Writing Workshop Coming to ATL

For those who wondered, the blog will continue to address my writing and provide resources for those aspiring authors like myself. I am just going to add information for those military brat's like myself on transitioning to/coping with the civilian world.

The major news today is my discovery that we have our very own writing workshop coming to Atlanta this fall. Dragoncon has put together a workshop with A.C. Crispin that will run the day before and the first day of Dragoncon this year. Click on the link above for specifics, but bottom line is that it will cost $140, run for two full days, and includes the option of having a short piece of writing critiqued by Ann Crispin. If you are curious about the syllabus, click here. If you have questions for Ms. Crispin, they also offer her email address which I will refrain from posting here since you can get it from them and I don't have permission to post it.

I have to see if I can make the workshop happen. Fortunately I think I can afford it, so I just have to hope there is still space. I'll let you know when I know more.

So why should I or you go to a workshop?

I have read a number of replies to this which give both sides of the coin. Here are my reasons.

1) If I'm going to write, I need to learn. This comes in many forms. To date I have read
How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Vol. 22 (article included in the book), and resources from several websites.

2) Writing has a community just like any other profession. I am currently in the lowest rank and file of that community as an 'aspiring author'. But one day I will, hopefully, be in the higher ranks with others who have transitioned. Who might I meet in that room that will make that journey with me? What can those people teach me? Will one of them be the person who rescues me from quitting after a particularly harsh criticism? Can I rescue one of them from the same fate? Bottom line is that this is a great opportunity to get to know others with the same hopes and dreams as I have.

3) Where else will I get a chance to pick the brain of someone who is where I want to be? I would be lying if I said I had read any of Ann's works (yet!) but I can see that she has been successful already. Therefore, it is helpful to get out there and learn what she can share with me.

Even if I only get one thing that helps my writing, how many stories or books do I have to sell to remake the $140 investment? For all of the markets that I look at, only one, unless it is incredibly short.

Now, I will mention that if this workshop was put on by a first time author or unknown author I would not be as eager or as willing to try it. But a legitimate pro and getting to live for a day in the writing world... Gotta go for it.

I'm including a few links to the books which A.C.Crispin has wrote. Feel free to join me in checking out a few of them.