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Post Pitch-O-Rama Expert AMA: Next Steps to Getting Published  Saturday, July 18, 2020Noon – 1pm
Online, via Zoom Free to Pitch-O-Rama PLUS 2020 attendees
$20 for WNBA-SF members, $35 general
Here is your chance to ask anything in this virtual event featuring publishers. As everyone probably knows, you or your agent needs to get your book or proposal into the hands of an interested editor; that’s the first hurdle. A well-crafted proposal, an agent with good relationships, and choosing the right editors to approach are the first steps. Note: we are limited to 90 attendees at this event, so register early! First Ever Effie Lee Morris Writing Awards & Mixer!  Friday, July 24, 20205pm
Online, via Zoom Free! Please come celebrate with us!
Join the WNBA-SF for our First Ever Effie Lee Morris Writing Awards & Mixer!
The Women’s National Book Association San Francisco Chapter is pleased and proud to debut the first-ever Effie Lee Morris WNBA Literary Awards in honor of our founder. Ms. Morris was a pioneering Black librarian and the founder of this chapter of the Women’s National Book Association in 1968. She first started her library career in Cleveland, Ohio. She became the first female chairperson of the Library of Congress and was the president of the National Braille Association for two terms. She was dedicated to literacy for children as well as children in underserved and those who learn differently. The WNBA SF Chapter is continuing our advocacy for the voices of women and diverse authors. In tribute to Ms. Morris’s important work and legacy, we are announcing the first winners of the Effie Lee Morris WNBA Literary award. Note: we are limited to 90 attendees at this event, so register early! Create Your Online Style to Sell Yourself… and your book
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Dear WNBA-SF Members,
A gentle reminder to renew; if you have not yet had a chance, please do before the end of the year. Your membership allows the SF Chapter to present events and resources for YOU!
Keep your eyes on our website and Friday email updates for when the WNBA-SF Writing Contest starts back up this fall so YOU can have the opportunity to be an Effie Lee Morris Award Winner. We are very pleased to be able to honor the founder of our chapter, Ms. Effie Lee Morris, who was a pioneering Black librarian who worked assiduously to help underserved communities and children had access to books. We are inspired by her life and legacy and aspire to continue her advocacy.
Last month, we also had our first ever Virtual Pitch-O-Rama and it was wild, wooly and wonderful. Big shout out to the team that made it happen, especially Sue Wilhite who made it work and is an exemplar of good-natured grace under pressure. We were thrilled that so many writers got quality pitching time with publishers, agents and editors. A most unexpected dividend was that the *breakout room rooms* become literary support groups cheering each other on. We even got feedback that some folks prefer the virtual platform as it was more relaxed. We are taking all the feedback so we can bring Pitch-O-Rama 2021 to the next level and make it the best it can be. We have a follow up session which is free to all POR attendees and highly affordable for anyone else looking for coaching, agent advice and insight from publishing pros. Be sure to register on this link and bring all your questions to this event.
Save the dates for fall big-deal event that will help you become a star on Zoom: https://wnba-sfchapter.org/aug-12-judy-baker-create-online-author-style/ Shelley Golden from Shelley Golden Style and Judy Baker from Book Marketing Mentor will show you the way. They have been sharing their insights over Zoom with writers like you. They will show how to pivot your online presence, so you feel more confident and become irresistible within the confines of a small screen.
We would also love to hear YOUR news and welcome you to consider penning a blog post for our weekly newsfeed and website. We also have openings for board members and if you are interested, please contact me at the Brenda.Knight@gmail.com We are also very happy to set up a call with you to see if you have any ideas, question or suggestion for making WNBA-SF even better. We love nothing better than learning from the wise women who comprise the WNBA-SF. In closing, I’ll remind you our membership renewal period starts August 1st and we very much appreciate your continued support and contributions to our community.
Many thanks and keep the pages turning, Elise Marie Collins, President Brenda Knight, Immediate Past President |
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Featured Member Interview – Geri Spieler
Interview by Nita Sweeney
The members of the Women’s National Book Association of San Francisco come from a variety of backgrounds and careers. I’m grateful for the opportunity to ask questions of smart, successful authors like Geri Spieler. Every interview provides splendid takeaways. I hope you enjoy the ones I heard in our conversation. Nita Sweeney (NS): What draws you to the type of writing you do? Geri Spieler (GS): I’m strictly nonfiction. Fiction is much too difficult for me. I’m sure it has to do with being a newspaper reporter and total political junkie. My book, Taking Aim at the President: The Remarkable Story of the Woman Who Shot at Gerald Ford, was written in the creative nonfiction genre. It was very difficult for me to write it the way I wanted–like a novel but, entirely nonfiction. I took writing courses to understand things like “scene.” I hired a number of editors along the way. NS: Your publication credentials are impressive. Please tell us how you got started and what helped you land those projects.
I realized pretty fast that if an event did not get covered in the press it might as well not have happened at all. I wanted to have that control, so to speak. I was always interested in news and politics. NS: Taking Aim at the President has been optioned for a major motion picture. How did that come about and what has that process meant for you?
Featured Member Interview – Annemarie O’Brien Interview by Nita Sweeney Each time I interview a WNBA-SF member, the opportunity reminds me how fortunate we are to be part of a group of such interesting women. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Annemarie O’Brien and learn as much from her as I did. Nita Sweeney (NS): As a fellow dog-lover, I must ask about yours. Please tell us about your dogs.
NS: Each of your dogs sounds lovely. I’m sorry to hear about Zola. Our pets are such gifts. Changing the subject a bit, can you tell us more about Lara’s Gift, perhaps something that isn’t in the blurb?
NS: How interesting that dogs have played such an important role all of your life. Your bio explains that you worked in Russia which inspired the setting for Lara’s Gift. Which part were you in?
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10 Goals for Writers for 2020
It’s an opportunity to jump into new writing projects … and perhaps revisit some old ones. Whether your long-term goal is to sell a manuscript, get an agent, or break into a new publication, start by setting some short-term writing goals. I’ve made it easy, and listed some goals to get you started. Keep the ones that resonate, tweak the ones that don’t quite hit the spot, and add new ones that will help you reach your long-term goals. Here are 10 goals to set you up for writing success in 2020.
It’s Complicated: 3 Rules for Writing about Difficult Relationships
“Love truth, but pardon error.” – Voltaire
If my mother hadn’t died, she would have been 89 on March 1st. And if she hadn’t died, I might not have written Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink because I’m not sure I would have taken up running. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but the book tells that story. When I posted a photo of Mom on social media, as I do nearly every year on her birthday, friends and family commented with fond memories. They weren’t making it up. She could be kind, thoughtful, generous, creative, witty, and brilliant. But she was the most confusing person in my life. Mom only appears on a few pages of my running and mental health memoir, but she might be the most interesting person in the story. The year after she died, I wrote a first draft of a memoir about our relationship. I found the writing so painful that I set it aside to heal and gain perspective. Her birthday and my reaction to the social media comments (curiosity and a bit of terror at the thought of what people who loved her might think after they read the book) led me to ponder how we can love someone so much yet also find the relationship so hard. As a writer, I reflected on how to write about difficult relationships. Did her death grant me artistic license to tell the truth? When I wrote this memoir (and the other memoir drafts sitting in files on my computer and in boxes in our basement) I heeded Karr’s words. “Don’t make shit up” was my canon, my lodestar, my guiding light. I wrote with abandon while compulsively checking journals, running logs, and datebooks to ensure accuracy. Then came the revisions where I had to decide what I really wanted to say. How could I portray my experience without making any of the people in the book, and especially my mother, look like either monsters or saints? |
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WNBA-SF 2020-2022 BOARD President: Elise Marie Collins Mailing address: 4061 E. Castro Valley Blvd. The Women’s National Book Association has been a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) member of the United Nations since 1959. A NGO is defined as “any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group that is organized on a local, national or international level.” |
The Women’s National Book Association, established in 1917, before women in America had the right to vote. The WNBA’s founding idea—that books have power and that those involved in their creation gain strength from joining forces—reaches across the decades to now serve members in 11 chapters across the country and network members in between. Check out: NEW NATIONAL DIRECTORY! DIRECTORY HOME | DIRECTORY LOGIN You must be an ACTIVE MEMBER to be listed in the new directory and have login access to your personal profile and all other members.
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Friday, Aug 12, 2020
This year is zooming by, literally as we are all on Zoom for work, for family hangouts, happy hours, book club get togethers and even birthday parties. In addition to all the video chats, we sincerely hope you are getting some summer vacation reading time. And writing time! Speaking of that, make sure to attend our First Ever Effie Lee Morris Writing Awards & Mixer coming right up! 
Self-Proclaimed “Political Junkie” Reveals Her Writing Secrets
GS: Thanks. My interest in writing started with an awareness of news and politics. My grandmother was a Holocaust survivor in that she realized early on things were going downhill for the Jews in Poland. She left before it got really bad and tried to convince her siblings to come with her to the states. They thought she was over reacting and hence were killed by the Nazis. She taught me early on to pay attention to the government because things can get very bad and you need to be alert. My mother was a political junkie and she taught me the same lessons. 
Annemarie O’Brien (AO): When I wrote Lara’s Gift, I had two borzoi, Zola and Zar. They inspired the key fictional canine characters in Lara’s Gift of the same name. Borzoi are also known as Russian wolfhounds. They were the dogs of the Tsar during the Imperial era and considered a national treasure. They are very tall, slender, super-fast dogs that belong to the sight hound group. The Tsar and his court used them to hunt wolves. Today, many Russians use them to hunt hare. Beyond the squirrels who dare to steal fruit from the trees in my garden, neither of my borzoi hunt. Unfortunately, Zola passed away two years ago. She was a sweet, outgoing borzoi with a golden retriever personality. To keep Zar company we now have a silken windhound named Zeus. This is a newer breed of sighthounds developed in California, I believe, that looks like a miniature borzoi. Both of my dogs like to go to Stinson Beach and play tag with other dogs. They are both loyal and great companions.
AO: Lara’s Gift is a girl empowerment, father-daughter, historical fiction, dog story for young adults. It is set in Russia in the early 1900s during the Imperial era. The main character, Lara, wants to breed borzoi worthy of the Tsar, just like her father and her ancestors have done for hundreds of years. Lara has a special gift, or sixth sense as I’d liked to call it, regarding the borzoi such that she sees things before they happen. I got the idea from my own sixth-sense sort of experiences I had with my first childhood dog, Emma. Once when she was at a kennel while we were on vacation, I had a strong feeling that she had escaped and was lost. I begged my parents to call the kennel to check on her, but they assured me that there was no way she could escape from the kennel. Sure enough, when we picked her up upon our return, they told my parents that she had escaped and had, indeed, been lost on the same morning I had felt that something was wrong…
By Debra Eckerling, author of 
By Nita Sweeney, author of Depression Hates a Moving Target
WNBA-the National Organization 
Aug 12 – Create Your Online Style to Sell Yourself… and your book with Judy Baker
How to Gain Attention and Respect from Agents, Editors, Publishers, and Readers
Authors recognize the importance of making connections with the right people in the publishing industry. A fabulous first impression can be your doorway into a valuable relationship, book deal, or partnership. Since COVID-19, your first meeting will probably be on a video call. Projecting your personality through the eye of a camera is an art and demands a carefully curated shift from in-person to online conversations and presentations.
Do you impress and connect with your audience on a Zoom call?
Shelley Golden from Shelley Golden Style and Judy Baker from Book Marketing Mentor will show you the way. They have been sharing their insights over Zoom with writers like you. They will show how to pivot your online presence, so you feel more confident and become irresistible within the confines of a small screen.
You will learn to:
- Create an outline of talking points to stimulate authentic conversations
- Stage your setting to express yourself and impress your audience
- Design your look for maximum impact
- Define your signature style
- Amplify your message
Leave this workshop with tangible results and the ability to:
- Craft a powerful statement about who you are and the book(s) you are promoting
- Know what it takes to engage the support of your reader tribe in an “on-line” format
- Learn the 5 keys to looking your best on camera: camera angle, lighting, background, clothing color, and make-up.
- Gain greater respect when inviting people into your home
- Show your passion, confidence, and professional image
- Create conversations that magnetize your audience
Shelley Golden from Shelley Golden Style will help you enhance your screen presence and signature look, including lighting, background, and image, in real-time.
Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor, will help you create a provocative and memorable message that integrates with your image and resonates with your readers. Your authentic, best self is the result.
Where: Zoom (link provided via email – RSVP below)
When: August 12, 2020 Noon PDT
Judy Baker is a professional business coach serving entrepreneurs and authors since 1994. She is an active member of the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association (BAIPA), Napa Valley Writers, the San Francisco Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association, Women in Publishing, and serves on the board of Redwood Writers. We know Baker for her informative and valuable workshops on marketing and skill-building workshops for the Sonoma Chamber of Commerce, The Volunteer Center of Sonoma County, Sonoma County Adult School, the Small Business Development Center, BAIPA and Redwood Writers. judyb@bookmarketingmentor.com bookmarketingmentor.com
Shelley Golden is an International Personal Branding Image Consultant with over 20 years of experience. Shelley is passionate about helping create your unique style to boost your confidence and attract the people you want into your life by creating a powerful unique personal brand through your clothing and overall image.
As 4th generation in the clothing and fashion business, Shelley’s rich experience as a fashion stylist, costume designer, costume historian, tailor, and certified color consultant puts her in a unique category to understand what it takes to create a powerful and successful personal brand
July 24 – First Ever Effie Lee Morris Writing Awards & Mixer
Friday, July 24, 2020
5pm
Online, via Zoom
Online, via Zoom
Free! Please come celebrate with us!
Join the WNBA-SF for our First Ever Effie Lee Morris Writing Awards & Mixer!
The Women’s National Book Association San Francisco Chapter is pleased and proud to debut the first-ever Effie Lee Morris WNBA Literary Awards in honor of our founder.
Ms. Morris was a pioneering Black librarian and the founder of this chapter of the Women’s National Book Association in 1968. She first started her library career in Cleveland, Ohio. She became the first female chairperson of the Library of Congress and was the president of the National Braille Association for two terms. She was dedicated to literacy for children as well as children in underserved and those who learn differently. Ms. Morris was the first Coordinator of Children’s Services at the San Francisco Public Library and established the Children’s Historical and Research Collection at the Children’s Center of the San Francisco Library. She went on to become the first African American president of the Public Library Association. In 1968, Ms. Morris founded the San Francisco Chapter of the Woman’s National Book Association, which began in 1917. The WNBA SF Chapter is continuing our advocacy for the voices of women and diverse authors.
In tribute to Ms. Morris’s important work and legacy, we are announcing the first winners of the Effie Lee Morris WNBA Literary award.
The WNBA SF chapter received many wonderful entries in the genres of fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry. With the help of judges specializing in each genre, we found first, second, and third place winners for each genre.
Note: we are limited to 90 attendees at this event, so register early!
The list of winners [drum roll, please!]:
In the Fiction category:
First Place: Butterfly Girl by Anne Marie O’BrienAnnemarie O’Brien grew up in Northampton, Massachusetts, and now lives in the San Francisco Bay area where she teaches writing courses at UC Berkeley Extension, Stanford Continuing Studies, and Pixar. She is known for writing dog books for children, especially her book Lara’s Gift.
Second Place: The Mounted Position by Vera Chan
Vera Chan is a senior manager at Microsoft News Labs and storyteller based in Oakland and Seattle. She has worked as a senior editor/trends reporter for Yahoo! and did her newspaper stint covering features, entertainment and outdoor living at the Contra Costa Times (now The East Bay Times). She has contributed chapters to Asia in the San Francisco Bay Area and Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation and won the Sisters in Crime award for a mystery-in-progress for an unpublished writer of color (now a finished manuscript, FOLLOWING.)
Third Place: Someone Else by Harriet Garfinkle
Harriet Garfinkle is an award-winning painter, dancer, and choreographer who danced professionally in San Francisco. She has choreographed the original play “Purple Breasts” and has her own experimental theatre group called The Bureau of Western Mythology and dance group TALLGIRLS. She teaches Pilates and is currently working her way through a novel.
In the Non-Fiction Category:
First Place: Refugees in the Promised Land by Ellie Bozmarova
Ellie Bozmarova is a Bulgarian-American writer and writing coach who received her B.A of English from UC Berkeley and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Goucher College. Her work has been featured in The Common, phoebe, TIMBER Journal among others.
Second Place: And Now for the Beloved Trees by H.L. Onstad
H.L Onstad is the founder of H2O content strategy which aims to provide engaging digital experiences. She has over 15 years of experience working with developing teams in education technology and trade book publishing. She uses her acute storytelling ability to help her clients in communicating their ideas through visual components.
Third Place: I Was Just Three by Maureen Lechwar
Maureen Lechwar is an alumna of the University of San Francisco. She is a big fan of the Don’s basketball team and was featured in a YouTube video highlighting USF athletic fans.
In the Poetry Category:
First Place: The Blues by Joan Gelfand
Joan Gelfand is an award-winning author and writing coach. Her reviews, stories, and poetry have appeared in both national and international literary journals and magazines. She is a lecturer on her “4 C’s” system which boasts how to become a successful writer and is also a past president for the WNBA SF Chapter. Her poetry has had both a film based on it and has won a Certificate of Merit in a juried art show at the International Association for the Study of Dreams.
Joan Gelfand is an award-winning author and writing coach. Her reviews, stories, and poetry have appeared in both national and international literary journals and magazines. She is a lecturer on her “4 C’s” system which boasts how to become a successful writer and is also a past president for the WNBA SF Chapter. Her poetry has had both a film based on it and has won a Certificate of Merit in a juried art show at the International Association for the Study of Dreams.
Second Place: Seoraksan by Lucille Lang DayLucille Lang Day received an M.F.A in creative writing from San Francisco State University and a Ph.D. in mathematics/science from UC Berkeley. She married at age 14 and had her first child at 15, which led to both a pause in her education from ages 14-17 and her memoir Married at Fourteen: A True Story. Her memoir received a 2013 PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award and was a finalist for the 2013 Northern California Book Award in Creative Nonfiction. She had a successful career as a science writer and director of the Hall of Health in Oakland which has since closed and has numerous full-length poetry collections.
Third Place: Pivot by Joan Gelfand
Joan Gelfand is an award-winning author and writing coach. Her reviews, stories, and poetry have appeared in both national and international literary journals and magazines. She is a lecturer on her “4 C’s” system which boasts how to become a successful writer and is also a past president for the WNBA SF Chapter. Her poetry has had both a film based on it and has won a Certificate of Merit in a juried art show at the International Association for the Study of Dreams.
Congratulations to all of the winners and those who entered the competition. Our next writing contest will begin on July 24th at 5 PM. A concrete link to enter will be sent at a further date.
July 18 – Post Pitch-O-Rama Expert AMA: Next Steps to Getting Published
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Noon – 1pm
Online, via Zoom
Online, via Zoom
Free to Pitch-O-Rama PLUS 2020 attendees
$20 for WNBA-SF members
$35 general
$35 general
Here is your chance to ask anything in this virtual event featuring publishers. As everyone probably knows, you or your agent needs to get your book or proposal into the hands of an interested editor; that’s the first hurdle. A well-crafted proposal, an agent with good relationships, and choosing the right editors to approach are the first steps.
What most would-be authors don’t know is that the editor has to turn around and sell YOU to an editorial board. The sales management, more often than not, makes the decisions. If sales and marketing think they can sell your book, then you’ve got a wonderful chance of getting published. Publishing veterans Jan Johnson, Nancy Fish, Annemarie O’Brien and Brenda Knight, and publicity expert Jill Lublin will help you navigate the rapids of book publishing so you can find the perfect home for your books. Bring all your questions about book publishing and publicity so you can learn from some of the best in the business!
Note: we are limited to 90 attendees at this event, so register early!
Distinguished panelists:
Brenda Knight, author of Women of the Beat Generation, will read new work and a tribute to “Beat Goddess” ruth weiss. Brenda began her publishing career at HarperCollins. An author of ten books, she won the American Book Award for “Women of the Beat Generation.” In 2015, she was named Indiefab Publisher of the Year. She is Editorial Director at Mango Publishing and is President of WNBA-SF Chapter.
In her long career in publishing, Nancy Fish has worked in almost every iteration of the book business. Having been publicity and marketing director for major houses including Farrar, Straus & Giroux, HarperCollins and Perseus as well as small indies, freelance publicist and copywriter, and bookseller at legendary shops on both coasts, Nancy now manages the Path to Publishing Program, and all the writers programs, at Marin County’s three-store treasure trove, Book Passage. Ask her about them.
Jan Johnson is Publisher Emeritus at Red Wheel Weiser & Conari Press, acquiring select books for each imprint. Before launching Red Wheel/Weiser, Johnson worked at Tuttle Publishing, HarperOne (when it was known as HarperSanFrancisco), and Winston/Seabury Press and as an independent book doctor, rewrite editor and editorial consultant for corporate and independent publishers. Johnson has worked on many bestsellers including Codependent No More, Random Acts of Kindness, Oprah pick The Book of Awakening, and Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way.
Annemarie O’Brien is an award-winning children’s author and marketing professional with twenty-plus years of global brand experience. She has a BBA in marketing, an MBA in international business, and an MFA in writing for Children & Young Adults. She teaches story marketing at Stanford Continuing Studies and writing courses at UC Berkeley Extension and Pixar. She is a frequent conference speaker on story marketing.
Jill Lublin is an international speaker on the topics of Radical Influence, Publicity, Networking, Kindness and Referrals. She is the author of 4 Best Selling books including Get Noticed…Get Referrals (McGraw Hill) and co-author of Guerrilla Publicity and Networking Magic. Her latest book, Profit of Kindness went #1 in four categories. Jill is a master strategist on how to position your business for more profitability and more visibility in the marketplace. She is CEO of a strategic consulting firm and has over 25 years experience working with over 100,000 people plus national and international media. Jill teaches Publicity Crash Courses as both live events and live webinars and consults and speaks all over the world. She also helps authors to create book deals with major publishers and agents, and well as obtain foreign rights deals. Visit publicitycrashcourse.com/freegift and jilllublin.com
Michael Larsen co-founded Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents in 1972. Over four decades, the agency sold hundreds of books to more than 100 publishers and imprints. The agency has stopped accepting new writers, but Mike loves helping all writers. He gives talks about writing and publishing, and does author coaching. He wrote How to Write a Book Proposal and How to Get a Literary Agent, and coauthored Guerrilla Marketing for Writers. Mike is co-director of the San Francisco Writers Conference and the San Francisco Writing for Change Conference. larsenauthorcoaching.com/
June 6 – You Can Be a Winning Writer: the 4 C’s of Successful Authors w/Joan Gelfand
The 4 C’s of Successful Authors: Craft, Commitment, Community and Confidence
Not all writing careers are created equal. Why are some authors quickly catapulted to publishing success while other authors languish? Learn the secrets of how to become a successful author.
In this class, you will learn how to make the 4 C’s approach work for you.
During this workshop, Joan will discuss:
- your writing challenges
- how to put together a winning book proposal
- the difference between a non-fiction and a fiction proposal
- cover letters
- finding the right agent (or publisher)
- what to do once your book is published
Join us on June 6 at Noon for a fun, interactive session.
Where: Zoom (link provided via email – RSVP below)
Author of the #1 Amazon Best Seller, “You Can Be a Winning Writer” (Mango Press), Joan Gelfand’s three volumes of poetry and chapbook of short fiction have garnered over twenty awards and commendations. Joan’s novel “Extreme” set in a Silicon Valley startup will be published by Blue Light Press in July 2020. Joan has taught the 4 C’s approach at conferences and in libraries in the US and Mexico. Her key publications include Los Angeles Review, PANK!, Rattle, Huffington Post, Poetry Flash, Prairie Schooner, Kalliope, Meridian Anthology of Contemporary Poetry, Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Joan coaches writers in person, via Zoom and Skype. http://joangelfand.com
May 26 – Virtual Networking Goals for Writers w/Deb Eckerling
Networking is essential for business and personal growth. Fortunately, companies and communities have been working overtime to keep people connected during this challenging time. Conferences are going virtual, while new online groups, mixers, and workshops are popping up each week.
To navigate the new way of networking, join Debra Eckerling, founder of the D*E*B METHOD® and author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals, for a Virtual Lunch N Learn for the Women’s National Book Association – San Francisco Chapter, on May 26 at 12pm PT.
During this workshop, Deb will discuss:
- Setting goals for virtual-networking
- Finding your “people” online
- Following up with new contacts
- Networking best practices for writers
- And more…
Grab your lunch, a cup of coffee, and a notebook. Join us for a fun, interactive session.
Title: Virtual Networking Goals for Writers
When: May 26, 12pm PT
Where: Zoom –Zoom (link provided via email – RSVP to deckerling@gmail.com – and in the Facebook Event)
About the Book: One of the biggest reasons goals fail is that people often don’t put enough thought into what they really want before diving in. Your Goal Guide by Debra Eckerling starts with that first, crucial step: figuring out your goals and putting a plan in place. Eckerling presents readers with her own tested and proven method: the D*E*B METHOD®, a brainstorming and task-based system, which stands for: Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. Through a combination of writing exercises and systems, Eckerling provides readers with a process for making and setting goals that is stress-free, easy-to-manage, and even fun.
Debra Eckerling is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals (Mango Publishing, January 2020), as well as the self-published Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages.
A goal coach, project catalyst, and founder of the D*E*B METHOD®, Debra works with individuals and businesses to set goals and manage their projects through one-on one coaching, workshops, and online support. Note: DEB stands for Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. She is the founder of Write On Online, a live and online community for writers, creatives, and entrepreneurs, as well as host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat (Sundays at 7pm PT) and the Guided Goals Podcast.
May 29 – Virtual Mixer with WNBA-SF!
Friday, May 29, 2020
5pm
Dear Friends,
We miss you! Let’s get together and catch up on what you’re up to and share how everyone is doing while sheltering in place. Any great reads to recommends? Movies to watch? Books to binge? Yummy recipes to share? We would love to spend time with you and have some fun and good conversation.
Everyone will get time to share including any writing, new articles, books, virtual classes or awards. Please do share your news as we need all the good news we can get nowadays.
Zoom is super easy: you just click on the link we will send you once you rsvp and host Elise Marie Collins will invite you in to the Happy Hour.
All you will need is a smart phone, laptop or desktop with camera so you can join via both audio and video.
Some inspired ideas to consider:
Bring your own cocktail and snacks, wine and cheese, coffee, tea, or your favorite literary drink
May we suggest a Margarita Atwood or a Dorothy Parker Sour?
You might also consider a bookish background for your Zooming. Here are some fab options:
https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=great-libraries-for-your-zoom-background
Whatever you decide, we are really looking forward to connecting, hearing what you are up to and getting reinspired. Please rsvp and tell a friend!
Take very good care and see you soon!
May 21 – Publishing Pros Coaching for Writers Virtual Event
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Noon – 1pm
Have you wanted to write a book, but you don’t know how to begin? Or maybe you’re writing one now, but you don’t know what to do when it’s finished. Is the manuscript complete, and you’re wondering how to market it for sale? In the fast-changing world of e-book and printed book publishing, there’s a lot you need to know. And we have it for you. Join our panel of publishing industry experts, all members of WNBA-SF, moderated by board member and author Sue Wilhite for a lively and illuminating discussion about writing, publishing and marketing your book.
Moderator: After spending 20 years in programming and database design, Sue Wilhite knew she needed to catch up and develop her right brain. She is now a best-selling author, publisher, Law of Attraction coach, and sound healer, and is known as the “Profit Attraction Mentor.” Sue specializes in getting her clients unstuck and encouraging them to fulfill their own destinies. SweetSoundOfSuccess.comDistinguished panelists:
Brenda Knight, author of Women of the Beat Generation, will read new work and a tribute to “Beat Goddess” ruth weiss. Brenda began her publishing career at HarperCollins. An author of ten books, she won the American Book Award for “Women of the Beat Generation.” In 2015, she was named Indiefab Publisher of the Year. She is Editorial Director at Mango Publishing and is President of WNBA-SF Chapter.
Michael Larsen co-founded Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents in 1972. Over four decades, the agency sold hundreds of books to more than 100 publishers and imprints. The agency has stopped accepting new writers, but Mike loves helping all writers. He gives talks about writing and publishing, and does author coaching. He wrote How to Write a Book Proposal and How to Get a Literary Agent, and coauthored Guerrilla Marketing for Writers. Mike is co-director of the San Francisco Writers Conference and the San Francisco Writing for Change Conference. larsenauthorcoaching.com/
Nina Amir, the Inspiration to Creation Coach, is an 14-times Amazon bestselling author of How to Blog a Book, The Author Training Manual, Creative Visualization for Writers, and a host of ebooks. As an Author Coach and one of 700 elite Certified High Performance Coaches world-wide—the only one working with writers—she helps her clients Achieve More Inspired Results. Nina founded the Nonfiction Writers’ University and the Write Nonfiction in November Challenge. She helps her clients get from the lightbulb moment to the realization of their dreams (without letting anything get in the way) and make a positive and meaningful difference with their words. www.ninaamir.comMechanics Institute presents -How to Create and Run a Virtual Writing Group
Carla King in conversation with Taryn Edwards over Zoom
Thursday, April 23, 2020 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm
In partnership with the San Francisco Writers Conference and the Women’s National Book Association, San Francisco Chapter.
Whether you need to move your writing group online or you want to start a new group, find out about the tools and processes that can help you make it a success. We’ll discuss tools for document submission and commenting, videoconferencing, plus membership and mailing list management tools. Processes include meeting frequency, submission guidelines (word count), critique guidelines (etiquette), moderating, timing, and more. There will be time for Q&A.
This meeting will take place over Zoom. To receive an invitation to the meeting, please click here.
Carla King has been a member of many different kinds of writing groups over the years. In 2001, her group self-published an anthology, titled Wild Writing Women: Stories of World Travel, that was later sold to a New York publishing house. In March of 2020, she set up a Virtual Travel Writing Group in response to the shelter-in-place order. Carla is the author of multiple memoirs on her travels and how-to books on self-publishing. She is Director of Business Development for San Francisco Writers Conference, an editor, book coach, publishing coach, publishing consultant, and speaker. Check out her Self-Pub Boot Camp series of workshops, online courses, and free resources for authors.
Taryn Edwards is a Librarian, Historian and Strategic Parnterships Manager for the Mechanics’ Institute. She manages the writers activities there and works with other nonprofits to achieve mutual goals. Currently the Mechanics’ Institute hosts 13 writers groups and a wealth of other activities aimed at the writing community of the San Francisco Bay Area.
April 30 – Social Media Goals for Writers w/Deb Eckerling
A social media presence is essential for any business. This is especially true for authors who want and need to build relationships with their readers and community.
Social media may appear to be overwhelming. However, there are things you can do to make the process much more user friendly.
Want to learn about Social Media Goals for Writers?
Join Debra Eckerling, founder of the D*E*B METHOD® and author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals, for a Virtual Lunch N Learn for the Women’s National Book Association – San Francisco Chapter, on April 30 at 12pm PT.
- During this session, Deb will share tips on:
- Getting Started on Social Media
- Branding Your Profiles
- Best Practices for Posting & Engaging
- Setting Social Media Goals
And More
Grab your lunch, a cup of coffee, and a notebook, and join us for a fun, informative, and interactive session.
Title: Social Media Goals for Writers
When: April 30, 12pm PT
Where: Zoom –Zoom (link provided via email – RSVP to deckerling@gmail.com – and in the Facebook Event
About the Book: One of the biggest reasons goals fail is that people often don’t put enough thought into what they really want before diving in. Your Goal Guide by Debra Eckerling starts with that first, crucial step: figuring out your goals and putting a plan in place. Eckerling presents readers with her own tested and proven method: the D*E*B METHOD®, a brainstorming and task-based system, which stands for: Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. Through a combination of writing exercises and systems, Eckerling provides readers with a process for making and setting goals that is stress-free, easy-to-manage, and even fun.
Debra Eckerling is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning, and Achieving Your Goals (Mango Publishing, January 2020), as well as the self-published Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages.
A goal coach, project catalyst, and founder of the D*E*B METHOD®, Debra works with individuals and businesses to set goals and manage their projects through one-on one coaching, workshops, and online support. Note: DEB stands for Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. She is the founder of Write On Online, a live and online community for writers, creatives, and entrepreneurs, as well as host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat (Sundays at 7pm PT) and the Guided Goals Podcast.