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My Thoughts About #OctPoWriMo and Attempting #NaNoWriMo

November 11, 2017 By Natalia Corres

There were no awards given out at some beautiful ceremony, or trophies sitting high on top of pillars with my name engraved in the gold colored metal—but, I did it. I finished another writing challenge, and now I have pages of poems that I actually like, and some of them I even feel pretty proud of.

The 31-day blogging challenge to write a poem a day for the month of October was probably one of the best things I could have done to dip my feet back into the pool of poetry and kick start my writing for the rest of the year.

OctPoWriMo, or October Poem Writing Month, different from NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month, which takes place in the month of April, encourages participants to push themselves and their writing and to explore poetry for another month out of the year.

This was my first year taking part in the challenge, and I’m hoping that this won’t be my last. I definitely feel as though I have been reconnected to poetry and that I was challenged in a way that would forge new habits in my writing and make sure I set aside time to grow and foster my skills.

I wanted to continue practicing these habits into the next month by attempting to complete the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge. NaNoWriMo is an annual, Internet-based creative writing project that takes place during the month of November. Participants attempt to write a 50,000-word manuscript between November 1 and November 30.

I’ve attempted the challenge before, but I always stop midway through the month as the holidays approached and traveling got in the way. However, I’m hoping my recent accomplishment with OctPoWriMo will encourage me to stick with my plan to make more time to write every day.

I’ll see what I can do during the month of November, but I am planning on finishing the 50,000-word challenge even if it not accomplished in the 30-day time span. I may be a little late getting everything done, and I probably won’t receive a trophy after it is over, but I will have achieved what I have wanted to do anyway, and I will have solidified a great habit of making more time to write.

Expressions Blog by Marie Elrich

February 11, 2016 By Natalia Corres

Expressions Blog by Marie Elrich

“The Expressions Blog is dedicated to encouraging writers and readers wherever they are in their lives. I write about my own experiences in order to inspire you in one way or another.” – From Expressions Blog

Marie Elrich has been writing since she was two years old. She picked up her mother’s magazines and copied them even though she had no idea what she was writing. Marie Created stories for a second grade assignment and she has been hooked on writing ever since. Marie graduated from Cal State Bakersfield and currently works at a magazine learning the marketing and publishing business. She has been published in her college literary magazine, Orpheus.

Marie’s Expressions Blog is a mix of reading reviews, writing tip, and life reflections. Her favorite genre is fantasy. Marie enjoys reading Jane Austen, Diana Wynne Jones, Eoin Colfer and Rick Riordan.

Topping the list of Marie’s favorite books are Sense and Sensibility, Howl’s Moving Castle, Artemis Fowl #1, and The Lightning Thief.

Marie’s Expressions Blog is part of the Writers of Kern A-Z Blog Challenge. Follow the Expression Blog at www.marieelrich.com You can also find Marie on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/marieelrichexpressions/ and her Twitter name is @MarieElrich.

Personally, I can’t wait until she gets to the letter “H” post on the Expressions blog because not a lot of people know that Marie owns a horse and loves to go riding.

Khoti Sarque Blog

February 7, 2016 By Natalia Corres

Featured Bloggers in the A-z Challenge

Over a dozen Writers of Kern writers have picked up the gauntlet, knocked the battery off the shoulder, taken the slap by the proverbial glove and committed their writing to the A-Z Blog Challenge 2016. Twenty Six posts in 13 weeks is their goal.

This is a diverse set of writers and we think YOU would enjoy following along. To that end, we will profile these very special bloggers right here. We know you will enjoy the diversity of their individual style. Please stop by their blog sites and drop them a word of encouragement. After all, as a fellow writer, you are keenly aware of their task.

Khoti Sarque Blog

Khoti Sarque Blog First up, (in no particular order, he just got his information to me first), Ian Cant. Ian writes under the name Khoti Sarque. Ian is not on social media so you won’t find his post on our Writers of Kern Facebook Group page, but don’t let that stop you. While Ian has been writing all his life, he has worked at it seriously for about 5 years now. The focus of his blog is “just writing” which fits well with the Writers of Kern mantra.

Ian likes to write in many styles, but when pinned to the mat says he leans toward Science Fiction and short stories. When asked if he has been published, “Yes, a little,” is his response. You gotta love a humble man.

Ian loves reading Joseph Conrad and has many favorite authors. His favorite book is the Left Hand of Darkness. I asked Ian to let us in on something most people don’t know about him. His answer: ” Certifiably insane…sorry, that’s what they DO know.”

Stop by the Khoti Sarque blog and follow along in Ian’s journey through the A-Z Blog Challenge. You will enjoy it!

Blog Name: khotisarque.wordpress.com
URL: https://khotisarque.wordpress.com

Pitch Session

February 4, 2014 By Guest

I’d flown 3,000 miles to New York City for one thing – the Writer’s Digest Pitch Slam. For three minutes at a time, I would have an agent’s undivided attention. I could pitch as many agents as the 90-minute session would allow.

For weeks, I had devoured “how-to” books on publishing. I’d even spoken a few times with David Sterry, co-founder of The Book Doctors. He, like so many other resources, told me the fate of my novel and writing career lay in a 250-word script called the pitch. David explained that a pitch was the back cover of a novel, the hook that tempts us to dive into the story.

A man with an official WD badge chuckled as he opened the doors and started the clock. I stood petrified. The terror of impending rejection froze me firmly in place. Kristin Nelson, owner of Nelson Literary Agency, smiled widely and waved us into the room. I walked slowly to the chair opposite her.

Without so much as an introduction, I vomited the words I had memorized, “Unsanctioned love is punishable by death…”

I delivered the pitch in one breathless rant and now waited for Kristin’s response. She smiled, and slid a card with her query instructions across the table. “Nicely done, I’m interested. Query me with the first fifty pages and the synopsis.”

“Really?” I asked, clearly shocked.

A ginormous line had formed behind me while I received a coveted query card. Kristin chuckled and nodded her head as an official came to move me along.

I collected nine more cards, receiving no rejections. Later that night at the closing social, I spoke with Kristin again. She confessed that too many authors were unprepared. They hadn’t honed the craft of pitching. Being nervous or shy was forgiven so long as the pitch was stimulating.

Today, with a polished manuscript, I am now querying the Pitch Slam agents. This next year I will be traveling to other conferences in hopes to receive more query invitations.

Wish me luck.

Homage to My Critique Sisterhood

January 20, 2014 By Guest

I was welcomed first by Annis then one by one so many others. Had I been a shy person I know that Annis gentle yet encouraging hug would had pushed my fears aside. As it was, my extrovert self said: I am where I need to be.

Our critique group was formed that first meeting. Nan, our group leader, and I laughed because Nan and Nancy were the first members. The sense of comeraderie was prophetic, had we but known. Bethanne and Dawna joined and then Mikie. And so we began. First we shared our stories, then ourselves. Nan opened her home for the Tuesday meetings and Dawna opened her home for our critique meeting/lunch after the Sat. WOK meeting, for you see one of our sisters came from Tahachapi and we felt we should make her trip down the mountain a major accomplishment. Jacque joined us and we were complete. Then Fate stepped in when Nan announced that she was moving to the East Coast, because Mikie had a friend and neighbor, Sharon, who wanted to join WOK and our group. So as we sadly loose one member we joyfully embrace another.

Our group, in my humble opinion, can be compared to a master chefs menu. Did I say humble?

Sharon and Mikie are the appetizer. Appealing, complimentary, leaving you wanting more of their company.

Bethanne is my perfect foil for the main course. She sits so quietly, speaks so softly, that I try so hard not to be so acerbic and blunt (maybe not that hard). And so she softens my excess spice.

Jacque and Dawna are our dessert. They sweeten the palate at the end of the meal.

In truth, we have no leader. While I have been chosen to represent us at the Jan. leaders meeting, we all take turns starting the meeting, depending on who’s present, and once it starts, it develops it’s own momentum. While we are all grown women, each at a different place in our lives, when we come together we’re like a well practiced team, each stepping up to fill whatever position needed.

At our last meeting, our sister Dawna said: “I feel like I really belong.” As she opened her arms to figuratively embrace us all, knowing I was a part of the reason for her feelings was in truth humbling.

I came to WOK and the critique group to become a better writer, to learn how to get my work published, to learn more about the writing business. There was always the expectation that I would read something by someone that would move me. I did not expect to join a writing group that would touch my heart, as I keep it well guarded. Is our connection because we’re all women? Possibly. I like to think that there is a reason why I was guided to read the paper that day and joined with Nan to start our group. I was blessed that day and hope you are all as lucky in your writing critique groups.