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Writers of Kern Newsletter | November 2022
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In this issue: 
Vice President's Message | Featured Speaker | Museful Moments | New Members | In Remembrance |  WOK Critique Group Chair  | Mark Your Calendar Sunshine Chair | Nuts & Bolts  

Vice President's Message

          I wrote a book titled Burned: Deadly Desires. It’s an erotic romantic suspense that I didn’t intend to write in the beginning. It was something that came out of nowhere. Well, it came from me taking on the beast known as NaNoWriMo. 
          Few know this, but the book started out as a NaNoWriMo novel. You don’t know what NaNoWriMo is? Well, let me explain.
          NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month which is every November. In this month, brave writers complete a novel or at least 50,000 words in one month.  The 50,000 words can be broken down to about 1,667 words a day for 30 days.
          I remember when I first heard about NaNoWriMo. My chest tightened and my heart raced. You have to write an entire novel in a month?!? Well, that has to be impossible. It took me at least 4 ½ years to complete my first novel and a year to complete the first drafts of my other novels after that. How was I going to write an entire one in 30 days? 
          However, I was told by fellow members of Writers of Kern that it was possible and that they had achieved the goal in the past. Well, I was amazed this had been done and I was starting to think that if they could do it maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to think I couldn’t do it. 
          After some thought and a lot of outlining (you see I am definitely not a pantser. I have to outline everything I write!), I decided I would join the millions of writers around the world and participate in NaNoWriMo. It was difficult decision for me because I write my books long hand which means it would probably take me twice as long to complete the challenge. 
          Well, it was a commitment. Writing so much every day took up a lot of my time and sometimes I forgot to eat breakfast or to stay hydrated. But, I had a lot of support from my family. I remember my children peeking their heads in my bedroom checking that I was still alive or if I needed anything to eat or drink. 
          My husband would check on me and at night made sure I would take some time to sleep and rest so I could get back up and write again the next day. I didn’t think that I had it in me to take on this monumental task but there I was writing and writing and writing some more every day. 
          Some days I would barely get out the 1,667 words for the day and other times I would be in the zone and get more than that. Before I knew it, on day 30 at around 2:42 in the afternoon, I had 50,005 words. I was elated and bought all kinds of memorabilia stating that I had completed the challenge. 
          What I had at the end wasn’t a ready to go novel. Far from it. It was a framework that put me in the process to write what became one of my favorite books of mine. Burned: Deadly Desires
          When this newsletter comes out we may already be a few days into November. Some of you may have started on your 50,000 words and others may be reluctant to begin. But, I say even if you don’t finish, it’s worth it to see what you can accomplish in the 30 days.  I came out of it with the framework for a novel and hey, you may do better than me and have a competed first draft. 
          This year I am not going to be able to participate in NaNoWriMo as I am publishing a new novel soon, but I leave you with these Five Tips to make November successful for you if you choose to tackle the beast.

  • Make writing a job this month. Set out a block of time and stick to it.
  • No editing. Just writing.
  • Stay full and hydrated.
  • Focus on breaking it down to only 1,667 words a day unless you get in the zone.
  • Make sure you have a comfortable place to write and comfortable clothes.

Good Luck!

Join Cyn Bermudez on NaNoWriMo. Search CynB and send her a buddy request.
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Featured Speaker: Joan Raymond

You have a great story idea, create a few characters, a decent plot, but when you sit down to write, your negative voice kicks in:

“I’m not a writer.”
“No one will ever want to read this.”
“I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Everyone else is better, younger, older, smarter, more talented…than me.”

Imposter Syndrome. Otherwise known as the ultimate Dream Killer. If you’ve experienced these thoughts or lost your passion for writing, you won’t want to miss this workshop.

In this workshop, we will look at past experiences and how they help and not hinder the writing process. We are more than prepared to be writers! We will also learn how to take negative thinking and reframe our thoughts into empowering statements as well re-ignite passion for writing.

Register below! Breakfast is included. Hope to see you there.

$15 for members and $18 for nonmembers. Click here to register for the event.

Museful Moments

During our monthly meetings we have brief writing exercises, and a lot fun writing comes out of these sessions. Check out these two below. Writing prompt: You open the refrigerator and find food you hate, and you know who put it there.
 

Refrigerator by Crash Phillips
Are you kidding, Kevin? Yes, I know you’ve been on a hunting trip for the past week but half a deer, really? Oh, so it’s okay: your buddy got the other half. I don’t care that it’s all nicely packaged in white paper bundles marked “venison." As far as I’m concerned, that’s Bambi’s mom on every shelf in my refrigerator! Well, you better roll out the barbecue because if you think I’m cooking that up for you, you’ve got another thing coming, buster.

Refrigerator by Richard Meeks
“My stomach started to growl as I went on the prowl,
Searching for something to eat.
There was cereal on the shelf, but I couldn’t help myself,
What I really wanted was meat!
So I came to the fridge… opened it a smidge,
And spotted something in a bowl.
I twisted off the lid, but was sorry I did,
Because it contained Toad-In-A-Hole.”

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New Members
A warm welcome to our newest members.
Amy McGuire
Brian Spellman
Daniel “Dan” Schaffer
Camille Lois Gavin, a long-standing member of the Writers of Kern has passed away. Camille was a reporter, editor, and columnist for The Bakerfield Californian for 25 years. Our condolences to Camille's family and friends. Read more about Camille here.
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WOK Critique Group News

Interested in a Critique Group?

Carla Joy Martin, Critique Group Chair
critiquegroups@writersofkern.com

Mark Your Calendar

17 December 2022
WOK's Annual Holiday Dinner

Besides delicious food, there will be a "First Lines" contest, opportunity raffles, and a holiday book exchange.

From Your Sunshine Chair

The Sunshine Chair sends holiday, get-well, birthday (if we have your birth month), sympathy, and other supportive cards to the Writers of Kern members. Every card is filled with nurturing, caring thoughts from all the other members of our club, sending rays of peace and comfort to uplift our fellow members' spirits. How do we know when those special occasions, illnesses, or hardships arise? We rely on you, our WOK members, to alert the Sunshine Chair by emailing her the information: sunshine@writersofkern.com
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Nuts and Bolts

 
New members are always welcome. whether you are a published writer or not! Writers of Kern energetically assists all members who aspire to become published. 

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The Write Way
The Writers of Kern
PO Box 22335
Bakersfield CA 93390-2335
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