I received the email from Clarion a few minutes ago. A large number of applications and limited number of seats to fill but alas my butt will not be one of them. The writing continues and I will try again next year.
Best of luck to the class of 2007.
I thought I’d post an update on my application to the 2007 Clarion workshop. No news is good news, right?
I know I’ve been watching my Google Alerts for a mention from other applications but the blogosphere has been quiet. I hope this is simply the calm before the storm and acceptance/rejection notifications will be made any second now. (Hits refresh and looks sternly at INBOX). I said any second now. Hrmph. Seriously, though. I expect word will come any day and when it does I will be sure to post about it, good or bad. The writing continues in either case.
I had the opportunity to see Elizabeth Bear on several panels at Penguicon. I’ve never read any of her work. After listening to her talk about the writing process, the art of the critique, and limited female roles in fantasy and science fiction, I have decided that she is “good people”. She is also braver than I am. Perhaps one day I can have such a cathartic release.
I’m home from Penguicon, weary and sleep-deprived but feeling positive. It was a great weekend. I met many new, interesting people and forged what I hope will be long-lasting friendships.
I got to hang out with all of my friends from Ars Technica, too. We cooked out on the grill and played poker Thursday night. I doubled my money. I ate way too much (which was probably a good thing considering how poorly I ate through the weekend).
Writers Workshop
The first workshop event was a meet-and-greet. We were given a bound copy of our submitted stories, formatted and printed through Lulu. The idea is to give us a taste of what seeing our name in print is like.
We were given access to the green room, a smaller room for staff and guests of the con. It gave us a quieter place to congregate, discuss writing and get critiques of our stories.
I received some good feedback on the story I workshopped, “Recycled Dreams”. After the next round of edits it will go out as my first submission in more years than I care to admit.
I’m leaving bright and early Thursday morning (6am-ish), to meet Jorge and crew prior to Penguicon. It’s a six hour drive so I expect to roll in to Troy mid-afternoon to hang out, bbq, play poker and xbox. Everyone else, I’ll see you friday at Penguicon
April 23rd is International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day. This was brought about due to a recent debate within SFWA community about the role of the “webscab”, as the current VP describes those who post their own work for free on the Internet, in the perceived decline of the organization.
I am not a member of SFWA (yet) although I have posted work for free on the Internet before. I don’t know enough about the internal politics of SWFA to make any insightful comments but I will say this: the field of Science Fiction and Fantasy is evolving and any organization whose intent is to promote and support the authors of the field should be prepared to accept and roll with the natural evolution process.
The Internet brings with it an entirely new world to discover. We are creating new and interesting methods of publication, from Print on Demand (POD) to podcasting. Alternatives to traditional copyright facilities have drastically modified the barriers to entry into the market. We’ve only scratched the surface here, folks. I understand that chance can be difficult to accept but it is an inevitability if we wish to survive in this new world of instantaneous communication.
I would prefer to see the pixel-stained technopeasants gain strength within SFWA, not just because the label is one that fits my beliefs, but because it ultimately leads to a stronger organization ready to take on the challenges facing it.
My short story “Recycled Dreams” was accepted into the Sanctuary Press Writer’s Workshop at Penguicon.
My very first workshop. Wish me luck.
I applied to the Sanctuary Press Writer’s Workshop today. It will be held at at Penguicon, just two weeks away in Troy, Michigan. This is my fifth year at Penguicon but my first participating in the Sci-Fi portion of the convention.
I was a little apprehensive about applying to the workshop. I have never participated in a workshop at a convention. I’m familiar with the workshop setting but this is a group of people I’ve never met before and there is a mention that readings may follow the weekend rewrites.
It may come as a surprise to people that know me but I have a fear of public speaking. I had a speech impediment as a child, which may be a contributing factor. I’ve taken classes on public speaking and was once a member of a Toastmasters group. I am not unfamiliar with standing up in front of a group of people and speaking.
I find it easier to speak to a subject in which I am confident of my skills. I can talk your ear off when it comes to hacking, programming, or anything related to computers and technology. Reading a story that I have written in front of a group of strangers is something completely different. A proper reading would, I imagine, require some dramatic oration. I’m afraid I will flounder in that kind of situation. It won’t stop me from trying, however.
The nine day marathon to apply to Clarion was an interesting experience. I learned a lot about myself as a writer. It’s one thing to be able to put words to paper, electronically-speaking. The goal was to submit two stories that best represented my current writing ability. I spent every spare moment working on those two stories, one a revision of a draft from late last year and the other was a new story based on an idea and world that I had been thinking about for several months. I even dreamed about the stories.
I was relieved when I reached the end of the deadline and submitted my application. I closed my laptop and cuddled with the wife. I spent the next day catching up on yard work and other chores that I had neglected during my marathon writing session. I thought I would be a little burned out by the experience. Instead it stoked my creative fires. Ideas on ways to improve the stories kept popping into my head. I got some feedback from a few people and identified some of the things I need to work on, like passive vs. active voice. One story contained 62 instances of the word “was” and 18 “had”; the second contained 48 and 22, respectively.
I’ve already started revisions of both stories. Even if I’m not accepted into Clarion this year I believe the application experience itself has taught me a considerable amount about the writing process. This was the the first time the process of editing and revision really clicked with me.
As for Clarion, I did have one minor moment of panic. I received an email from them Monday morning. It turns out I attached two copies of one story instead of one copy of two stories. They gave me the opportunity to send the second story and life is peachy. The committee that reviews applications will be notifying applications by May 1st of their status. I’ve read that those who are accepted will be notified via telephone and those who are not will receive their rejection via mail (postal or email, not sure). In either case, it’s too early to have any news.
My application to Clarion is complete! The forms are filled out, the fee is paid, the stories written, edited, and submitted!
It’s been one heck of a week. I’ve learned all sorts of things about my writing that I hadn’t known before. In nine days I was able to write a new story from scratch and edit both of them, while not quite to where I wanted, enough to show where my skills are currently at.
I finished up in the nick of time. There are technically three more hours until the deadline, local time. We’ve got thunderstorms in the area and the lights are flickering so it seemed prudent to send it off now instead of another read and edit before midnight.
Wish me luck! It may be a month or more before I hear any news but I will post it as it comes in.