My Experience at Clarion West, Class of 2011
Five years ago this summer, I attended the Clarion West Writing Workshop in Seattle. For six weeks, I lived in a sorority house with seventeen other writers. Each week I wrote a new story, was workshopped by my peers and a pro-writer or editor, and read seventeen amazing new stories.
I learned as much (and in some ways, more) than I did in my MFA program.
I found my rhythm as a short story writer.
I made friends. I made friendships. Friends who, five years later, I can talk with as easily as if we’d never left that giant slumber party we held our last night in the sorority house.
Five-year reunion of part of the Clarion West class of 2011 @ WisCon 40, with a note to the rest of our class
Clarion West was a formative experience for me as a writer. It made me feel, for the first time, that I could call myself by that title. That other people could recognize me by that name, by my work. That I was not alone and not crazy to spend my time on this path.
My Goals for the 2016 Write-a-thon
Each summer Clarion West holds a write-a-thon, where writers can set goals for themselves during the six weeks that the current year’s class is experiencing their workshop. And while writing, participants can help to raise funds for future classes.
This year, I’m joining the write-a-thon to work on my linked story novel about a woman and her dog journeying through the zombie apocalypse. Starting June 19th, each week I will write one complete short story for this linked novel.
You Can Help! And Get Sponsor Appreciation Gifts!
If you’d like to sponsor me in the write-a-thon and donate $10 to Clarion West here, then for each week until the write-a-thon ends on July 31, I will email you:
(1) a photo of my doggy companion, Abe, and
(2) the first page of that week’s short story.
Here’s one for the road. May it be long, and devoid of zombies.
