Duckus scribbulus

For the next 6 weeks, I'm doing the Clarion West shadow writing workshop! My duck seems to understand: he has made a nest out of my fuzzy boot, and yells at me to keep still, too. I figure he either thinks I am nesting or knows I'm writing, and in either case he has his job and I have mine, so I better do what he says!

My specific goals are to write several short stories and many poems (20?) in the 6 weeks. The short stories are to submit to a sci-fi/fantasy children's e-zine, Spellbound, and a grown up Baltimore e-zine, Smile Hon, You're in Baltimore. The poems are for both those e-zines, and for a couple of upcoming Iguana books, to become a series with his first book, Poetry by the Iguana. I've already written two Iguana poems, another poem that I'll submit to either Smile, Hon or a writers' zine, and have gotten a start on 2 or 3 more. I did start a short story but have changed the focus and tone of it and turned it into one of the poems.

My more general goals are to work on my chapter books unrelentingly. It is much harder for me to write prose than poems, and so I am determined to use this workshop time to become more comfortable writing in prose!

So there is a lot of exciting stuff happening for Iguana and Zantippy's other friends, getting their lives into words so that other people can share in their adventures!

The main workshop helps fledgling science fiction and fantasy writers focus, with help from more experienced sci-fi writers. Ursala le Guin has been there! They always have different sci-fi writers come to speak and teach! This costs money, and many potential students can't afford it, so Clarion West raises some of its scholarship funds through a shadow workshop.  Any of us can join online and work on writing goals, while raising money for future scholarships!

This year over 200 people are involved in the shadow workshop, which runs from June 18 - July 27. It is really interesting to go to the main page of participants and see what people have as their goals. Here is my page!

*The pic of my duck is by my friend, who I call Widders :) *