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California Writers Club, founded in 1909, is one of the nation’s oldest professional clubs for writers. Subscribe to our free newsletter at www.cwcmarin.com !
Upcoming events
2
Perfect Pitch: Craft and Practice Your Elevator Pitch
Mill Valley Public Library, 375 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley, CA, USAn elevator pitch is a key component to selling your art, whether it's a novel, a play, or other written concept. Crafting an elevator pitch requires you to think critically about your message and distill it to its core elements. This process helps you gain clarity on your goals, values, and what makes you or your offering unique.
You may not be ready to make a formal pitch to agents and publishers, but you should always be ready to talk about your book with clarity and confidence. You never know who you will meet. The time to practice your pitch is before you find yourself sitting on a plane next to a publisher. This special two-part event will get you ready!
Part 1: Create Your Elevator Pitch. Tues. February 3rd, 6:00-7:30 pm. Pitch-O-Rama veteran publisher Brenda Knight will coach us through the basics of a great elevator pitch: what do publishers and agents want to hear? What will turn them off, and what will pull them in? RESERVE MY SPOTPart 2: Now, Practice It! Tues. February 17th, 6:00-7:30 pm. Stand up before a friendly, informal audience and deliver your 3-minute pitch. If you wish, the audience can provide feedback. CWC Marin Board Member Daniel Bacon will be the moderator. RESERVE MY SPOT
About the Coach: Brenda Knight is a twenty-year publishing veteran, starting at HarperCollins. She authored American Book Award-winning Women of the Beat Generation, Rituals for Life and Wild Women and Books. She is President of the San Francisco Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association, which hosts the annual Pitch-O-Rama. Knight has worked with many bestselling authors including Mark Nepo, Phil Cousineau, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, and Paolo Coehlo. She is the founding editor of Viva Editions, a division of Cleis Press.
Want to know more about Pitch-O-Rama? Check it out here3 attendees
Your Path through Today’s Publishing Labyrinth
Mill Valley Public Library, 375 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, CA, USMarch 29 (Sunday)
1:00 – 2:30 pm
Mill Valley Public Library - Creekside RoomThis workshop will coach participants to consider what they want from publishing and which of today’s many paths best suits their personally defined success. Because any journey to publication is long, even beginning writers will benefit from learning how to set themselves up early for success, and advanced writers who are ready to submit will benefit from taking away focused and actionable next steps. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the complex but exciting state of today’s publishing industry.
#### About the Presenters
Shirin Yim Leos, Retreat Leader and Writing Mentor
Shirin has been leading writing retreats and mentoring writers for more than a dozen years. Once the Head Goose of Goosebottom Books, she is the Ezra Jack Keats Award-winning author of 21 children’s books. The sale of her adult historical fiction, OF WIND AND DUST, to The Dial Press last year was a Publisher’s Weekly Deal of the Week, and the launch is scheduled for early 2027. Shirin likes to help writers with her perspective from both sides of the desk.
shirinyimleos.com
Lisa Manterfield, Author and Book Coach
Lisa is the award-winning author of five novels, two works of non-fiction, and five non-fiction eBooks. As a developmental editor and book coach, she has guided many writers through the process of drafting, revising, and publishing a novel or memoir. She teaches writing and publishing through Stanford Continuing Studies and in her small group workshops. Her superpower is coaxing writers to “The End.”
LisaManterfield.com3 attendees
Past events
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