Attention authors, writers, and aspiring writers!
The California Writers Club has formed and chartered a new branch in the south part of California’s Central Coast. The Coastal Dunes Branch meets in Nipomo, on the border of San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County. Anyone can attend our monthly meetings, workshops, or other sponsored events for free.
The California Writers Club’s overall mission is to educate writers of all levels of expertise in the craft of writing and the marketing of their work. In keeping with that educational mission, the Coastal Dunes branch’s focus: Practicing the Craft of Writing. In our monthly meetings, we offer speakers and facilitators who guide us in writing, allowing us to learn from them and one another.
Please join us at the Nipomo Library for our free presentations; we’d love to see you!
Our next meeting is Saturday, May 3rd, 2025, at the Nipomo library
Presenter: M. Diane Smith
Topic: Genre Hybrids: Blend Until Smooth
–A workshop of short fiction that focuses on genre-blending, which allows for unique storytelling, greater creativity in plotting, and a variety of character types beyond the predictable.
Workshop outline:
A. Intro and activity
B. About experimental writing and other not-so-common genre
a. The difficulty in defining genres
b. Experimental writing in general
c. Emerging literary genres
C Genre-blending and its benefits
a. Explanation and samples
b. Plot benefits of blending
c. Unpredictable character types
D. Genre-blending activity
E. A quick look at devices
F. Outro activity – upcoming contests
About M. Diane Smith:
California educator M. Diane Smith is an award-winning writer of short fiction and nonfiction. She has been published by New Times, LitReactor, Haunted Waters Press, Leodegraunce, GreenPrints, Tolosa Press, and Modern Serenity. Her short story collection (Heaven and Hell on Wry) and poetry collection (Ode Dear) are on Amazon. In addition, she recently completed Fetch This! The Lazy Dog’s Writing Workbook, which draws from her experience as a writer, teacher, and artist. Current projects include illustrated global tales, a series of upcycled fables for contemporary readers of all ages. Diane is a fan of Latin jazz, pizza, the beach, and the Oxford comma. She is ever grateful for her family, pets, and friends, and anyone else who “gets” her.
Location: 918 West Tefft Street, Nipomo, CA.
Directions: From 101 northbound or southbound, take the Tefft Street exit.
Proceed west for .9 miles. At Orchard, turn right into the library parking lot.
Date/times: Saturday mornings (the first Saturday of each month unless a holiday weekend)
10:00 AM- 10:30 Check-in and Networking
10:30-10:45 CWC Announcements
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM: Featured Presentation
12:15 – 12:45: Q&A, Book Signing if applicable
Refreshments are provided; admission is free.
For our 2025 calendar of speakers, visit our Event Calendar page.
Questions about our upcoming meeting?
Contact Information Desk
Questions about Coastal Dunes CWC Membership?
Visit our membership page: Membership
Use our Contact Form for specific questions: Contact