The Annual Report Clarion West Writers Workshop • 2018
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The Annual Report clarion west writers workshop • 2018 To provide a high-quality Clarion West is a nonprofit literary Our Mission: organization and is committed to equal educational opportunity for opportunity. Although there are fine writers of speculative fiction science fiction and fantasy writers of all at the start of their careers. ethnicities, races, and genders, historically Speculative fiction (science fiction, the field has reflected the same prejudices fantasy, horror, magic realism, and found in the culture around it, leading to slipstream) gives voice to those who proportionately fewer successful writers explore societal and technological change, of color and women writers than white along with deeper considerations of male writers. Clarion West is dedicated to the underlying archetypes of human improving those proportions. experience. Clarion West brings new As an extension of its primary mission, writers to the field by providing a Clarion West seeks to make speculative transformative experience in the form of fiction available to the public, and thus an intensive workshop focusing on literary holds readings and other events that bring quality, diversity of viewpoints, range of speculative fiction writers and readers material, and other essential qualities. together. Looking over the previous year, I am so received the inaugural Special Award Executive thankful for all of the support from our for Community Building and community. As we strive to meet the needs Director's of today’s writers, I am always grateful for Inclusivity, highlighting the contribu- our volunteers: those that offer their time tions of our workshop staff and alumni. and personal vehicles, sit at information We had some staff changes in 2018 as Message tables, and join committees, as well as the well. We say goodbye to Katie Sparrow, donors and sponsors that help ensure our who is leaving our programs have the funding they need. One-Day Workshops Some of my favorite events from team, though not our hearts. Taking over 2018 were our partnerships from her is Tegan with other fantastic writ- Moore, whom we ing organizations: Brewing were lucky to re- up Other Worlds, held in partner- cruit last fall. Tegan Tegan Moore ship with Two-Hour Transport; is coming on at an Writers Under the Influence: exciting time, as we look at adding more Ursula K Le Guin, held in partner- year-round programming and workshops. ship with Hugo House; and Worlds Clarion West is helping a new genera- Beyond Here, a science fiction exhibit tion of writers and readers, and we are all ARNEE HUA M C featured at the Wing Luke Museum. And richer for it. Inside this publication, please EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR who could forget the multiple exciting and find our 2018 financial report, workshop free workshops we held at Norwescon and report, and information about our spon- GeekGirlCon? sors and alumni. We thank you for your At the Locus Awards, Clarion West continued support. THE ANNUAL REPOrt | 2018 | PaGE 1 Dennis E. Summer 2018 This was a year with an international flair, Staples, and for the first time in several years we recipient of had no Seattleites in the class. Instead, the Octavia Workshop students gathered from five continents E. Butler and eight countries: Brazil, Croatia, Memorial Report Greece, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nigeria, Scholarship the U.K., and the U.S. Our U.S. students came from Alabama, California, Illinois, challenges of Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, week two suc- Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Despite cessfully, laying Six Weeks of their far-flung roots, they embraced each a groundwork other and grew into a tight network over for the students Serious Work six weeks of producing fantastic work. and drawing from the roots of speculative We’re already starting to see their names fiction in insightful history lessons. The in print — and one, Natalia Theodoridou, students and Ken found delight in explor- and won a World Fantasy Award this fall! ing some of Seattle’s sights beyond the Staff this University District as well. Serious Fun year were Neile Week three saw the students digging and Jae, our into the critique schedule and continuing new Workshop to churn out stories. Yoon Ha Lee showed Administrator, them how to craft intricately wrought with Tegan worlds. His playfulness and humor were Moore and welcome as students learned how to man- Huw, our age their myriad responsibilities. previous By the fourth week, the students were Workshop ready to think about the larger elements of Administrator, their stories, like theme and cohesiveness. 2018 Students: Natalia As the students’ stories matured, Karen as classroom Theodoridou assistants. Joe Lord’s lessons ran the gamut from story NEILE GRAHAM (CW '96) was back to keep our instructors and stu- unity to writing action scenes — complete WORKSHOP DIRECTOR dents deliciously and nutritiously fed, and with an outdoor sword lesson. She deftly Esther returned to keep the house in order. handled the group at a time when exhaus- We also had the support of numerous vol- tion typically sets in, and we’re happy to unteers, who helped us move in and out, report everyone kept their heads. get students to and from the parties, and By week five, keep things working in the classroom and the students were at all our events. We are so, so grateful to still enthusiastically everyone who helps us make the workshop supporting each happen! other and reaching The weather started off cool — a out to editors and little uncomfortable for the students writers beyond the from warmer climes — but warmed up workshop for video to become another sometimes-too-toasty conferences. We Seattle summer. were concerned JAE STEINBACHER (CW '14) Despite the early chill, Daniel Abra- about week five ORKSHOP DMINISTRATOR ham (CW '98) warmed things up with burnout, but Karen W A Wen Ma dramatic readings and hands-on exer- Joy Fowler’s arrival cises. A workshop alum himself, Daniel only revealed a deeper dedication to the introduced students to plot, conflict, and craft. With Karen they delved further into voice with panache and a bit of theater. character motivation and the openings and He helped students discover from the first endings of stories. week that they could follow their voices Finally, editor Ellen Datlow sent them and achieve great heights in their fiction. off in style. Ellen swept in to offer her And the students began on the path to experienced eye and New Yorker realism trusting one another in their critiques. to each student’s work. She regaled them Ken MacLeod was a sure and seasoned with industry tales and advice from her instructor, despite being a newcomer to many years of editing. Equally importantly, the Clarion technique. He navigated the she encouraged them to begin thinking PaGE 2 | THE ANNUAL rEPORT | 2018 Student Photos by Ted Mahsun In Students' Words "The workshop was so warm and inviting and nurturing. So many other words come to mind. Comfortable. Blissful. Se- rene. All those outshine the moments where we challenged our- selves, where we were stressed about deadlines, about word counts, about critiques, which were all great in the end anyway because we knew it was all ultimately worthwhile in order to better our craft or learn something we hadn’t thought of before. "I can’t think of any other experience in life that would ever come close to Rafeeat Aliyu what it would feel like to be in a fairy tale." — Dennis Staples about sending their stories out into the "It was as if my chest had come off its hinges. I felt radically open, expanded in world. my ability to create, but also to love. That kind of emotional vulnerability is created by For Neile and Jae, this class was an safety. This summer I was surrounded by people with whom I felt very safe. I felt — for absolute delight. Despite the fact that lack of a better word — healthy, as a person and a writer." — Brittany Pladek Daniel, Ken, Yoon, and Karen Lord were all teaching for us for the first time, we "The Clarion West workshop was key in helping me realize that I can be had few bumps and couldn’t imagine a a writer. It gave me the tools and the networks I desperately needed. I’m eternally better year to introduce so many “newbies.” grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Clarion West family!" — Rafeeat Aliyu The class continues to interact well beyond the workshop and send out stories (as "Clarion is an inexplicable experience. It’s frightening. It’s exhausting. It’s well as encouragement!). It’s been a truly wild. It’s the nerd event of the century. It will improve your writing more than you ever rewarding experience, and we hope this thought possible in six weeks. It’s heartbreaking to leave. It’s the time of your life while year will bring an equal measure of hard you are there. It will make you forget that life outside of the house exists. You work and play. This summer, we look for- will make the best friends of your life. You miss your friends and family ward to squeezing seven instructors into back home like crazy. You will join a community of writers that six weeks! Liz Hand and Stephen Graham want nothing more than to help you achieve your dreams." Jones return to teach weeks one and two — Woody Dismukes for us. Then we welcome Amal El-Mohtar, Ibi Zoboi (a CW '01 grad), and a duo of "Clarion West was one of the best experiences editors, Jack Dann and Jonathan Strahan. of my life. It helped me grow both as a writer and as a Capping off the six weeks will be the person.