Clarion West is an annual writing workshop, where genre writers spend six intense weeks getting instruction and feedback from some of the top names in the field. Class size is quite limited, but it’s also possible to participate remotely, in spirit.
For a year now, I’ve been going back and forth on committing to writing a novel. I’m very comfortable writing in the short-story framework, but maybe I’m too comfortable — maybe I need to stretch myself and push my comfort zone. And, unquestionably, it would be an excellent “sensitivity training” exercise: I work on novels all the time. It would undoubtedly be good for me to see one from the inside and learn even more about the process.
With that in mind, I’ve signed up for the Clarion West Write-a-thon this year. My goal is to write one chapter per week, for the six weeks of the Clarion West workshop. Writers can be sponsored, with all donations going to support the Clarion West Writers Workshop.
What do we do with the money? We use it to run the organization, keep the tuition as low as possible, and supplement the scholarship fund for students who would not otherwise be able to attend. Our two administrators each receive a modest part-time salary, and there are three other paid part-time positions. The rest of Clarion West’s expenses include rent, photocopying, postage, etc.-—normal and unavoidable costs of operation. Our staff, board, and volunteers have the workshop’s best interest at heart, and constantly seek to minimize our expenses.
My write-a-thon page is here, with a link to a donation button and a tiny excerpt from “Keeping Time” — the short story that so persistently wants to be a novel.
