Two years ago I packed up my laptop and my trusty stuffed shark and drove up to Seattle for SF summer camp, otherwise known as Clarion West. The experience definitely ranks among the best times of my life, and I can honestly say that it was more helpful to me as a writer than my MFA (sorry, formal education!). In a nutshell, Clarion West puts eighteen emerging/aspiring SF writers in a sorority house for six weeks, gives them one well-known writer or editor to learn from each week, and asks them to write a story per week, which will be workshopped by the entire group. It is an intense and wonderful thing.
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| Nom nom laptop |
Here comes the sales pitch.
In order to do the great work that they do, they need money. One of the ways they raise money is through the write-a-thon, which I am participating in again this year. Basically, from June 19 to July 29 I’m going to write fiction, as much of it as I can. I’ll be posting updates and excerpts on this blog (you’ve been warned). Then, you sponsor me for any amount you like–even $1 a week.
In other words, the write-a-thon, like my life and the lives of underwear gnomes, follows this pattern:
step 1: write (or steal all the underwear)
step 2: ???
step 3: profit
The only difference is that for the CW write-a-thon it actually works!
You can sponsor me here.
Or, if you’re a writer, go here to sign up to participate. You don’t have to be a CW veteran to do the write-a-thon, and it’s useful for actually getting writing done.
End of sales pitch.