| Bay Area Writing Groups Other Listings: Book Groups | Spoken Word Listings | Children's Storytime Listings Writing groups are essential for developing your creative toolbox. Share your work with others and learn more about your own writing process as you offer critical and supportive feedback. If you don't spot a group listed below that piques your writerly interest, start a group of your own! While the following list is up to date, it's always a good idea to call ahead and make sure the group will be meeting as planned. If you already belong to a group that isn't listed, e-mail us and we'll post it! General Bay Area ESL Writing GroupAre you a writer whose English is a second language? Do you struggle with slang words, mental translation of concepts, and a cultural gap? Members of this group have a strong desire to express their ideas for publication, regardless of the language and medium. All genres are welcomed to join. Meetings will be scheduled monthly or as needed. Contact jenniesb@alum.calberkeley.org for more information. Multi-cultural Women's Writing Group Immigrant, refugee and mature women "of a certain age" learn to write poetry and stories about your life from a first-person, activist perspective. Non-smokers please. For more information call Dee at (415) 863-6306 deeandtiny@poormagazine.org. Post Script Collective: Poetry Performance Group Currently interested in new members for group performance and related projects. Interested poets and writers can email fnmnpublishing@hotmail.com. Redwood Branch of the California Writers Club Established in 1975, the Redwood Branch is one of twelve California Writers Clubs branches statewide. Active Membership is open to published writers and those in related fields of writing. Monthly meetings are informative and fun with a variety of speakers including authors, agents and marketing experts. The group alternates luncheon and dinner meetings each month to accommodate different member schedules. In addition to the meetings, the group has several critique groups meeting on a regular basis. The Redwood Branch is also active in the community, conducting writing contests for school children, sponsoring information booths at the annual Book Fair in Santa Rosa, and offering workshops and seminars on writing at bookstores and other locations. Dues are $45 a year and new CWC members pay a one-time initiation fee of $20. New members submit a sample of their work for determining which category of membership they have achieved. For a free copy of our Redwood Writer Newsletter and membership information, please e-mail gpmansergh@aol.com. Weekly Writing Group This group meets every Monday night from 7- 9 pm to discuss and critique each others work. The group formed last July and has been very committed since. The energy and commitment of the group is great and the meetings are a huge priority for everyone. Most of the work is prose: short stories, essays and a few novels. Currently the group has reached its capacity, but often spaces open up. If you would like to be considered when space does open, please email a submission. The group will review and get back to individuals we are interested in having join. If you have any questions, please feel free to email vbergmark@yahoo.com. Writers Coffee New group forming! Here's what the moderator envisions: "Writer's coffee would not be critique-based, but rather plain ol' shut up and write for one hour. I want a little community where the writer's energy is present. As for style, write whatever you wish ("whatever kicks you and keeps you awake from sheer mad..."). Poetry, prose, erotica, editorial ... you name it, you got it. However, we will each bring in a topic when we meet every week, to inspire our fellow penmen in the group who are blocked. You can take it or leave it. That's the scoop! Email me at neverthelessb@aol.com if you're interested. Tuesday or Wednesday night will be best for me." San Francisco Artists & Writers Creative GroupThis San Francisco group, a distinctive combination of salon and creative support group, welcomes committed writers and artists in all media who seek community and ongoing support for reaching creative goals. Led by Robert Ressler, a writer, artist and professional life coach who specializes in working with creative people, the group is intimate, personal, fun and designed for a consistent membership. For more information, visit http://www.creativitysupport.com/. Clever Name Writing Group Currently forming a writing group in SF to meet once a week on tuesdays at 8pm (or whatever works best for us). This will be geared more toward kind of mainstream literary writing as opposed to niche writing like romance novels, science fiction, horror etc. Once a week we'll e-mail out our submissions and then meet to talk about two or three of the pieces. The idea on this is to get feedback from others in order to improve our writing ability. For the purposes of having a title for it I'll call it 'The Clever Name Writing Group'. If interested please send me a writing sample at me@mydamnself.com. Cole Valley Writing Group I'm looking to set up a small writing group. We will meet every week with 7-10 pages of fiction writing and will discuss and critique each others work. This group will specifically target writers who are working on novels and short stories and are trying to finish the first draft. The group ( 5/6 writers) will promote an atmosphere of postive re-inforcement and encouragement. Interested writers may please send a sample ( 15 pages or so) of their work for consideration to thetweedledums@yahoo.com. Haiku Poets of Northern California Haiku Poets of Northern California meet to share and discuss poetry. Meetings feature a featured reader, a featured presentation or workshop related to haiku, rounds of open readings of haiku and tanka, news and announcements, socialization and refreshments, and book tables for the sale and purchase of HPNC and other books (bring your own publications if you have some to sell). Everyone is welcome at no charge. You are invited to read your poems if you wish, and to participate in discussions and workshop activities, or to just listen. Third Sunday of the month, noon to 4 pm. Fort Mason, Bldg C, 415.567.8143. Intergenerational Writers' Workshop Hosted by George B., this writing group meets every Monday from 6 to 8 pm at the brand spankin-new GLBT Community Center Project of San Francisco. Sponsored by New Leaf. For more information, call 415.431.6254. Kicking Muse Writing Group Kicking Muse is an established group of about a half a dozen San Francisco writers, both published and unpublished. We meet every other Tuesday at a cafe in the Mission to workshop each others work in a constructive and supportive environment, usually critiquing two submissions per session. We focus exclusively on fiction, and have an interesting mix of short stories and novels in progress. We have has good luck recruiting committed members from the SF Station literary resources website. We are interested in hearing from writers who are committed to fiction writing and are interested in the support that a workshop environment can provide. As we consider ourselves fairly advanced, our group isn't an ideal forum for someone only starting out on the creative writing path. We are looking for someone with similar experience as ourselves. Furthermore, previous fiction workshop experience would be an advantage, as the only payment we ask in return for membership is an honest insightful critique of our own work. If you think this might be something for you, send us a sample of your work - either a short story or a first chapter something that showcases your writing skills. We'll evaluate the submission to determine if you're a good fit for the group and get back to you as soon as possible. If there isn't a current opening, we will let you know if your work is a good fit and when there will be space for a new member. E-mail kickingmuse@yahoo.com for more information. Kill Your Darlings' Writers' Group We are an established writing group that has been meeting in San Francisco for four years. For various reasons, our number has dwindled from six to four. We are seeking at least two new members, committed to writing, willing to meet once a week, and read once a month. We are all in the process of writing novels but are open to other kinds of writing, the most important traits in a new member being commitment to writing (and meeting once a week) and the ability to give and receive constructive criticism. We are a friendly, supportive bunch of people. Meetings alternate between Pacific Heights and Castro. E-mail: sgodstone@attglobal.net with 10 pages of your best writing. Mechanix Poets Workshop and reading group moderated by Yves Moralex. Topics change monthly, so check the schedule for current information. Bring selected poems on the topic to read and share. Dessert is served. The Mechanix Poets meets the second Tuesday of the month at the Mechanics' Library, Room 405. Free to members and public. Mission District Writing Group We are a trio of queer women writers looking for new members who are willing to commit to meeting once every other week. We meet on Thursday evenings (every 2 weeks) from 7:30 to 9pm in the Mission District. The plan is to meet regularly to exchange and critique work, do writing exercises and otherwise support each other in our writing pursuits. We'd like to expand into a fun, safe writing community in which members can feel free to explore their creativity in any writing genre. We are open to members of all sorts and writing styles but in the long run we would like to create a small group of 5-6 regular participants. Please email us at flutterflight@yahoo.com if you are interested. Ongoing Salon Group for Artists, Performers & Writers This group is a place to grow ideas, share dreams, nurture projects and feel supported. We give thoughtful attention to the full range of practical, emotional and existential concerns that are part of the creative life. The makeup of the group is based on the premise that the personal challenges of doing artistic work and building a life to sustain it are similar regardless of medium. Thus, group members have been involved in all kinds of artistic, writing and performing activities. The primary focus of the group is on helping each person clarify and realize their creative aspirations. The group provides an opportunity for showing work and getting comments on it, but the emphasis is on supporting each person's creative development, not on the critique of specific works. The group has a maximum size of seven and accepts new members when openings are available. It meets Noe Valley on Monday evenings from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. For details about the fees, terms of commitment (including an initial four-week trial membership) and to schedule a free consultation to decide if the group might be right for you, call Robert Ressler at 415.289.2212. Visit http://www.creativitysupport.com/ for more information. Orbit Room Writing Group The Orbit Room Writing Group is a small group of writers, each working on a full-length novel. We are a diverse collective composed of people of different ages, sexes, races and sexual orientations. We meet every other Tuesday at the Orbit Room in San Francisco. Members submit selections and critique other's submissions on a regular basis. We want to keep the group small so that each member can submit frequently, and are only accepting submissions from writers working on or interested in working on a novel. If you would like more information, please contact lundyslane@aol.com. Poetry Mission Gatherings If you live in the Bay Area or plan on visiting San Francisco, you must check out The Poetry Mission gatherings, every Thursday night at Someplace Else, 1795 Geary at Fillmore. Each week, members sit around a coffee table on cushy sofas, sipping beers and smuggling cheap Chinese from the joint next door, sharing their latest work, reading poems from their adolescence, and laughing at one another's attempts at poetry. (Just kidding.) Meetings begin at 7 pm, and go on until 9:30 pm. Provocative and illuminating, this is the place to get your poetry fix. Professional Writer's Support Group This group is for professional writers seeking support for their writing and business development. New members welcome! Meetings are every other Tuesday mornings at 11 am at La Boheme Café and Coffeehouse at 3318 24th Street (cross street Mission) in San Francisco. E-mail the ccdeblaze@hotmail.com for more information. The Red Room Writers Society This group is for professional writers seeking support for their writing and business development. New members welcome! Meetings are every other Tuesday mornings at 11 am at La Boheme Café and Coffeehouse at 3318 24th Street (cross street Mission) in San Francisco. E-mail the ccdeblaze@hotmail.com for more information. S.F. Weekly Writers Group We are looking for four other writers to come together for critiquing (constructive) each other's work. Beginning, intermediate or advanced writers are all welcome. Any genre. You must be committed to meet weekly for about 2 hours a week. Format and structure and time and place open to group input and suggestions. If you are interested , please email eqgrowth@yahoo.com S.F. Writer's Bloc This group is for seasoned short-story and novel writers with solid group and publishing history under their belts. We meet once a week during the day for three hours to read our work aloud, receive feedback, and form new friendships. Please send us your vitals in the body of an email -- general age group, publication history, a writing sample and any other information you deem relevant to cinemafile@aol.com (no attachments or genre fiction, please) Consistent attendance required. San Francisco Writer's Group This group is for ADVANCED literary fiction writers seeking feedback on new work or work in progress. If you are interested in creating a fellowship of mature writers who meet every other week in each other's homes to form new friendships and hone our craft, please let us know how long you've been writing, your general age group, your publishing history, and any other information you consider relevant. Send it in the body of an e-mail along with a writing sample, to cinemafile@aol.com (no attachments, please). Consistent attendance required. San Francisco Writing Workshop This group, which offers supportive critiques and feedback, has been meeting for many years, and originally started in the old SF Public Library. The group is always looking for new members -- you can just sit and listen without reading if you want to. There are no dues or membership fees. Meets every Tuesday at 7 pm in the Meridian Gallery, 2nd floor, 545 Sutter St. between Mason and Powell. For more information, go to http://www.likomaisland.com/sfww. Sex & San Francisco Writing Group If you are a professional single woman in your late 20s to early 30s with an active social life and a great group of friends who share extensive "Sex and the City" experiences, and you take pride in writing fun, witty emails and letters, then you might consider this wacky group in which women share their stories and preserve their unique experiences. Don't pour your heart out over a drink and forget about your thoughts the next day. Don't limit your writing experiences to a journal or to email. Be proactive and pursue this project with like-minded women. Editing and writing experience a definite plus, although not required. E-mail sexandsf@hotmail.com for more information. SF Screenwriters Collective A group that meets together monthly to provide feedback on specific screenwriting issues presented to the group (feedback on premises, loglines, scenes, treatments, sequence outlines, etc.), this group meets throughout the city including the Mission, Bernal Heights and the Presidio. Meetings occasionally include actors invited for script readings. While the group is supportive, creative and unpretentious, this is not a writer's block support group to lament the fact that there aren't enough hours in the day to write. We're a group of screenwriters in our 30s and late 20s, intent on making screenwriting our full-time profession. We have all been writing for several years with several scripts under our collective belts. We leverage this group as a valuable (and inexpensive) resource for feedback and as a sounding board for pitches, loglines, etc. before submitting to contests and pitching to industry contacts in LA and New York. We have an eclectic interest in films from mainstream to art house. If this sounds like a group you may be interested in, please send email matthewyeoman@hotmail.com, describing yourself, what you're looking for in a writing group, and your past and current projects. A Small, Good Thing Seven hot lusty writers seek sensuous eighth. We are a group that meets every other Tuesday 7-9 pm in Pacific Heights to critique one another's short stories. We generally cover 2 stories per session. We are looking for: short story writers who are reasonably prolific (i.e. able to submit every 3rd or 4th session), who can dedicate the time to reading and critiquing submissions and attending meetings at the above-specified time/day/place on a regular basis. Any genre, gender or age welcome, though we are leaning towards accepting more experienced members (35+) as we are currently heavy on the post baby-boom demo. It isn't necessary to be published, though we will take you more seriously as a potential member if publishing is an eventual goal. If any of the following apply to you, please do not apply to us: - you want to submit poetry, children's lit, or chapters from your novel - you have never written a short story - you plan to rely exclusively on your stockpile of work rather than write anything new - you aren't absolutely certain you are free for 90% of alternate Tuesdays from 7-9p - you want to read your work aloud to the group - you are sensitive to hearing candid observations about your work - drinking alcohol offends you If you are interested, please send us a sample of your work along with your thoughts about writing, your expectations for the group, etc, care of sandra_1216@sbcglobal.net Thirteen Ways Poetry Workshop One Sunday a month, a group of poets from all over the Bay Area meets in a living room or on a deck in San Francisco to eat, exchange poetry news, and read and discuss poetry. Scott Reid and Diane Kirsten-Martin started the group in the late 80s -- and though poets have come and gone, the group has, for the most part, existed since. It now comprises ten members. Looking for published writers with workshop experience. Call Diane at 415.337.7408 or visit http://www.thirteenways.org/. East Bay The Alameda Island Wordsmiths...is a literary collective established in 2000 for reading, critiquing and supporting word art. Non-fiction, fiction, lit, stage scripts and poetry, all genres are welcome whether you're published or not. We are: a demolition expert, a 20-something mother, a group with more nights spent in jail between us than people, a group with more college degrees between us than people, a nude dancer, a software engineer, a Vietnam-era vet, an occasionally locked-up psychiatric patient, a gardening business owner, as many females as males, aged from 20s to 50s, accomplished drinkers, druggies and the occasionally abstemious. We do readings and swap manuscripts every other Tuesday evening. Though we meet in Alameda, island residence is not required and we invite mainlanders. Check us out at http://evcubed.org/island.shtml. Contra Costa Women Writers' Collective The Contra Costa Women Writers' Collective was founded in June 2000 and meets on the third Tuesday of each month. We are writers of poetry, fiction, essays and submission letters. We have published one collection of our works and have hosted two public readings at Bonanza Street Books in Walnut Creek. This is not a beginning writers' group, but a gathering where first drafts can be introduced to constructive and useful feedback and where pieces ready for publication can be fine-tuned. We keep the group intentionally small -- about 12 members -- but currently we have several spots available. We will be holding an open meeting this summer. If you are interested in finding out more or perhaps joining us, please email victoriasroom@earthlink.net. East Bay Poetry Workshop This poetry group has been meeting in the Berkeley area for over a decade. Dedicated, serious poets meet every other week to read and critique each others' writing in a friendly but critical way. To apply, please send 3-5 poems to: eastbaypoetry-owner@yahoogroups.com. Established Writing Group seeking new participants East Bay writing group is looking for a limited number of writers to join an established writing group. We meet the second Tuesday of each month from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the back room of a cozy café in the Diamond district of Oakland. Beginning, intermediate and advanced writers of poetry, short stories and novel length work are welcome. We discuss the art and process of writing, share reading lists, have in-group writing exercises, and give feedback on each other's work in a relaxed environment that fosters creativity and community. There are no fees. For more information, e-mail pinkcloud1107@yahoo.com. Humor Writer's Group So you think you're funny? Well, we'll be the judge of that! Our main focus will be to critique the most difficult genre to write: comedy. We'll look at satirical essays, scripts, poetry, stand-up routines - anything that makes fun of the human condition is welcome. So come join us - you may be funnier than you think (or not!). Contact Jordan at jholtz2795@aol.com or 510.235.2858 for more information. Monday Night Writers We are a local writing group who meet every Monday night in Oakland for critique and discussion. We write and critique with the intention of getting published; the idea is to improve the writing, not to hold anyone's hand. (But we are friendly.) Poetry and prose are represented about equally, and we welcome diverse styles, genres, and forms. Current members are literate, liberal, and sometimes vulgar. Equally comfortable taking walks on the beach or fucking in the sand. Please email alittlebrownsparrow@yahoo.com for more information if you are interested and include a sample of your work. The Mysterious Writ This East Bay writing group focuses primarily on mysteries, but is open to working with other genres. A unique company of writers, each brings different strengths to the table, with varying areas of expertise or insight. For more information go to http://www.mysteriouswrit.org/ or contact Charles A. King at 510.239.2239 x2321. New East Bay Novelists Now forming in the Lake Merritt area of Oakland, this new group of novelists will be similar to the Orbit Room Writing Group, which meets in San Francisco. You may be a new or experienced novelist, but should be working on (or preparing to work on) book-length fiction. Meetings will be every other Sunday evening at someone's home or in a cafe near Lake Merritt. Send email to maestra@well.com. Oaktown Fiction Writers New writing group forming, looking for a few good fiction writers to talk about writing fiction. Be: currently working on a novel or short stories; interested in contemporary literary fiction and ideas; a serious reader. Know: how to use words to say what you mean; how to laugh, how to cry, how to channel the supreme power of the universe; how to take and give honest feedback. Have: appetite for rowdy conversation over drinks; time to commit to two evenings per month. NO: wimps, genre writers (no offense), balloon heads. Purpose: solidarity, idea exchange, friendly ass kicking (as necessary). Location: a pub or house near North Oakland/Berkeley area. If interested, please email your top current reads, contact info and a few pages of your work to johnnymonstah@hotmail.com. Poetry Readers & Writers Read a poem of your own and one of an established poet, and discuss both. The group meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 3316 Grand Ave., Oakland, 7 pm, Call Mickey Frykdahl for more information: 510.530.9599. Poets and Writers Poets and Writers meet the first and third Saturdays monthly to critique each other's work, do occasional writing exercises and serious schmoozing. All ages and levels, pagan and queer friendly, diverse and fun. The work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal or strange. Not politically correct, but polite. Spasso Coffeehouse, on College Avenue near Claremont in North Oakland, near Rockridge BART. Contact Holly Horwood at 510.559.1009. Rockridge Writer's Group Established writers group (currently seven members multi-gender/multicultural) looking for 2 to 3 new members. Meets at Rockridge, Oakland, one block from Bart station. Novels, short stories, memoirs, poetry and creative non-fiction welcome. Very supportive group, good rapport, great ambience. Format: No reading. We submit excerpt of our work (6-8 pages) and we critique it during the meeting (similar to the format at Squaw Valley workshops). We have no facilitator. First 20 minutes of the meeting devoted to networking, talking about craft, marketing, writers conferences, etc. Our membership run the gamut from beginners to published novelist to writers with agents shopping their work. The only thing we ask is that you are serious about the craft and make an attempt to regualrly attend the meetings. We meet every other Thursday, 7 - 9 pm. Call Enrico at 510-482-3038 or e-mail at: enricoanti@yahoo.com. Rockridge II Writer's Group Writers' group forming in Rockridge area of Oakland is open to new members working on novels, short fiction, screen plays, poetry, memoirs, etc. We currently meet every other Sunday from 4:30 to 7:00 PM to read each other's new material and offer supportive feedback. Our meeting time is negotiable since we are still in the formative stage. Please email a paragraph on your writing goals and background plus a brief sample of your work to jpspohn@earthlink.net. Screenwriters Only! We'll meet once a month at a group member's home to critique scripts in various stages of completion. We'll act out pieces of screenplays and offer constructive criticism on what we've read. This group is intended only for serious screenwriters with publishing aspirations and/or experience. Anyone in the Bay Area is welcome to attend, however meeting places will be limited to the upper East Bay locations (Berkeley, Oakland, El Cerrito, Albany, Richmond, etc.). Contact Jordan at jholtz2795@aol.comor 51.235.2858 for more information. Trinity Poet's Workshop This stable, ongoing gathering meets the second Tuesday of every month, from 11 am to 1 pm at 2362 Bancroft Way, near Dana, in the McCoy Room, Berkeley. Bring bag lunch and your work in progress. Call 510.548.4716 for more information. Women's Creative Writing Group We are a critique group for the exchange of feedback on our work in progress, serious about our writing but with a sense of humor toward everything else. We lean toward a literary style and write poetry, fiction, memoir and creative non-fiction. We are open to all queer-friendly women of all orientations. Contact us at harper52@sbcglobal.net for more information. Word Garden East Women's Writing Group A safe space in Walnut Creek for beginning and experienced writers of memoir, fiction, and poetry to develop your voice, at your own pace. Each group meeting consists of a series of two or three exercises to stimulate your senses, associations, memories, and creativity.The format is flexiblewriters who have a project they're working on can incorporate the prompts and exercises into their work. If you don't have a specific work in progress, go with whatever comes up in response to the exercise. By listening to your voice and the voices of other women, you will connect with the unique strengths of your own writing. Contact wordgardeneast@astound.net for information about schedules and tuition fees. Write 2 Publish New writer's group forming in Contra Costa (along 680 fwy. corridor). Published and unpublished writer's welcome, though advanced proficiency level is required. Emphasis is on fiction, essay, prose, though creative non-fiction is welcome. We will be meeting biweekly, on Monday or Wednesday nights, at 7:00 p.m., to about 9:00 p.m. Rotate meeting location at member's homes or agreed upon cafe or bookstore. Work-in-progress, or final drafts can be sent via email, to be read independently and then reviewed in group, or can be read aloud during group meetings for critique. Critiques are meant to be constructive, useful feedback for the writer. We're hoping to form a lasting group with committed members, serious about writing, and motivated to publish. Interested? Email: killerdogface@hotmail.com for more information. North Bay/Marin Marin Branch of the California Writers ClubThe Marin Branch meets at Book Passage at 2 pm on the fourth Sunday of the month (unless a holiday), except August and January, when we meet at a different location. Monthly meetings feature a speaker, workshop or panel discussion with authors, agents and/or marketing experts. Chartered by the California Writers Club in July 1999, the Marin branch welcomes all writers and those in related fields of writing. The California Writers Club dates back to the early 1900s literary movement in the San Francisco Bay Area. Writers, including Jack London, poet George Sterling and short story writer Herman Whitaker, gathered informally at the Coppa Club in San Francisco. The club incorporated in 1913 and chose the motto, "Sail On!" from Joaquin Miller's poem, "Columbus." By 1915, the membership had grown and, along with London, Sterling and Whitaker, honorary members included Ina Coolbrith, Charles Lummis, Edwin Markham, WC Morrow, John Muir, Joaquin Miller and Charles Keeler. Today, California Writers Club has thirteen branches all over the state with about 1000 members. Dues are $45 a year and new CWC members pay a one-time initiation fee of $20. Additional informaiton, including information on our workshops and annual conference, can be found at http://www.marinwriters.org/. Questions? Email cwcmarin@aol.com. The Marin Free-Write Group Poets and writers of every genre and level are welcome to participate in this monthly group, which focuses on "freewriting" (spontaneous writing). This is not a critique group but an opportunity to get/keep your creative juices flowing. Facilitator: Robin Leslie Jacobson, editor and publisher of True North Press. No reservations necessary. $5.00 (no one turned away for lack of funds!). NOTE: THIS GROUP IS CURRENTLY ON HIATUS. For further info: info@truenorthpress.com. Marin Writing Group Marin writer interested in starting a writers group of those wishing to share and receive feedback on their novels in progress, to meet on a regular basis in Marin. The moderator is currently teaching "Writing the Novel" at the Writers' Center of Marin, but would like to get feedback on her own work in a peer group. Please email me at carolsheldon@msn.com. North Bay Fiction Writers Workshop The North Bay Fiction Writers Workshop is based in central Santa Rosa. We are committed writers who meet every Thursday evening from 7pm to 9:30pm with a focus toward publication. We discuss both the creative and business parts of writing. A portion of every meeting is dedicated to critique of each members work-in-progress. Our focused weekly topics center on aspects of writing such as "How to write great hooks" and "Building characters." The two and half hour workshops are structured fluidly to allow each writer the opportunity to focus on a topic of interest to them such as: feedback on our writing, how to write a query letter, submission formatting, how to contact publications, how to make money while writing your novel etc. We frequently do writing exercises in the group. At each meeting, we set and follow up our goals. Members make a commitment to attend the group regularly. We meet every Thursday from 7-9:30 pm in central Santa Rosa with easy access from 101. We are interested in expanding our membership to a core committed group of 15 members with 5 part-time members. $10 per meeting (light snacks are provided) This workshop is facilitated by published author/educator/writing coach F.R.R. Mallory. Visit us on the web at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/north-bay-fiction-writers/ or e-mail mallory_writer@yahoo.com. ScriptCats What is character the catalyst of action? And -- what is action, the revelation of character? ScriptCats is a Sonoma County screenwriting group. We meet monthly in the downtown Santa Rosa area. An arena for feedback on issues specific to screenwriting such as premise, scene, sequence, dialogue, characterization, logline, pitching, agents and more. The mission is creativity. We do not mourn over the lost hours in the day to write. Ambitious and aspiring screenwriters are welcome to be among a comradeship of others with completed works and or works in progress. Scriptcats has an eclectic and diverse interest in films from rare independent to mainstream. A great place for feedback and as a sounding board before submitting finished scripts to contests, industry contacts and pitching. If this sounds like a group you may be interested in being a part of, send email to scriptcats@att.net. State a little about yourself, your writing genre's past and present projects and where you'd like to go. Looking forward to hearing from you! South Bay/Peninsula Fiction Novelist Writer's GroupThis is a new group looking for members who are writing or have written novels with the intent on publication. This group will review and brainstorm new chapters, help polish written novels and work on reviewing query letters and plot synopsis before submission. Please only serious novelist of fiction with the exception of romance, exotica or children's novels. Send a sample of your work to samholmes@redjellyfish.net as well as the date and time that works best for you. Weekly meetings will be held in Cupertino scheduled time determined by the availability of the interested parties. Monday Night Writers An advanced critique group for published authors, this group meets at 8 pm every other Monday near downtown San Jose. We've got loads of passion for writers whose passion (as opposed to hobby) it is to write. Past critique group experience a plus. Consistent attendance a must. Contact martha@engber.com for more information. Pacifica Writing Group For fiction, non fiction. For serious writers with published work and/or interested in having their work published. Conducted by very serious published writer. 650.359.0890. We meet every other Tuesday 7:30 pm to 9 pm. For more info: azuleja@mindspring.com. Poetry/Writing Group We are a group of individuals seeking to peel away the layers of society and time, to uncover the person underneath. This may scare some of you. If it does, think of the thrill you felt when you were honest with someone, even yourself about a lie that you have lived by for so long. You changed it, and it changed your life. That's what writing is to me, a voice that uncovers the true you. We start with impromptu writing, and then critique each other's poetry/songs/essays/stories in a relaxed atmosphere. Please contact kaveri_patel@hotmail.com for more information. San Jose Novel Writers This new group is forming for writers working on a full-length novel. We'll meet every other Tuesday evening in San Jose to discuss current works-in-progress and practice free-writes and other writing exercises. You may be a new or experienced novelist but should be working on book-length fiction. A 1000- word (max) writing sample is required, and a sense of humor, an open mind, and a kind heart are important. Please contact terri_smith@stratexnet.com for details. San Jose Writing Group What kind of writing do you do? Would you be interested in sharing your work and getting feedback from other writers, while offering your thoughts on their work? Our group wants to meet a couple times per month, somewhere near downtown San Jose. We are interested in reading and writing all genres of prose. Join us and get feedback from writers with experience other genres as well as your own. The vision is that the full group will make decisions together about how to function, but to start off we'll probably simply follow some organized critiquing parameters. Come join us! Share your inspiration, experiences and insight! Help each other pull it together and keep grounded! Drop an email to sophia_0000@yahoo.com, please include a short sample of your writing, and we'll be in touch. Santa Cruz Writing Group This group meets every Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm at the downtown Borders bookstore (upstairs in the café). The group, which is sponsored by Borders and FictionWeek.com, focuses mostly on writing technique and pre-publication issues. Each week the group discusses writing from members, fiction or non fiction, focusing on short pieces or segments from novels. New members are always welcome. For more information, go to http://www.fictionweek.com or e-mail webmaster@fictionweek.com. SF/Peninsula branch of the California Writers Club The S.F./Peninsula branch of the California Writers Club is a networking, critiquing and marketing group for all kinds of writers (fiction, nonfiction, poetry etc.). it was established in 1964, as the second spin-off of the Berkeley writing group formed in 1909. Early members of that group included Jack London, poet George Sterling and short story writer Herman Whitaker. The S.F./Peninsula branch is the sponsor of the annual JACK LONDON WRITERS CONFERENCE and Jack London Writers Camp for Kids. It also holds monthly luncheons at Hobee's Restaurant in Belmont, where literary agents, published authors and writing teachers discuss the craft of writing. More detail is available at http://www.peninsulawriter.com/. South Bay Ink This is an informal little community of writers who are looking for honest feedback on their work. We are based in the South San Francisco Bay Area and we offer both monthly meetings and an online discussion group. The primary goal of the group is to keep motivation high and to ensure that group members are turning out quality work with strong publication potential. Visit our website at South Bay Ink. South Bay Writers The South Bay Writers meet the second Wednesday of each month at 6 pm at the House of Yo Rong Restaurant in Cupertino, just off Hwy 85. However, several times a year, weekend workshops are conducted in place of the regular meeting. With Pulitzer Prize-winning speakers like Al Martinez, who spoke in July 2001, the usual fees ($14 members or $19 guests), which include dinner, are clearly a bargain. View their meeting schedule at http://www.southbaywriters.com/Schedule.htm. Nonmembers are always welcome. Writing Groups and Workshops in Santa Cruz/Monterey California south bay A listing of groups affiliated with Locals of the National Writers Union. Visit: http://www.mbay.net/~nwu/calendar/calendar.htm. » Want to list your writing group? e-mail us! |
