During our first group meeting, one of the instructors told us to look around the room: these would be the people we’d be running into for the rest of our writing careers. That’s a great relief, as this is one terrific cast of characters. I can say in all honesty that, to a person, I enjoyed each and every one of them. Nary a single insufferable attitude in the lot. No one (that I’m aware of) was left out or marginalized, and all were capable of interesting, erudite conversation. I suppose this is less surprising given that we were all selected for our storytelling abilities, but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. I truly enjoyed commiserating, pontificating and arguing with this bunch and look forward to running into them as we all go about the business of becoming successful writers.
Happily, technology is such that we won’t be losing touch now that we are all back to our own lives. During the workshop, “social networking” became more than just a fad or buzzword as we followed each other through tweets and instant messages while we racked up word counts and planned eating and drinking excursions. Thanks, Fighting XIIIth, for the support and camaraderie.
As for the instructors, you’d be hard pressed to find their equal. Like the students, they were extremely varied in background and style, but worked well as a group to cover all bases. They were heavily invested in the task of transforming us into successful writers, and making sure we had fun along the way. Most importantly, they treated us as peers and pulled no punches in their feedback. This helped me immeasurably in my growth as a writer, as I’ll document a bit later.
Jim McDonald was the perfect master of ceremonies, offering pancakes and jellyfish walks in addition to expert plotting advice. Debra Doyle brought wit and insight to her discussion of language and style. Jim and Debra also hosted an entertaining breakout group discussion that inspired some great lines. (My favorite from Darice Moore: “I am the core audience for one-half of your story.”) One of my regrets of the workshop is not attending any of the 6 AM forced death marches through the woods. I’m not a morning person on any occasion, and staying up all night writing and socializing pretty much killed that deal.
My one-on-one with Steven Gould was interesting because, other than offering his own feedback, he asked pointed questions about plot and setting that brought my story’s shortcomings into sharp focus. Laura Mixon also offered in-depth criticism that illuminated specific problems throughout my manuscript. They helped me realize that I need to
own the story from every angle and really sell it to the reader.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden provided valuable insight into the publishing industry and many a witty, valuable anecdote. Teresa Nielsen Hayden was a revelation with her fabled red pen, showing me through simple line edits that I had started my story in a completely wrong spot. Their expertise in working with writers generated a wealth of stories both fun and tragic.
My one-on-one with Elizabeth Bear was truly a highlight of the week. She provided moral support as well as specific ideas for bolstering the weak points of my writing. John Scalzi covered the oft-neglected process of writing as a business, and how to reconcile this with the rest of your existence. Bear and Scalzi also became the entertainers of the workshop, holding court nightly with songs and stories that kept us up until the wee hours. When we should have been writing. Or something.
Lest I forget the staff. Mac, Bart and Kate made it all happen, fed us well and offered sage advice while fending off ailments, booze-inflicted or otherwise. Truly amazing people.
I am better for having met and interacted with all of these people. The prospect of running into them at cons and events takes some of the sting out of going home.
