BranchWELCOMES YOU BACK
to a Brand New Year (2016-17)
with a
PITCH SLAM!
Well, maybe not a “slam” per se but this mini-workshop will be your chance to perfect that one minute speech that opens the door to publication!
WHO’S IT FOR? All Writers. Have you ever been asked, “What’s your novel, non- fiction book, magazine article, journalism piece about?” Sure you have. And how have you responded? “Uhh,” or worse yet, you ramble on for ten minutes while the ears of your listener long for a thick wad of cotton.
But I’ve Not Finished My Project Yet: Great! If you can crystalize the point of your project into one minute, your writing will flow both better and faster. You NEED a pitch.
WHY IS A PITCH IMPORTANT? If you want to publish your book, convince a newspaper editor to accept your article for publication, or complete your project, then you’ve got to convince that decision-maker of the strength/uniqueness of your special offering.
WHEN: Sunday, September 18, 2016. Meeting 12:00-4:00 (Pitch Practice 3:00-4:00)
WHERE: ConneXion: Third Street, Jack London Square,Oakland
Bestselling author, CWC Member Francine Thomas Howard
HOW DO YOU PREPARE? Come to the meeting with your pitch condensed to ONE minute. (Yes, I’ll have a stop watch.) After you’ve delivered your words of supreme intelligence, your fellow writers will give you feedback. You will remain silent. You can then judge if your pitch has conveyed your writing intentions.
WHO WILL MODERATE THIS FUN EVENT?” Me, Francine Thomas Howard. I’ve had a little bit of practice at this sort of thing. My latest traditionally published novel reached #3 (released August 1, 2016) in the paid Kindle Store and, yes, I had to pitch it.
Our featured CWC author this month is John Byrne Barry.
Meeting Schedule for Sunday, June 19th, 2016:
12-1 Author Support Group*
1-2 p.m. – Marketing Group*
12:30-2 p.m. –Social Hour
2-2:30 p.m. –Break & Book Sales
2:30-3 p.m. — Club Business & Announcements
3:15-4 p.m. – Pitch Slam!
* Guests may visit any of our author support groups once before joining.
Click here for more information about location and time.
Francine Thomas Howard is the author of four novels—three of them published by Lake Union, the historical fiction wing of traditionally-published Amazon Publishing. Ms. Howard’s latest novel, The Daughter of Union County, won top billing as the lone representative for Historical Fiction in Amazon’s prestigious Kindle First program for July. This program reaches millions of select readers on five continents. Ms. Howard’s novel, touching on controversial topics—racial passing in turn-of-the-20th-century-Arkansas, oil and grab, mistreatment of women, betrayal, greed, and murder—ranked as high as #3 in the paid Kindle store. Daughter sold over 17,000 copies in its first seven weeks to readers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, Denmark, and the United States.
Ms. Howard is current Vice President of the Berkeley Branch of the California Writers Club. She credits lessons learned at a CWC-BB sponsored critique group as key to her pitch submission leading to her first Amazon contract. Page from a Tennessee Journal, released March 2010, has sold nearly 35,000 copies and continues to sell monthly to readers around the world. Though Ms. Howard is a novelist, she has also crafted a non-fiction pitch—one that landed her a literary agent. She feels privileged to share lessons learned at the CWC-BB with her fellow writers.
July 18, 2016
Announcements, Contests, Member Events, Social 1 Comment
Writers club members from all over the state will be joining us on July 23rd at Joaquin Miller Park. Members and their guests will
Plus: bring a book for the member share basket… take a book to read and review!
Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Veggie Burgers and condiments are provided by the club. Locals, please bring a side dish to share and/or pitch in… sign up here!
Click here for information about location. Time is 1pm to 4pm.
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Members are also invited to stay for the after-party, a social gathering to network with writers belonging to other East Bay literary communities. To Build a Fire with The Heart of The Muse is part of the 2016 Jack London Legacy Celebration. Guests are invited to bring readings by early CWC authors (Jack London, Joaquin Miller, Ina Coolbrith, etc.), or works inspired by them. More info/RSVP on Facebook!
July 6, 2016
Member Discount, Member Events, Of Interest Leave a comment
CWC Member Brooke Warner has a special offer for CWC Berkeley members: a DEEP discount (deeper than the early-bird special) for her Memoir conference in Oakland in October!The MAGIC OF MEMOIR 2016 conference is happening October 15-16 in beautiful downtown Oakland at the Marriott Hotel—overlooking San Francisco and the Bay—an amazing venue with panoramic views and fantastic food.
This conference is being co-led by memoir experts Brooke Warner and Linda Joy Myers. They also have two expert panels—with renowned memoirists and three agents who will give individuated attention and advice as part of the Pitch-a-thon. Read all about it on MagicOfMemoir.com.
One of the best things about an event like this is the networking and connection with fellow memoirists. Last year’s participants made friends for life, and Brooke and Linda Joy are excited to offer CWC members this deep discount on the weekend.
Don’t hesitate to be in touch with Brooke Warner directly if you have any questions: brooke@warnercoaching.com.
October 15 & 16, 2016 at the
Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, CA
| We are excited to announce a talented and experienced roster of guests who will be joining us for two lively panels about the writing process and getting publishing your memoir.SATURDAY PANEL: THE MAGIC OF MEMOIR: WHY WE WRITE MEMOIR
SUNDAY PANEL: WHAT AGENTS ARE LOOKING FOR: AGENTS TALK ABOUT THE SECRETS TO GETTING PUBLISHED |
YOUR INSTRUCTORS
LINDA JOY MYERS, PhD Linda Joy Myers is the president and founder of theNational Association of Memoir Writers. She is the author of The Power of Memoir—How to Write Your Healing Story, Becoming Whole, and the award-winning memoir Don’t Call Me Mother, which won the BAPIA Gold Medal prize. Her workbook Journey of Memoir was published by She Writes Press in 2013. |
BROOKE WARNER Brooke Warner is publisher of She Writes Press,president of Warner Coaching Inc., and author of Green-Light Your Book, What’s Your Book?, and How to Sell Your Memoir. She sits on three boards: the Independent Book Publishers Association; the National Association of Memoir Writers; and the Bay Area Book Festival. She blogs for Huffington Post and SheWrites.com. |
| “Linda Joy and Brooke give such value. I learned that you can take steps that will cut years off the memoir writing process.” —Peggy Thomson, Magic of Memoir 2015 |
June 13, 2016
Hi, everyone! Happy almost summer vacation!
Remember that there are no meetings in July and August, but we’re hoping to still bring you some activities so keep an eye out via email, our site and Meetup. We also always want to hear from you, and what you’d like to see happen in our club in the coming year. Because it’s our club. Please send us your feedback and wishlist!
One such activity is the CWC Annual Picnic – it’s July 23rd. This is a members only event, plus our families. It’s a chance to meet members of other branches throughout the state, and just to hang out in a relaxed setting for some fun and celebrating our art. After the picnic, the fun doesn’t stop – there’s an evening ahead of more literary greatness, and it’s open to all so invite your friends and make it a party! Get all you need to know here: https://cwc-berkeley.org/2016/05/23/save-the-date-july-23-gatherings-at-joaquin-miller-park/
Back to what’s currently happening, this Sunday we’ll be getting some tips on shopping for an editor with David Colin Carr. Come hear what he has to say, and come a little early to discuss craft topics and sit in on the marketing group too. It all starts at noon. Details here: https://cwc-berkeley.org/2016/06/01/speaker-619-precisely-what-editors-do-with-david-colin-carr/
I also want to take this opportunity to thank the team that has kept us going this past year and years before. Volunteerism is what keeps us going, we couldn’t have done this without you. And thank you to all who showed up to represent the CWC at the Oakland Book Fair in May, and the Bay Area Book Festival. You can find the highlights here: https://cwc-berkeley.org/2016/05/31/cwc-at-local-book-festivals/
Be sure to read the winners too of our annual 5th Grade Writers Contest. It makes for great summer reading: https://cwc-berkeley.org/2016/06/06/writers-of-tomorrow/
And to introduce our new slate of officers; Karma Bennett – President, Francine Howard – Vice President, Henry Hitz – Treasurer, and David Simmons – Secretary.
As you take some time to consider and share your thoughts, please take the time to renew your membership. Your dues allow the club – locally and statewide – to bring us the valuable resources that you’ve come to expect. It’s still just $45 for the year, $25 for dual members but $65 if you miss the deadline. So, send in your renewal now because we need you to keep our community strong.
Whew! I think that’s everything. Hope to see you Sunday.
June 6, 2016
Announcements, Contests 2016 winners, 5th Grade Story Contest, CWC, young writers Leave a comment
Read “I Survived” by Irene H. O., our first-place winner.
The stories we receive are tremendous, year after year. Read more about our contest winners and check out all of our past winners.
Thank you to member Joanna Phoenix for your wonderful administration of this contest!
