It's only week two and we're already into sleep-deprivation. When I was first preparing for Clarion and learning as much as I could about the process, I didn't really comprehend how intense it really gets. I knew, of course, that one is encouraged/expected to write a story a week or so. Okay, so a story a week. I can write fairly fast, so how bad could it really be? But I didn't take into account the fact that from 9am to 1pm we're in class, and then we're expected to read 3-6 stories every night and write up useful critiques. And write a story every week.

Only it is turning into something even more intensive for us. The first week Paul Park wanted us to do two stories, which of course meant that there were also twice as many stories to critique every night.

Take a few more hours of sleep away. That's the easiest thing to skimp on. None of us want to skip on writing or critiquing, and we've already decided among ourselves that we have to be at death's door before we'll miss a class. We're paying a lot of money here, and we want to get everything out of it as possible. Moreover, we're paying for the minds of everyone else in the class, so anyone who chooses to miss a class is cheating everyone else. I'm paying, not only for the instructor, but also for the chance to hear what 16 other writers think of my work.

So we stay up late and work, and at the same time we're somehow trying to keep at the pace that was set for us in the first week. Paul wanted two stories in his week, and George R.R. Martin wants longer stories. More writing. More work. Less sleep.

* * * * *

I turned in my third story yesterday. I'm astounded by the real quality of some of the work being turned in. Sure, there are first-draft problems with most everything, but there are many many stories coming in that have a lot of good stuff in them. I'm really being pushed--in my own mind, that is. It's good for me to see up close what's possible in quality and story. Sometimes I'm stunned at how far I have to go.

But I'm also learning tons about how to critique. I'm getting a lot better at focusing on weak spots in structure and vagueness in plot and description. I'm hoping that after Clarion I'll be better able to apply all of this to my own work.

* * * * *

We went to tour Wizards of the Coast yesterday. Extremely cool visit, and well worth the 5 hours taken from our schedule. We got a very thorough tour of the entire place, met all sorts of interesting people (i.e. editors), and then went out for dinner/drinks with the editorial staff.

By the way, Ron: Dave Gross (editor of Dragon)mentioned your story as one of the gems they found in the slush pile.

* * * * *

Okay, to make up for yesterday's non-post, here is the cast of characters of Clarion West 98:

Daniel - Not Dan, not Danny, and most certainly not Daniel-san. Our resident computer guru and the creator of our mailing list.

Karen C. - Sensible. Tough. Pragmatic. Heart of Gold. Nicest person you could ever hope to meet. Do not cross this woman.

Christyna - Terrific smile, and willing to take great risks with her writing.

Ellen - Extremely disciplined writer. Does not know what "slacking off" means.

Ruth - Our resident German. Actually she's American, but she lives in Germany. Has a laugh so infectious Susan taped it to make into a .wav file.

Eric - Writer of long short fiction. Owner of the blow-up Godzilla. He brought all of his worldy possessions up here.

Burke - Our medical expert and very proud daddy. The official doctor for CW98.

Michael - The first of us to pull an all-nighter. One of the few who is not addicted to my coffee.

Karen F. - The only one of us who regularly gets to see her spouse.

Jeff - Our local guide, lives three blocks away. Just had the opening of a display of his photography at a local cafe.

David - Knows all of the philosophers by name. Ask him how the weather is.

Robert - Operator of the mighty Bread Machine. He walks up and down the halls while he reads.

John - Our resident Frenchman. Another displaced American. Tallest man among us.

Susan - Has my incredible admiration for the fact that she has to dictate all of her stories onto tape due to an injury that makes it difficult for her to type. The tallest woman among us.

Chiara - Maker of the Best Mashed Potatoes. Maker of Awesome Cookies.

Tamela - Reader of this journal. Blond and gorgeous. Incredible gift with language. I hate her.