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2025 Winter Holiday Breakfast

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The Writers of Kern 2025 Winter Holiday Breakfast & Year-End Celebration will take place at Hodel’s Country Dining on Saturday, December 20th from 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM. Come and celebrate the holidays with breakfast, a gift exchange, and an open mic!

We will also be recognizing the winner of our Fall Writing Contest. 

  • Gift exchange: Wrap a book or anything to do with writing.  Exchange for another gift. We all have treasures on our shelves that we want to share.
  • Open mic: Bring a writing you want to share that is in the spirit of the season. Three-minute limit so everyone interested has a chance. Sign-up when you come in for breakfast.
  • Fall Writing Contest: Winner will be announced and will read the winning entry. 

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.  

Click below to reserve your spot.  Space is limited and we recommend you make your reservations today!

See you there!

Meeting on Saturday, December 20, 2025
Breakfast begins at 8:30 am
The general meeting begins at 9:15 am
Hodel’s at 5917 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield

Click Here To Reserve Your Spot!

May Honors Breakfast 2025

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May Honors Breakfast – Members and Guests Only

Please note that this Awards Breakfast will be held at our usual Saturday morning meeting time.

It’s time for our May Honors Breakfast.  Unlike our “teaching” meetings, this meeting is a breakfast, a social opportunity, and a time to honor those who have met certain goals.

Peggy Connelly Scholarship Presentations*
April Poetry Month Contest Awards*
Robert C. Hargreaves Achievement Award
Writers of Kern Active Member Pinning

If you have been traditionally published within the last 12 months you will be honored with the Robert Hargreaves award.  Please let us know asap if you have qualified for that honor.

If you have any questions, you can reach out to Bethane Banks at president@writersofkern.com for more information.

At the meeting, there will be an opportunity basket and time to share your latest writing (five minutes each).  In addition, there will be games and prizes, and a writing prompt if you would like to participate.

*All entries will be judged according to a rubric and must meet the standards of the rubric to be considered for an award.

We look forward to seeing all of our members and their special guests.

Members $20 and **Guests $20
(**If you are bringing a guest and would like to pay below, choose “Member” and then select 2 people, so you can pay for you and your guest at the same time.)

Meeting on Saturday, May 17, 2025
Breakfast begins at 8:30 am
The general meeting begins at 9:15 am
Hodel’s at 5917 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield

Writers of Kern Monthly Meeting and Workshop Fee. Breakfast is included.

April Poetry Month Contest

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The Spring Poetry Contest is upon us! This year’s prompt is “Windows.”  

All paid members of Writers of Kern are invited to write a poem and apply.

Word count is up to 1,200. Please use a Word document with no names or other identifying marks. Use Times New Roman, 12pt font, double-spaced, and use the attachment function to send your submission. 

Submissions will be blind judged using a rubric with the following parameters: form, originality, figurative language, message, and meter. The rubrics that Writers of Kern uses can be found on our Rubrics page.

Submissions will be accepted from April 1, 2025 through April 30, 2025. Submissions received before or after those dates will not be accepted. 

Please send your submissions with the subject line “April Poetry Contest” to Sandy Moffett: sm@sandymoffett.com 

Prizes of $100, $75, and $50, if applicable, will be awarded at the May meeting.

2024 Winter Holiday Dinner

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The Writers of Kern 2024 Winter Holiday Dinner & Year-End Celebration will take place at Hodel’s Country Dining on Saturday, December 14th from 5:30PM – 8:30PM with dinner at 6PM. Come and celebrate the holidays with dinner, a gift exchange, and an open mic!

We will also be recognizing the winner of our Fall Writing contest. 

  • Gift exchange: Wrap a book or anything to do with writing.  Exchange for another gift. We all have treasures on our shelves that we want to share.
  • Open mic: Bring a writing you want to share that is in the spirit of the season. Three-minute limit so everyone interested has a chance. Sign-up when you come in for dinner.
  • Fall writing contest: Winner will be announced and will read the winning entry. 

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.  

Click below to reserve your spot.  Space is limited and we recommend you make your reservations today!

See you there!

Meeting on Saturday, December 14, 2024
Event begins at 5:30 pm
Hodel’s at 5917 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield

Click Here To Reserve Your Spot!

September Featured Speakers – Carla Stanley and Jennette Green

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Workshop Title: Git’er Done – Brainstorming
the Writing Process

Carla Stanley
Jennette Green

Procrastination a problem? Lacking motivation? Afraid to face the blank page?

The Writers of Kern have some tips for you. Our board listened to multiple writers, both new and seasoned, and heard the same recurring situations. After much research and discussion, we have created an interactive workshop to discuss and facilitate different approaches to writing that might help you to the next step in your writing process. Panel leaders Jennette Green and Carla Stanley have years of experience and unique life experiences that meld together to create this morning event: Jennette has published 18 books–fiction, historical nonfiction and non-fiction; Carla is a retired high school English and theater teacher and has written and shared hundreds of memoirs and some short plays.        

Come join us for our breakfast meeting at Hodel’s (5917 Knudsen Dr., Bakersfield) on September 21. The meeting is 9:15-10:45 a.m., but come early for breakfast and conversation. Members are $20, non-members $25.

Meeting on Saturday, September 21, 2024
Breakfast begins at 8:30 am
The general meeting begins at 9:15 am
Hodel’s at 5917 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield

Writers of Kern Monthly Meeting and Workshop Fee. Breakfast is included.