Upcoming events
back to school, back to Writing!
One-Day retreat
September 19, 2026
Join us for a fun and energizing one-day retreat to kick off your writing with the school year. Grant Faulkner, co-founder of Memoir Nation; Flash Fiction Institute; 100 Word Story; and an executive producer on America’s Next Great Author will start us off with a fun and generative workshop, Making Writing an Invitation. Lisa Manterfield, award-winning author of five novels and seven books of non-fiction, and a book coach who has guided many writers to “The End,” will show you how to maintain your productivity over the long haul with her workshop, Building and Maintaining Momentum. And, Shirin Yim Leos, writing retreat leader and developmental editor whose debut novel, Of Wind and Dust, was sold at auction to the Dial Press in a Publishers Weekly Deal of the Week, will round off our day with some useful tips on Setting Up Now for Success. This retreat is limited to twelve participants and seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. You can view the full itinerary here. And you can go here to register.
Sonoma county writers conference
small but mighty: crafting a winning elevator pitch
Saturday, May 16m 11:00am
$10 CWC members; $15 non-members
“So, what’s your book about?” It’s a simple question that strikes terror in many writers. How do you condense your 300-page masterpiece into a few sentences without making your audience’s eyes glaze over? In this class, you’ll learn the key elements that will draw the reader in and make your story feel both unique and universal. Plus, you’ll see how this short piece of sales copy forms the foundation of your query letter, book jacket copy, and more. Come with your latest book premise and leave with a winning pitch.
Writing a Page-Turner: Pacing Tips to Keep Your Readers Engaged
Thursday, May 21, 5:30 - 7:00pm
Free, Online via Zoom
Narrative pacing is the key to keeping readers immersed in your story. Whether you’re writing an adrenalin-filled thriller or a “slow burn” literary novel, gauging the right pace can make or break a book. Move too fast and you’ll exhaust your readers; too slow and you risk losing them for good. In this workshop you’ll learn the three key ingredients that control your novel’s pacing and keep your story moving forward. You’ll discover pace killers that stop readers cold and gather technical tricks to create the illusion of speed. Finally, you’ll learn a simple litmus test to spot pacing issues in your own work and ensure your readers make it to “The End.”
san francisco writers conference 2026
RECENT events
Today’s Publishing Labyrinth
October 17, 2026
4:30 - 5:15 pm
This workshop will stimulate participants to consider what they want out of publishing, and which of today’s many paths is best suited for their personally defined success. As any journey to publication is long, even beginning writers will benefit by learning how to set themselves up early for success; and advanced writers who are ready to submit will benefit from being able to take away focused and actionable next steps. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the complex but exciting state of today’s publishing industry.
Early bird registration ends September 15.
Wooing the muse
Writing a book is challenging. Maybe you’ve hit the saggy middle of your story, or you can’t figure out the ending. Perhaps you’ve fallen out of love with your main character, or maybe you’re struggling to get your brilliant idea out of your head and onto the page in the first place.
In this fun, idea-packed workshop, you’ll discover tricks and charms to get unstuck and get your writing back on track. Through out-of-the box writing prompts, you’ll learn how to reinvigorate your characters, discover the heart of your story to illuminate your plot, and find new ways into your work when the muse refuses to be helpful. Finally, you’ll learn new techniques to jumpstart your writing, tricks to keep you going, and self-care tips to avoid burnout and keep you falling in love with the craft.
Whatever your brand of writer’s block, you’ll leave with a bag of tricks to woo the muse and help you move forward again, including free-writing and free-drawing exercises (no drawing skills necessary) that we'll have tried together in class, and a handout to remind you of all the new ways you'll have of wooing the muse.
All Our Lies Are True VIRTUAL Launch Party
To celebrate the publication of All Our Lies Are True, I threw an online launch party with Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, author of the fabulously twisty thriller, Friends Like These. We talked about the inspiration for the book, how we plot a thriller, and answered your questions. You can watch the recording here: