Workshops

The club offers workshops related to the craft of writing by interesting presenters who are professionals in the writing world.  Topics range from specific techniques to general approaches, sometimes back to basics, sometimes exploring advanced skills.  Our workshops are always provocative, and there’s always something to learn for young writers and those with long credentials lists alike.
The workshops usually take place on a weekend and are always modestly priced. Club members receive a significant discount on workshops and are notified in advance via email. Limited seating.  $20.00 for CWC Members.  $30.00 non-members. Send a check made out to CWC-BB to P.O. Box 11269, Oakland CA 94611, pay at the door, OR pay via Paypal here…

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Recent Workshops

Scrivener workshop with Karma Bennett 11/14 6 pm on Zoom

Superpower Your Writing With Scrivener – Zoom Workshop with Karma Bennett

Thursday, November 14th at 6 p.m. Learn to Use the Best Tool for Writing a Novel, Script or Nonfiction Book This participatory workshop will take place on Zoom and be recorded and sent to all. Get 20% off the purchase of Scrivener when you buy your ticket Perhaps you’ve heard that Scrivener is the best […]

write punchy dialogue promo with book and punching fist

Writing Punchy Dialogue: a Workshop with Terry Tierney

Crisp dialogue makes a story come alive. In the best fiction, what characters say is often what we remember the most. Writing dialogue is more than recording the casual comments your characters might share. Through their words, characters reveal their emotions and move the story forward. To be effective, dialogue should be well honed and […]

How to Pitch to a Literary Agent and Have Fun Doing It

Tuesday, April 25 · 12 – 1p.m. In this brown-bag one hour presentation, there will be demos from the organizers of Pitch-o-Rama, the annual literary pitch event in San Francisco. Have you ever wanted to pitch your novel to a literary agent, but were afraid you would not know what to say? This special event […]

The Creative Side of Research — A Workshop with Amy Shea — 4/22/23

In The Creative Side of Research: The Anatomy of a Creative Essay, essayist and writing teacher Amy Shea shares the power of incorporating research into your narrative nonfiction, longform essay, and creative nonfiction.  April 22, 2023, 10-12am on Zoom How does a writer decide when, how, and how much research to include in a creative […]

2/27 WORKSHOP – “The Narrative Gateway: Poems That Tell Stories” with Paul Corman Roberts

Whether the narrative poem is situated in the classical omniscient third person or the lyrical “I,” it has always served as one of the most popular and accessible forms of verse that opens the windows of the world up to more readers than perhaps any other form of poetry. In this workshop we will compare […]

Archive or Workshops Prior to 2017

2016

September 18th, 2016—Mini-workshop: PITCH SLAM with Francine Howard
May 7th, 2016 —Green-Light It: Publish Your Book Successfully with Brooke Warner
February 7th, 2015—The Art of Memoir with Kevin Fisher-Paulson

2015

February 7th, 2015—The Art of Memoir with Kevin Fisher-Paulson

2014

November 8th, 2014— Revise for Publication with Jordan Rosenfeld

2013

February 2, 2013 – Developing a Publishing Platform with Help from the Four-Step Method with Dave Sawle

2012

March 3, 2012 – Social Media Branding for Authors with Beth and Ezra Barany
February 4, 2012 – Writing from the Male Point of View workshop with Sascha Illyvich

2011

November 5, 2011 – Nonfiction: News vs. Research mini-workshop with Dennis Evanosky
October 1, 2011 – Radio Days: The Skills You Need to Thrive on Air with Barry Boland
May 8, 2011 – Truth or Lie: Writing on the Cusp of Memoir and Fiction with Linda Joy Myers
April 10, 2011 – Fiction as a Vehicle for Social Change: Using the Novel for a Better World with Alon Shalev
March 13, 2011 – Bringing Your Characters to Life Through Dialogue by Seth Harwood
February 13, 2011 – Radio Days: The Skills You Need to Thrive on Air – How to Effectively Use Your Voice to Sell Your Book by Barry Boland
January 9, 2011 – Writing for the Serious Beginner
Basics for the new and not so new writers by Karin Ireland