College Courses for Adults
Dominican University of California’s Creative Writing MFA program (offers free public writing workshops via zoom)
Napa Valley College-St. Helena
Santa Rosa Junior College English Department
Santa Rosa Junior College Writing Scholarships and Awards
Santa Rosa Junior College Community Education Writing Courses
Sonoma State University Creative Writing Program
Sonoma State University Extended Education Program
Bay Area Writing Courses (non-college)
The Grotto, a San Francisco writing center and community workspace offers narrative arts workshops over several weeks or one day. Located in SOMA.
On-Line Writing Programs and Resources
Amherst Writers & Artists, online writing workshops
University of California, Berkeley, Extension, Online Writing Certificates
Stanford University, Continuing Studies, Online Writers Certificates
Oxford University, Continued Education, short online courses
Online College Courses in Writing (database of free courses)
Visual Writers Workshops bring published authors together with writers for synergy and exchange one Sunday a month at 12 p.m. Eastern time, 9 a.m. Pacific time.
Christine Walker’s Self-paced Online Course, YouTube Channel and Read to Write Books blog are devoted to writing fiction and creative process. Details below under Ongoing Workshops.
Sit Down and Write Poetry. Here’s how to do it (six tips) plus a list of additional online resources for writing poetry.
School-Based Programs for Youth
California Poets in Schools
— Phyllis Meshulam, Area Coordinator
Sonoma State University EXCEL Program
Community Non-Credit Workshops
For a list of Sonoma County writers offering workshops and consultations, check the Local Workshop Leaders and Writing Consultants page. Below you’ll find a list of upcoming workshops in chronological order and following that, ongoing (undated) workshops in alphabetical order by the workshop leader’s last name.
NEW, UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
Upcoming workshops are in chronological order. See below for local ONGOING WORKSHOPS.
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Brainstorm Your Book with Diane Conway
At Book Passage Corte Madera
Thursday, November 5, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
$95
Have a great book idea, but no idea where to begin? Staring at the blank page and feeling overwhelmed? Taking the first step is the hardest part. Don’t tackle it alone. Join Diane Conway, The Book Midwife, in this supportive class to help brainstorm your core idea and strengthen and refine your vision. Clarify your concept, map out a clear roadmap, and turn that blank page into a structured manuscript!
Details and registration: bookpassage.com/event/2026-11-05/brainstorm-your-book-diane-conway
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Write Your Heart Out with Britta Stromeyer
At Book Passage Corte Madera, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd
Saturday, November 7, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
$80
Ever feel like your life has a million stories waiting to be told, but you aren’t sure where to start? Join us for this soulful, 90-minute workshop designed to help you pause, reflect, and put pen to paper. Whether you want to craft “mini-stories” from your favorite memories or simply use journaling to make sense of the beautiful chaos of daily life, this workshop is your safe space to explore.
Details and registration: bookpassage.com/event/2026-11-07/write-your-heart-out-britta-stromeyer
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Beyond Traditional Publishing with Albert Flynn DeSilver
Saturday, November 7, 2:00-4:30 p.m.
Book Passage, Corte Madera Store, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd
$80
Join us to explore the world of hybrid, small press, university, and self-publishing. In this workshop, students will explore and discuss case studies, complete writing exercises, and be guided through a powerful mindfulness practice to help clarify their writing and publishing goals.
Students can expect to learn:
- The “reader’s first” approach to publishing
- How to determine your goals and assess where you are with your project
- How to tease out fact from fiction, and scam from legit publisher
- An overview of the various publishing options and opportunities in 2026
- The NEW & profound possibilities with self & hybrid publishing
- The limits and benefits of traditional publishing
- You will leave with clarity, a sense of possibility, and excitement about your project and how to best share it!
More info and registration: bookpassage.com/event/2026-11-07/beyond-traditional-publishing-albert-flynn-desilver
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Write & Collage, with Marlene Cullen
Saturday, November 14, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Petaluma Arts Center
$40 for PAC members, $45 for non-members.
Marlene Cullen presents a workshop combining the written word and collage.
We write to uncover personal truths, to revisit the past, to make sense of what happened—or simply for the joy of putting words on the page. The workshop begins with guided writing, then moves to creating collages that blend color, texture, imagery, imagination. No writing or artistic experience is necessary. Bring a notebook and a pen.
Items for collage will be provided.
Register with Petaluma Arts Center
Details: TheWriteSpot.us
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Nine Ways to Revise and Strengthen Your Novel or Memoir with Christine Walker
Saturday, November 14, 10:00 -11:15 a.m.
Zoom Webinar. $55.
A fresh approach to revision that helps you discover what your story needs and what it could become. In this webinar, author Christine Walker will guide you through essential elements of storytelling—from your seed of inspiration through point of view, character, setting, plot, time, emotions, imagery, and theme. Drawing on examples from masterful authors, she’ll explore with you how these elements work individually and together, and how examining them from different angles can reveal new opportunities in your own manuscripts. Rather than approaching revision as a list of problems to fix, you’ll discover how to approach it comprehensively as a creative process—one that helps you deepen your story, make more intentional choices, and reconnect with your intentions and your story’s promise. Christine is the author of the novel Tap Dancing at the Bluebird, the memoir A Painter’s Garden: Cultivating the Creative Life, and Nine Ways: Writing Masterful Fiction and Memoir (Sibyl Writing Craft, 2027). To learn more or to sign up go to: shop.
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The Memoir Writer’s Workout with Melissa Cistaro
Hosted by Book Passage
Sunday, November 15, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Online via Zoom, $80
We spend a lot of time thinking about the story we want to write, and how to best tell it. Life gets busy and our creative desires take a back seat. This workshop is for anyone who wants an inspired writing workout that will result in new pages. Come write in a supportive environment with a bestselling memoirist who used these very techniques to complete her book. Whether you are looking to strengthen your writing practice, or add layers to your current work, you’ll leave the workshop with several new story starts. This generative writing session will include a series of new exercises and prompts. Come prepared to write, reflect, and explore your story.
Registration closes the day before the class begins. Same-day registrations are not available, so please plan ahead.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the personal nature of the course material, this class will not be recorded and must be streamed/attended live.
More details and registration: bookpassage.com/event/2026-11-15/memoir-writers-workout-melissa-cistaro
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Writers Forum: Leslie Bradford-Scott on Why Stories Stall
Saturday, November 21, 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Free on Zoom
Presenter Leslie Bradford-Scott, author of The Liar’s Playbook, will talk about Why Stories Stall (and How to Fix Them). Why do some scenes pull us effortlessly into the next, while others seem to sit stubbornly on the page? Leslie will share practical framework for diagnosing what’s gone wrong when a story loses momentum.
Hosted by Marlene Cullen.
Details and Zoom link:
thewritespot.us/forum
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Fourth Sunday Meditation Gathering with Clara Rosemarda
Sunday, November 22, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Free. On Zoom.
Come join others for a group meditation on Zoom. Find that still place within, that place fueled by your life force. I will lead the meditation and follow with a discussion period. Feel free to come with questions. I encourage writers to develop a practice that serves the creative process.
RSVP to receive the Zoom invite: rosen@sonic.net
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Writers Forum: Presenter Matthew Félix on The Embodied Writer
Wednesday, December 9, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Free on Zoom
Matthew Félix will talk about The Embodied Writer: How Wellness Enhances Craft.
Discussions of craft often focus on the intellectual aspects of writing—structure, character development, voice, style, and revision—while overlooking fundamentals that can profoundly influence the writing itself: presence, focus, attention, energy, and inspiration.
Hosted by Marlene Cullen.
Details: thewritespot.us/forum
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MovingWriting: Embodied Expressive Writing workshops with Loretta Mijares
Saturday, December 12, 2:00-5:00 p.m.
At a private studio in Sebastopol. $75 per afternoon.
In MovingWriting, we play with movement/dance and written words to help us connect with our deep and creative selves, in the company of a supportive circle. Writing after movement can shift writing blocks and inhibitions, and the words that arise are often different in quality and tone than our habitual writing patterns. We share our writing, if we choose, with the circle, to release our words into voiced existence, and we hear back echoes of what has resonated in ripples throughout the circle. Giving voice to our own stories and witnessing the stories of others brings healing, aliveness, and connection with others.
Details and registration: MovingWriting.com or email: loretta@movingwriting.com
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ONGOING WORKSHOPS
Aside from the initial posting, these listings are alphabetical, either by name of organization or last name of facilitator.
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Book Arts: Sonoma County Book Arts Guild
If you make books, alter books, want to learn to make books please join us at the Sebastapol Center for the Arts. The intent is to create a group to share work, teach techniques, take field trips, invite guest artists to teach, and have a show.
15-Adult
Painting/Drawing Studio
Last Saturday of each month, 10 am-12 pm
Fee: $2-$5 donation to cover facility use
Location: Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Contact Dena Bliss 829-1732
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Books & Letters Writing Workshop
Books & Letters is launching its first writing workshop the spring of 2022. The workshop will be held in the bookstore (14045 Armstrong Woods Road, Guerneville ) weekly on a day which is to be announced soon (depending on writers’ availability). The workshop will run in two month increments. Writers will be expected to submit hard copies of their work a week before their scheduled workshop. All genres except poetry are allowed (sorry poets, but if you’d like to perhaps start a poetry workshop, please contact Michael at the bookstore): (707) 604-7197
If you are interested or want more information, fill out the message form at www.booksletters.com/activities-and-classes/the-writing-workshop. Please include your name, phone number, your genre, why you want to take the workshop, when you ‘d be available to begin, and if Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday evenings from 5:30-7:30 work for you. Please specify your top two choices in terms of day to hold the workshop.
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Margaret Caminsky-Shapiro’s Sonoma County Writing Practice
(Updated 7/1/23) Margaret Caminsky-Shapiro teaches seasonally based eight-week long writing semesters out of her Santa Rosa office. Three different class times are offered each week; Monday at 2.00 p.m. in person, Tuesday at 9.15 a.m. on Zoom, and Tuesday at 4.00 p.m. in person. Margaret uses poetry and meditation for inspiration and writers are encouraged to read their work in a supportive atmosphere. The memoir is a valuable form for dropping deeper into the self, allowing memories to come forth. This process allows space for self-knowledge to occur. Margaret was born and raised in South Africa and her love of memoir comes from her African storytelling background. For more information or to receive a flyer call (707) 484-7437 or email Margaret at harlmarg@sonic.net. The website for Sonoma County Writing Practice is www.handwritingonline.net. Margaret Caminsky-Shapiro and Sonoma County Writing Practice have published their 2nd Anthology, FOOT NOTES, which showcases the writing of 51 of Margaret’s students. Details on Sonoma County in Print (2014) page. Classes are being held in person and via Zoom. Contact Margaret for details. harlmarg@sonic.net
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John Christian’s Workshops and Intuitive Coaching
Fridays, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm: Weekly online literary open mic via Zoom. Share a short story or poetry. By donation. Email poetrysher@gmail.com for Zoom link. Hosted by John Christian http://flyingchairproductions.weebly.com
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Flash Friday
Fridays, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Instructor: Deb Carlen
a weekly walk-in, one-hour class with a different topic every week about writing. A quick way to gain in-depth information about the elements of writing, genres, marketing, publishing and more. At Sonoma Community Center, 276 East Napa, Sonoma. Drop-ins, $10; members, $9. Details at: https://sonomacommunitycenter.org/flash-friday/
CANCELLED TILL FURTHER NOTICE.
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Susan Hagen’s Writing Circles and Retreats
Our Women’s Writing Community is a safe place for women to write, connect, heal, and grow. Whether you’re seeking tools for self-discovery, support for writing a book, or simply a place to connect with other women on a spiritual path, you’re sure to find something that’s right for you. Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, you’ll benefit from the healing power of telling your stories and having them witnessed by others. There is no judgement here. We honor each voice as equal, and we write and speak from the heart. Beginning, experienced, and exploring writers are always welcome.
Virtual Writing Circles to Connect us During Coronavirus Isolation
Every Saturday morning via Zoom
(See website www.susanhagen.com for fees and more information)
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Pacific Time
One-Day Writing Workshops for Women
Susan offers monthly writing circles for women on alternating topics.
Visit www.susanhagen.com for ongoing writing practice and upcoming events.
Susan Hagen is an award-winning nonfiction writer, Vision Quest guide, and co-author of Women at Ground Zero: Stories of Courage and Compassion. She is a former news reporter, organizational journalist, firefighter and emergency medical technician. Her writing programs are inspired by the vision quest, a personal journey into the wilderness that clarifies and informs her life and work.
Mobile: 707-888-0849
Office: 707-874-9223
PO Box 443, Graton, CA 95444
suzhagen@sonic.net
www.susanhagen.com
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Lawrence Hart Poetry Seminar
The Lawrence Hart Seminar, the region’s longest-running intensive poetry workshop (with roots going back to the 1930s), meets monthly in San Rafael, second Saturdays, 1-4 (no meeting in August). All levels welcome; visitors encouraged (no obligation, but please contact first). $125 for five sessions thereafter. Contact John Hart, staff@lawrencehart.org, 415-507-9230. Next meeting March 10.
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Jumpstart Writing Workshops
A safe place to write and explore, using a variety of prompts to kindle imagination and inspire writing. You are free to write whatever you want: truth, fiction, memoir. Freewrites are a way of letting words tumble and fall however they land with no concerns about the outcome. Prompts generate writing that goes deep, often resulting in transformational experiences. Jumpstart meets on the ZOOM platform.
Jumpstart facilitators: Marlene Cullen, Susan Bono, Lakin Khan
Mondays: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Tuesdays 9:30 am to 11:30 am
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Nancy Long: One-Person Shows
Dream of performing a one-person show of your writing or stories of your life?
Let experienced Bay Area Director and Producer, Nancy Long, edit, shape and produce that dream for you!
Services include:
- Editing of script (which you can read or memorize for stage).
- Four sessions of rehearsals with direction, props and music.
- Actual performance (15-30 minutes in length) set-up with lights, wireless microphones and staging at Aqus Café in Petaluma (or venue of choice).
- Publicity.
Fee: $250.00
Beginner and seasoned writers welcomed!
For more information and bio background:
Nancy Long, Producer of Petaluma Readers Theatre
nsasha@earthlink.net cell: 707-338-3925
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Clara Rosemarda offers on-going six-week writer’s workshops
WRITEMIND™ WORKSHOPS: Writing from the Core as well as Classes on the Enneagram of Personality, Private Coaching and Consultations. Clara can be reached to answer questions about her work or to sign up for classes and consultations at: (707) 567-7117 or rosen@sonic.net.
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Jordan Rosenfeld’s Write Lifers, a Monthly Writing Group
Write Lifers is a monthly writing craft group with an emphasis on discussing both craft AND process—what makes US tick, as well as what makes the craft work. It meets twice per month via Zoom.
(One month free with an annual subscription)
Meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 5:00 p.m. and the 4th Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
In each meeting (approximately-1.5 hours) we will:
Discuss writing craft process
Engage in a writing craft lesson
Play with writing prompts
Set goals for accountability
You also have access to a Google drive with readings, resources, and a monthly opportunity to exchange work for peer critique with clear guidelines and expectations.
You may pay monthly ($50) or annually ($550).
*You can either choose to pay as you go monthly (you won’t be automatically billed), or purchase a discounted annual subscription.
REGISTER FOR MEMBERSHIP HERE: jordanrosenfeld.net/product/write-lifers-monthly-membership
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Online Memoir Class with Suzanne Sherman
Learn the essentials and get a chance to practice them in my info-packed online memoir course. The course gives you structure for getting the writing done, a sense of accountability, and guidance as you create new material. By the end of the course you can have a book planned and a portion of your first draft written.
Week 1: Building the Foundation: Theme, Narrative Arc
Week 2: Convincing Characters
Week 3: Engaging Prose
Week 4: Writing Scenes
Week 5: Dialog
Week 6: Telling the Truth
Contact me to enroll: suzanne@suzannesherman.com, or visit https://suzannesherman.com/e-courses/writing-life-memoir-workshop/
Suzanne Sherman is a published author, book editor, and writing/publishing coach and consultant. She has taught memoir in the Bay Area and online since 1996. www.suzannesherman.com.
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Shut Up & Write!™ Wine Country: FREE writing sessions
Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you. No one will see what you’ve written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done.
Register at Meetup: www.meetup.com/shutupandwritewinecountry/
Updated 9/15/2020.
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Christine Walker’s Online Writing Courses and YouTube Videos
Writing Fiction: 9 Ways to Mastery is a self-paced, online course designed for writers who read, readers who write, and book lovers who want to read like a writer. Produced by author and artist Christine Walker, MFA, MA, the course contains videos and writing activities. It features Christine’s useful framework, Master Craft Juggling, for gaining greater ability and agility with the elements of fiction. The course will help you: (1) Develop masterful skills by learning valuable lessons that authors give readers on the page. (2) Improve your writing practice for success with strategies and tools for setting goals, taking on challenges, and fulfilling your intentions. (3) Find ongoing inspiration for your writing and book projects, while deepening reading enjoyment. For a free trial visit the course site at https://courses.christinewalker.net
Christine Walker’s YouTube Channel features short “Moments of Mastery” videos to inspire and inform your writing practice for greater enjoyment, productivity, and success. All writers start with a blank page every time. No matter the previous success, we all find ourselves again on the way to mastery. The videos, designed for fiction writers, memoirists, and other creative writers, focus not only on the “how” of writing, but also the “why.” Christine has an MFA in Writing and Literature in Fiction, an MA in Creative Arts Interdisciplinary, and is a published author. She posts new videos every Friday. Visit the channel at www.youtube.com/channel/UCXwbDiJWBHm0QOfnEEsZpYg
Read to Write Books blog: Christine Walker Explores Fiction Craft This blog distills “lessons” that masterful authors give us on the page. It supports Christine’s courses and is a useful resource for fiction writers, memoirists, books groups, and all writers who read, readers who write, and book lovers who want to read like a writer. She started the blog to supplement the workshops she taught at Copperfield’s several years ago and will be newly updating the blog to supplement her online course, Writing Fiction: 9 Ways to Mastery. Visit the blog at https://readtowritebooks.com
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