Writers of Kern

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Natalia Corres

17 July 2021 | Featured Speaker: Nancy Ellen Dodd | Story + Character Arcs = Tension

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by Srey Khoy

          Would you like to know the secret behind increased reader engagement? How would you like your story to hold the reader’s attention from beginning to end? If you answered yes, stay tuned for our fabulous speaker.

          Writers of Kern is pleased to welcome back Nancy Ellen Dodd, and her presentation “Story + Character Arcs = Tension” is sure to explore and improve the creative storytelling process. Attendees will also have the opportunity to practice these concepts during the workshop.

          What is tension? This is the energy that keeps the audience engaged; without it, you’ll have a flat story that puts your audience to sleep.

          How does tension occur? The story arc and character arc must inspire tension in such a way that the reader cares what happens to the character and whether they achieve their ultimate wish.

          When does tension occur? This occurs whenever the characters disagree, even when they have feelings for each other. Other incidents include obstacles thrown in the characters’ path.

          Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • How to develop more tension between characters.
    • How to develop a character arc with more tension.
    • How to develop a story arc, adding more tension.

You won’t want to miss out on this free, virtual workshop. Mark your calendars for July 17 at 9:15AM PST, and don’t forget to REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE.

Nancy Ellen Dodd, author of The Writer’s Compass: From Story Map to Finished Draft in 7 Stages, is also an instructor and editor. She earned an MPW (master’s in professional writing) and an MFA (in playwriting) from USC. She teaches advanced screenwriting at Pepperdine’s Seaver College and has published more than 130 articles in local and national publications. She is currently earning her Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Change. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Facebook.

19 June 2021 | Featured Speaker: Brendan Constantine | “The Art of Getting It Wrong” | Board Elections

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by Susan Baker

“Why on earth do we need more writers?”, asks Brendan Constantine, a Los Angeles based poet. Those attending the Writers of Kern monthly meeting scheduled for Saturday, June 19, 2021 will have the chance to find an answer to that question.  Mr. Constantine will be the featured guest speaker, delivering a special edition of his curiously titled workshop, ‘The Art of Getting It Wrong’. 

This event will fuel a “generative discussion” inviting writers of all genres to explore topics including:

  • How to reduce distraction and foster creative momentum
  • Understanding and getting past ‘writer’s block”
  • How to change your focus and reassess your motivation for writing – writing for self-expression vs writing for publication
  • How to balance your needs as a writer with the needs of your audience
  • Discovering your personal “style” (your greatest strengths)

During the process, participants may well discover why others need THEIR writing!

This presentation will include a lecture, discussion, group participation, a slideshow and handouts (provided digitally).  Participants are promised that they will acquire new tools with which to approach their writing. “I’m turning over all my tricks!” declares Constantine.  Further, he plans to provide participants with enough source material to enable them to conduct their own workshops to inspire even more writers.

A critically acclaimed American poet, Brendan Constantine’s work has been published in numerous publications including several full-length collections with established publishing houses, as well as viral media posts. His work has also appeared in numerous journals, including Poetry, Tin House, Best American Poetry, and Poem-a-Day. His latest work will soon be appearing in Rattle, Radar, and the Washington Square Review.  A gifted performer, Brendan performs his poetry for audiences across the United States and Europe. He has been featured on NPR’s ‘All things Considered’, as well as TED ED, podcasts and YouTube. 

In addition to publishing and performing, Brendan teaches at the Windward School in Los Angeles.  But his passion for helping others to find their own words and means of expression extends beyond the stage or classroom to writers who struggle to construct even the most basic sentence.

For the past four years, Constantine has been collaborating with linguists and speech pathologists to create workshops to help persons with aphasia (communication disorder affecting reading, writing and speech) and traumatic brain injury. He states, “I have seen firsthand the usefulness of the very methods I plan to share in my lecture. By spending a little time with our first motivations to write (our original ‘boldness’), by rising to meet distraction and reluctance, I’ve witnessed astounding results.”

The Art of Getting It Wrong, is an online event, hosted by The Writers of Kern.  It is open to the public and free of charge.  Pre-registration is required and is on a first come, first served basis.  To sign up, go to: EVENTBRITE

Brendan Constantine

To find out more about Brendan Constantine and sample his work, go to: brendanconstantine.com

30 April 2021 | NPM | “Poetry Slam”

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by Anna Marco

 Poets
 don’t be afraid
 to fall off the paper edge
 Into the abyss of
 A E I O U
 Aaay eeee eye Oh spinning euuu
 Fall Into word pools
 Get tangled up in xyz and ABC
 Break rules, Make rules
 Onomatopoeia excites
 Cuckoo meow honk boom
 Typing tapping
 Swirling twirling black marks upon white paper
 Form communication
 Soul speak spirit
 Heart to heart language 
 Be the opposite of normal
 Gifted wordsmith
 not crayon scripture
 It's how we live
 Throbbing head
 Midnight invocations
 we fall off the paper edge
 To sleep
 and start again tomorrow
 Go

Anna Marco was born into theatrical heritage, gifted in creative writing and majored in Media. Her professional writing career spans 30 years. She is an internationally published author to 6 books and 800 magazine articles. She won the Los Angeles Valley College Poetry Contest for “The Lemon Tree.”

29 April 2021 | NPM | “The Bandersnatch”

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by Carla Joy Martin

 Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland, wrote a poem called “Jabberwocky,” that tells of a monster called the “frumious Bandersnatch.” This poem is about a similar creature.
  
  
 Beware, my dear,
 The frumious Bandersnatch!
 The famous bait and switch!
 The one who begs and woos,
 So sweet and so solicitous.
 Sings your praises
 To the moon,
 Kisses your earlobes,
 Makes you swoon,
 Tempts and teases,
 Gives gifts and pleases,
 Until he thinkses
 That he has you
 Where he wants you --
 Then SNATCH!
 He takes your freedom,
 Clips your wings,
 Criticizes your every move,
 Insidiously, he is so smooth.
 Weaves his will in and over yours,
 Closes windows, shuts the doors.
 Takes and takes
 Until there is no more.
 Run, my dear,
 I do implore,
 For he will try to swallow you
 Evermore!

Carla Joy Martin is a poet, pastel artist and piano instructor.  After living in New York, Scotland and Pasadena, she has now resided in Bakersfield for thirty-five years.  Carla enjoys promoting the arts in Bakersfield.  She hosts the Dukes Memorial Concerts as well as co-hosts the First Friday Open Mic Nights with Portia Choi. 

28 April 2021 | NPM | “The Whittler”

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by Annis Cassells

 Winter nights GrandPap sat
 Snug near the coal stove
 In the home-place dining room
  
 arthritic fingers wrapped around
 a time-worn pocket knife
  
 scored a scantling of well-grained wood
 with knife point markings true
  
 His opening cleave, 
 Unlocked the wood’s walnut breath
  
 Silent shavings lined his lap
 Surrounded his straight-backed chair
  
 ‘Til bedtime, when links entwined
 Created a perfect chain

Annis Cassells is a longtime member of Writers of Kern. Her poems have appeared in print and online journals. In 2019 Annis published her first poetry collection, You Can’t Have It All. She’s a contributor in the 2020 social justice anthology, ENOUGH “Say Their Names…”