Writing workshops in exotic locales with award-winning instructor Clive Matson, author of "Let The Crazy Child Write!" Open to writers at all levels - all you need is a wish to tap into the power of the creative unconscious in drafting and developing stories, poems, plays, and essays.

Online dating side-by-side? Why not? Instead of struggling with writing profile text, choosing photos, picking profiles to contact, and composing emails all by yourself, let's get together and help each other. This is not a "singles event." This IS a group for singles who want to feel less alone, less stuck, less overwhelmed, and less irritable while online dating. Each meeting begins with a talk on dating-related topics including strategies and tips, plus group discussion, and co-working time: …

Writing offers a way for people to connect to deeper, wiser aspects of ourselves – a way for us to find out, as the poet Audre Lorde said, “what we didn’t know we knew.” Almost every writer has experienced mysterious moments when the words that flow from our pens, or from our fingers on a keyboard, seem as if they come from someplace else – a place beyond our small human selves. Sometimes, when we let it happen, it’s as if the words become a little boat, a raft on which we can sail in a larger s …

This group is meant to bring together dedicated and serious writers who value voice, advocacy, experience and artistic written expression. The focus of this group is the feminine experience. That doesn't mean the female experience. It can be the experience or exploration of anything deemed feminine, supposedly feminine, not feminine, etc. Writing can focus on struggling with ideas or concepts of femininity. We will write, share our work, participate in readings and create a community of writers …

The Writers Cafe is off to a great start. We're been meeting for two and a half months now. The group is currently full, however if you are interested, join up and send me an email. I'll contact you and give you an email address where you can send a writing sample -- either a chapter of your novel or a short story. If what you're doing is in sync with the group I'll put you on the waiting list and let you know where things are at with the group. The current group is excellent. All of the writer …

A few of us (well, two) aspiring science fiction/fantasy writers were looking for a serious critique and write-sharing group to join. We thought, hey, lots of people in Berkeley must love sci-fi...we just have to find them and get them in a cafe. The group is open to anyone who is writing in the genre or who enjoys it enough to read other people's writing and provide serious and supportive critique. What kind of writing? Screenplays, novels, short stories, YA...you name it. We share our writing …

The Art Beat Writers' Society http://ArtBeatFoundation.org Mondays, 7-9:30 starting July 30th @The 25th Street Collective, 477 25th Street, Oakland, CA (Between Broadway and Telegraph) Taking Bart? 19th Street stop in Oakland. Walk up Broadway toward 25th. Set in a working arts warehouse right in the heart of the historic Oakland Arts District, the Art Beat Writers' Society is a weekly two and a half hour writing and performance workshop designed to generate new material, workshop pieces, focus …

I took a wonderful play writing class at The Playwright's Foundation in San Francisco. It gave me an appreciation for the group dynamic that a class offers. Since I am not in the position to take a class at the moment I would love to have a meet up that offers what a class environment does. It is invaluable to the writing process to hear one's words read and being exposed to the ideas others has been a rewarding and enriching experience. I also love the idea of writing in a group setting. This s …

Confidence Builders towards Enlightenment: is a multi-disciplinary group that covers a range of diverse interest. The group meets and engages in a challenge each session. The concept of the winner takes all, is a perk. I believe to develop and build confidence the MIND must contiuously be challenged. The participants will brainstorm and develop critical thinking exercises, and we will also have light sessions where we share in our creativity. For the poet in us, we share poetry, creative writing …

The goal of Oakland Authors is to create a virtual and physical place for East Bay writers to gather, exchange ideas, and help each other in any way needed. The publishing industry as a whole is struggling. It’s up to us to decide if it dies or reinvents itself. The modern author doesn’t have the luxury of being able to retreat to write, letting others do the work of editing, producing and distributing books, coding e-books, or marketing him or herself. We at Oakland Authors hope that by banding …

Like they do in Nashville, let's do some co-writing! Whether you specialize in lyrics, melody, chords, or all three, come join us with your partially-formed ideas to mix with others and form a tasty musical stew. This is different than other songwriting groups (i.e., it's not for bringing your already-written song for review by others, and it's not to learn how to write a song). Here we pool our talents and create one or two songs on the spot each time we meet.

If we leave it to the local news, Oakland’s reputation will be forever linked to the same old storylines: Art Murmur, racial tension, Brooklynization*, and crime. How can we work together to reveal the deeper story? Maybe you’ve been blogging for a while and want to meet new local people.  Maybe you want to increase your social media presence. Maybe you’re new to the area and full of stuff to say, and you need new connections to grow your audience. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to blog and just …

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the first Childrearing Year are unforgettable times for every mother. It is rare that we get the opportunity to pause, reflect, and celebrate the challenges and changes that each stage brings. The intention of this group is to offer community and space for new and expecting moms to creatively explore motherhood while also gathering practical support and bits of wisdom from their peers. Creative writing, art projects, sharing, tea, and of course food, are just some of t …

This group is for people who are seeking to establish deep spiritual friendships both with others, and with themselves. We will commit to co-creating an atmosphere that offers deep listening, unwavering compassion -- and potentially life-altering challenge to the status quo. This ongoing group will explore and practice ways to 1) Access our deepest wisdom, and 2) More completely integrate and embody that wisdom in all aspects of our lives. In this process, we’ll draw respectfully from many s …

Started in January 2009, the Breakfast Blogging Club is dedicated to providing a writing environment that’s supportive, educational, productive and fun, so our participants can successfully write for their blogs and build awareness for their businesses. We've held over 20 events so far and blogged with over 150 participants. Each meeting follows a format that combines learning, sharing and taking action. Agenda at our breakfast meetings: 9:00 - Networking, get breakfast 9:15 - Introductio …

The Scriptwriters Salon is a place where twenty something to thirty something screenwriters/plawrights can critique and socialize. The rules are simple. Bring 10 pages of your feature screenplay, television script or play and be prepared to workshop the shit out of your baby. The goal of this meetup is to foster community and have fucking good time. See you there.

Monthly workshops held around the Bay Area to help writers at all levels tap into the power of the creative unconscious in drafting and developing stories, poems, plays, and essays. Led by award-winning instructor Clive Matson.

This workshop helps students in masters and doctoral programs who want to breeze through the thicket of style guidelines, formatting issues, and even pick up some useful computer tips. After your intellectual and creative accomplishments and your committee's counsel, your may still be required to undertake another level of preparation before you submit your document for final approval to publish. This group is led by an editor of more than 70 dissertations and her own masters thesis who is acute …

YALLA ARABI is an Arabic language and culture meetup group that serves the San Francisco and East Bay area. NO ARABIC LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED. Everyone is welcome! Ahlan Wa Sahlan! We invite people from ALL backgrounds and ALL levels of Arabic experience to participate. We learn Arabic in fun, interactive and supportive ways by using collaborative activities and instructor-led exercises. We also watch Arabic films, eat at Arabic restaurants and attend Arab cultural events. We heartily …

The East Bay Documentary Filmmaking Support Group (analogous to a writing group) consists of a select group of East Bay documentary filmmakers that meet once or twice a month to review, discuss, and provide critical feedback of members' works-in-progress. The documentaries can be in any phase of the production (conceptualization, brainstorms, reviews of treatments, research, scripts, proposals, assemblies, rough cuts, fine cuts etc). The purpose of this group is to support, motivate, and see our …

Resume workshops are free and all are welcome. The purpose is to inspire and energize participants by introducing insights and expertise that expand possibilities to showcase strengths, talents, and capabilities within the resume format. Attendees will leave eager to apply new ideas and with greater confidence in taking next steps toward preparing a resume that engages reviewers and leads to more interviews. Although the leader is an expert in preparing resumes, cover letters, and related presen …

Shamanic journeying is an opportunity to meet with one's guides and visit other realms of existence. You may go into a journey with a question, and meet various beings who will often give very good advice and information. This kind of work can be very inspiring and empowering. Perhaps above all, it offers the opportunity to develop an awareness of realities quite different from this one. However, if a participant's belief system won't go there, and she/he credits it all to imagination, it can st …

I am looking to create a cabaret act that is inspired by old vaudevillian, circus and Grand-Guignol theatre. I need people who either, 1) know what they're doing with regard to theater and/or 2) I need some acts. P.S. We also don't have a performance space so if you know of any... Just to be up front, I don't know much about theater arts, but I know much about the history of this type of theatre and also know some individuals with a passion for theatre that can help me. Additionally, I have alwa …

(Note: This intro will be updated soon) The new organizer (Joni) sent the following note to all members of the group on 10/4/09: ----- Hello Cooking enthusiasts! Joni here, your interim organizer. I started a MeetUp group in Lafayette not too long ago and just today found this group ... needing an organizer... and, well, perhaps we can become one. Let's see how things go. Please visit my MeetUp group: www.meetup.com/nourish-now Let's meet this Friday! Please join me/my group... …

The Liminal Art Salon meetup group is a forum for incubating authentic expression. Its purpose is to guide, stimulate and inspire artists and seekers to renew the spirit and power of true, authentic creative expression. Liminal literally means "threshold". To create from a liminal state is to cross the threshold between everyday reality and the invisible realms of supra rational consciousness. We aim to generate, brainstorm and cultivate ideas, imaginings, creations, events and collaborations. O …

Hi there, If you're looking to start an apparel manufacturing business, you've come to the right place.  The purpose of this group is to direct people to the resources they need in order to gain knowledge about creating a successful apparel or sewn products venture.  There will be invitations to classes and lectures about how to write a business plan, how to approach resources you need in order to get your product developed and finally mass-produced in S.F. or Oakland.  There will also be real w …