Workshops (beta)
Major Workshops
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The grandpappy of them all. Once referred to as Clarion East, its move to San Diego made that impractical. People seem to now call it Clarion San Diego or Clarion SD. Six weeks with 17 classmates; a different instructor each week. |
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Younger brother of the original Clarion, Clarion West is a completely separate entity, run by different people. It takes place in Seattle. Often the same instructors will do both workshops in different years. |
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This is the Australian cousin of the Clarion workshops. Same ideas, sometimes even same instructors, but different hemisphere. When a story idea goes down the toilet there, it spins the other way. |
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Not quite the same as Clarion, but in the same vein. Instead of switching instructors each week, Odyssey maintains the same writer-in-residence throughout the six weeks and brings in guest lecturers to supplement. Takes place in New Hampshire. |
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This is a one-week workshop on Martha’s Vineyard. It’s quicker and costs about half what a six-week workshop costs. Six instructors spend the week with you, one lecturing each day. (Thanks to Linda for the accurate info.) |
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A three-day class overlapping a one-week workshop run by none other than Orson Scott Card. All else aside, he is an exceptional writer and teacher. Workshop takes place in Virginia and Utah |
Selected Online Workshops
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The biggest and cheapest (free) workshop online. Members are expected to do at least 3 critiques a month in order to be allowed to submit. It takes about six weeks from the time a story is submitted until it is up for comments, where it stays for a week. Active and (mostly) friendly. |
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Full name: Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. This is a fee-based workshop. Members must earn 4 critique points (2 to 4 stories or chapters) in order to submit a story. Fewer critiques roll in than Critters, but the quality is usually fairly high. |
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I know people in this writer’s group, but I don’t have a lot of details. It’s free, like Critters, but is selective in its membership — requires one professional sale (per SFWA guidelines) or completion of one of the above workshops. I cannot currently join. Now that I have my WotF sale, I’m contemplating joining. |
Be Part of a Writing Community
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The forum for a current year’s workshop has a tendency to get very busy. Applicants, graduates, and staff all have a presence. It’s a great place to become part of a writing community whether you end up going to the workshop or not. |
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This forum is maintained by and focuses on L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future contest. Relax, it’s not a Scientology thing. It’s a good place to get to know other beginning writers. |
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Several forums to choose from, including the flame-friendly Volcano Bar &Grill. The writing forum may be more friendly. Q&A, discussions, and getting to know writers. Some discussion focuses on the workshop, some does not. |
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A place for all sorts of writers and editors to discuss all sorts of aspects of speculative fiction. There are free parts, but it has fee-based membership. |
Workshop Resources
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Don’t workshop without knowing this stuff. Don’t even write without knowing it. |
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Science Fiction Writers’ Association — The organization for professional writers of speculative fiction. |
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Horror Writers’ Association |
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It’s not what you say but how you say it. |
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Tips on getting people to listen to your advice. |
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Too many for me to link to them all. Includes another link to TCL. |
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Howard Waldrop’s essay (rant) about reading submissions for Clarion West. Good insight into the judging process and some good tips on what NOT to do. Electric Story membership required, but it’s free. |
Scott W. Baker: Chaos out of Chaos 
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