About our Workshop Venues Thank you to the management and staff of the beautiful La Mirada facility of the Monterey Museum of Art. This gracious mansion and gallery is a living reminder of historic Monterey. Did you know: The La Mirada facility has only recently opened its doors to a wide range of community events such as our workshops, and we are fortunate to have such a resource.  If you haven't visited the museum and gallery at La Mirada, you owe yourself the pleasure. La Mirada is located just off Fremont Street on Via Mirada. Via Mirada is also the access road to the lower parking areas for Monterey Peninsula College and the Thursday Farmer's Market. There are signs on Fremont and Via Mirada. The mansion is on the right, through stately iron gates, just after turning off Fremont. Get Directions

Located in the heart of the beautiful coastal town of Monterey, Casa Munras is built around the original hacienda of Don Esteban Munras, the last Spanish diplomat to California. The hacienda was built in 1824 and was one of the first built outside the Royal Presidio of Monterey. This Monterey hotel is ideally located near many of the most visited attractions in the Central California region. Fisherman's Wharf, The Monterey Bay Aquarium and the shops and restaurants in the downtown area are just steps away from the hotel. Casa Munras offers guests the opportunity to enjoy the best of Central California, in one of the finest of Monterey hotels. 700 Munras Avenue Monterey, CA 93940 Get Directions

2008 CCW Workshops

Summer Workshop

Saturday, June 7, 2008 - 11am to 5pm - lunch included
Casa Munras Hotel, Monterey

From Idea to Completed Script:
An Interactive Screenwriting Workshop 

Veteran producers/studio executives Monika Skerbelis and Cari-Esta Albert lead a full day interactive workshop to give writers the tools to overcome procrastination, writer’s block and general insecurity in order to successfully create and complete a screenplay.

Presenters:

Cari-Esta Albert is the producer of The Truth About Cats and Dogs (20th Century Fox), executive producer of Heart and Souls (Universal Studios) and Love Is Strange (Lifetime Network). As an executive at Geffen Pictures, Universal Pictures, Alphaville and USA Network, she worked on the development and production of an extensive slate of pictures including, Defending Your Life, Interview With The Vampire, Gorillas In The Mist, The Last Boy Scout, Executive Decision, The Mummy, Parenthood, and Men Don’t Leave.

Ms. Albert is the principal of StoryEdge (storyedge.com), which offers in depth review and personal consultation on film or television scripts and treatments, manuscripts or book proposals, along with advice regarding industry practice, marketing strategy, query letters, and pursuing agents/managers, producers, financiers etc.

Monika Skerbelis is the co-author of I Liked It, Didn’t Love It: Screenplay Development from the Inside Out and co-founder of ESE Film Workshops Online (ESEntertainment.net), an online film school helping writers and filmmakers improve their knowledge in 4 to 6 weeks without leaving their home – Just “Click, Type, Download & Read.” Ms. Skerbelis is a former Vice President of Creative and Executive Story Editor for Universal Pictures’ story department where she spent ten years overseeing the story development and developing a number of screenplays including Black Dog starring Patrick Swayze. Prior to Universal, she was Story Editor for 20th Century Fox and began her career as an assistant in the Story Department for Paramount Pictures. She is on her ninth year as the artistic and programming director for the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival & Screenplay Competition and teaches feature film development at UCLA Extension, Riverside Community College and taught a Basic Screenwriting course at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film & Media Arts. ESE also provides consultations and is actively producing projects for film & Television.

Previous Workshops

November 10, 2007 - JoAnne Wetzel

Writing for Children

On November 10th  the conference room at the La Mirada gallery again filled with writers eager to learn.

Children's author, JoAnne Wetzel, did not disappoint!

As promised, JoAnne covered all aspects of the inspiration, creation, and marketing of children's books, from board books to young adult novels. Workshop participants came away with renewed energy and a writer's toolbox full of tips, facts, and insights into the world of writing for children. Children's stories light the fire inside future writers. Many fires were kindled here. Thank you, JoAnne, for a wonderfully enlightening and entertaining day.

March 31, 2007 James Dalessandro

Screenwriting As A Pro! Take 2

While technically a workshop, the Saturday spent at the La Mirada gallery with author and screenwriter James Dalessandro felt more like a conversation with a good friend; a good friend who just happens to be a charming and articulate expert in the art of writing for the screen. The relaxed, interactive nature of the session gave the lucky participants another inside-track look at the realities of making it in the world of screenwriting, almost all of which translates completely to any genre.

Passion for his craft is the engine of James’ success. Focus and preparation, which James likened to that brought to the game of golf by Tiger Wood, is required to rise to the top. James encouraged the room to “know everything there is to know” about our stories, whatever form they might take, and research is the key. He defies anyone to know more about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake than he does. “If there’s something I don’t know about it, it isn’t worth knowing,” James declared. The bidding war between major studios for his screenplay based on his amazing novel, 1906 proves his point. Warner Brothers won the war by the way, and the film promises to be as successful as the book. Given the level of control he’ll have over the project, however, James told the group that he “…hopes the damn thing will still be set in San Francisco.”

The Central Coast Writers branch is proud to have been able to sponsor Luis Cessa, an eighth grader from Greenfield, for this workshop. Luis is a talented writer at fourteen, and he aspires to write for the screen. Luis received plenty of one-on-one with James during our breaks and throughout the session. In the photo to the left, James talks shop with Luis and other workshop members. When branch president, Ken Jones, asked Luis at the end of the day if he'd taken away some good information to impress his classmates, Luis replied with a smile, "...it will impress my teachers." We're very happy to have had Luis with us on Saturday.

The lunch break became a garden party when the gracious staff at La Mirada allowed us to spill into their lovely grounds to enjoy the sculpture, fountain, and fresh air as well as the good eats. CCW members Ixchel Leigh and Anita Alan enjoy the comfort of the La Mirada courtyard.

Thank you, James, for another terrific day and for giving so freely of your time and talent.

Screenwriting As A Pro!

Once again, author and screenwriter, James Dalessandro, shared freely his talent, knowledge, and experience in the screenwriting business by delivering the down-and-dirty truth about writing for the screen. Dalessandro did a spectacular job in the morning session demystifying the strict format screenwriting imposes on its star players and detailing with concrete examples why this structure is crucial in creating a successful screenplay. James described the difference between writing a novel and a screenplay as being similar to writing free verse versus a sonnet. There is a format, and it must be followed or your work will never be read. In the afternoon James screened Chinatown (Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway) stopping the action frequently to relate back to the form (not formula!) of the screenplay and explain why  and when  critical scene progressions happened. The experience reinforced the importance of choosing our words carefully and keeping our stories, whether they be short stories, novels, or screenplays, moving forward. An important lesson, perhaps especially so for the non-screenwriters in the audience.  Thank you, James, for an entertaining and enlightening day.

The Monterey Museum of Art's La Mirada gallery provided a wonderful setting for our August 26th Screenwriting As A Pro! workshop with James Dalessandro. The Works in Pacific Grove provided coffee and sweets for the morning and Eddison & Melrose delivered another delicious lunch.

A Poem a Day

July 22, 2006 - A Poem a Day: An active poetry workshop conducted by Patrice Vecchione at the Monterey Museum of Art - La Mirada.

Our July 22nd workshop with Patrice Vecchione provided a creative and inspirational experience for all who attended. The beautiful La Mirada gallery and grounds set the stage perfectly for a very productive day.

Patrice Vecchione’s books include Territory of Wind, a collection of poetry and the nonfiction book, Writing and the Spiritual Life: Finding Your Voice by Looking Within.

The editor of many respected anthologies of poetry and prose for adults and young people, her collections include, Truth and Lies: An Anthology of Poems and Storming Heaven's Gate: An Anthology of Spiritual Writings by Women. Forthcoming from Henry Holt in spring is Revenge & Forgiveness.

For over twenty-five years, Patrice has taught poetry and creative writing to children and adults through her program The Heart of the Word: Poetry and the Imagination, a writing and literature program.

Patrice is an eloquent speaker on the writing process and on writing as spiritual practice and has presented her work throughout the United States. She's given readings and workshops for Elliot Bay Books in Seattle, The Boulder Bookstore, Colorado, Girls Incorporated, Black Oak Books, Berkeley, The Asilomar Reading Conference, The University of California at Santa Cruz, and The Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, San Jose.

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Got Plot?

Plotting & Scene Building Workshop: October 15, 2005 at the Sunset Center, Carmel.

A good scene either advances the plot of the story, develops the character, contributes to the theme, provides tension and conflict and/or reflects a change in attitude or circumstances. A great scene does all these at once! Plot springs from character in conflict. Participants at our Got Plot? workshop came away with a new set of tools to use in creating their own "Blockbuster Plots..." Thank you, Martha, for a wonderful and productive day!

Program Chair and workshop coordinator, Walter Gourlay, and "Plot Queen", Martha Alderson, enjoy a break in the action on Saturday.
	Participants grapple with identifying key scene elements in one of several practice exercises during the workshop. The exercises weren't limited to writing, however, as Martha had the group on its feet for stretching, breathing, and "crossing the mid-line" movements designed to keep our minds switched on.
Martha took time during breaks for a little one-on-one with participant Kay Ambro.
	At the end of the day, workshop participants show their appreciation with a warm round of applause for Martha. Thanks go to program chair and workshop coordinator, Walter Gourlay, for arranging the day, to branch secretary, Joy Ware, for coordinating the lunch and coffee, and to Joyce Krieg for helping ramrod the final food details and for welcoming participants at check-in.

Workshop coordinator, Dan Linehan (left), opened the program and welcomed the 24 attendees. The workshop, the first such effort by the Central Coast Writers branch, enjoyed capacity enrollment.

Co-presenter, David Gitin (right), emphasized the importance of taking a reader into an experience rather than simply describing it. He took his audience back to the roots of verse, still vital today.

Participants Mary Anne Anderson and Kerry Wood converse outside the Chapman Room at the Sunset Center.

During a break, branch President, Ken Jones (far right), looks over the Spring Summer issue of The Homestead Review with participant Josephine Pendleton and her husband Gary.

Maria and David (above) field questions from the group (and sometimes made up their own) before breaking for snacks.

Co-presenter, Maria Garcia Tabor (right, on the right), and Anita Alan share a laugh during Anita's one-on-one with Maria. Maria's instilled the will to succeed during her lecture as she related details of her own publication experiences.

Jonathan Shoemaker (left), enjoys the sunshine while awaiting his one-on-one session.

About the faculty:

David Gitin is the author of eight books of poetry, most recently Passing Through (Linehan Press 2005). He co-founded Poets Theater in San Francisco and edited the international arts magazine, Bricoleur, in the sixties. In addition, he produced poetry programs for KPFA in Berkeley in the early seventies and jazz programs for KAZU in Pacific Grove throughout the eighties and nineties. His work has been published in the U.S. and ten other countries. He teaches Creative Writing and Humanities at Monterey Peninsula College.

Maria Garcia Tabor is a poet and writer of short fiction. Her latest publications can be seen in The Café Review, The Maryland Poetry Review, Pennsylvania English, Dream International Quarterly, Lullwater Review, LUNA, Cipactli, Prairie Schooner, Flytrap, Red Eft, The South Carolina Review, Santa Clara Review, and Haight Ashbury Literary Journal. She is an instructor at Hartnell College and is the founder of the poetry competition, Poetic Voices, involving colleges and universities in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties. She has a chapbook out entitled, Surrender Dorothy.