Writers of Kern

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Writers of Kern

April Featured Speaker – Carla Stanley

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Headshot of speaker Carla Stanley, smiling at the camera against a neutral office background.
Workshop Title: The Art of Writing Great Memoir

Carla Stanley has been writing for years, but it wasn’t until 2017, when she retired from teaching high school English and Theater, that she got serious. Since taking a memoir writing class in 2018, Carla has written over 150 memoirs to share with family and friends. She plans to share what she had learned in her numerous memoir-writing classes, hoping to tweak your writing in small ways that takes an okay piece of writing and makes it come alive.

Besides memoir-writing, Carla has continued the playwriting she polished working with students for 14 years at Shafter High School. In 2022, one of her short plays was performed at Bakersfield Community Theater’s One-Act Festival.

Carla joined WOK during the pandemic and participated in many Zoom Open Mic events. Her poem “Veterans” and her short story “A Bunch of Bull” were published in the 2021 Writers of Kern Anthology Pathway to the Heart.

Registration for this past event is closed.

February Featured Speaker – Phyllis Wachob

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Upper body shot of featured speaker Phyllis Wachob, holding a small white dog and smiling outdoors.
Workshop Title: Developing a Unique Writing Voice and Exploring Points of View

This workshop will present ideas, tips and a chance to practice developing your own voice and exploring points of view. Tips will be given and exercises will be demonstrated on how to find and develop your unique way of description, dialog, imagery and syntax. A point to remember is that editor’s comments are only suggestions, not corrections. Your own authentic voice is the one that your readers want. The close third person point of view is a newer way of crawling into a character’s head to experience thoughts, feelings, and intuitions without quotes or italics. This workshop aims to give writers more devices in their writer’s toolbox to express themselves.

Phyllis Wachob, born in Bakersfield and currently residing there, began her traveling adventures after college. She became a travel writer and then an English teacher, living and working in various places across the globe. These experiences are reflected in her mystery novels in the Teachers Abroad Mystery series. Later, she used her hometown and its inhabitants as inspirations for her Kern Kapers Mystery Series. So far, she has completed eight cozy mysteries, honing her writing skills along the way. Fellow members of the Writers of Kern as well as critique group members have shown her different ways of looking at characters, storylines and points of view.

Registration for this past event is closed.

January Featured Speaker – Kathleen Kline

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Upper body picture of guest speaker Kathleen Kline, wearing glasses and smiling outdoors against a backdrop of large brown wooden doors.
Workshop Title: Promoting Fiction in Today’s Tech-Savy World

Get invigorated, inspired, and geared up to write more fiction. Kathleen Kline, a 32-year professional writer, editor, and writing coach will be here to share the changes in the Fiction Market and explain the path for new authors, aspiring authors, and those authors desiring to change up and the potential expansion of their craft.

Kathleen Kline is a wordsmith who’s been playing with words for 32 years and has helped clients all over the world. She started out in the Magazine and Newspaper arenas, but couldn’t help expanding into the fiction and non-fiction genres. She also enjoys helping writers reach their goals, whether it is with a short story or a series of books, detailing a family’s past or a how-to-do. Effective communication is key while helping others create entertaining stories for others to enjoy, that is what Kathleen loves to do!

Registration for this past event is closed.

2023 Winter Holiday Dinner

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The Writers of Kern 2023 Winter Holiday Dinner & Year-End Celebration will take place at Hodel’s Country Dining on Saturday, December 16th from 5:30PM – 8:30PM with dinner at 6PM.  The Winter Dinner is a fun and festive event perfect for sharing time with your fellow writers. Traditionally, everyone brings a gift-wrapped gently used book to exchange or the books may be donated to benefit the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter. There will be gift baskets up for grabs with our popular opportunity drawing.

Besides the great food, holiday music, games, activities, and good friends, the winners of the Fall Writing Contest will be announced. Featured stories will be read.

You do have to be a member to attend, but members are encouraged to bring guests.  Dress is casual, but if you prefer a more formal or holiday attire, you’re a writer, go ahead and express yourself.  

Reservations need to be made in advance.  Please click below to reserve your spot.  Space is limited and we recommend you make your reservations today!

See you there!