Future Prospects

I'm skipping applying for the Clarion workshops. I already decided this over the break. I don't want to write short stories (or at least not primarily, they might crop up over the course of my career) and that's what that workshop is geared toward. I know they say you can send a chapter for Clarion West but they seem to discourage it. Anyway but here are my future writing plans for this year:

1. Apply for the Gordone Award in the English Dept. I'm submitting two manuscripts. One creative nonfiction piece as of now still unwritten (lol) and I'm revamping Merlin for this specific purpose to enter in the fiction category.
2. Apply for Odyssey. It seems more novel friendly and is specifically geared toward fantasy writers. Also their 09 writer in residence writes books a lot like me. Maybe she'll be my friend. (Gosh I sound like a second grader.) I'm going to send Merlin or the first chapter of the Muse novel for my application. Most likely Merlin since it'll already be written. I want to work on the Muse novel while I'm there though and if I get accepted I'm going to send the first chapter as my second submission. (If you get accepted they want another short piece before you go to the workshop.)
3. Apply for Viable Paradise, even though I'll miss a week of school. Since I'm only gonna have to take 9 hours or so to finish I don't think it'll be too big of a deal. Really awesome writers are also going to be the instructor for this. I'm definitely sending the first few chapters of the Muse novel for this.

I think if I can at least work toward all of these things by next fall when I graduate I'll be well on my way to having a manuscript to send out and really be in my stride as a writer. Ready to move where ever, become a dog walker and/or receptionist to pay rent and start my life as a semi-respectable writer.
These are my immediate future plans. I felt like writing them down. I'm going to try and keep up with this blog more often. (I know I say that a lot.)

The Russian Trepak!!!

I'm so proud of So You Think You Can Dance for what they've done this season to introduce world dance to America. And! The fact that two hip hop dancers are in the finale. Hip Hop dancers dancing a Trepak?! Amazing.
I want America academia to think that way about bringing World Literature over here. That's all I'm saying.


Project Runway later. I'm exhausted. Summer school finally ended today and I get all of... three days off? before I'll be back for sorority stuff. Somewhere in there is ArmadilloCon. Woot! So I'll use this opportunity to publish what sessions I'm going to.

From 8:45 Friday morning until... uh I don't know when I'll be at the writers' workshop. After I take a break for food in there somewhere I'll be going to...

Fr1700DW Electronically Published Fiction

Fri 5:00 PM-6:00 PM deWitt

Burton*, Henderson, Huff, Marin, McKinney, Trimm

An examination of new publishing avenues opened by technology, and the best places to publish and read it.

Fr1800DZ Why I Write

Fri 6:00 PM-7:00 PM deZavala

Bey*, Sheridan, Swann, Wade, Swenson

Our panelists discuss why and how they transitioned from reader to writer.

Fr2000PF Meet the Pros Party

Fri 8:00 PM-10:00 PM Prefunction Area

Mingle with and meet your favorite writers, artists, and editors. They're friendly -- honest -- and would love to chat with you.

Fr2030DW Reading

Fri 8:30 PM-9:00 PM deWitt

J. M. McDermott

Fr2100DZ Interstitial Fiction

Fri 9:00 PM-10:00 PM deZavala

Denton, Klaw, Person, Richerson, Trimm*

A lot of recent fiction falls between the cracks of genre. There have been anthologies devoted to it, and now there is the Interstitial Arts Foundation. The most recent Nebula-winning novel falls into this category. What are the essential works and authors, and is this a full-fledged literary movement?

Fr2200DW Neglected Gems of Genre Fiction

Fri 10:00 PM-11:00 PM deWitt

Blaschke*, Brust, Graham, Hobson, Nakashima-Brown, Sheridan

Which works of speculative fiction are the most criminally-neglected?

Or? (If Lindsey is with me she'll want to go to this one \/ for sure. I won't have a choice.)

Fr2200DZ Adult Topics in SF & F

Fri 10:00 PM-11:00 PM deZavala

Hale, Huey, Kimbriel*, Roberts, C. Spector

Must be 18 or older to attend! We'll have a freestyle discussion of "advanced" topics including sensitive topics in fiction, specialized cons and fannish subgroups, and wherever else our panelists want to take it.

Saturday

YES! I don't have any panels I want to go to until noon. Brilliant. I can sleep.

Sa1200DZ Literary Criticism

Sat Noon-1:00 PM deZavala

Hobson, Huey, Kofmel, McDermott, Webb*, Wagner

How does critique of sf differ from that of mainstream literature? Where should one look for the best analysis? Is this the domain of fans, or are academics taking over?

Sa1300R Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading

Sat 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Robertson

Burton, Dimond, Eudaly, Henderson, Latner, Leicht, N. J. Moore*, Reisman

Come hear several good but short readings by members of one of our favorite writers' organizations.

Sa1400DW What You Should Have Read

Sat 2:00 PM-3:00 PM deWitt

Dimond*, Hevelin, Klaw, Marin, W. Siros, S. Williams

Our distinguished panel of writers, editors, and book-sellers discuss their take on the most important, influential, and enjoyable books and stories of the year.

Sa1500DZ Sex, Drugs, and Urban Fantasy: Teen Fiction is Not For Kids

Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM deZavala

Chester, Leicht, J. Moore, Thomas, Sarath*, Wagner

"Young Adult" fiction sometimes seems obsessed with some adult or at least dark topics. Is this a natural reflection of the challenges facing the target audience, or a marketting excess?

Sa1600DW Crazy Grrlz: Slipstream Ain't Just for Boys

Sat 4:00 PM-5:00 PM deWitt

N. J. Moore, Nakashima-Brown, Oliver, Reisman, Ward, Wheeler*

The guys writing hard-to-classify alternative fiction have gotten a lot of attention, and labels such as "Texas Weird". What about the women working this same vein?

YES! A break for dinner!

Sa1900PN Paranormal Romance

Sat 7:00 PM-8:00 PM Phoenix North

Babcock*, Burton, Frost, Kenner, Kimbriel, Mallory

The romance genre has invaded our turf! A large portion of the sf shelves is devoted to the cross-genre paranormal romance. What are the attactions? Why are so many authors making the jump to this fast-growing movement?

Sa2000DZ Elves in Condos

Sat 8:00 PM-9:00 PM deZavala

Fletcher, Kenner, Rogers*, D. L. Smith, Swann, Wade

Urban fantasy isn't just a matter of putting elves on motorcycles or in a rock band. What is it -- and why is it so fascinating?

Sa2100DZ Metafiction in Comics

Sat 9:00 PM-10:00 PM deZavala

Benjamin, Blaschke, Klaw*, Porter, Potter

Metafiction has a long and rich history in comic books and graphic novels. Recent works such as Dr. 13, Nextwave, Scott Pilgrim and Ambush Bug have ushered in a new era for this insightful and entertaining storytelling method. What are some of the best examples, why do writers & artists use this method, and why has it become so popular?

Then it's nighty night!

Sunday

Su1000PN Religious Themes in SF

Sun 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Phoenix North

Broderick, Dimond*, Eudaly, Latner, Webb

How does religion inform our panelists’ writing? And how do they feel religion has been treated in science fiction?

or

Su1000DW Challenges of Writing Genre for Younger Readers

Sun 10:00 AM-11:00 AM deWitt

Benjamin, Chester, Fletcher*, J. Moore, C. L. Smith, M. Williams

How does writing for young adults differ from writing for adult readers? Our panelists discuss whether it’s harder, easier, or pretty much the same, but with a different label.

I can't decide...

and ALL of these sound interesting!

Su1100PN Alternate History

Sun 11:00 AM-Noon Phoenix North

Huff, J. Lansdale, Mills, Rogers, Utley, S. Williams*

Rome never falls, Dewey defeats Truman, New England Patriots defeat the Giants in the Superbowl. A discussion of writing alternate history and how to show how changes in the past can affect the present.

Su1100DW Living with a Creator

Sun 11:00 AM-Noon deWitt

C. Foster, G. Haldeman*, K. Lansdale, W. Spector, T. Wilson

What’s it like living with a writer or artist? Is it more boredom, like going to conventions where you have nothing to do because your spouse was invited? Or is it more excitement, such as seeing a new work spring from their fingertips? Our panelists will give us an idea of what living with a creator is like.

Su1100DZ No More Excuses: Making Writing a Part of Your Life

Sun 11:00 AM-Noon deZavala

Antonelli, Broderick, Kenner, Richerson, Sarath*, M. Wells

Having trouble fitting writing into your life? We'll have tips, tactics, and boot camp-style exhortations to get you to stop making excuses and spend more time writing.

LUNCH!!

Su1300PN From Agent to Editor to Publisher to Store

Sun 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Phoenix North

Finn, G. Haldeman, Leicht, Roberson, Rosen*

We examine the process and decisions between an author finishing a book and it showing up on store shelves.

I dunno. I think I'm gonna go home then!!!!!! Nothing else tickles my fancy enough to stay longer when I really should get back.

No FenCon for me.

I haven't finished the new story I wanted to send. I don't want to send the Merlin story again, I feel like it's bad form to send the same story to three workshops in a row. Plus I seriously can't afford the workshop at FenCon right now. It's $35 on top of the regular membership that's $70. I'm still gonna go but just as a convention going not a workshopper. That makes me kinda sad but this is my last week of summer school and somehow I need to make myself focus on finishing my classes. Trying to write a story during that just won't work. It's ok though. Because I really like where the Shep story is going and I don't want to rush it.

AND!!!! FenCon will be my birthday weekend. You better believe I'm going to panels hungover. :D I need to bring someone with me to be my keeper. lol. Hey I'll be 21. You're supposed to engage in debauchery on your 21st birthday!! No I won't really be that bad. I'm just trying to cheer up because I can't do this workshop. It's ok! I'm going to work on querying those Wainscot essays to Strange Horizons. Oh and they might want to publish my Merlin story eventually too. Because I didn't know but a fellow workshop attendee from ApolloCon pointed out to me that they're interested in Hypertext stories. Which the Merlin Story very well could be. I wish I could get an artist to do a picture for the newspaper for me. Maybe I'll try to find one sometime soon.... Who do I know that's an artist?

I have main characters!

WOOOO!!! Lots of character building and plotting going on. The prologue and first chapter are plotting out and that's what I'm going to turn in for FenCon writers workshop. Woot! I've decided not to send in the Merlin story for the contest. It's not even close to being ready yet and I need to leave it be for a little while. Right now I want to scrap it and just rewrite the whole damn thing. Which I'll probably end up doing mostly but not right now. Anyway. Lindsey is bugging me to leave the coffee place we've been working at. So! Until tomorrow. I'm just excited that this is shaping up well.

Ok final stretch................

This week is my final stretch for polishing up the Merlin Story and entering it in the FenCon short story contest. I also need to work on writing something new for the FenCon writers workshop. Which I hope I can do fast enough to secure one of the last spots. I have the beginning of the Shep story but I don't know whether that's worth working on right now or if I should try to get the first chapter of the Muse story done. Well the prologue and first chapter. *sigh* I dunno. But finishing up the Merlin Story first is imperative because I'm going to try and mail it thursday. So seems like I'm going to be spending all my free time this week writing! But that's always fun. I think I write better with deadlines and expectations. So off to class then finish up at work and get home to write!

I had a story idea last night about people with empathy type powers. But that there were other people out there that were emote'rs who give off negative and positive emotional energy. Hmm. I dunno it was right before I fell asleep I'm surprised I even remembered it.

K So 3 posts in one day may be a little excessive

But!!! I'm really excited that I managed to get everything in for ArmadilloCon Writers Workshop in time. Which now means that I have to plead with my sorority to let me have the three days off because I'm supposed to be here doing recruitment stuff. That's why I originally wasn't going to go until after this weekend I decided it would be super important toward my hopefully future career. I think if I word it that way they'll understand.

Anyway! That's all. I start summer school session 2 tomorrow. Maybe I should find out when my classes are before I go to bed. Also tomorrow morning starts day 1 of the new lifetime treadmill journal. I'm gonna stick with it! So tomorrow morning at 7 I'm going to drag my ass out of bed and go write. Then go to work and then class. Until then...
yours truly, Lola.