Home

Previous Entry | Next Entry

I am the pants, the Clarion Pants

  • Mar. 25th, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Manga Liz
I am going to Clarion http://clarion.ucsd.edu/contact.html An amazing way to introduce myself to the world of American SF. I am very excited.

So excited I can't think of what to say. Someone else who's going to Clarion is excited and he's written this http://truthoffiction.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/clarion-the-blanks-are-clarion/

eeeeee, Clarion.

Now I must pack, book my car in to have brakes replaced and detailed in prep for sale (silly toyota manufactured my car with brakes that only occasionally make the car catch on fire if there's an accident)... must sell car ASAP. So much to do and have been distracted by spreading the good news.

Comments

( 38 comments — Leave a comment )
[info]morganjaffit wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 12:02 am (UTC)
That is truly awesome. Huge news! I'm super excited for you - it's a hell of an opportunity, both in terms of the actual workshop, and in terms of the contacts you'll make.

Whee!
| Reply | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 12:13 am (UTC)
Thanks :-)

Have you met Ben Rosenbaum? He's a Clarion Graduate with a mind about as intense as yours (with a fabulous streak of sprightly jewish scholar)... If you haven't I may have to make it happen. He was part of the exhilarating critical mass of out there thinkers USA gets to enjoy.

Are you going to go for it some time?

Wheee indeed

| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]gillpolack wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 03:56 am (UTC)
I am amrveling at the thought of sprightly Jewish scholars. What I came on here to say though was - wow - that's terrific!!
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:16 am (UTC)
Ben is fueled by awesome http://www.benjaminrosenbaum.com/

and hey, you can be a sprightly Jewish scholar :-)

And thanks :-)
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]gillpolack wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:18 am (UTC)
I can be one of the three, anyhow. On a good day, two of the three.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:20 am (UTC)
sprightly in mind if not in body, restless and questing.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]morganjaffit wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 09:57 am (UTC)
Haven't met Ben - but am with you on the benefits of being plugged in to the critical mass of thinking the US offers. I'd feel like a fraud signing up for Clarion these days - I barely write at all. I'm okay with that, though - plenty of other creative outlets to keep me rolling!
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 11:04 am (UTC)
True true... a few people seem to have used it as launch pads to get back into it after some neglect. It depends on how good you can make two short stories I guess... but yes you've got plenty of creative outlets.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]zellandyne wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 12:12 am (UTC)
Wooo! You'll be in my state! We'll have to visit at some point.
| Reply | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 12:14 am (UTC)
Absofraginglutely. We'll be in LA in early June as well. Drinks and meeting up are demanded :-D
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]jasonfischer wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 12:19 am (UTC)
That's awesome news! Well done and good luck :-)
| Reply | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 01:53 am (UTC)
Thanks Mr J :-)... who'da thunk it, me!!!
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]theferrett wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 12:57 am (UTC)
Rock the heck on! Trust me, it's gonna be awesome.

- So sayeth last year's graduate.
| Reply | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 01:52 am (UTC)
It's so awesome I am holding back making little laser pew pew pew sounds.

Thanks for the well wishing. Any handy dandy tips, or just go for it?
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]theferrett wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 12:07 pm (UTC)
Why hold back? Hey, Clarion's about "pew pew pew" noises.

Short advice is this: It's gonna be awesome, and intense, and beautiful. You will not have time to visit friends. There will be more work than you can possibly imagine. Said work will be glorious, so go with it.

Longer advice:

* First week, spend a lot of time with people. Extend a little, get to know your classmates in person (I assume you're already doing the Facebook/LJ/blog dance - and if not, y'all should be!), make connections. Your class will carry you when you fall down, so form your family early.

* Second week onwards, ration your energy appropriately. You won't be able to do everything, sadly, so pick one thing a week not to do.

* The biggest and best advice I have is to remember that you will be in a whole new social group, with writers. You will have grand new friends, and new ties to manage. But in the end, Clarion is about your writing; if drama does emerge somewhere in your life, remember to keep your eye on the page.

* Today's assignment: Kick some ass!

Sorry, I probably shouldn't end with a "School of Rock" quote - but man, if I could go again, I would. I envy you and applaud you.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 08:39 pm (UTC)
Excellent advice... I must confess I want to stick my head in to Comicon on the second last weekend, do you think that's unrealistic? It feels like an important thing to do.

Thanks Ferretman, as followup, how have you found maintaining impetus and habits after such an intense and amazing thing?
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]theferrett wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 10:35 pm (UTC)
ComicCon is doable. We were only able to stay for like part of a day, when normally I would have been there for the entire weekend, but at that point you'll want the time out.

Clarion basically made me feel like a writer for six months, giving me a delighful immunity shield against all rejections. That has ablated as of late, making each rejection a little ouchy (though I did make my first pro sale since then), but I have also used that free time to create a habit of writing every day. And a large part of that commitment is Clarion.

That said, I firmly believe if anyone in my Clarion class does not make it as a professional writer, it's because other priorities got in the way. If you got in, you've got the skills. Everything else is all about the work. (Or so I hope.)
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 26th, 2009 07:48 pm (UTC)
Sounds like sound advice.

I had this shocking moment a few days ago where I realised, I've got the connections, my talent is at least adequate... it all just comes down to me generating the output and submitting it. A scary kind of feeling, if I 'fail' I only have myself to blame.

To work!
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]kitling wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 01:55 am (UTC)
I have a friend who went to Clarion, I think you've met her, called Liz, partnered with an ex housemate of mine called Nigel.

Her lj nick is [info]tooticky and you can read about her Clarion experiences
| Reply | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 02:17 am (UTC)
Oh wow, I knew Liz was full of awesome (she talked me down after a distressing Simone de Beauvoir incident), but I didn't realise she was that full of Awesome. Was that Clarion South or Clarion USA. I shall indeed ask her.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]kitling wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 05:05 am (UTC)
It was in Australia
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]leemoyer wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:36 am (UTC)
So proud of you! Yay!!!
America AND Clarion, what a month/year it's going to be!
| Reply | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:39 am (UTC)
Indeed, I am so sad we won't be doing a road trip :-(... have you found any other crazy souls to drive down? I think Mikey would be up for at least part of it.

Cthulu demands road trips.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]leemoyer wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:41 am (UTC)
Road trips can happen to all manner of exciting places, not necessarily to ComicCon! There's Seattle, Vancouver, Colorado, the 4 Corners, et al.

So it looks like I'll likely fly down by myself.
But at least I get to see you there, yes?
And maybe meet your Clarion peeps?
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:43 am (UTC)
That's the plan... we're released over the weekend and I'll go for the pro rego again, hopefully dragging along a bunch of cool clarioners (some of them look quite groovy).
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]leemoyer wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:45 am (UTC)
Some weekend passes might be available still, but all the 4 day are gone. Pros are still OK, but I recommend you get a reasonably asexual name on your single pro guest badge so you can bring a new pal of either sex.

So looking forward to seeing you soon!
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:42 am (UTC)
You know for all I know I got over the line for knowing Ben (they ask you if you know any pros or graduates), and that was through your introduction :-).

It's amazing how this crazy old world pans out... I mean I imagine my writing had something to do with it, but maybe Ben was able to confirm that I wasn't a crazy hose beast (or was one...)

Thanks :-)
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]leemoyer wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 04:43 am (UTC)
Just as it was instantly clear that we should know one another, so too was it clear that you and Ben should. No matter the causality, it is great and well-deserved (and will keep changing your life in some really good ways). Bravo!
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]nicked_metal wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 09:15 am (UTC)
Go you and your excellent self!

You may be interested in entries by [info]theferett from a year ago. Or not. Depends.
| Reply | Thread
[info]nicked_metal wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 09:16 am (UTC)
*sees comments, cringes*
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 10:53 am (UTC)
Nah, tis a cool comment and provokes me to poke through theferret archives. I've learnt some interesting things looking through Ben's blog posts... maybe Clarion South for you in a year and a bit hey?
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]theferrett wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 12:09 pm (UTC)
If you want the closest analog of what it was like for me... this is as close as I got.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]nicked_metal wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 02:25 pm (UTC)
It'd be cool, I have to admit. But I'll settle for a 2-week holiday at home at this point, I definitely can't afford any more demanding projects right now.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 08:11 pm (UTC)
mmmm, leave is tres important :)
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]mireille21 wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 09:35 am (UTC)
Congratulations and well done! I am very familiar with Clarion, and know just how hard it is to get in!!
| Reply | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 11:07 am (UTC)
I was so happy and dazed when I got in... then I revised the short stories I sent in and at 4am (I couldn't sleep) I wanted to e-mail the director and say WHY, Why on earth did you pick me?
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]tillianion wrote:
Mar. 25th, 2009 08:52 pm (UTC)
What terrific news! Well done, you lucky bloody bugger. Have a great time.
| Reply | Thread
[info]azahru wrote:
Mar. 26th, 2009 10:34 pm (UTC)
thankyou :-)
| Reply | Parent | Thread
( 38 comments — Leave a comment )