Next dinner meeting March 9, 2010, 6 pm Guest Speaker: Nina Amir Nina Amir is a seasoned journalist, nonfiction editor, author, consultant, and writing coach with almost 30 years of experience in the publishing field. She has edited or written for more than 45 local, national and international magazines, newspapers, e-zines, and newsletters on a full-time or freelance basis. Her essays have been published in five anthologies and can be found in numerous e-zines and Internet article directories. Nina is a new SBW member and will a guest at East of Eden 2010. Website		About our meetings: SBW meets every month, usually for dinner. Join us to connect with other writers and learn the craft and business of writing from our guest speakers. Dinner Meetings: Where: Lookout Restaurant in Sunnyvale directions When: Generally, we meet the second TUESDAY of each month, 6 pm to 9 pm, except when we have another event that month. Watch this page for details of each month's event.  How much: $15 for CWC members, $20 for non-members. Price includes buffet dinner. No reservations are required. more info>>> Directions to Lookout Restaurant Located just off Maude near 237 at the Sunnyvale Municipal Golf Course. From 237, exit on Maude Ave. Turn eastbound on Maude. Go to first traffic light and turn left on Macara. The Golf Course and Lookout parking lot is near the end of Macara. Lookout Bar & Grill 605 Macara Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 408-739-8900 Lookout B&G's web site
Would you like to speak to our group? If you are a professional author or publishing industry professional and would like to speak at a South Bay Writers event, please contact our Programs chair at vp@southbaywriters.com
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Future Events: April 13, 2010 Jordon Rosenfeld, columnist for Writers Digest and author of Make a Scene: Crafing a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time. Jordan E. Rosenfeld is a fiction writer, freelance journalist and editor. She is also the co-author of Write Free! Attracting the Creative Life with Rebecca Lawton (BeijaFlor Books). Jordan is a contributing editor & columnist to Writer’s Digest magazine. Her freelance journalism has also appeared in numberous publications including The San Francisco Chronicle, The St. Petersburg Times, Times, and The Writer. Her book reviews are regularly featured on The California Report, a news-magazine produced by NPR-affiliate KQED radio. Website April 24 Complete Hands-On Blogging Workshop Our January blogging workshop was a great hit. In April, Bill Belew explains in detail the how-to of blogging. For details and registration, click here. May 11 Dinner meeting. Speaker to be announced. June 8 Dinner meeting. Speaker to be announced. July / August Annual summer barbeque (Date to be announced.) Our summer social event will be in either July or August. There will be no dinner meeting in the same month as the barbeque. August "Pitch Practice" Workshop (Date to be announced.) Get ready for East of Eden with Ro Davis and the gang at the Lookout to craft, hone, and practice the pitch you'll give to an agent at the conference. This workshop was very popular in 2008, so we're doing it again, setting aside lots more time to practice. September No monthly meeting in September because it's EoE time! September 24 - 26 SBW presents the fifth East of Eden Writers Conference in Salinas. For info and details, visit the conference website. October 12 Dinner meeting. Speaker to be announced. Annual Halloween Literary Costume Contest November 9 Dinner meeting. Speaker to be announced. December 14 No dinner meeting in December. Annual Holiday Bash - potluck and gift exchange

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Frequently asked questions about our dinner meetings

Q: Why did you choose the restaurant you did?

A: South Bay Writers requires a venue that is large enough to accommodate 80 - 100 people. We also endeavor to keep costs down.
 

Q: Why do I have to pay $15 (or $20 for non-members)?

A: The price covers the cost of food and beverage. The extra amount paid by non-members goes toward the speaker fee and other meeting expenses. 
 

Q: don't want to eat at the meeting. Can I subtract the food costs from the charge?

A: No. Our chosen location is a restaurant, not a public meeting hall. We get the room for our meetings with the understanding that all of the people using it are customers. The manager can do a head count and if the number doesn't match the number of the people who have paid at the door, the club has to make up the difference.
 

Q: What is the format of the dinner meeting?

A: Typically, the first hour is for dinner and networking. About 7 pm, we have club announcements, members' news, and more networking. We have a break and then have a donation drawing for prizes. Our featured guest takes the mic about 7:45 pm. The meeting generally last until about 9. 

Q: I can't stay for the whole meeting. Do I have to pay anyway?

A: In a word, yes. To be fair to everyone we must collect the money up front from each person who comes through the door.
 

Q: Can't you find a place with better food, ambiance, fresh flowers, ______ (fill in the blank).

A: SBW has met in 8 different restaurants over the last 10 years. Each served our needs of size and budget at the time. If you know of a place that could accommodate our large group at a reasonable price, please suggest it to the board.