“And yet, for a region as hospitable to the literary life as this one, San Francisco can be a hostile place for those aspiring to write. There is, first and foremost, the rent–always high, never higher than now. There is the intimidating parade of immortals who have passed through here–from Twain to Tan, Hammett to Kerouac, London to Maupin.”
and
“…conjure up the three Berkeley Michaels: Chabon, Lewis, Pollan.”
There is much more at San Francisco Magazine. (This hyperlink is to one of the 15 writings, by the way. Check the bottom of the page in the link for more…)