My planning session with teachers at William Reid School went very well, and there is a lot I am going to be able to do during the time I will be working with their students. It looks as though I will have at least a couple of sessions with each of their classes, which is good, because we can get our teeth into the meat and potatoes of plotting, beginnings, dialogue, revision, and so forth. I’m really looking forward to meeting the kids!
Very cool to be working with new novelists
I have eight students in my year-long novel writing course, most of whom are doing speculative fiction. My section is one of three the Alexandra Centre is running this year–they had an explosion of people signing up. My students are very talented, and a collegial group, and very dedicated to setting deadlines for themselves. I’ll tell you, the two and an half hours each evening zip by!
Really enjoyed the “Show Don’t Tell” intensive weekend
Who’d have thought there was so much one could do with the concept, “Show, Don’t Tell?” I found there were about 7-9 different scenarios when a writer might be tempted to use narrative rather than scene (and maybe I didn’t find all the examples) and virtually every writer who ever put together a “how to” book has weighed in on it. One of my best resources, though, I have to say, was James Alan Gardner’s “A Seminar on Writing.” Clear, direct, articulate and full of good examples. The class worked hard for two days and seemed to get a lot out of it. And I had fun, too!
Gearing up for fall teaching
Busy fall: I will be teaching “Show, Don’t Tell” and the year long novel writing course, “A Novel Approach” for the Alexandra Centre, and I have been asked to be a writer-in-residence for one of the local French Immersion schools. Lots of research and planning–I always feel that when I am being paid, I really need to put my best foot forward! Looking forward to all of them.
Chicon was great
And, the day after I got home from the motorcycle trip to Washington, I hopped a plane for Chicago. Chicon was wonderful. I got my “Analog Mafia” pin, and was there to congratulate Stan on his retirement and Trevor on his new position. Got to meet the author I work with as an editor for Edge, in person. Sat on two panels (moderated one) and had a reading and a workshop–some good stories, there. Met new people and explored a bit of downtown Chicago, the edge of Lake Michigan and the Chicago Institute of Art with old friends. Good times!