Event Calendar
Check here for all the details of upcoming meetings, workshops, and events.
OUR NEXT MEETING DATES are shown below.
MONTHLY MEETINGS:
Coastal Dunes CWC is thrilled to announce free in-person meeting presentations at the Nipomo Library. To ensure that everyone stays informed, we will diligently update the Events Page and the Home Page of our website to reflect the upcoming meetings.
Where: Community Room, Nipomo Library, 918 West Tefft Street, Nipomo, CA
Directions: From 101 northbound or southbound, take the Tefft Street exit. Proceed west for .9 miles, and turn right into the library parking lot at Orchard Avenue.
Our monthly in-person meetings follow this schedule:
Times:
10:00-10:30 AM– Check-in and Networking
10:30 – 10:45 AM – CWC Announcements
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM: Featured Presentation
12:15 – 12:30 PM: Q&A, Book Signing if applicable Refreshments are provided; admission is free.
The following is a list of meeting dates for 2025. We generally meet on the first Saturday of each month, unless it’s a holiday weekend, in which case the meeting will be moved to the second Saturday. We will add speakers and topics to this list as they are booked. Mark your calendars!
2025 Presentation Calendar:
JANUARY 4th, 2025 – Carole Wagener, Memoir and Screenplay Author – Topic: “How to Write an Award-Winning Memoir and Screenplay.”
February 1st, 2025 – Lee Herrick, California Poet Laureate – Topic: “How Music Stays in the Body: On Breath, Memory, and Sound in Poetry.”
March 1st, 2025 – Bryan Schwartz, Publishing Consultant – Topic: “Workshop on Artificial Intelligence. A hands-on workshop demonstrating essential AI tools for the modern writer. The AI Advantage: Accelerate your Writing, Publishing, & Book Marketing”
April 5th, 2025 – Topic: “An Introduction to the World of Toastmasters”
We are thrilled to announce an unparalleled opportunity at our April meeting. This unique event features an interactive session with a Master Speaker, Dr. David Lohman. Join us in fun activities to self-assess and enhance effective communication and public speaking skills.
May 3rd, 2025 – Diane Smith, Educator – Topic: “Workshop on Writing Short Fiction “Genre Hybrids: Blend Until Smooth” — a workshop of short fiction that focuses on blended genres that allow for unique storytelling, greater creativity in plotting, and a variety of character types beyond the predictable.
June 7th, 2025 – Randi Barros, Filmmaker- Topic: “Screenwriting 101: Story, Voice, and Craft” An opportunity to learn the fundamentals of screenwriting and discover how to transform your short story or novel into a compelling screenplay.
July 5th, 2025 – Presenters: You! Topic: The Writer’s Mic: An open invitation for writers to meet other writers and to share their work, inspire others, and learn from one another.
August 2nd, 2025 – Nicholas Belardes –Title: Eco-Horror and the Haunting of the West. Join us for an insightful presentation by Nicholas Belardes, acclaimed author of The Deading and his latest genre-blending Western, Ten Sleep. He will reveal how ecological anxieties shape chilling narratives. This is a thought-provoking presentation you don’t want to miss.
September 6th, 2025 – Memoirist Sarah Roahen – Topic: – (Sarah’s Book): How to Begin Writing Your Life Stories – Putting Memories On The Page, a guide to the planning, making, and completion of your life stories. Her prior book, Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table, blends personal storytelling with a deep exploration of New Orleans’ food culture.
October 18th, 2025 (note different date than 1st Saturday, place TBD):
California Writers Week Celebration: A unique half-day event in the planning to include feature speakers, workshops, fun activities, and much more, soon to be revealed.
November 1st, 2025 – Coastal Dunes Founder Catherine Kitcho – Topic: Making History: a Multimedia Storytelling Project. Catherine and her Monarch Dunes Media Club associate, Judy Katz, will talk about their local history documentary film project, Life and Times at the Foot of the Hills. Catherine will discuss the writing challenges of creating a documentary, and both will describe how multimedia elements are combined to tell the story of our local history: scripts, audio, video, photography, music, and written narrative.
December 6th, 2025 – Open Mic and Potluck Party
Join us for our annual tradition: Open Mic and Food, featuring you! The mic is open to everyone and all genres. Arrive on time in order to sign up to read. You’ll get a maximum of five minutes at the mic, so make sure you time your reading and rehearse. There will be plenty of food and drinks, and you are welcome to bring your favorite goodies to share.
