Read and Write

Workshop: Write Gripping Stories

Plotting your novel with Maury Zeff
Sunday, 11/2/2025
1:30 - 3:00
Learning Studio - 5th Fl
Main Library

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

415-557-4400

This special writing workshop for National Novel Writing Month examines how we build narrative urgency into our stories. Our job as writers of fiction, non-fiction, and scripts is to develop three-dimensional characters who struggle to achieve goals against all sorts of obstacles. In the pursuit of these goals, our characters grow and develop, creating an emotionally satisfying story for our readers and audiences. In this workshop, we use story-building tools and case studies to discuss how characters and events collide to form a story, how to generate the necessary conflict in our stories, and how to build toward satisfying endings.

Maury Zeff is a Bay Area fiction writer and playwright. His full length play Dada Teen Musical: The Play runs October 18 through November 16 at the Berkeley City Club.

 

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30.

Creative Arts

Exercise your power of imagination with programs that encourage hands-on projects for adults. For craft programs, all materials are provided, unless noted.

Read & Write

Discover new titles, share inspiring works and participate in challenges and contests. 

Spotlight

This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.

Public Notice and Disclaimer

This program uses a third-party website link. By clicking on the third-party website link, you will leave SFPL's website and enter a website not operated by SFPL. This service may collect personally identifying information about you, such as name, username, email address, and password. This service will treat the information it collects about you pursuant to its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of each third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services. For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of SFPL’s Privacy Policy describing Links to Other Sites.

The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.