Clarion Musings
So, first… my sale. I have sold “No Spaceships Go” to Daily SF, a brand new magazine that will apparently start publishing later this summer/fall. So go subscribe now, because besides my story, it looks like they have lined up some top authors (including fellow PDX writer and Hugo winner David D. Levine). I’m pretty excited. More details whenever I get them.
Also, in other internet news, both Clarion and Clarion West have posted instructor lists for 2011. And wow, they are impressive (okay, when aren’t they? seriously. Sigh). Clarion list is here. Clarion West list is here.
As always, I kinda want to go to Clarion (either Clarion) because writing with both my potential classmates and under the tutelage of professionals such as those listed above would be freaking awesome. I’ve only applied once to Clarion West, and was form rejected. Which doesn’t shock me, it was my first submission to anywhere, ever. (Feb 4th 2009, for those of us ie me keeping track). And frankly, I mostly applied because I really wanted to meet Elizabeth Bear whose work and work ethic I super admire. Probably good I didn’t get in, since I don’t know how I would have survived.
I almost applied to Clarion last year, but decided I couldn’t afford it and took a couple of Dean Wesley Smith’s workshops instead (which, for the sake of honesty, I almost didn’t get in to. While there’s no formal audition like for the Clarions, Dean isn’t a guy who pulls his punches and if he thinks someone isn’t ready, he’ll say so. I’m not sure I was ready, but I am grateful. *grin*). And between discovering those workshops, reading Dean’s motivation posts (and Kristine Rusch’s posts on freelancing), and deciding to truly follow Heinlein’s Rules for Writers, I pretty much completely revolutionized how I was going about getting to my goal of making a living at writing fiction.
So… Clarions. Should I apply? On the one hand, I imagine I’d have a blast and learn a ton. On the other, can I get in? Or afford to go if I did? And, strangely enough, can I afford to take 6 weeks out of my writing schedule to focus on workshop stuffs? I know they write a story a week at the workshops, but frankly, for me, that’s really not an issue, even with additional work like reading on top of it I’m pretty sure I could keep that pace without blinking. But could I keep up my novel/novella/shorts schedule during Clarion/CW if I got in?
I don’t know. I don’t actually write nearly as well, especially on longer works, when I don’t have the comfort and stability of my home schedule and daily routines. I can make myself get some work done, but not with the focus I have at home. And I’m sure that between hanging out with fellow writers, doing the workshop stuffs, and the various functions and parties etc… I’d be pretty socially drained and low energy, which is not a productive state for me.
So if a) I did get in and b) could afford to go, then the question I’d have to consider would be is it worth losing potentially an entire novel’s worth of writing production? I realize I’d come out of the workshop with six short stories, though as to publishable state I can’t say. I hope that if I went I’d be really pushing myself in terms of how I’m writing and what I’m writing about, which might render whatever I write as a do-over, but workshops should be about risk in my opinion. No point going to learn something and not really pushing yourself to stretch out of comfort zones.
So yeah, that’s basically what’s going on in my head now. The line-ups for teachers looks very awesome, but between money and time lost, I just don’t know if the workshop would be worth it at this point.
Things to think about. Fortunately, I have time. I probably won’t make final decision until Feb 2011. By then, if I’m remotely on target, I’ll have five novels being shopped to trad. publishers, book one of my e-book series out, and at least 40 shorts circulating (unless editors buy more/all of them..nudge nudge universe). So I’ll see where I’m at.
Anyone else thinking about applying? Anyone who reads this been to one of the Clarions? What were your experiences?
(And, of course, there is always Odyssey as well, which I’ve heard lovely things about from both the woman who runs it and writers who have attended. So much to consider. Meep.)