A Learning Process.

I had my first session with Tracy Hickman last week. I signed up for his Scribe's Forge course, as I'd previously threatened to do, and thoroughly enjoyed it. We had a 90 minute webinar, where he taught us via webcam, and we responded and asked questions by typing as we looked up pages in a workbook.

Obviously a face-to-face workshop would be better - it would certainly suit my learning style, but I'm limited here in Australia.

I've written on the dearth of Spec-Fic workshops in the local scence before. Writers Victoria runs them from time to time, and I've recently completed a good Jack Dann course there. I also did a two day workshop with Sean Williams a few years ago, and I spent three months being mentored by Paul Haines.

Most of these, however, were based on critting each others work and developing our own stories. The Tracy Hickman workshop is based around some writing theory and method, and this is something I've longed for.

Already it's given me better ideas on how to construct stories and characters, and that's only after the first session.

It's all learning, and that's something I continue to do. I look back at stories that I wrote even just a year ago, and can see how I could have improved them. I analyse elements of short stories I read, and see what works and what doesn't. But mostly I try to apply what I've learnt to my new writing.

I always learn a lot as I go. But a course or two in the basics never goes astray.

Workshop Shopping.

I recently completed the Jack Dann workshop, held at Writers Victoria. It consisted of five sessions, roughly a month apart. And while I found it very useful and valuable, it wasn't exactly what I'd thought it was going to be.

I guess I really wanted a masterclass.

There was an extremely diverse range of experiences among the participants - from a few who had never written a sentence before to a couple of us with a history of publications. As such, much of the critiquing was aimed at the beginners.

I read of writers in the U.S. that attend workshops held by Orson Scott Card, or Kris Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith, Mike Resnick, or other writing luminaries. You often need to audition, to submit a piece of writing to attend these workshops before the participants are selected.

I rarely see any SF workshops like that advertised here.

Earlier this year, I looked at an online course advertised by Tracy Hickman. It looked good, the price seemed reasonable but the time was wrong. I'd just signed up for the Jack Dann thing and was finishing up a university course. I decided I would wait until the second half of the year before applying.

I checked it out recently - credit card in hand, and was rather surprised to see that the course had been restructured to involve live online sessions and the price had increased dramatically. More than doubled, in fact.

I'll pass, for the moment. And I'm not disparaging Mr. Hickman. I'm sure his course is excellent. It's just that it's more than I'd planned to spend at that time.

Clarion in Australia is on indefinite hiatus and, even if it re-commenced, taking the six weeks required to attend would be far too costly. (And I think my wife would not be happy.)

If anyone knows of any great online workshops run by people who know their stuff and at a reasonable price, I'd love to hear about it.

I've found the biggest improvements I've made in my writing were immediately after the Jack Dann course, and the Paul Haines mentorship.

And I'm all for improving my writing.

In Which Doris Gets Her Oats.

Phase one of the Jack Dann workshop at Writers Victoria kicked off yesterday morning.

There was a wide range of experience amongst the attendees, from those who may have scribbled down the occasional paragraph and have a few ideas, to those who have a publication history. It was great to see Gitte Christensen again and to trade tips, ideas and war stories with her.

It took me back to when I was starting out, three or so years ago. I'd written two quick, short stories - just to see if I could write, and then had no idea what to do with them. I signed up for a Sean Williams workshop with no real idea of what to expect. We had to sub 1,000 word sample to Sean, which in my naivety I presumed was only so Sean could see what our writing was like. I had absolutely no idea about manuscript formatting. And, I had absolutely no idea our work would be critiqued.

I was embarrassed by my writing, and very, very reticent to show it to anyone.

Yesterday, it was interesting to see those who are just starting to write. Some of the attendees were unsure of even how to start that first paragraph, and a couple seemed to find 5,000 words over the next month or so a little daunting. Me, I'll knock out something and sub it without too much worry, and look forward to the critiquing.

I must admit after the Sean Williams workshop, it took me a long time to find critters I could trust. I was confused by the range of comments, some from clearly inexperienced writers. I rewrote that story, trying to incorporate all the ideas - only to discover that I'd sucked all the life and soul from it. I threw that out and returned to the previous draft.

It's about discernment. By all means, listen to all critters - realising they are all potential readers, but also understanding that inexperience and enthusiasm may limit their critique value. Select carefully the comments you pay heed to, and then decide whether, and how, to incorporate any changes.

And it's always valuable to have critters who are either at a similar level to yourself, or somewhere you want to be. After all, I have a much better understanding of what makes a good story than I had three years ago.

Learning.

This year is going to be a year of learning for me.

Last year I commenced a post graduate course at Swinburne University that was related to my teaching. I've passed the first half of that course, and will complete the rest by June. And while I've no doubt some of it will be beneficial to my work, I must say I'll be glad when it's done and dusted. I'm not a very good on-line student. I'd much prefer to be in the classroom with real live teachers.

I've also been awarded (after an application and interview) a two-week study tour of China. I'll be heading off in a few months time with a bunch of colleagues from around the region to look at the Chinese education system in action. I must say I'm very excited about that trip and the implications it has for my own teaching. The National Curriculum, which is supposed to be hoisted upon English early next year, has Asia Literacy right at its heart. And so I intend to learn as much as I can while enjoying the people I meet and the food I am forced to eat.

Jack Dann is a name synonymous with science fiction here in Australia. A lively presence (how's that for tact?) at any convention or event of importance in Melbourne, Jack's a lot of fun to talk to and has a proven track record of published and edited work. And so I'm excited to have signed up for a five month course with Jack through Writers Victoria.

Anything else?

Well, there's always something more to learn, and I do have further plans for later in the year. But I guess those three will do for now.