Write-a-thon 2009 - early warning!
Write-a-thon early warning: who wants to write like a maniac this summer? Who wants to challenge other writers? Who wants to volunteer a few hours to help put it all on?
Once again, it's April, and this year's class is looking forward to a summer of writing, reading, critiquing, and learning. Around this time, Clarion West alumni used to feel nostalgic for the workshop experience. They used to wish they could return and write like that again.
They used to feel that way, but now they look forward to the Write-a-thon.
Be part of Clarion West this summer without even attending the workshop. Set your own goals for your writing for the six weeks of the workshop. Post about your goals in the forums, and encourage others as they pursue their goals. Sign up sponsors in support of your goals, or just write alongside the others. Yes, the Write-a-thon is a fundraiser, and a very important fundraiser for Clarion West, but the writing is more important than the money. The writing comes first.
Participants last year wrote first drafts, polished drafts, short stories, novels, screenplays. They wrote alone and as collaborators. Troublemaker-in-chief Michael Swanwick led Ruth Nestvold, Eileen Gunn, L. Timmel Duchamp, Gordon Sellar, and Marilyn Holt into writing a round-robin story right there on the forum, complete with a walk into hell with a dog, Dick Cheney, and gratuitous smoots. In 2007, Michael and Eileen collaborated on six stories in public in their Write-a-thon Smackdown. Yesterday this day's madness did prepare; what will tomorrow's silence, triumph, or despair include?
Last year, we had more participants than ever before, 58. We'd love to see as many of you back as possible, and we're looking for some new challenge ideas. Naturally we're interested in monetary challenges, but we're also interested in participation challenges, writing challenges. Got a challenge for your classmates? Bring it on!
The Write-a-thon is open to the whole Clarion West community: alumni, instructors, friends.
Who's on for the early challenges? Who wants to help build web pages? Post here, or send me email at kate@clarionwest.org. Thanks!
Comments
Submitted by Kate Schaefer on April 30, 2009 - 9:59am.
I have two challenges for the Write-a-thon: I'll sponsor the first 20 to sign up, for $20 each. Eileen Gunn, Michael Swanwick, Cat Rambo, Louise Marley, Stephanie Burgis, Greer Woodward, and Leah Cutter have already signed up, so they already have their first sponsors.
My other challenge is a writing challenge: write a story that scares you. It doesn't have to be a scary story, and it doesn't have to be something that would frighten anyone else. It just has to be something you are afraid to write.
You can do it.
Submitted by careng (not verified) on May 1, 2009 - 5:00pm.
and now I have you as my first sponsor!
~Caren Gussoff
Submitted by adaCW05 (not verified) on May 5, 2009 - 1:35pm.
I hope I'm still one of the first twenty to sign up to do the Writeathon. Thanks, Kate!
Submitted by Kate Schaefer on May 6, 2009 - 9:39pm.
Thanks, Ada. Yes, we're still in the first twenty; you are lucky number 13.
Submitted by neile on May 9, 2009 - 3:21pm.
Count me in this year.
--Neile
writer; workshop administrator
http:www.sff.net/people/neile
Submitted by Kate Schaefer on May 10, 2009 - 9:16pm.
Yay, Neile! I think you're number 15; Nisi was number 14.
Submitted by Sarah Brandel on May 29, 2009 - 3:59pm.
Count me in as well! I'm currently hoping to revise/finish 6 pieces and send them out.
Sarah
Submitted by Kate Schaefer on June 4, 2009 - 1:19pm.
Welcome back, Sarah. Since you've already sent your answers in, your web page should be up in a few days.
Submitted by Onayia (not verified) on June 4, 2009 - 7:21am.
I'm definatly in. I have two ideas I want to work on and this will help me get right into them.
Submitted by Kate Schaefer on June 4, 2009 - 1:20pm.
Great, Michael. Welcome back; questionnaire on its way to you now.