UP & COMING.

``Producing Your Best Effort'' is the topic of a California Writers' Club lecture by writing teacher Louise Cabral, 1:30 p.m. Jan. 4. Meeting Place of the Fallbrook Mall, 6633 Fallbrook Ave., West Hills. Guest admission: $5. [phone].

Free stand-up comedy workshop, for beginning as well as professional comics, will be given by Judy Carter, author of ``Stand-Up Comedy: The Book,'' who will show you how to write jokes, wake up a crowd and start making money doing comedy, noon to 2 p.m. Jan. 5. The Improvisation, 8162 Melrose Ave., Hollywood. Reservations required. [phone].

``Nutrition for Fitness Instructors,'' a 10-session UCLA Extension course required for the Certificate Program in Fitness Instruction, will stress the links between nutrition practices, health, disease and exercise performance, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 7-March 11 on the UCLA campus. Tuition: $240. Recommended prerequisite: a basic course in human biology or anatomy and physiology. [phone].

``Introduction to Computing for Business'' is geared to those who know little about computers, and covers such topics as hardware, software, programming languages, how programs and networks are designed and the meanings behind all the computer acronyms and jargon, offered in two sections: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 7-March 25 at UCLA; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 9-March 27 at UCLA Extension's classrooms at Universal CityWalk in Universal City. Fee: $350. [phone].

``The Business Side of Sports as Entertainment,'' with Henry W. Holmes and his guest speakers, will focus on lucrative career opportunities in the front office of the sports world. Topics include the basic elements of negotiating athletes' contracts (including entertainment contracts); how to analyze player drafts in the NBA, NFL, NHL and major league baseball and more, 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 8-March 26 at UCLA. Fee: $345. [phone] or [phone].

The Hollywood Film Institute is offering a free ``one-hour film school,'' led by international film instructor Dov S-S Simens, that offers information on independent filmmaking, including how to produce a full-length 35mm feature film for only $5,000, 2 to 3 p.m. Jan. 13. Studio Film & Tape, 1215 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. Special film discounts and information on grants to independent filmmakers will be offered to seminar attendees. Advance reservations required. [phone], Ext. 864.