Blog

Writers of Kern Members Pay Dues Online!

August 2, 2013 By Joan Raymond

I have Great News! Effective immediately, Writers of Kern accepts online payment of dues for new and renewing members. With online payment, members can pay their dues with a major credit card, debit card, or through PayPal. Although payments are processed through PayPal, a PayPal account is not necessary to take advantage of this service.

Online dues payment simplifies the renewal process. Members can renew their membership from the comfort of their home, the beach, or from anywhere there is internet access. Online payment is an advantage for new members, allowing them the opportunity to fill in the membership application online and to browse the Writers of Kern web site to become familiar with the advantages of membership and all that WOK offers. Not only is the new payment method an advantage for members and new member applicants, online processing of dues payments simplifies the treasurer’s job.

Along with dues payments, members and new member applicants are prompted to provide information about their writing interests, preferred writing genre, website and blog information. This information is used for the Writers of Kern Roster and Directory. Members are listed on the Our Members page of the web site along with their genre and links to their website or blog .

Membership forms are found under the “Membership” menu tab on the web site’s navigation bar. Please take time to visit the web site and to become familiar with the many resources available there. Let us know about your online experience with our web site. Share your comments and suggestions here or email them to [email protected] Direct questions about membership to [email protected].

Writers of Kern Summer Writing Contest

August 2, 2013 By Joan Raymond

This year Writers of Kern is bringing back the Non-Fiction genre, but with a twist. Narrative/Creative Non-Fiction will be the genre. Any topic is fair game. For those not familiar with the genre, a definition from the English Language & Usage says narrative non-fiction is “writing that tells a factual story, sometimes even a personal one, but also makes an argument and conveys information in vivid, effective ways.” Write your story in a personal way, with you, the author, perhaps becoming part of the story.

Guidelines
The entry should not to exceed 1,200 words, doubled spaced, 12 pt. font (Times New Roman or similar), pages numbered consecutively. Narrative Non-fiction. One (1) entry per member.

Requirements
Two (2) copies of the submission must be attached to an email. One copy should be identified with your name and contact information. The other should have the title in the file name and in the header of the document. The “blind” copy is read by the judges. To reiterate: You are emailing two (2) copies of your story: one that identifies you as the writer; the other does not. Submit your entry to [email protected] no later than August 31, 2013.

If you choose to mail a hard copy of your entry, please mail (2) copies of the entry identified as described above. Address the submission to: Writers of Kern Summer Writing Contest, P.O. Box 22335, Bakersfield, CA, 93390.

Please note: The Summer Writing Contest is open only to new or renewing members of Writers of Kern, who paid their current dues on or before August 31, 2013.

The winner will be announced at the Christmas Dinner in December. There is a $200 prize.

California Writers Club Literary Review Submissions, Issue 2013-14

August 1, 2013 By Annis Cassells

CWC members are invited to submit their published or unpublished work. Submissions are blind-read and work meeting a threshold of quality and interest will be published. Minor editing, enhancing/correcting presentation, may be performed. While satire and parody are welcome, proselytizing or potentially libelous material as well as pornographic forays, and/or gratuitous vulgarity and obscenity will not be considered. Rejections will be accompanied with editors’ suggested improvements. Please see the California Writers Club Web site for Submission Guidelines.

In the latest issue, “Shirts,” an essay by Writers of Kern member Dennis VanderWerff, was featured.

Sunshine Committee

July 30, 2013 By Annis Cassells

Each member of Writers of Kern is important to us. We want to express our caring and acknowledge both good times and tough times in our friends’ lives.

If you know of an illness, bereavement, wedding, graduation, or some accomplishment in the life of one of our members, please email me at [email protected].

Thanks in advance for helping Writers of Kern extend the hand of friendship and spread a little sunshine.

High Desert Howl at the Moon Writers’ Conference #3

July 29, 2013 By Natalia Corres

An email from Robert Isbill, President, High Desert Branch of CWC:

Bob Isbill, President, HD CWC — Bob Isbill

I’m urging all of the CWC South to get out the word on our Howl at the Moon” Writers’ Conference #3, which will be on Saturday, October 19, 2013 in Victorville. And IF your members act now, they can get a $25 price for the ALL DAY event featuring James Scott Bell, Scott Rubenstein and Loren Stephens.

In response to a blanket invitation to ALL CWC members, state-wide, Central Board State Treasurer Sharon Svitak replied:

“You have a real powerhouse speaker in James Scott Bell. Congratulations! I would love to join you but I have a Tri-Valley board meeting and general meeting that day. I have never mastered the art of being in two places at once.” All of you feel free to use this conference as a “re-enlistment” tool for your members who have not renewed their membership yet!

All members in good standing in your branch get the early bird discount price of only $25! But that’s good only through Saturday, August 10th. To pay using PayPal or a credit card, click here. Or, just send us a check postmarked by August 10 for the great $25 price.

Our philosophy is low profit, high turnover and give the people a real value that could not be duplicated elsewhere. We’ll make money, guaranteed! But we’ll walk away from this conference knowing we really did a public service by presenting a high quality event at an affordable price.

And it’s going to be fun! Wait until you see what we’ve got planned.

For one thing, we’ll have a 104th anniversary of Literary History with a birthday cake served in the Ruth Theodus Gallery at the High Desert Center for the Arts! Ruth was not only the High Desert CWC’s founder and first president, but a major fundraiser and philanthropist for the Center for the Arts in Victorville. She was also president of the state-wide CWC. We’ll honor her that day, and much, much more.

I don’t know of other conferences planned in the Southern California (CWC South) region for the upcoming months, but I’d love it if our Southern California group really made an effort to promote this one! This is something we should all band together about and see what needs to be done to make our members aware of it.

After it’s over and they find out about HATM #3, they’re going to be asking “Why didn’t we get the word?”

I know some of you are almost 100 miles away, but this is NOT to be missed! It’s going to be worth the drive just for the fun factor! For map and driving directions, please click here.

Thanks to you all!

Bob Isbill