Suzy's Last Session/Nancy Kress Arrives

Saturday, June 19, 2004

Suzy did a session this morning about several topics: writer's block, character generation, editors & agents.

Most of the writer's block info dealt with process and how to set yourself up for success – having a regular time/place to write, freewriting to get unstuck. Stop writing just before you finish a scene; make notes on what happens next. The next day you can review what you've done and you'll have a better idea of where to take the story next. Reward yourself when you complete a scene. (What's not to like about that?)

Observing people is a must for character generation. Get on a bus and watch people. Pick a person who looks interesting and write a set of descriptions. What assumptions am I making about the person I'm looking at? Every head is a world.

Some really valuable information on what to look for (and look out for) when trying to work with editors and agents. (Much too much information to include here, but it's all in my notes if anyone's interested.)

Nancy Kress arrived today while I was throwing the Frisbee with Tenea, Marjorie, Eric, Arnn and Peter. She was a little overwhelmed by all the names, but she did pretty well learning them so quickly. I am really excited; Nancy is one of the main reasons I applied to Clarion. I've respected her work for a long time. I knew after just one meeting she had with P.O.E. that she was an incredible teacher. Can't wait to hear what she’s got to say.