2019 Annual Report

The Annual Report clarion west writers workshop • 2019 Our Mission We support emerging and underrepresented voices by providing writers with world-class instruction to empower their creation of wild and amazing worlds. Through conversation and public engagement, we bring those voices to an ever-expanding community. I continue to be inspired by the Clarion no small part due to the dedication of our Executive West community — in Seattle and staff. In 2019, we said goodbye to Neile beyond. Over the past two years we’ve Graham, who has retired as our Workshop Director's been forced to say goodbye to some dear Director, but promises not to go too far. friends and are joining forces to help For 19 years, Neile has helped to ensure Message others through difficult times. The drain that our classes and workshops are high on our community has been telling. quality as well as warm and welcoming. But the way that everyone has come Her constant guiding light is going to together to support each other in love be missed. Taking over from her is Jae and loss is even more telling. Clarion Steinbacher, who has been training with West is surrounded by a caring family of Neile for the past two years and is already individuals with a shared passion. an integral part of the organization, with Perhaps sometimes it seems that their attention to detail and commitment telling stories, especially speculative to the success of the workshop. Please join fiction stories, is not as important as me in welcoming Jae to their new position, the work of other organizations and as well as welcoming several more of individuals during difficult times. But the our new staff, including Elly Bangs as wild and amazing stories that are told Database Specialist and Janna Silverstein by our alumni, and writers all over the as the Literary Contracts Manager for world, help readers everywhere to engage the copyrights of Vonda N. McIntyre. MARNEE CHUA with ideas in meaningful new ways. And, finally, we have two board members stepping down from their volunteer EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR We need these stories positions this year to join our staff. Vicki to provide an escape, to Saunders has already taken on the formal role of Communications and Art Director, challenge our views, and and Rashida J. Smith will be joining us as to test our critical thinking our next Workshop Administrator. about the world around us. Please read on to find our 2019 financial report, workshop report, and Clarion West has been able to create information about our sponsors and such a strong and thriving community, alumni. We thank you for your continued passionate about the craft of writing, in support. THE ANNUAL REPOrt | 2019 | PaGE 1 Photo: Jesse Stewart Summer 2019 2019 was an amazingly energetic year for In Students' Words the workshop, and we're proud to un- leash another class of 18 talented, smart, Workshop introspective, and truly wonderful writers upon the speculative scene. This year's Report class included a number of immigrants, both to the U.S. and to other countries. They brought with them stories of loss and tradition, of family and heritage — needed perspectives in the increasingly global world of publishing. Boundless This summer also served as Neile Graham's final in her tenure as Workshop Talent Director. Her warm nature and steady guidance will be greatly missed! Neile and Workshop Administrator Jae Steinbacher led the six-week workshop with support from Tegan Moore and classroom as- Nelly Geraldine García-Rosas recieves sistants Evan J. Peterson and Elly Bangs. the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholar- Despite moving to Oregon, Joe was back ship, presented by Eileen Gunn. again to serve up amazing dishes and boost students' morale, and Esther kept and publishers to how to write what you the house spick and span. Our volunteer want — and be successful doing it. She base helped with move-in and move-out; also discussed the young adult field, how provided support in the classroom; drove to develop an artist's statement, and how students to parties and other events; and best to write about identities outside one's set up, cleaned up, and populated those experience. parties! We couldn't do what we do As the students were beginning to EILE RAHAM N G (CW '96) without the help of so many, and we are tire at the fifth-week mark, editorial duo WORKSHOP DIRECTOR grateful to everyone who pitched in. Jack Dann and Jonathan Strahan stepped Elizabeth Hand, one of our seasoned in to infuse the classroom with energy, instructors, joined the class for a first week levity, and a buddy routine that was as of exercises to get them tuned up and ex- warm and humorous as it was effective at cited for writing complete stories. She put getting across their pro insights. They gave the group to work exploring emotionally the group the needed boost to push on charged pieces, worldbuilding techniques, through the final week ... and character motivation. … and Ann Leckie capped things off Stephen Graham Jones, another old with inspiring positivity. Another work- hand at the Clarion technique, swept in to shop alumna (Class of '05), Ann was well usher students through their first grueling aware of the sleep deficits and stress under set of stories and critiques. Between tales which the students were operating, and of the supernatural — and of the show she took the group in hand to make the JAE STEINBACHER (CW '14) Supernatural — and his own publish- last week yet another success. With her ing experience, Stephen offered the class finishing touches, the class set off into the WORKSHOP ADMINISTRATOR a wealth of writing tools and industry world on an exhausted but elated final knowledge. note. The third week was marked by first- Overall, a marvelous way to end time instructor Amal El-Mohtar's empa- the alchemical changes the workshop thetic and whimsical explorations of the effects on the students, the instructors, night brain, the poetic side of fiction writ- the workshop team, and our board and ing. With the students producing capable, volunteers year after year: with 18 new publishable work, she nudged them deeper beloved alumni poised to change the into the emotional core of their writing. speculative writing scene. We look forward Ibi Zoboi, an alumna of the workshop now, anticipating the new instructors, new (Class of '01, Neile's first!), also taught students, and new administrative team Jae for us for the first time, offering up her and Rashida J. Smith will lead in 2020 experience in the publishing field, from with their compassion and energy. What a what it takes to get the attention of agents wonderful year! PaGE 2 | THE ANNUAL rEPORT | 2019 In Students' Words "I was amazed by "Clarion West was a life- "Clarion West is everything it professes n e the Clarion West changing experience. to be: a crash course in craftsmanship; a d o community. Writing Never before have I wealth of opportunities and introductions; B k c i has always been a grown so rapidly as a a glittering party and an intense workload. r r e solitary activity, and writer — and, per- I was expecting all that when I arrived. D : o t the amount of haps, as a person — What I was not expecting was to o h P professional and as during those six feel more loved, supported, held, and personal guidance weeks in Seattle. To be championed than I have ever felt in I received was very surrounded by so many my entire life. All the work and play inspiring." — Millie Ho like-minded people with of Clarion West is grounded in kindness a single communal goal was and honesty, and that gave me the courage "Clarion West is a dream come true for equally unique and awesome. The caliber to take risks, engage with P h anyone looking to focus on their craft of everyone's writing was so incredibly my vulnerabilities, ask o t o : with a group of people who high, it served as all the motivation we questions, and build D e P r care as much as they do. needed to bring our A-game every day. relationships. As a r h i o c t k The environment is at o The Clarion West community was so wel- result, I have 17 new B : o D once stimulating and coming, and many of the bonds I formed family members, who d e e r r n i nurturing; it encour- c will undoubtedly be lifelong. If you're seri- are all just as invested k aged me to write B ous about writing, Clarion West is the o in me as I am in d boldly and think e single best opportunity to markedly them. And I have an n deeply during those improve your craft, to advance your ambitious set of goals I six weeks and beyond career, and to enjoy a wealth of believe myself to be capable them. I am better for it in unforgettable experiences. I couldn't of achieving, largely because of that kin- every way." — Kristina Ten recommend it more." — Derrick Boden ship." — EA Crawley photo: Elly Bangs HE LASS OF T C 2019 L to R, back row: Rosco Oz Lance, Gardner Thomas Mounce, Tim Chawaga, Phoebe Barton. Middle row: Celeste Rita Baker, Eugenia Triantafyllou, Kristiana Willsey, M. L. Krishnan, Filip Hajdar Drnovšek Zorko, Monte Lin, Kristina Ten. Front row: Isha Karki, Nelly Geraldine García-Rosas, Minal Hajratwala, Millie Ho, C. S. Peterson, Ann Leckie (Week Six instructor), EA Crawley, Derrick Boden THE ANNUAL rEPORT | 2019 | PaGE 3 2019 Financial deposited into the investment brokerage Not only does this reflect Clarion West's account that Clarion West opened in 2010 values, we earn higher returns from this under the guidance of experienced inves- type of investing.

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