2023 Clarion West Write-a-thon. Anybody Interested?

I too signed up earlier this week! I haven't done it before but got an email about it from CW as I had (unsuccessfully) applied to CW this year. 

Had not posted about it as last time I said anything about CW on this forum I had a reply post that was...well. 'not positive', and leave it at that, and I try to avoid negativity. But would be excited to join a WotF team if others are interested 😀 whether that's directly or even just doing it in parallel and supporting each other

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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I too signed up earlier this week!

Woo hoo! We can be acounta-buddies. Should be a whole lot of fun and be a fantastic motivator to craft some tales. I haven't yet given a look yet at how to set up a team or anything. I know there's a discord channel. I'll take a look this weekend on how to create a team & report back. Open invitation to all. 

I also applied and didn't get into the Clarion West workshop this year. Perhaps my 5th application to them this coming year will be the charm.  

I would like to join the group.

@storysinger Yay, storysinger!

Don#7984. Let's connect.

K, so I created a team, which anyone can join, titled "Writers of the Future Unite!" Here's the URL: https://clarionwest.app.neoncrm.com/campaignTeam.jsp?campaignId=264&teamId=3&

To join, once registered go to your fundraising page, select the team tab, and you should find the team name in the scroll down. And remember, fundraising isn't required or expected. Of course, have at it if you want since it's for an awesome spec fic cause. I put a team goal of $100 because I couldn't leave that field blank and it had to be more than $0. Personally, I'm looking for motivation to hit some lofty-for-me goals, camaraderie, and an extension of the good positive vibes found here in the forum. 

@jeschleicher Thanks for setting this up! I think I joined successfully (though given my technical ineptitude with social media...who knows). Is there anything other than the page for the team like a channel under the CW discord or anything?

I think you got it right Gideon. Your info is pictured beneath John. 

I keep clicking on join team, but nothing happens, even after I login.

@storysinger I don't know if it helps - but I edited under my own profile, there's a tab all the way to the right which says 'teams' and I clicked the button "I am part of a team" and then selected WotF from the pull down and then clicked 'save' at the bottom of the page...

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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I think I joined successfully

Sweet!

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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though given my technical ineptitude with social media...who knows

I can relate. My computer tech ability rivals Hansel & Derek in Zoolander.

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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Is there anything other than the page for the team like a channel under the CW discord or anything?

Not yet. All I've done so far is create the team page for a placeholder for others to join. I plan to take a deeper dive soon to better understand the platform. But as I mentioned, Zoolander.  

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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Is there anything other than the page for the team like a channel under the CW discord or anything

Since we're a forum focused team, I figure the forum is as good a place as any to post any write-a-thon related communication. So I'll start w/ making my goals for the event public:

Goal #1: Show up every day for the craft

Goal #2: 6 short stories drafted

On this first day of the write-a-thon, I made strides toward both goals, hand-writing the opening scene of story numero uno. 

@storysinger, Did you try Gideon's troubleshooting steps to join the team? They should do the trick. 

@jeschleicher I like it!

I don't know that I can turn up for the craft 'every day'. I'm going to make my goal 1 slightly easier, but I am right there with you for goal #2:

Goal #1: turn up for the craft on average 6 days out of 7!

Goal #2" draft 6 flash stories.

I actually wrote a first draft of one today, based on their idea about 'transitions'. It's too long of course - 2100 words instead of the required below 1500. I am unsure if I will work on editing it or just trunk it, as I really don't like it. It didn't achieve what I wanted and while that can be edited, its the feel of it that bothers me - quite dark, which is not what I usually write or read. So, most likely, I will put this aside and start from scratch with a fresh idea for #1 of 6 drafted.

I was assigned to the group FTL-travel btw in case anyone on here is in that

I have tried Gideons suggestions and still can't join.

When I first registered I started my own page and it won't let me delete.

@jeschleicher @storysinger Just thought I would touch base and see how your write-a-thon is going?

Don't know if you are both also doing the flash-fiction workshop which I have been so most of what I am working on is flash.

Keeping it honest, reporting on how my goals are going:

Goal #1: turn up for the craft on average 6 days out of 7 - this is going well, and has been consistent 6/7

Goal #2" draft 6 flash stories. - so far 2 full stories drafted. Both meant to be flash given I am doing the flash workshop, but one of them just ended up longer and irreducible. Or maybe I'm just bad at cutting/editing  

I’m in the flash groups too - finding it to be great motivation. And getting 6 sets of eyes on a story at once is something I’ve never had before. 

@sconn that's awesome! I am glad you have a good group. These things can be variable.

For my group the participating members are great, but we don't have a high rate of full participation - we started as 8 writers. 1 person dropped out almost immediately. 1 person has made one post but no story submissions and no critiques. One person has made multiple posts but no stories or critiques. The remaining 5 of us have all done stories, but I've only had 3 critiques so far, though the deadline is Wednesday I think so maybe I will get more.

We did also try to do a live video meetup but that was even less successful lol. 

I think the biggest issue with these multi-week things is people lose steam, so I hope my group doesn't have further attrition.

@gideonpsmith that’s crazy! My group has been good so far. Hope you get a core of people that do the work! I’m finding the weekly schedule to be tough but I need it.

When I couldn't connect with your team I gave up so I haven't participated. If you PM anything you want critiqued I will be happy to help.

This sounds like so much creative fun.

I am have some family issues (wife's side and my side) right now, but please keep me in the loop for the next time something like this comes up.  

I've not tried the flash writing before. Oh, I can talk your ear off on topics, but writing on a flash topic not so much.

Would be great to try.  Have fund peeps.   

Thanks for keeping this thread alive, folks! I've had an eventful couple of weeks--first w/ being ill, then w/ travel visiting fam--that has required flexibility w/ my goals and has limited my correspondence.

On my first goal-show up each day to the craft-I'm giving myself a that-a-boy. Despite traveling and despite getting sick, I wrote each day. Mind you, not w/much-focused stamina, but I got new words down each day. I'm proud of myself for that and frankly probably wouldn't have accomplished this w/o the write-a-thon. As for finishing 6 shorts, that I'll need to revise. Yesterday, I finished the first draft of my first short story during this event. Today, I'll give it a once-over revision, let my wife read it, tweak it according to what she says, then kick it out to markets tomorrow. 

Along w/ my revision today, I'll give a hard look at goal number 2. Productivity is a skill set I'm working hard to improve. I might aim for 3 short stories in total though I also might switch gears to flash. 

So, I got my week 3 story for Clarion flash fiction written and in. I am happy with the three stories I have produced so far. Story 1's ending was a little broken and I'm not sure how to fix it, but its close.

I have to say, writing a flash a week is possible time-wise, but mentally, for me at least, its a little draining. I think part of it is writing to a prompt, which I have never enjoyed.

Our new week 4 prompt is to make a horror story. To that I say 'no'. I don't like prompts, I don't like horror. Besides I wrote horror, despite it not being my genre, for week 1, just to stretch myself. I'll write something else to try and stretch myself in some other way this week. But what.... 

@gideonpsmith I agree - never been one for prompts. I’ve just been writing. The stories have technically fit the prompt if you look real hard 😜

I’m finding the workout exercises helpful though. Just to get some practice writing done. I’ve been changing up POV’s to stretch myself. And trying to write more character-focused pieces instead of plot-driven which is my norm. 

How are you finding the critiques? Helpful? Always surprised what different readers get out of a story. 

@sconn lol. Yes. My interpretation of the prompts has been, shall we say, 'loose' to say the least 🤣 

The critiques have been variable. Some really good, some not very specific or detailed. Bigger problem in my group is number of people that have dropped out or are not really participating. I always think however with critiques that its not just what the person says though, that is important, but why did they stop there, why was that sentence worthy of comment, was it unclear, did it not match the flow or style of everything else, did it mark a change of direction, was there something I should have set up earlier that would have made this sentence not stand out plotwise etc etc Often times I find that way of looking at comments useful, whether or not I go along with the thought or specific comment.

I will say I think the standard of critiques I've got here on this forum has on average been more helpful. But then, we are only sharing drafts in the Clarion thing. Not polished works.

I wrote a horror piece for week 1 to stretch myself as I never have written a horror story before, but I haven't played much with POV though, funnily enough, my notes for week 4 are for 2nd person. I just haven't committed to it yet.

thought I would give the update on my week 4 for Clarion Wests flash fiction workshop/writeathon and see how everyone else is doing! @jeschleicher @sconn @storysinger

I completed my week 4 flash piece. I didn't end up going with writing in 2nd person POV, as I had a different idea completely for a story and went with that instead. This one was written in present tense, which is also something I haven't done before and seems to have worked well enough, though I admit it was harder to keep present tense correct than I expected!

We had one of the non-appearance members of our group suddenly appear, so that was awesome! Loved getting another set of eyes/different perspective on my stories.

However, the energy of the group as a whole is waning - 2 out of 4 regular submitters have announced they won't be submitting this week. Yikes 🙁 Hopefully we can all come together for next weeks final week (its a 6 week workshop but there are only 5 weeks of story preps)

I've done a rough draft of the week 5 story, but its a mess. No actual plot, just a collection of thoughts and potential sentences. 

How is everyone else doing with the challenge? Are your critique-groups working? Have you been meeting your goals? Has it served as goals and motivation?

@gideonpsmith 

I pushed out 2 stories last week because I accidentally switched up prompts! It ended up working out fairly well but now I have to ramp up my momentum again for the final week. 

We had 2 out of the 6 in our group go silent which is a shame because their writing was really interesting. But this core group of 4 seem to be going strong although I’m the only one so far who’s posted a week 4 story. 

This whole experience makes me want to join a monthly critique group! I like the motivation. And I’m a bit surprised at the quality I’ve been producing. and it’s allowed me to put off finishing Q4 😂 procrastinating.