Clarion West Week 5

I turned in my week 5 story a day early so I would have extra time for what I said was going to be something different for week 6. But I've been running in place on the damn thing ever since and I'm not sure what to do. If I ditch it, I have to do it now and see if I can pull something together by Monday. Or I can keep grinding away and hope I have a breakthrough. I'm a little panicked right now.

I brought a couple of back-up stories with me but now I don't think either of them are good enough. For my story I've made a major tone shift from what I usually do and I'm wondering if I can keep the story elements but switch back into my more comfortable tone. I don't know. I'm tired and hungry and need a shower so I can't decide right now.

I found new gray hair and I'm at Clarion West, coincidence?


(Kira, I took this photo for you)

I keep going through all my clothes, thinking I'll discover something I haven't worn yet. I thought I brought a big selection but I'm tired of all of it.

I went back through my Clarion West posts and noticed I keep writing the same thing over and over about not sleeping and eating. I'll skip those topics this week except to say that I've finally reached the point where I'm tired enough to fall asleep, to need the alarm and to take naps. Today I took an hour and a half-er that will go in the top 5 of my "Best Naps of My Lifetime So Far."



Sheree kept a pretty easy schedule this week. She talked to us one day about submitting and markets other than speculative fiction. It was nice to have some time to regroup which makes me sad that I haven't gotten anywhere on my story. argh.

Here are a few quotes not just from this week but the whole workshop:

"The attention to the social structure that makes you the Jane Austen of middle-aged small-town American zombie stories."

"So, why does he give her life? Is he just a warlock dicking around with nothing else to do on a Sunday night?"

"Loretta's scalp does a lot of work in this story. It tightens, prickles, and gets cold. I thought she might just need a different shampoo."

"Understand the slush pile--the native habitat of your manuscript." (Cory)