Writers of Kern

Everything Writers Need | Writers of Kern

Spring Writing Conference

2025 Spring Conference

By

Our Spring Conference will be held on Saturday, March 15, from 9 am – 1 pm.
Cinnamon rolls for breakfast and buffet lunch are included.

SPEAKERS

Yumi Tomita: How to Unleash Your Creativity with Music and Imagination

Is writer’s block affecting your productivity? Learn how to tap into your creative mind when you need it most. This presentation will help you unleash your creative mind to generate fresh ideas with music and imagination exercises. You will learn about the science and philosophy behind the methodology of music visualization exercises you can do anytime to tap into endless writing inspiration.

This session is perfect for anyone facing writer’s block, writers looking to enhance their creativity and develop new strategies for idea generation, and individuals interested in combining wellness practices with creative writing. This inspiring and practical workshop will help you start writing.

Yumi Tomita is the chief director of the Imagination Improvement Institute. She holds a BA in Biochemistry from Occidental College and has been a certified senior trainer for Imagination Improvement since 2014. She’s held trainings for executives and CEOs for Japanese corporations, group sessions for parents and busy professionals, and has run workshops at universities for over ten years. Yumi helps people care for and enhance their creative minds through a combination of music and visualization exercises. She was born in Japan, raised in Palo Alto, and calls the Bay Area home.

Jenna Brandt: Marketing for Indie Authors

This session will cover practical, effective marketing strategies tailored for authors, including the best ad platforms, social media advertising, and how to optimize Amazon ads with the right keywords. You’ll also learn how to automate newsletters, grow your email list, and keep readers engaged.

Jenna will explore tools like Publisher Rocket, Amazon Affiliate Links, and online giveaway platforms to help expand your reach. She will also discuss the importance of a strong book cover—your most powerful marketing tool. Whether you’re new to book promotion or looking to refine your strategy, this session will provide actionable insights to make your marketing efforts more effective.

Jenna Brandt is an international bestselling and award-winning author who writes inspirational romance. Her page-turning books have elements of humor, suspense and faith. She has several best-selling series including Disaster City Search and Rescue, First Responders of Faith Valley, Badges & Baristas, and The Lawkeepers all based off the life of her husband in law enforcement.

Matt Woodman: (Not) Just the Facts – Writing the Scientific Poem

In this writing workshop, Matt Woodman will discuss how poets have incorporated scientific insights, processes, and language into their creative work; the workshop will lead attendees through various generative strategies and techniques so that everyone will leave with a draft of their own scientific poem.

Matthew Woodman’s poems, stories, and essays have appeared in publications including Puerto del Sol, Sonora Review, Hawai’i Review, Fourteen Hills, Catamaran, and The Moth. He was named the 2018-2023 Kern County Poet Laureate and was awarded the 2018 Outstanding Lecturer at California State University, Bakersfield, where he currently teaches.

Saturday, March 15, 2025
Meeting begins at 9:00 am
Hodel’s at 5917 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield

Get Your Conference Tickets Here!

Spring Writers Conference 2016

By

Spring Writers Conference 2016

You’ve heard about it through email. We’ve talked about it at meetings.  You’ve seen it on Facebook.  Have you signed up for the Writers of Kern Spring Writers Conference?  The Spring Writers Conference brings four prominent people in the writing and publishing field together in Bakersfield to teach creatives how to become better writers.  Their focus is to help you get published.

This year we have expanded to the Liberty Hall at Hodel’s on Knudsen Dr.  The event is Saturday March 12th, from 8 am until 4 PM.  Included with your registration is a continental breakfast, Hodel’s famous buffet lunch, and light snacks.  There will be local authors and other vendor spaces available.  This IS THE writers event of the year.

This years invited guests are:

  • Spring Writers ConferenceEdgar Award-winning and New York Times best-selling  author Anne Perry is best known for her Thomas Pitt and William Monk novels.  She is a prolific writer to say the least.  She has sold over 27 million copies and every book she has written is still in print.  Anne will show you how to “Put Your Heart on the Page” and will participate in a Q & A session with Victoria Zackheim.
  • Spring Writers ConferenceVictoria Zackheim is an author, playwright and UCLA instructor of writing.  She has published anthologies and works with Anne at many writing workshops.  Victoria will help you take that kernel of an idea, develop it, and get it published.
  • Spring writers conferenceMatthew Woodman is a poet and CSUB professor.  Matthew will be talking about “Letting The Voice Lead”.  His poems have appeared in recent issues of Unsplendid, Jab, Empty Mirror, Gris-Gris, Cactus Heart, and The Brasilia Review. Matthew has been teaching since 2000.
  • Spring Writers ConferenceBakersfield Californian columnist and investigative reporter, Lois Henry studied journalism at Fresno State and has worked for the Californian since 1990.  Her articles tackle the tough issues and she’s not afraid to speak her mind.  She’ll show you ways “Write Like You Mean It”.

Register for the SPRING WRITERS CONFERENCE NOW!

Anne Perry & Victoria Zackheim Events

By

Anne Perry and Victoria Zackheim Help You Become a Better Writer

Anne PerryThe Writers of Kern Spring Conference is right around the corner.  On Saturday, March 12th at Hodel’s Liberty Hall you will get to hear Edgar Award winner and novelist Anne Perry.  Anne has sold over 27 million copies of her books and it’s a good bet she knows a little about writing.

Anne PerryVictoria Zackheim teaches writing at UCLA.  She also is a novelist and playwright.  One of her favorite topics to teach is the Acorn Class.  “We’ve all been struck by that acorn-that nut of an idea- but what to do with it?” says Victoria.  She helps the writer explore how one little idea…and acorn of an idea…can be nurtured and developed into many media possibilities:  short story or poem, feature film or documentary, essay, memoir, novel, theater play.

At the Writers of Kern Spring Conference you will not only get to hear these two excellent speakers, but poet and CSUB professor Matthew Woodman and Lois Henry, columnist for the Bakersfield Californian.  There is still time to register visit the Spring Conference Page.  We’ll see you at the conference!

Anne Perry and Victoria Zackheim are also presenting a workshop along with Barbara Abercrombie at the Ebell Club in Los Angeles.  The Ebell Club is an educational and philanthropic organization founded by women in 1894.  The Ebell Clubhouse is a wonderful venue to see and learn from theses very knowledgeable writers.  To register for this All Day Writing Workshop go to Ebell Events Page.

We were able to catch up with Anne Perry and Victoria Zackheim to talk about theirupcoming writers’ workshops in Southern California.  If you want to take your writing to the next level, these are the people from which to learn.  Check out the video with Anne Perry and Victoria Zackheim below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPGfhXxXZ9A]