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Saturday, October 10
 

11:00am PDT

From Punchlines to Gut Punches: Weaponizing Wit With Humor and Satire
Saturday October 10, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
447 Minna
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Pay-what-you-can for guaranteed seat; FREE to walk-ups (space depending)

Sponsored by Yerba Buena Partnership

Humor is one of a writer’s best tools, and an oft-underutilized one at that. More than just a hook to get their attention, a well-timed joke can break down a reader’s defenses faster than almost anything else on the page. Want to sharpen your wit-wielding skills? Join Claire Oshetsky, Rebecca Handler, Scott Meyer, and Malik Robinson as they unpack their secrets of how humor can raise the stakes, heighten the drama, and make both tragic and comedic moments hit twice as hard. Moderated by Yuliya Patsay. 
Moderators
avatar for Yuliya Patsay

Yuliya Patsay

Yuliya (it rhymes with Goo-lia) Patsay is a writer and performer navigating American life with Soviet programming (oy to the vey!). She is the author of the memoir Until the Last Pickle and creator of the Substack 'Buckle Up Bubelah'. When she’s avoiding writing (ahem), you can find her telling true-ish stories to live audiences or producing sketch comedy her babushka finds hilarious (and a little concerning... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Malik Robinson

Malik Robinson

Malik Robinson is morally outraged. He's written sketch comedy for Killing My Lobster, improvised short form games with All Out Comedy Theater and performed stand up in various showcases. Posterior chain stretches occupy much of his free time. 
avatar for Claire Oshetsky

Claire Oshetsky

Claire Oshetsky is the author of the novels EVIL GENIUS (February 2026) POOR DEER (January 2024) and CHOUETTE (November 2021), all from Ecco. Claire lives in Santa Cruz, California.
avatar for Rebecca Handler

Rebecca Handler

Rebecca Handler’s debut novel, Edie Richter is Not Alone, received a Kirkus Starred Review and was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Her short stories have been published and awarded in several anthologies. Her second novel, In the Round, will be publishe... Read More →
avatar for Scott Meyer

Scott Meyer

Scott Meyer is the co-owner and director of Endgames Improv in The Mission District, shaping the theater's creative vision since 2013. Trained at Endgames, iO Chicago, Second City, and UCB, he has spent 13 years performing in the long-running improv show "Your F'd Up Relationship" and recent... Read More →
Saturday October 10, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
447 Minna 447 Minna St, San Francisco
  Writers Weekend, Pay What You Can

12:30pm PDT

Beyond the Isms: Crafting Stories that Spark Real-World Activism
Saturday October 10, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
447 Minna
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Pay-what-you-can for guaranteed seat; FREE to walk-ups (space depending)

Sponsored by Yerba Buena Partnership

When the world's on fire, storytelling can act as first-responder to community hearts and minds, inspiring real-world activism that drives social change. From our expert authors, you’ll learn how to shine a light on things that matter and craft narratives that build genuine empathy, explore cultural and social responsibility, and maybe, just maybe, motivate readers to act. Join panelists Jilanne Hoffmann, Khan Wong, Safia Elhillo, and Savala Nolan for tips spanning genres across poetry, longform essays, children’s books, and speculative fiction. Moderated by Jane Ganahl. 
Moderators
avatar for Jane Ganahl

Jane Ganahl

Jane Ganahl was the co-founder, with Jack Boulware, of Litquake. She is also a writer, teacher, and animal activist. As a Hearst newspaper journalist with the Examiner and Chronicle for 25 years, she covered the arts, and wrote the “Single Minded” column, which led to her mem... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Savala Nolan

Savala Nolan

Savala Nolan is a celebrated essayist, speaker, and teacher. Her newest book, Good Woman: A Reckoning, was named a Most Anticipated Feminist Book of 2026 by Ms. Magazine.  Her first book, Don’t Let It Get You Down: Essays on Race, Gender and the Body, was shortlisted for the 2... Read More →
avatar for Jilanne Hoffmann

Jilanne Hoffmann

Jilanne Hoffmann’s middle grade historical-contemporary novel in verse and prose, HeartLand, blends a coming-of-age story and family and friendship dynamics with environmental activism. It received a starred review from School Library Journal and glowing reviews from Booklist, ... Read More →
avatar for Khan Wong

Khan Wong

Khan Wong has a past as a poet, cellist, arts funder and internationally known hula hooper. His debut novel, The Circus Infinite, was longlisted for the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA) Best Novel category, and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. His second no... Read More →
avatar for Safia Elhillo

Safia Elhillo

Sudanese by way of Washington, D.C., Safia Elhillo is the author of Girls That Never Die, The January Children, Home Is Not a Country, and Bright Red Fruit, and co-editor of the anthology Halal If You Hear Me. She has received fellowships from Cave Canem and Stanford University, and her awards include a California Book Award, the Brunel International African Poetry Prize, and an Arab American Book Award. She has been a finalist for the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, the... Read More →
Saturday October 10, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
447 Minna 447 Minna St, San Francisco
  Writers Weekend, Pay What You Can

2:00pm PDT

Lick, Smack, Slurp: Writing the Desires We Only Confess to the Page
Saturday October 10, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
447 Minna
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Pay-what-you-can for guaranteed seat; FREE to walk-ups (space depending)

Sponsored by Yerba Buena Partnership

We’ve all heard about “show, don’t tell” but how, exactly, does a writer show the most evocative details possible? Let's lean into the heat, the ache, the sensory overload. In this panel, Jennifer Barone, Sandra Jackson-Opoku, and Tomas Moniz will show you how to write about our most unspoken longings (the sensual, the emotional, and the taboo) and they're not afraid to go there! Moderated by Tijanna Eaton. 
Moderators
avatar for Tijanna O. Eaton

Tijanna O. Eaton

Tijanna O. Eaton (Tə-zha-na; she/her) is a Black butch writer whose work appears in Panorama Journal, Honey Literary, Noyo Review, slips slips, and Yellow Arrow Vignette. She is a nonfiction judge for the 2025 Money for Women contest, is a 2024 Soros Justice Fellow, was the nonfiction judge for the 2024 Best of the Net contest, was a 2023 Rooted & Written Fellow, and received the 2021 Unicorn Authors Club Alumni award. Tijanna is a sanctuary coa... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Tomas Moniz

Tomas Moniz

Tomas Moniz is a Latinx writer living in East Oakland, CA. His debut novel, Big Familia, was a finalist for the 2020 PEN/Hemingway and the LAMBDA. His second novel, All Friends Are Necessary, won the 2024 California Golden Poppy Award. His new novel, The King of Aloe Vera, will be published September 2026 from Algonquin Books. He teaches at Berkeley City College, the Antioch MFA program and St. Mary’s College. He has stuff on the internet but loves penpals: PO Box 3555, Berkeley CA 94703. He promises to write back... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Barone

Jennifer Barone

Jennifer Barone is an Italian-American poet and artist. She is the author of four poetry collections, including Sirenland about the Bay of Naples, Italy, the siren mythology and stories of the sea, and Saporoso: Poems of Italian Food & Love, Feather Press. A two-time winner of th... Read More →
avatar for Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Sandra Jackson-Opoku is the author of three award-winning novels. The River Where Blood is Born won the American Library Association Black Caucus Award. Hot Johnny and the Women Who Loved Him was an Essence Magazine Bestseller in Hardcover Fiction. Savvy Summers and the Sweet Pot... Read More →
Saturday October 10, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
447 Minna 447 Minna St, San Francisco
  Writers Weekend, Pay What You Can
 
Sunday, October 11
 

11:00am PDT

Voice Lessons: Crafting an Artist Statement that Proves You're Human
Sunday October 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
447 Minna
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Pay-what-you-can for guaranteed seat; FREE to walk-ups (space depending)

Sponsored by Yerba Buena Partnership

If you’re trying to land grants, residencies, or funding, how can you write a compelling artist statement without hiding behind generic grant-speak, clinical jargon, or AI buzzwords? Author Janine Kovac will lead book critic Britta Stromeyer, publicist Cristina Deptula, and literary agent Rachel Neumann in a discussion on tapping into the genuine voice that allows an author to speak about their own work with clarity and authenticity. Learn tips and tricks for elevating your artistic narrative while keeping your unique point-of-view front and center!
Moderators
avatar for Janine Kovac

Janine Kovac

Janine Kovac writes about power dynamics and women's bodies. She is the author of three works of narrative nonfiction. Her most recent title, The Nutcracker Chronicles: A Fairytale Memoir, received the 2026 Eyelands "Writers Choice" Award, Greece's international book award. Her other distinctions include the Calderwood Fellowship for Journalism from MacDowell and the Elizabeth George Foundation Fellowship. Committed to literary stewardship, Janine has curated events for... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Neumann

Rachel Neumann

Rachel Neumann is the CEO and founder of Wave Literary and one of the world’s leading publishing veterans. She is a fierce advocate with over two decades experience developing, editing, representing, and publishing over a hundred books, including dozens of international and New... Read More →
avatar for Cristina Deptula

Cristina Deptula

Cristina Deptula is a freelance science writer, book publicist, and publisher of Synchronized Chaos International Magazine. She's written on topics ranging from local parks' role in climate resilience, long COVID and patient care, and electrical and biomedical engineering and loves literature of all sorts... Read More →
avatar for Britta Stromeyer

Britta Stromeyer

Britta Stromeyer is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. Her writing appears in The Common, World Literature Today, Tupelo Quarterly, Beyond Words Magazine, Necessary Fiction, On the Seawall, Flash Fiction Magazine, Bending Genres Journal, Marin Independent Journal, and other publications. Britta has authored award-winning children's books and holds an MFA from Dominican University, CA, an M.A. from American University, and a Certificate in Novel Writing from Stanford University... Read More →
Sunday October 11, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
447 Minna 447 Minna St, San Francisco
  Writers Weekend, Pay What You Can

12:30pm PDT

The Unconventional Author: Side Doors and Secret Passages to Publication
Sunday October 11, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
447 Minna
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Pay-what-you-can for guaranteed seat; FREE to walk-ups (space depending)

Sponsored by Yerba Buena Partnership

Querying agents and waiting on slush piles isn't the only way to get published. For many writers it's not even the best one. In this panel, successful indie authors Tara Dorabji, Marianne Lonsdale, Regina Louise, and Wendy Johnson pull back the curtain on surprising, alternative paths such as contest contracts, hybrid publishers, and DIY presses to get stories published and promoted. Moderated by indie author Matthew Félix. 
Moderators
avatar for Matthew Félix

Matthew Félix

Matthew Félix is the author of four books, a certified life coach, and a speaker. Publishers Weekly called his debut novel, A Voice Beyond Reason, “(a) highly crafted gem.” Matthew ghost-writes, edits, publishes, and markets books for other authors, and his work has been recognized with a Solas Awards Grand Prize for Story of the Year and Gold for Memoir in the Northern California Publishers & Authors Awards. Matthew combines... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Marianne Lonsdale

Marianne Lonsdale

Marianne Lonsdale’s debut novel, When The Road Curves, was published by Sibylline Press in 2026. She writes fiction, personal essays and poetry. Her work has been published in several print anthologies and various online journals including The New York Times, The Bluebird Word... Read More →
avatar for Wendy Johnson

Wendy Johnson

Wendy Johnson is a physician, community activist and writer whose career includes stints scaling up HIV treatment in Mozambique, overseeing an urban public health department in Cleveland, and directing a community clinic in Santa Fe. She currently practices family and addiction medicine in Northern... Read More →
avatar for Tara Dorabji

Tara Dorabji

Tara Dorabji is the award-winning author of the novel, Call Her Freedom, Simon and Schuster’s Books Like Us Grand Prize Winner. Tara’s documentary film series on human rights defenders in Kashmir won awards at over a dozen film festivals throughout Asia and the USA. Her publi... Read More →
avatar for Regina Louise

Regina Louise

Regina Louise, MFA, is an emotional intelligence coach who uses poetry as praxis, a mindfulness meditation teacher, and a senior Hoffman Process teacher. She is best known as the author of the memoirs Somebody’s Someone and Someone Has Led This Child to Believe—the inspiratio... Read More →
Sunday October 11, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
447 Minna 447 Minna St, San Francisco
  Writers Weekend, Pay What You Can

2:00pm PDT

After The Launch: Raising Your Book to Survive and Thrive
Sunday October 11, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
447 Minna
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Pay-what-you-can for guaranteed seat; FREE to walk-ups (space depending)

Sponsored by Yerba Buena Partnership

The launch party is over, the champagne is flat—now what? Getting your book out into the world is only the beginning. In this session, editor/publisher Julia Park Tracey will moderate a conversation between jack-of-all-genres Ariel Gore, bookseller Jasmine Valandani, and memoirist Mary Alice Stephens about what comes after the launch: how to keep your book visible, cultivate both new and lifelong readers, and keep things moving without burning yourself out. 
Moderators
avatar for Julia Park Tracey

Julia Park Tracey

Julia Park Tracey is an award-winning journalist, editor, and author; she was Poet Laureate of Alameda, CA, 2014-2017. Her work has appeared in Huffington Post, Salon, Narratively, Redbook, Oakland Magazine, sfgate.com, and The Sun. Julia is an alumna of the Community of Writers... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Ariel Gore

Ariel Gore

Ariel Gore is a Lambda and American Alternative Press award-winning editor and author of more than a dozen books. She teaches at literarykitchen.org
avatar for Jasmine Valandani

Jasmine Valandani

Jasmine Valandani has been an independent bookseller for over a decade, working as a buyer of adult and children’s books at Village Books in Bellingham, Washington, and presently managing the children’s section at Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park since 2021. Her passions include picture books, pl... Read More →
avatar for Mary Alice Stephens

Mary Alice Stephens

Mary Alice Stephens is a captivating storyteller whose best-selling memoir, Uncorked: A Memoir of Letting Go and Starting Over, reveals her raw, humorous, and profoundly inspiring journey from alcohol-fueled chaos to a life of clarity, connection, and self-acceptance. This #1 Amazon new release in alcoholism recovery and midlife self-help earned the 2026 PenCraft Award for Motivational Nonfiction and the 2026 Interna... Read More →
Sunday October 11, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
447 Minna 447 Minna St, San Francisco
  Writers Weekend, Pay What You Can
 

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447 Minna
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