PUGGY&#39;S HILL

As an alum I can attest to the friendship thing (at least so far--my life has only been so long, as of yet). It was also incredibly important in that I learned about critiquing well, I learned about submitting stories (and dealing with rejections), and I started networking (Thomas Seay insisted I look up Dora Goss, who introduced me to Ben Rosenbaum and Jim Kelly, who remembered me at ICFA several years later...).

Pretty sure Alphans also continue to storm the Dell Award each year, and several have published. (I feel like such a late bloomer compared to many of those who came after me....)

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Also, you're teaching at Alpha *now*? I am officially jealous!

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And I know I'd love her! Yes, I send myself back & forth through time occasionally . . . so very useful.

And, yes - Teachers make a huge difference. I stopped writing poetry in high school because my beloved Mr. Vargo did not sweat with enlightenment when I showed him my poetry notebook. I'll have to remember that when I talk to the young'uns.

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I know, I know . . . but it's the first time they've asked me.

Absolutely agree that learning to critique is one of the most useful things a writer can do: If you can critique other peoples' work, you can critique your own. I never workshopped when I was young - indeed, I'm not at all sure I could have withstood the experience! - but I did have a marvellous teacher in college who taught me to see my own work through her supportive but acute eye, and she has been with me ever since.

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csecooney.livejournal.com

How DARED he not perspire COPIOUS BUCKETS?

*goes back in time*

*pwns your beloved Mr. Vargo*

*wallows in splanchic oblations*

Ah, well.

Did you... you know... start up again at any point? Poetry-wise? If so, what made you? Or did you pour all your frustration and lyricism into prose?

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*smiles* I missed Dora too, but at least then I had the excuse of having been one of the people to introduce her to Diane.

The other thing I find has helped tremendously is having been both a literature major and a writing tutor. Studying literature and writing about it taught me to read critically and to communicate that criticism. Tutoring other people helped me to take those skills and turn them toward things like figuring out why a certain part of a student's paper confused me and then explaining that to the student so we could come up with possible solutions.

I can't underemphasize the networking thing, though. If Thomas hadn't insisted I seek out Dora I never would have met her, and if I hadn't met her I would never have gone to the Strange Horizons tea party where I met Ben Rosenbaum, nor would I have met Jim Kelly, and if I hadn't known Jim Kelly I would have been even more lonely and overwhelmed by my first ICFA than I was. (Though, I also would never have known about the Dell Award in the first place if I hadn't gone to Alpha.) And if I hadn't been introduced to all of these people as "a young writer you'll be seeing more of" I wonder if I would have had the same determination to live up to those introductions; certainly I felt a huge sense of relief when my first story was published, like I had fulfilled an obligation (in a good way) and could now move on to more important matters (like doing it again).

Not to put any pressure on you as a Grown Up Role Model Type Person or anything. ;)

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aamcnamara.livejournal.com

Sometimes I wish I'd gone to Alpha instead of Odyssey--Odyssey was fantastic, don't get me wrong, it was a phenomenal experience, but I still kind of wish I had that community of young writers.

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joshwriting.livejournal.com

Have a great time! The kids I know who've gone there have loved it and found it a life changing experience!

And Tammy loves it, too, a lot - but I suspect you knew that already.

Hmm...

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This is the last year that I qualify for Alpha (I'm 19 now), but sadly I probably won't be able to apply by the deadline. Pittsburgh isn't a convenient location--I'm on the opposite coast, in the Seattle area--and I'm not sure I'd be able to handle being so far from home by myself.

I do regret not going to Alpha--I would probably have loved it, and I would have met a lot of cool published writers, like Dora Goss. But ultimately I think I wasn't ready for it. Besides, my writing output started going way down starting in the second half of high school. I probably wouldn't have fit in anyway.

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Alan, I understand you might not be able to make it this year - but don't turn *yourself* down because your "output has gone down." There are times in everyone's life when we can't do a lot of creative work because other things are happening. I doubt that everyone at Alpha is a hyperproductive whizz kid - at least, I hope not! If you're even tempted, why not apply? You've got a month - and if you get in but aren't able to attend after all, I'm sure there's a waiting list....

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I hear ya.

Great icon pic, btw!

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Looking forward to seeing Tammy *twice* this year - we'll both be at DarkoverCon, too!

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Thanks, Ellen. You know what? I think I'll apply. I just need to pull out one of my stories and polish it up. If I get accepted, I'll probably go. If not, well, at least I can't say I didn't try.

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cerulean-sky.livejournal.com

As another alum, I agree with most everything that

hobbit_em said. The people I met there are great friends, resources and people I'm so glad to have met. My two years were a wonderful experience I wish I could repeat every year of my life.

Also, I did not know that they'd never asked you! I remember talking about Swordspoint with Jules when I was there my first year. I'd have mentioned your name when they were askin the alums for suggestions for people to ask. Well, at least you're going this year! Yay!

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cerulean-sky.livejournal.com

I feel like such a late bloomer compared to many of those who came after me....

Urk. If you're a late bloomer, I'm not sure I even seeded correctly. I've stopped writing almost entirely to focus on school. :/

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Good! This is a *good* plan, based on *good* advice from Ellen!

I write really slowly. Add to that college and then grad school, and 1-2 part time jobs, and a lot of hobbies, and there've been times over the past six years when I've written nothing but papers for months. And that's okay.

Just so you know, in case you end up going, another thing that's actually okay? Not finishing your story while you're at Alpha. Or writing a story that's total crap. I've done it, both years I was there. I still got a lot out of it, and I've managed to get things published since, so clearly none of these things (being busy, writing slowly, writing crap stories at a workshop) is the end of the world.

You may know all of this already, but I am a perfectionist and need to remind myself sometimes, so there you go. ;) And good luck!

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http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/

Well, I'm a) a few years older and b) farther along in school, so you should factor those things in as well. And I suspect I'm gonna get little to no writing done this month, what with doing both of my practica (like student teaching) plus an online class.

Didn't write anything worth mentioning the entire year of my senior project, either.

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That's wonderful: congratulations. (I am very envious of those who will be tutored by you.)

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aamcnamara.livejournal.com

And I had applied to both that year, so I could have quite realistically gone--on the other hand, Odyssey was pretty great, and over the years I will probably get to know more writers my age (including people who did do Alpha).

Thanks! I'm very fond of it.

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midnightsmagic.livejournal.com

Much agreement with the previous comment!

I am an Alpha alumna--I actually went the last two years I was eligible--and sometimes I feel like a complete fraud because I write very occasionally. In fact, I was first accepted to Alpha based on a story that was three years old at the time. It was still a life-changing experience, I learned to take my writing seriously when I do get around to doing some, and I now have a network of friends all across the country.

Even if you're not doing a lot of writing now, if you are serious about writing generally, Alpha is well worth it. (Actually, I wasn't even serious about writing when I first went. Alpha changed my mind.)

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lumykins.livejournal.com

Another Alphan here! I went twice ('09 and '10) and I can't begin to describe how amazing it is. I'm always trying to get eligible people to at least apply. I made great friends, I learned so much about writing (both the craft and the business side, which I was previously ignorant of), and it's also just fun.

And, oh my gosh, I love Dora Goss. She taught there my first year.

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I'm going through the feeling-like-a-fraud stage as well. And honestly, my application story is probably going to be a finished and revised version of a story I started two years ago. Either that one or a story I started a year ago. I'm definitely out of practice, but it's so much because of not wanting to write--I do. It's not having the time and/or energy for creativity when I'm drained from going to classes and doing homework.

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Thanks for posting this.

I'm definitely a slow writer, too, as well as a perfectionist. Plus high school was so stressful for me that it took out most of the energy I would need in order to write. Having started college in September, I'm pretty busy and still adjusting. Writing just isn't a priority, except when it involves writing papers for classes.

I didn't realize you didn't have to finish a story at Alpha. I just assumed that it was expected. If I do get accepted to Alpha, the story I write there probably won't be my best story. That's almost expected when you haven't written much in a long time.

And since I have a smaller workload this weekend, I'm going to work on my application story right now. :)

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*grins* Oh, I never said it wasn't expected--it is, or at least it's the goal. There just also isn't any penalty for failing to finish, except that maybe you feel a bit silly. Even a partial draft is something your classmates can critique and give you feedback on, and most of what I (and I think all of us) got out of Alpha applies to far more than just one story.

Yay smaller workload! I find I always want to write most when my workload is too big. :P

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keilexandra

Oh my. I'm a 2007 Alpha alum and next year will be my last eligibility--if you do the math, you might not be surprised to learn that I was the youngest student at my Alpha. It was truly a life-changing experience, made possible by financial aid; and I hope to attend Confluence, at least, this summer to see everyone again and honor Ann Cecil's memory.

In many ways, Alpha has come full circle--I first discovered Alpha through YOUR post, Ellen, way back in 2007. And now you're teaching there! Let jealousy ensue. I count you firmly among my top two favorite authors (along with Guy Gavriel Kay).

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midnightsmagic.livejournal.com

I am with you there, 100%. I took five fiction writing classes in college just because I needed the excuse and impetus to get some writing done. I'm not sure if I would have finished a single story in undergrad otherwise. In your circumstances, I would say that Alpha is just what you need--10 days of time devoted to the craft of writing, to get you back into things.

Best of luck!

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This is probably the first year I could have fit it in, anyhow - so it all works out!

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Dora's amazing. She seems to have made a huge difference for many Alphans.

So glad you love Alpha- do send some more great people my way!

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Thank you!

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