Workshops & Classes

Writers of Kern is proud to present Judy Salamacha and Sandra Mittelsteadt, authors of Colonel Baker’s Field: An American Pioneer Story.

Salamacha and  Mittelsteadt’s presentation, “A Novel Way to Write a History Book,” will give writers, history buffs, and genealogists insights into adapting history to creative non-fiction by weaving family lore into documented fiction. Attendees will also glean tips on where to research facts and how to manage writing as a team.

“History is often more exciting than fiction, but fails to engage the reader when it is written like a textbook,” says Salamacha. “The facts are recorded, but with no dialogue and little description.” Colonel Thomas Baker’s great-great grandson invited Salamacha and Mittelsteadt to use his lifetime of research to write the official biography of his ancestor. After talking with them, he agreed to allow them to fictionalize portions of the story where there were gaps in the research and joined the collaboration.

Salamacha, a native of Bakersfield, and Mittelsteadt, a transplant from the mid-west and Saudi Arabia, are former teachers of English as well as writers. For the past five years, Salamacha directed the Central Coast Writers Conference at Cuesta College. She currently writes for several newspapers on the Central Coast. Mittelsteadt is president of her company, Zayn Consulting, specializing in connecting businesses to education through career academy development and project-based integrated learning. Colonel Baker’s Field is their first book as a team.

Guests are invited and welcome at Writers of Kern monthly meetings. For meeting location, time, and cost, please click here.

Writers of Kern, a non-profit local chapter of the California Writers Club, will host local writer Dana Martin as its guest speaker this Saturday, March 16, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. Guests are welcome.

Dana Martin is a professional writer, editor, and social media consultant, who is frequently published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Woman’s World Magazine, and Bakersfield Life. Martin is the president of Writers of Kern, where she conducts monthly meetings, organizes and maintains the club’s critique groups, and has received their prestigious Jack London Award for her efforts motivating and encouraging local writers. Martin also writes stories for the haunted attraction industry and edits novels for aspiring and professional writers.

Martin will present her workshop, “Interviewing Like a Champ: Questions to Ask and How to Turn Your Notes into a Compelling Story.”

Have you ever wanted to write someone else’s story but don’t know where to begin? In this workshop, you will learn the types of questions to ask and how to turn your notes into a finished product. This is NOT a lesson in journalism, but a workshop to help those interested in learning how to ask the right questions and then transcribe their notes into an enjoyable read. We all know someone with an interesting background or experience, whose story needs to be written. Interviewing skills are good for writing features sorties, but can also help when writing your parent’s memoirs, telling a coworker’s family history, or being a ghost writer.

Writers of Kern monthly meeting

Location:             Clarion Hotel, 3540 Rosedale Hwy., Bakersfield

Check-in:              9:45 – 10:00 a.m.

Meeting:                10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon.

Fee:                        $10.00