March program

cwcmtd — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:29:24 +0000

Sean Hazlett, blogger extraordinaire, will talk about effective blogging at our March 10 meeting. Be sure to join us. Details on our Next Program page!

Critique Groups – a Member Benefit

cwcmtd — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:35:39 +0000

From our President, Elisabeth Tuck:

One of the greatest member benefits of CWC is the ability to have your work critiqued by other dedicated writers, many of them already published. To join our traditional monthly critique group, contact Ted Wells at wellsware@msn.com.

To form a smaller, more flexible group, contact Don Maker at metacognition2@yahoo.com. For Don, include your genre(s). He will put you in contact with others who share your genre(s) and wish to meet more often, read entire manuscripts, exchange work by email, and so on.

February Program

cwcmtd — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:46:18 +0000

On Sat., Feb. 11, Elizabeth Rosner will focus on the topic Thinking Like a Poet Can Improve Your Writing. Equally at home in poetry and prose, Ms. Rosner’s talk will help us to hone our language and strengthen our prose. See our Next Program page for details.

For All Young Writers!

cwcmtd — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:42:01 +0000

What: Make ‘em Laugh! Write Funny: Learn comedy techniques from two published authors

Who: Grades 6 – 8

When: January 21, 2012 9 a.m. – Noon

Cost: FREE!

Where: Walnut Creek Public Library, 1644 N. Broadway, Walnut Creek , CA 94596

Next Program–Breakfast and Workshop

cwcmtd — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:04:33 +0000

Based on our latest survey, we’re offering another workshop with a beginning breakfast to make sure you’re fully fortified for a three-hour learning session. Nick Mamatas’ workshop topic is Beginnings and Endings for Fiction and Non-fiction, a topic from which we can all benefit. For details and registration information, see our Next Program page.

Next Critique Group meeting

cwcmtd — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:09:34 +0000

Join the critique group on Dec. 10, 9:30 – 11 a.m. at Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant in the room across from the bar area. The critique group, as always, meets right before the monthly meeting and program. Ted Wells, critique group leader has lined up the following for you:

Sean Hazlett will talk briefly about “Blogging to Build an Audience 101: 10 Lessons About Building an Online Platform in 10 Months.” He will share his experience and lessons learned in generating traffic for a blog which he started early in 2011 and which now has a total over 53,000 views and up to 600 a day.

Ted Wells will speak informally and briefly on “The State of the Big Six Publishing Houses,” based on Nov. 19, 2011 meetings with Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada, Literary Agents. Larsen and Pomada have been in business in San Francisco since 1972.

Following these will be critiques and discussion on fiction pieces

Please bring 5-10 typed, double-spaced pages of fiction manuscripts for someone to critique.

Next Program: Paths to Publishing

cwcmtd — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:36:54 +0000

Our December 10 meeting brings our annual three of our own. How blessed we are with talented writers! Check our Next Program for information about our speakers: Judith Ingram, Jeryl Abelmann, and Nannette Rundle Carroll. We’ll also have our annual seated lunch—fish, meat, or vegetarian. Be sure to specify your menu choice when you register. Details and registration information are on our Next Program page.

Congrats to successful members

cwcmtd — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:12:37 +0000

Four of our members presented at Clayton Library on October 3, speaking on “So You Want to Write a Book.” Over 60 people attended! Some also expressed interest in joining our Club and attended our October meeting. Our presenting members included Judith Marshall, author of “Husbands May Come and Go But Friends are Forever,” Barbara Bentley, author of “A Dance with the Devil: A True Story of Marriage to a Psychopath,” Jon Cory (Lee Paulson’s pen name), author of “A Plague of Scoundrels,” and Al Garrotto, author of “The Saint of Florenville: A Love Story.” Congrats to them and thanks for being Club members. If you want to read the full article, click on The Clayton Pioneer (this is the October 28, 2011 issue) and scroll down to page 3. Give it a few moments to load; it’s a big PDF.

Publishing Pathways

cwcmtd — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 05:32:40 +0000

October 15 was the launch date for Publishing Pathways, the NorCal initiative to help CWC members achieve publication. We have mentors in our own Mt. Diablo branch, Judith Marshall, Andrew Kinane, and Polly Bernson. Thanks to all three of you for volunteering your time and service. Read more about the project on our local Publishing Pathways page at http://cwcmtdiablowriters.wordpress.com/publishing-pathways/ or visit the NorCal site directly at http://publishingpathways.com.

Members’ Survey

cwcmtd — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:16:59 +0000

During September members were asked to participate in an on-line survey regarding various aspects of CWC Mt. Diablo Branch activities. We had excellent participation, so thank you to everyone who responded so thoughtfully. The Board has been considering the data and your comments. Survey results will be reported in the upcoming November issue of the Write News. Look under “President’s Message.”