Back in 2005 I was a teacher at Clarion South, the Australian wing of the annual “science fiction writers’ boot camp.” Basically, Clarion is a six-week residential course (“residential” meaning you live there) where 15 prospective writers take classes from experts in the field, write a short story a week, and critique each other.
It’s a life-changing experience. At every sf convention I see former Clarionites screaming when they recognize each other, then rushing into hugs. I’ve happily watched my own Clarion students publish a slew of great stories and three novels (so far). We’ve all stayed in contact since, sharing the trials and tribulations of the writing life.
The vastness of Clarion’s effects isn’t surprising, though. What Justine and I have learned from our writing vacations in Mexico , Argentina, and Bangkok, is that there’s something that happens to your brain when it focuses solely on writing, away from friends and family. For a lot of graduates, Clarion is the first time that has ever happened
What I didn’t know is that there’s also a sort of mini-Clarion for teenagers, called Alpha.
The ALPHA SF/F/H Workshop for Young Writers (ages 14 – 19) will be held at the University of PittsburghΓ’β¬β’s Greensburg Campus July 16 – 25, 2008 in conjunction with Pittsburgh’s science fiction convention, Confluence, July 25 – 27th.
We’re looking for enthusiastic, talented young writers who have a strong interest in science fiction, fantasy and/or horror and a passion for writing.
Come spend ten days working with professional authors, each of whom will spend two days at the workshop.
There are four instructors this year, including the wonderful Tamora Pierce. The application deadline is March 1, and the workshop costs $950, which sounds pretty good for a private room, food, and a life-changing experience.
A bonus: Acceptance is based solely on the short story you submit. No high-school transcripts or stupid essays about what famous person in history you’d like to meet!
1st comment???
wow! 2nd comment! thats a first π
3rd YES closest i have ever gotten!
anyway.. wow this is soo cool! it looks like it would be tons of fun!
sounds awsome!!! wish that i could go!!!
wow that is really cool!
that looks like fun, but im only 13 :'(
…my mom probably wouldn’t let me go though. π
That sounds really cool. I’d love to go to that, especially if Tamora Pierce is there; I read pretty much only her books for a year straight in middle school. Probably won’t be able to go, which sucks, becuase it sounds really interesting.
wow! i wish i lived closer
Holy crap!! I really want to get in!! And that’s an understatement. Now I need to get writing.
Hi must get comment 13
YaY!!!
OH!!! That would be SOOO Fawsome!!!!! Wish I could do it…. but I can’t… π *sigh*
crap crap crap!!! Why must my birthday be in October?!?!?
This is soooooooooooooo unfair!!! I want to go! And yes I am throwing a temper tantrum. Will they be doing it next year too?
I sure hope so.(sorry I usually don’t throw a fit like that)
Now I am muy depressed.It sounds like the perfect opportunity, dang it. *sigh *
Trying to calm down.failing miserably.
I put a curse on my parents for lack of $950 and not having me a year earlier….
I also curse myself for lack of short story….
Maybe next year?
if only i had 950 dollars…….
i absolutely love to write!!!!!!
and i’d have my 15th birthday while doing the camp!
w00t!
july 23 is the coolest date EVER!!!! XD
I can get the money…and the stories, which are currently in my head or awaiting on my computer desktop…only things that I need are to be a couple months older, and my Mom to be less protective.
I wish I had found something like that when I was in high school. I had excellent writing classes in college, though. Now I learn from reading, and writing. π
I’m only 13
My mom wouldn’t let me go even if I was older
wow…sounds awesome! somehow i don’t think the parentals would consent though…you think they’d want to get me off their hands for 10 days of summer, but if it involves them paying a sum of money it ain’t gonna happen
but i’m gonna work on ’em. seriously i’d love to do that…
not getting hopes up though
Sweet! Thanks for the info, Scott. I’m definately going to apply.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! SO foolio!!!!!
sucks for me. π im only 13!
-Lizzy-wa OUT! π₯
aww poo im 12 =[ sounds beast tho !!
I won’t be 14 until a WEEK after the story is due. How’s my luck?
Man! Thats not fair! I want to do it! That is totally fawesome!!!!
O_O I really, really want to do that. A lot. Oh. My. Somehow I will figure out a way to do it.
omg, you get my email?
Ahhh I wish I could go but im only 13!!!!!
ughh, i want to gooo =[[
too bad i couldn’t..
that suckss.
>.> I’ve started writing my story even though I have no idea if I’ll be allowed to go or not, etc. Jeez, I want to go so badly. D:
nooooooooo!!!!!!!!! im only 13 *wails loudly * its noooooottttttt ffffffaaaaaaiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrr. i waaaaannnnnttttttt toooooo gooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i wouldn’t b able 2 get the money!!!!!!!! im already going to a conference in washington 4 over 1000 dollars neway but that oppertunity is so much better!!!!! i want to be a famous author who gets millions of hits on her famous blog!!!!! isss noooottt faaairrrr. i wanna go!!!!!!!! *bursts into tears at her computer*
is it an annual thing? cuz if it is will you b a teacher next year scott? *whipes the tears away and knows it will be all better if these 3 things happen* *sniffle* i will do nething 2 get in. i mean seriously, i think im a good author. sadness. i mean scott, just quickly read twilight new moon and eclipse then click my name. please. please please!!!!!! scott if u wont answer my questions then just do this 4 me. then comment on what u think i could do to improve this (and if you kind enough to look at my other storys them as well(: please )
one story. u would make this young aspiring author so happy if you would do this. u would make a huge difference in her life. she will never bother you again if u do this for her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! please. *sighs shes not even sure if you bother to read her comments nemore. all she knows is she takes pleasure in the few fans she has. sigh**bursts into tears again
o btw allie-wa says hi
wow. that sounds like it would be frickking incredible.
would be crazy awesome. and…crazy awesome.
and on the basis of a short story?
wow. that would…rock.
i mean, Pittsburg is kinda far away, but still…that sounds so awesome.
did i mention that would be incredible?
i mean, i dunno if my parents would let me go and stuff….
and that is a lot of money….
but i do have a perfect short story about zombie crows that i have so much love for….and another i could finish…and a third that’s less literary but also cool.
my god….that would just be…so…awesome….
i mean, it couldn’t hurt to apply, right?
I mean, parents letting me go is doubtful. but i am old enough. but the money….
but it’s near my birthday….
do they do this every year? seems like it. if so, i’m definitly saving up.
Oh wow. I am so submitting a story for this. I might scrounge up the money if I actually got in. AHHH! So cool!
*write write write*
woo! comment 39!
random but useful.
god, this sounds so great. but……………….
money.
parents.
getting to Pittsburg.
yeah.
*wants to go so much it hurts*
that would be awesome. not this year, i think, but maybe next year.
god, that sounds very great. very very great.
Huh…maybe I’ll see you there Serafina Zane, cuz I can’t go this year cuz I’ll be like three months too young. Very unfair, it’s like dangling the opportunity in my face and then snatching it away, and I know I’m probably overreacting, but still.
Gar. It would be so much money to go if I got in. D: Washington State to Pittsburg?! AH! Plus the cost of actually going, and the cost for staying for the convention.
I really want to go, though. *keeps writing*
omg i must’ve read every word on the sitre scott linked to for “details”
so fawesome…but so, so expensive.
this is cruel. maybe if i pay some the parentals will let me apply!
yeah, i’m old enough, but the parent-swinging to let me go to Pittsburg and be there alone for almost two weeks, and the money. yeah. think i’m waiting til next year.
would be totally funny if a bunch of us westerblog people got in…be all crazy and writy real-lifey.
California to Pittsburgh.
*Ahhhhhhhh!!!*
new jersey to pittsburg
still sort of *ahhhh*
My parents no how much i love writeing so if i was old enough they would totally let me go! right mom…..? you would let me go right!?!?!! Right?!!?!?! Phew, she would. O so i didnt ask her but……. shes not mean.
I am sooooooo happy!!!! I am in LOVE with my story. I read a chapter of my old story. It stanks!!!! Talk about weird. It to rushy. It like
“She said hi and then she was in 3rd peroid now shes in 7th period now she at home!”
It sucked and now im a freakin fawesome writer!!! I wouldnt lie, if i suck, i would tell myself. Trust me…..
YEA! we would all see each other for real! I always find it cool when you see people you haven’t seen for a long time or people you know but just talking. Its cool and fun! Im pretty! Have i ever said that cause i am! Im still happy! Weeeee! Too happy! Did i mention i just had 2 chacolates you would think its not alot of suger but man do i feel suger rushed! Whoa! Its weird cause if im happy and i write you can tell i was happy but if im mad and i write you could tell i was mad when i wrote it, because the people always reflect me mood.
begin in love with what you’re writing is the best feeling. i loves it.
and getting better at writing is equally awesome.
I dont no, theres something about writng that makes me feel like i can make some life that sooo aweseome. Not only that but i can describe things that so unrealistic and at the same time make it so real. Its just the best thing ever. Some people think its like nerdy or w/e to write but its really great. It also helps to have people (namely westerfeldian friends) to help encourage you and reassure you that it is totally cool to write!
I love Tamora Peirce!!! Why can’t I go!!??? Stupid summer school, I just have to be taking gym and CALM in the summer so I have time during the year for all the options I want to take, bleh this sucks…. o well I’d rather take summer school than give up art, graphic art and foods during the year…. but still I’d so rather go to this!
I asked my mom and initially she was like, “NO WAY! Last summer you would not even take writing class at UW!”
But now my parents are actually talking about letting me go because I told them that nothing in Seattle (which there isn’t much of…) would be as fun or interesting. So I’ll have to see what happens. We were going back east anyways, and would need to stop in Pittsburg.
*crosses fingers*
i feel so OLD. π
“maybe if i pay some the parentals will let me apply!”
you should apply anyway, b/c then you can be like, “hey, parents, guess what? i got accepted into this REALLY PRESTIGIOUS AND AWESOME writing program.” and then they’ll be so impressed, on top of the fact that you’re willing to help pay for it. π
haha i agree bran-la…do you have a blog or anything that you’ve put your writing up on? i wanna reeeaaadddd them!
that would be ah-mazing if we all did it and all got in…we’d be like
“hi, bran-al! hi, serafina zane!”
“um, dude, that’s not my real name.”
something KINDA like that happened to me…like i went to a chorus geek camp thing for a week and met a girl and we exchanged emails, and then i didn’t see her till the next year and we forgot what each other looked like so i was like “kelly*, is that you?” and she was like “yes! omg, you came this year!”
*name has been changed for security purposes.
haha, good idea rebecca!
yeah, i worked all last summer since it was the first year i was legally allowed to, and i’m such a miser w/ my money that i still have most of my savings from it.
*ponders the countless possibilities*
yeah. going to book signings of authors you stalk is liek that too.
it’s all. yo. i have a real name in the real world.
and really. writing is…amazing. writing is really the best thing ever.
hmmm. i wish i could go to a scott-la book signing. has anyone ever managed to convince their parents to visit sydney and/or new york (or wherever scott happens to be) just to go to a random signing, and if so, HOW DID YOU DO IT!!! i would luv tips!
writing is fawesome. i like words
I love writing for so many reasons, I wouldn’t be able to list them all, but basically it’s a passion and an outlet from the stress of boring everyday life, because I can make anything that I want happen.(and now I sound like a 500-year old librarian.*shivers*)
See Ya!
Thank you so, so much for telling us about this. I’m so giddy that I’m shaking (probably not a good thing this late at night). First thing tomorrow, I’m gonna tell my mom that the perfect 18th birthday gift would be to go to this workshop. I have to get in first, of course, but I think I have a shot. I’m more than halfway done with a story that would be perfect for submission.
I mean, really. Tamora Pierce? I’ve inhaled her books since the eighth grade.
Thanks again, and good luck to everyone else applying!
humph. hehe. like…nobodys old enough. sucks for us.
Sera-la you are SO lucky!!! i mean, the whole money thing mite mean you cant go. but at least your old enough. and you no if you applied you wood get in. your the best author in the world! and i seriously wanna hear that zombie crows story.
next year we should all apply and then we cood totally meat each other and “share the fawesome experience”. that wood be so fawesome. expecially if Scott was a teacher!!! *couch* intended for Scott *end couch*.
-Lizzy-wa OUT! π
omg my parent will let me go if they like my story but i dont think i could do it becauase A. i would be scard to be around all of those authers and have them read what i write. B. i luv writing but i dont kno if i could write a story every week because i like my stuff to be good so i takes a while to write. but mabye ill change my mind
hey Kaylee-wa. you only have to rite a story every week in the boot camp. in the Alpha thingy, your only there for 10 days.
-Lizzy-wa OUT! π
Hm…950 dollars………..
I’d rather have more authors to choose from.
This is completely off topic but I thought EXTRAS fans which is all of us I know, would be greatly interested – http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2008/01/electronic_contact_lenses.html – This link tells us that eye screen like Aya’s is completely possible. Just
excitement geek-overload!
I have the whole list of things you should never do linked to my name….I think…
yup! I do
My mom says that I am reading books she doesn’t approve of because they contain
-death
-fights
-mythical creatures (most specifically she doesn’t approve of vampire books, so I couldn’t buy Peeps π )
-and whole bunch of other junk
Wow, this sounds like so much fun! And I was totally stressing about what sort of project to undertake this summer too. No essays π Thanks for posting about this on your blog!!
Now, where exactly is the University of PittsburghΓ’β¬β’s Greensburg Campus, I wonder? *scurries off to check Google Maps*
~Issy
ugh, that’s lame Netta-la.
WILL THE DUCT TAPE NEVER END?!?!?!?
wow, thanx Lizzy-wa. i really think i’ll probably wait til next year, but praise rocks!
yeah, the zombie crows story kind of kicks ass. i wrote it for english class and it’s all about this bad heavy metal band from Iowa. and, of course, zombie crows. but mostly band jokes.
Well, my step-mom says the same thing and calls me the wrong name
The lenses were tested on rabbits for up to 20 minutes and the animals showed no adverse effects.
WHAT?
Why test it on RABBITS!?!?!?
GRRR…
those contact lenses make mine look like crap
okay so i have been reading uglies and i notice i look like ugly tally execpt for my full lips, there like the only pretty feature i have though so weird i think im crazy
heres a photo
ps my eyes look huge in photos but are really small in real life
and i look really young
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/rember89/Photo80.jpg
wooo there are 2 Kaylee’s on this blog. that’s fool. it’s a good thing i changed mine to Kay-wa. otherwise i would be confuzzled every time someone said Kaylee.
well…it’s rant time. sorry in advance. ok so my grandpa is driving me crazy. he takes me home from school each day and he’s always telling me how i need to bake him food and how bogus it is to be a photographer. π and i’m soooo sick of it. i would like to be a writer, but i’m not very good at it and i don’t think i have the ideas. and the other thing that i have my heart set on is photography b/c i love love love love taking pictures. always have. always will. but he can’t get it through his head that it’s not always about money. b/c today he was like well you can’t be a photographer theres no money in it and crap like you’ll never make it. and it just made me very maddddddddddd. grrrr…
ok ranting is over. sorry about that. i just had to tell someone.
i always wanted to be a writer scince like forever. i just don’t know why, i guess it’s cause i really like words
yea i would love to be a writer. the only thing holding me back is writers block. i don’t have enough good ideas in my head to write a book. i’ve tried, and i always end up giving up b/c i can’t think of anything else.
jumpy-wa…fawesome link. sounds really fool!
OMG, seriously Kay-wa, you’re into photography too?!
SAME HERE!!
The parental units don’t get it, like at all, and I haven’t even bothered to try to explain it to the grand-parentals.
But don’t worry, as long as photography makes you happy, then stick with it. Life is too short to be stuck doing something you hate. And just because you like it doesn’t mean it has to turn into a career; it could just stay a hobby.
π
This is my latest one:
http://crystal-marbles.deviantart.com/art/Chewed-and-Cast-Aside-74642619
It’s not very good though, because I’m just starting to get into photography and I’m trying to actually get a better camera (prosumer at the very least), but yup. (Oh, and any concrit would be greatly appreciated! <3)
~Issy
I’ve always wanted to be a writer…ever since I was 3
i want to be a writer my mom is one
im working on a storry its called blurry
well im still planning it out its been postponed because of school work
oh well
so u like my photo
I have eternal writers block
so it’s not really a good career for me
lol
i also draw
I LOVE DRAWING
any way my story is about a girl who has a sickness called blurry where she sees numbers and her eyes are purple and she meets a kid whos uncle knows how to fix it and so on
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/rember89/Photo19-1.jpg
i really need a scanner
I suck at drawling! Ha! I dont really like it that much.
Taylor: im really late on getting back at comments but, hello, school. But no i don’t have a blog. I wish i did but my mom wont let me. So, yeah. I wish i could let you guys read it! It fawesome.
Maybe if i email it to scott he will put it up, right scott……
For each book i write i send out an email to all my friends and saying “Ok i need and editor, a is-this-chapter-good person and someone who will read it when im totally done!” They all respond saying what they want to be and i got all my peeps! The girl who tells me if each chapter is like fawesome is really helpful. she says what shes thinks will happen and if they story needs something added to it! Its like my little community!
I use to want to be a photgrapher. Then i stood back and looked at my life and said “Wait one second. I have been writing storys on and off for about 5 years now! Hello, this is my calling! Look Bran! U love to write and u havent even noticed! Im gonna be an author.” and there i was born! Ever since that monet i have enjoyed writing very very much and dont care what others think!
I hate it when people go all “wheres the money” on you! Yes, i want money to buy stuff but no i dont need to be no Mrs. Gates! I can live with having an average life with average money. Again, i dont want to be an author because i think ill be rich i dont cause there not. I like having a normal life, dont need to mess it up now.
yeah, i’ve always wanted to be a writer, mainly because writing is the only way those stupid voices in my head go away.
wow Netta. not calling you by your right name? bogus.
cool idea Tali-wa.
great pic too! (whoever. Kay-wa?)
i love phototgraphy too—and do what’s fun! going for money at this age is bogus. do what you love! and photography is FUN!
yeah, we have this crazyold scanner, i use it but it’s supppperslow, but scanned drawings are much funner to mess around with.
thanks
omg
i really should start working on it
i know this sounds stupid but for every story i make a powerpoint with the plot and everything
yay and u can actully see the drawing well
the sad part is all i can really draw is mainly horses
Isabella- i love your photos!! they are all very fawesome. the leaf is simply fantastic and another one of my faves was the “Shuttle in my life.” very fool with all the colors. how did u take that one? and thanks for the advice. it’s nice to know that i’m not alone on the whole parents don’t get it thing. when Scott posted this i wondered about a photography camp so i went to google and found this: http://www.socapa.org/photographycamps.htm
it looks really fool. and i’ve always wanted to go to NYC but my parents probably wouldn’t let me go to the camp b/c of the cost. π *sadness*
and nopers the pic wasn’t mine it was Isabella’s.
i know i cant go to horse camp because its way up there
but my dad may lease me a horse
oops, sorry, Kay-wa.
dude, how awesome would it be if Scott-la did this writing workshop thing? that would be so fawesome….
omg but im too young
wimpers
Ive gone to NYC. It was freakin cool.
I love how my parents are supportive of my choice to write. Not only does it make you feel flexulant but you know youll always have someone to turn too.
I have to retype my Essya on a movie Spellbound. It was boring, it was about the the obvious, spelling bee. It was long and boring. Not saying people who spell are weird im saying spellihng bee movies are weird.
ur write
my mom is really supportive of me writting cause she writes too
100 sry had to do thast
I think my parents will let me do Alpha if I get in. I’ve finished the first draft of my short story now, so I’m really excited. π
u should be
im still too young
but working on story wuts ur story about
I’m the only one in my family (other than Becca & Alice) that cares one bit about writing…
I have a friend who can draw really well
My friend Ellie likes photography and writing
I like photograpy too, I just pretty much suck at it…
omg i have no setting for my story oh no
i like photography
im alright
but righting and drawing r my callings
okay is this touching the girls bf says this
Γ’β¬Εyou can see, everyone can see, but you can also look, thatΓ’β¬β’s something specialΓ’β¬Β
i told u what it was about up there but here u go anyway
Beginning=??????
Middle = meets boy, uncle can fix her with surgery, uncle lives far away, not connected to parents, so cant ask them runs away with boy,
End= meets other blurries before and asfter surgery how lost and sad they are, doesnΓ’β¬β’t want it
Problem = wants to be normal
Solution = likes the way she is
I want to go sooooo bad!!!!!!!!!!!! BUt i am only 12 so *tears*!!!!!!!!!! i will go in 2 years…….. anyone know how to remind myself in 2 years?…….. ah well…….
So today my Ela teacher yelled at me and she was like “Sophie-La are you in JR Beta?” And i Said “No” And she was like “WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i would love to have your speaking skills and ur creative writing skills in JR Beta!!!!” And i Was like “Sry miss. —-” And she was like “I m makeing u do it next year!!!!!!!!!!! You have to!!!!!!!!!” And i was like “ok” cause she had gotten mad infront of the entire Class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sooooo?
Sophie-La
Word π
I know im only 12
cry cry cry
whats jr beta
sry my dumb elemtrary dumbness
Great book idea Tali-wa. Yeah, so basically my parents are like 100 percent behind me on my love for writing and my hopes to be an author. It’s great, but really annoying sometimes when I catch them bragging to their friends about me writing a book.
You guys probably don’t want my cheesy advice but it’s worked for me so far. Don’t push yourself to write, let the words flow through the pencil or in some cases, keyboard.Yep, yep, yep. When I’m writing I don’t even think about what I’m doing, sometimes I’m not even sure what I’m writing until I’m finished. It’s like the pencil has a mind of it’s own.*duh duh duh!*
i know what u mean but i like to plan everything i do so i go somewhere
and as my mom says
“I like scott westerfeld because his books are so grey, there is no black and white”
which in writter talk means
theres no bad guy and good guy
yay my moms an author so i know a lot about publishing ur book and advertising it, like BOOK EXPOS(the best things in the world)
My friends always so “How long are you goign to make it?” Im like “Uh, as long as i need it to be?” and they go “So how many chapter is it going to be?” Uh!!!! I dont no!!!!! I just write!
Heres my teacher story: Last year, when i wrote my name i did it really fast. So, lets say my last name is, here ill use the presidents name Bush, so if that was my name Bran-la Bush (hehehehe) then i wrote it on my paper like Buh. So i was always leaving out a letter and the teacher would make me go up in front of the class and rewrite my name on the paper on the stool in the front of the room. I was always so mad. And she would say “Bran-la doesnt no how to spell her last name!” and im thinking “I no how to spell my freakin last name lady i just didnt put that letter when i write fast!!!!” Urg……
OMG, lol, I know I wrote my name with a lowercase t because it looks better tali, than Tali, and my teacher always looks at me funny
also today i had to go to violin, and we have to w8 outside while shes finishing teaching so i walk in and take my violin and shes all like “who let you in TOLI(she never says my name right) and i was alike i have violin and she looks down
I HATE that question too Bran-la! “How long is it going to be?”Do people not understand the concept of writing?
omg i tell nobody that im writing a story because ive been working on it for like 4 months and im still outlining it and naming the characters and fun stuff
LIKE THE SETTING
OMG I HATE THINKING OF SETTINGS
I CANT THINK OF ONE
I always use where i live. Because i just no the places were i live and everything is in NYC. It makes me mad.
Really, u don’t pick how many pages u want, u write till u done. It can take 300 or 300,000 so it just depends.
yay i know wut u mean, oh and my mom is all like you got a get off of this blog comment thingy unless you tell them about my book so
http://www.carmenferrieroesteban.com
its called two moon princess
okay so now i can stay yay
i dont know i live in a small town, it might not work i dont know if i want it to be in the future or something
like did u read scott-las post about extras and how the first copy was done in hiros pov, but it didnt work out so he had to change it
Thats exacly how i started my story. When i first did it i started the story too soon and it wasnt making any sence the way i was intrducing carters that…ok tell u after dinner!!!!
enjoy ur meal!!!!
im making a powerpoint about the plot and other fun stuff
omg i live sooo close to the writter thing dumb age
Yeah, the story that I started writing at first was totally different than what I’m writing now, cuz I had this fabulous idea and at first I tried to tie it into the book that I was already writing but it didn’t fit so I decided to start another one altogether. Ewwwww!!! My dog threw up cuz it ate a snail.Well like six snails.Ewwww!!!
I am much more comfortable doing everything on the computer because it looks cleaner, but when I do write on paper it’s normally because I’m at school…
the only story I’m writing has no title except possibly Escape but the story itself makes no sense (I’m working on it though)
I don’t tell any of my friends that I’m writing stories. Their constructive criticism sucks. They always say “Well, that name is really weird.” and I say “IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE!” and then they leave.
My dog eats carpets and then has to get his stomach pumped
looks so much like uglies http://a.abcnews.com/images/GMA/pd_face_lift_070831_ms.jpg
i dont got no dog
cry cry
Creepy link
Yeah, I told some of my friends about how I’m writing a book and they just don’t understand. Some even of this insane obsession in writing a book of their own now. I say insane because they ask me all the time how far I am, and once I responded chapter two. And they’re all, Are you serious? You’ve been writing longer than me and I’m already on like chapter 12. And then I was all Let me see. And she had about two pages written, and I tell her Those are paragraphs NOT chapters. And she asks to see mine and I had like 20 pages and her mouth drops open and she’s like I not reading all that. That is not just two chapters. And I was all Do you understand the difference between a paragraph and a chapter? Between an essay and a NOVEL? Yeah apparently she doesn’t but yeah so she’s not actually my friend she’s more of an acquaintance. Poor naive soul.
My puppy ate a whole jar of gum balls once and we had to feed her peroxide to make her puke it up. Yeah I’m done talking about my dogs and their freekish urges to eat non edible things.
i know sry im an odd person and a bored person who doesnt want to be doing hw
I finished my homework luckily
well, whats due tomorrow
yay i only have 3 more problems so oh well
OMG!!! SO I AM SOOOOOOOO FREAKING EXCITED. I CAN HARDLY CONTAIN MYSELF!!!!!
ok so i asked my mom if i could go to the photography camp in NYC and she said yes!!!!!!!! *so happy, almost crying* wow!!! this is like my dream! and i’m convincing my friend who is really into dancing and acting to come with me cuz the camp is like for acting, dancing, photography, and film making. omgsh!!! i’m sorry i’m just really pumped and hyper right now! ahhhhhh!!!!!!! π π π
i shall start a story
on the comp
yes!
i need something to do with math, some thing
hard to explain
nice job kay-lay
Thanks for the link, Kay-wa!
You’re going to the camp in NYC?! That’s awesome, lucky you! =D
Man, this is tough: both the filmmaking and photography sessions sound absolutely AMAZING. First I’m going to have to try to convince les parents to let me go though…
Which reminds, I actually found this other filmmaking camp ad thing in this magazine…
Either way, this summer’s going to be BIG. I can just tell. π π π
~Issy
I always write on the computer. It is organized and its always there!! *knock knock*
I like the computer too because everything is organized and my messy handwriting isn’t scribbled on it
i wanna go to horse camp
its too expensive the only way i can go is if i find a camp where my dad can also go
he wants to learn how to ride
ha ha
he sucks(at riding)
nobody is on
ive been to space camp. (I know, im such a geek)
ive been to horse camp
and ive been to like a traditional camp were u sign up for different things to do it’s sooooooo much fun this year will be my 3rd time going
ive been to traditional camp
LOVED IT
ohh i love horses
i might get one omg so so so so so so so s
HAPPY
its so happy-making bubbly everything
your welcome. and yeppers i’m going i can hardly believe it myself! u should go to the NYC one for photography it would be totally fawesome! cuz then we could meet and talk about how awsome Scott-la’s books are! and the NYC one has like all this awesome stuff like a trip to Coney Island and fun stuff like that! ahhhh i’m still bursting with excitment!!! π π
who r u talking to me kay-wa (it should be la no offense)
because im only 12
it’s not la because her name could be confused with kayla
I wanted to go to spce camp but it cost too much
oh i was just saying because if it ha a l its a wa
yeah
but we thought it might be confusing
My parents won’t even let me have horse riding lessons even though I’ve been begging for years.hmmpphh. They say it’s too dangerous. I mean I’m not always accident prone.
(just most of the time)
Every year at my school we go on a really big trip. The last two years we did camps and now this year were doing a state trip.
i was talking to Isabella about this photography camp. if u read previous comments u will understand. and yea none taken my name is a hard one to put a -la or -wa on so finally after we voted we decided it should be Kay-wa.
ughhhh how does it go from a yes to a maybe????? don’t you hate it when parents get your hopes up just so they can crush them back down! grrrrrrrr…. π 2 hrs. ago my mom was like yea sure you can go to the NYC photography camp and now shes like well i don’t know, it would be dangerous i mean you would have to travel alone and everything and it is a lot of money. ughhhh…parents can be such a disappointment sometimes.
Tally and Zane:
Horses aren’t THAT dangerous. I’ve been riding for years and haven’t broken anything. My worst injury was a kick, and it wasn’t even an intentional kick. That is ridiculous. And besides, lesson horses are really tame and gentle and well broke. That’s why they use them. LOL I never had lessons, but I still had my own horse and took care of her fine. I learned to ride the hard way. Trial and error. Falling off, getting extremely sore muscles, bruises; with lots of mud. I don’t see how pampered lessons with a helmet and tons of adults and an instructor is unsafe. Explain this to your parents, but nicely. LOL
Yay horse back riding isnt too dangours, just don’t go to one of those places where you start as a group and the first lesson your cantering, because you get a lot of bad habits, and you arent riding correctly, so if you think you can ride because of those lessons think again. I have a really nice instructor but i have been doing purly because school has overwhelmed me. (I have the meanest teacher ever, I wanna punch her so hard)
*happy dances* My parents said that if I get into Alpha I get to go! YES!
wow. i leave for like 12 hours…
kick @$$ contact lense by the way.
-Lizzy-wa OUT! π
by the way cockatiel-la: YOU LUCKY LITTLE DUCK!!!
-Lizzy-wa OUT! π
Yeah, everything interesting happens in bigger cities (like NYC).
Ooh, that’s fawesome capt.cockatiel; Good luck!
I don’t ride horses personally, but I know a lot of people who do, and it seems to be pretty safe? I think it’s probably fine as long as you do it properly and all. Because, let’s face it, technically anything could be dangerous, right?
~Issy
Yeah, that’s exactly what I tried to explain to my parents but they won’t budge. My older brother is in the National Guard and two years ago he had to go to Iraq and he was there for I think 15 months and ever since he got back my parents have been super protective cuz they were totally freaked out even though he didn’t get hurt. Yeah, so the overprotectiveness has boiled over to me and if it were my Mom’s choice I’d be living in a bubble right now. I try not to be too hard on her cuz I know how much it hurt her to have him go away like that, but sometimes it just gets ridiculous. I mean my older brother is on my side and has been trying to convince my Mom, he rocks so much! I never fight with him like I do with my little brother.But yeah so I guess that’s the main reason. I will not give up!
See Ya!
i use to lease a pony and have been riding since i was like 7(dont really anymore unless at my friends house) they CAN be very dangerous( i was almost severly hurt, but it was untrained anger horses ) so as long as the horse is like trained and stuff its very unlikly your going to get hurt
I haven’t had much experience with horses. my friend has a few but were not that close so i’ve only ridden her horseys 2 times. and i went to Colorado last year and we rode horses in the mountains. it was amazing. o and if your ever in CO and you want an awesome experience you should go white water river rafting! it’s wayyyy fawesome! it’s a rush of axilleration (or however you spell that word.) total happy-making. π
uuummm…how did people start talking about horsies?
hehe. oh well. ive only ever ridden a horse once. for Girlscouts. in second grade. yepyepyep. hehe.
-Lizzy-wa OUT! π
Oh-no, i had a frappacino from Starbucks (yum…) and now im kind of shaky. I get like that when i have there frappcinos for some reason. My body can handle it and now my hands are slightly shaking.
so…many…comments…at least…seventy.
what, can’t everything else stop while i curl up and sleep all day?
so…much..catching up…and…still…sick.
Panic! At the Disco is changing their name! Their new name is Panic at the Disco. They got rid of the !
in language atrs, we sit in order of test scores. i am close to the front, ut my seat number bothers me. i sit in seat number 6. 6 is an ok number, but i have a problem with it. 6 times 2 is 12…
Ack! Amy~la! Bribe someone if you have to! Don’t stay in that seat! It isn’t safe!!!!!
I wish I was born a week earlier. Would that have been so hard? I want to go really bad. But I can’t. ONE WEEK!
I love to write, but I don’t think I’m good enough to make it, even though its my favorite thing in the entire world.
Those contact lenses are totally fool.
No! Panic! At the Disco can’t change thier name! They can’t conform to this oppressive society! Thier music…*weakly* the music.
lol i first i though tit sai “My saet number is 6.6” and i was thinking ‘6.6, that weird do u only have like a 6th of a seat’ but i reread it! Got it!
You have to believe in yourself Reese or else you for sure won’t ever make it.
You’re right, Tally & Zane.
Totally right. Very inspirational stuff.
I know, I can be deep peoples, deep.HaHaHa!!! just kidding, but yeah, it is true, just ease up on the low self-eteem.
yeah, i heard about the !
and saw the bogus video where they were all “it wasn’t there in the first place”
the people obviously want it!
give the people what they want!
then again, i refer to Panic(!) At The Disco so rarely, it doesn’t really matter. i still refuse to use the !
come on, can’t they take away the Honda Civic! Tour for this?
!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry just had to get that out of my system. To tell you the truth I didn’t even know that there was a ! in Panic! at the disco.
go to my livejournal page if you want to hear me rant a little.
(or a lot) Yeah so my name on there is dottie_loves.Sorry I don’t know how to make it a link.
This is random, but I thought you’d be interested in this:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a63/deekayw/Ducklings.jpg
Just another “missing-black-woman formation” π
House is/*was* a MBWF!
But such a good show! (Everybody lies…)
I love that show a little too much. >.>
wow, theres alot ive missed. been busy. I rode a horse like, 3 times. by brothers horse went though a bush but other that that, id say its fine!
I didnt know either was was a “!” in Panic! at the dico!
(and alot of stuff happens in big cities. but nothing like the alpha writing thing. c’mon! more stuff like that needs to come to Chicago!)
(sorry the cities thing sonded wierd. I ment nothing like the alpha writing thing comes to Chicago.)
yes House is very fawesome….i don’t get to watch it until tomorrow though b/c i had dance then homework so my mom said i should just go to bed b/c i’m sick and all…and i still haven’t gone to bed..and it’s 10:40. lol. o well though i usually don’t get to bed until around midnight. so i’m still doing good. anyways how did i even get on that topic? wow. sometimes, well most of the time i go completely off topic. sorry about that, btw.
big cities are awesome and my lack of living in one makes me sad. it’s always been one of my dreams to go to new york city. wow i have only been in two big cities my entire life. pretty pathetic. chicago (my mom took me on a suprise trip in 5th grade) and miniapoless MN. (or however u spell it..i’m too lazy to look it up.) my deffinition of a big cities is sky scrapers, and lights, ect. i’ve been to places like Orlando FL and stuff but i don’t think those count. so yea. stupid small town.
YaY!!House!! Love that show, I’m gonna watch it in about ten minutes. Yeah, I just got So Yesterday today. I’m not very far but I LOVE it!!! I especially love Jen’s shoelaces.(I tried to fix mine like that today, but I couldn’t figure it out, and just ended up torturing my poor shoes)
See Ya!
shoelaces ROCK! they are so fun!
poor poor Panic! at the Disco. umm…yeah. i never new there was a ! ether. so…yeah. but still. so much fawesomeness in one little !
wow. Amy-la. sucks for you. that kinda sucks for people who got bad scores to. glad we dont do that. i never try on tests. i mean, i always get an A, but never the highest A.
get better Sera-la!
-Lizzy-wa OUT! π
House rocks. no shame in obsession over cool things.
and the ! is all Panic! had going for them, in my opinion.
i loooooove big cities.
it’s wierd to think, cuz, like, for me it’s always been with my parents and we’ll just be all “hey it’s the weekend let’s go into the city and see concert/go to museum/search through vintage stores for a new backpack/other fun activity”
i can’t imagine growing up without big cities…..
hmm…big cities i’ve been to? ummm…New York, Paris, Dublin, San Fransisco, Cleavland, Reykjavik (even though that’s got, like, crazy few people)
wow. i sound international when i list them like that.
and yeah. i still feel crappy. thanks 4 good wishes though.
and you know what REALLLY SUCKS?
getting your phone confiscated by the para-military Head of Discipline who obviously had a lack of control in his childhood which he makes up for by being a hard@$$ to a bunch of high school students.
and i only had my phone out because i was begging my mom to come and get me from school because i had like, a fever and a headache and a sore throat and felt about to vomit.
stupid zero tolerance policy!
at least i got my phone back. AFTER my mom had to come and pick it up from the office.
Ooh, I watched House M.D. last night; Thirteen!!
^^At least you have a phone, lucky! Although that does suck how your phone got confiscated and your mom had to go pick it up–espeically if you were sick. That’s plain mean.
~Issy
NYC does rock, I live about 2 hours from it and like 1 30 from philly
today was sorta weird. like after lunch i go to my locker to get my spanish stuff and my brothers locker is right next to mine and his friend always messes w/ my locker like pretending to do the combo and today i had a sign on my locker (band boosters to do goodluck signs 4 band concerts) and he was drawing on it and then they left and this other guy who is in one of my classes was like i will kick his @$$ for you. and i was like uhh…that’s ok, i would probably get in trouble or something. and then i walked a way. it was weird. very weird. and awkward.
umm
WUT
yeah, at least i do have a phone. still sucked and was unfair and lame.
that’s…wierd and awkward.
yeah, well you get ust to all the glamor when you actully LIVE in a huge city. I literally live in Chicago. I hear NY is like super crowded. i dont know. I have never been there!
haha! Serafina Zane that sucks for you! π
yea i walked away and was like wow did he seriously just ask me if i wanted him to beat up my brother and my brother’s friend? and the funny thing is the guy that said he would beat them up for me is a freshman and my brother and his friend are both seniors.
Stupid Connecticut having no major cities in it besides Hartford (which I go through every day to get to school, it isn’t exciting)
Though I have been to NYC which is cool….. but it is kinda crowded depending on where you are….
My school has that zero tollerance rule for like everything (I kinda feel bad for the guys they have to tuck in their shirts) but it seems like the teachers only inforce it on stupid things like gum, and not when a kid is annoying the whole class…
wow Kay-wa, thats is really weird. yeah. haha weird. defanitly. :-/
Man, i just finished my home work and (time zone reasons) since u guys are ahead in time i always have to read a billion comments.
Omg! I went to barnes and noble and got a ‘for-pack’ of books. Its a series called Private. Really good. Its by Kate Brian. My mom said i go to the book store so much im gonna have to start paying gas money. (hopefully it was a joke because with our gas sucker it will be a lot!)
Another day, another work sheet.
I got the Private boxed set for x-mas but haven’t read it yet. I really want to though, one of my friends is completely obsessed with them.
****WARNING**: YOU WILL NEVER SIT THROUGH AN AWKWARD SILENCE AGAIN WITHOUT THINKING OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN**
1 out of every7 people think of Abraham Lincoln during an awkward silence
my friend told me this and now during an awkward silence I think of Abraham Lincoln.
We told all of the rest of our friends and the same thing happened to them.
So, another thing not to do…
45. When in the lunch line, if somebody pops (they squeezed the bag open so that it made a POP* noise) open their pretzel bag and gets yelled at, during this awkward silence do NOT look at your friends who are all clearly struggling no to blurt out ‘ABRAHAM LINCLON’ in order to break the silence because you will all burst out laughing and get yelled at too.
46. okay thinking
umm
welll im thinking
okay
just w8
oh okay
so in the hallway dont yell at other people really loudly when your evil teacher is around, she wont like that
47. If you and your friends have a special name for your teacher, such as ‘Dr.Evil’ don’t be the one that gets caught saying it right in front of said teacher.
I finished reading So Yesterday! It’s totally fawesome! I just have one question though, Scott what is up with girls having buzz cuts in your books? I mean first I find out about Melissa and now Jen. Has anyone else noticed that?
Yeah I was kinda wondering too…it’s kinda odd cuz I don’t know anyone who has a buzz cut
yay i would buzz cut my hair, but my forhead is so big, i need to cover it
48. if your friends are about to run away because she doesnt want to be pretty tell her ” two weeks of sunburn is all worth a life time of being glourious”
49. Don’t make the mistake of using#48 on your friend if they suffer from heliophobia, otherwise known as fear of the sun or sunlight.
I’d NEVER buzz cut my hair.
noo
remeber from uglies when you turn pretty you have two weeks of sunburn (thats wut it feels like) and tally thinks she should of told shay that
I love Uglies so much! Tell me this though. Should Tally and Michael be together or Tally and Zane based on Pretties?
Am I missing something? Who the heck is Micheal?
And Tali-wa that was just a lame excuse for a joke.
Hey!
((This isn’t off topic or anything…))
I went to Shannon Hale’s signing! And I arm wrestled her. And I won. LIFE IS GOOD.
Cool!
I started reading Luxe today and I’m on like page 150. It’s like Soap Opera on ice, seriously.But it’s pretty good.
i love scott westerfeld! omg- i love these books.
they’re the only books i’ve been able to sit down and actually read…
!!!!
<3
My dog’s name is Pearl, I’ve had her since I was nine years old.
i used to have a guinea pig called beauty (don’t ask) but she died last year on may 12, which is bad luck you know, to die on a darkling day…
sera-la sees many comments, ignores them and returns to feverish coma
Yeah I’ve never heard of a Micheal in The C…any of the Uglies books
YEAH! i live in pittsburgh! .. i would totaly go to this camp, but… i need like 200$ more… but i cant go b/c the date is already taken up (we are traviling…)…AND i’m only 13… november birthday…. booo!!!… but, yeah, i finished so yesterday like a week ago and i would never buzz cut my hair… i already gave 14 inches to locks of love, and it was down to my sholders, but now it is down to the middle of my back, it grows fast! and i also am amaizing in photorgraphy! i am the best in my class, and 3 of my pictures are getting blown up and being put out of the class and in an art show! wahoo! and in 6th grade…(now in 7th) we had to write a 2 or more page short story for L.A. and i actually ended up writing 32 pages… my teacher said it was seriously one of the best stories ever… not trying to be nice to me… i think,… but anyway!
also my uncle owns a *farm* in a way.. he has 8 horses! 2 parrots, 3 goats, 6 dogs * 5are german shepards and 1 is a … idk what type but like 10 of his animals died…:-(* and… yeah i think thats about it… oh, also my fav. line from so yesterday was *im sorry i gave you a seziure* and * oh, im sorry i drooled on your carpet!* then…. * fiddle luckers-poo sham!-cya!
whoa, sorry long comment…. π π
A freshmen offered to beat up seniors? (hahaha, wow) Are you a freshman too? (*nudge nudge* maybe someone’s got a little `crush going on?) That’s sweet π
^^It’s great that you donated hair to Locks of Love! I wanted to, but nowhere will take my hair because I’ve dyed it. π So I have to wait until all of that grows out first. Phew.
I don’t have any pets. Well, I had goldfish, but they didn’t last very long.
~Issy
haha. yes. i’m a freshmen too. i don’t know, maybe he does. lol. kinda odd though cuz i see him every day and he has never said a word to me and then bam “I will kick their @$$es for you.” if he does like me he has a sweet but weird way of showing it.
anyways lots of weird stuff has been going on in my town lately. like at the beginning of the school year there were a few attempts of someone trying to start teachers houses on fire and no one knew who did it. and then today this story comes in the paper about my middle school principal’s wife and how she got arrested for stalking teachers. and what’s even weirder is i use to be best friends with her son and i use to have the biggest crush on him. and i use to go to their house and hangout. and her husband was my principal. and she was my teacher for a quarter and she subed for some of my teachers. and i always thought she was the nicest lady ever. i guess u never really know someone until their dirty little sectets are uncovered. (ok so maybe not dirty. but they are bad. i just thought of the song and started singing it in my head so i had to type it. lol.) i still can’t believe it though. i mean seriously why would she do something like that? i wish i knew the rest of the story.
ugh. i am sick too sera-la. but i have strep. ok so when i get strep i always get it really really bad. and i am like alergic to penicellin and all of the cellin meds. and those are the best working meds for strep. (there the pink bubblegum flavored stuff) but so i always get this stuff called a Z pack and the doc we normally see couldn’t see me till tm so we went to this oother guy near our home and he gave me different stuff. AND I DON’T LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
me not happy *tears*
Sophie-La
Word π
oooo poor Sohpie-La. i’ve never had strep. but my brother has, he gets it like 2 times a year. maybe i’m immune since i’ve never gotten it in the 7 or so years that he has gotten it, i hope so.
i get it like 3 or 4 times a year and when i get it i get it really bad…… like noramlly u have to build up to trep from a cold but i was perfect on monday but then on tuesday i had strep…..
ughhh
i hate being sick..
Sophie-La
Hmmm…I don’t think I’ve ever had strep, but I’m sick too. And it’s the really bad kind of sick, to the point that it’s not bad enough for you to miss school but it’s bad enough to make you feel like crap all day, And I’m surprised that I didn’t pass out in class cuz of all the medicine I had to take.
Lol, I know what you mean, hate it hate it hate
yea thats how mine is too Tally & Zane. sucks buckets.
YaY!!! I’m so proud of my self! We went to the chemistry lab today for science and I managed not to blow anything up! Yeah…at times I can be a bit accident prone, but I survived!
I just got Extras today and I’m so excited to be reading it. But, yes. I absolutly LOVE LOVE these books! wayy to go scott!
π
Wow that takes talent Tally and Zane, u are a gifted one! Me on the other hand, not so gifted in blowing up thing. Im more gifted to embarass myself or others. Talent all talent.
Yeah, basically I had to shove my hands in my pockets and stay as far away from possible from the hot and shiny things.(ooh, so so shiny!J.K. I still had to do work.But yeah)
ughhh stupid band concert that i don’t feel like going to. must go get ready. yuck. that means putting on my band uniform. bleh.
… I think I need to start saving up now.
And, um.
http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/
My day has just been made.
I feel compelled to say that I’m not wearing matching shoes! I’m wearing one navy blue converse and one black with cherries pattern converse.
nise. let the creativity show tally&zane-la!
Oh yeah! I’m totally looking for inspiration.
Me and my friends were making really stupid bets today. Such as I bet my friend that she couldn’t go through the whole school day without using the letter S. She almost made it too, until she yelled at this guy who was bugging her and said”Shut up!” Yeah, and she bet me that I couldn’t go the whole day without using words that started with vowels, and guess what? I WON!!! YaY!!! We didn’t bet anything but it was hilarious!
See Ya!
must be way harder to not use words starting with vowels…
lolz, shut up! π
Why hasn’t scott posted anything new???
we need a new topic .
once we resort to talking about VOWELS we know we have too much time on our hands!!!
sorry if it sounds harsh but I’m really getting bored and as we all know boredom is the number one enemy of every teenager on the planet!!
Yeah, that looks cool and all, but it’s reeaaaaaaaalllllly far away and I already go to a writing camp in the summer. π
hey this is sorta off topic, but in reading we have to create a 27 page childrens story… My brain is so dead right now, so since this is a writing topic thingy.::, what should I write about? Any suggestions?
Over 200 comments later, I get to say a couple of things. Yes, Alpha runs every summer in July00this will be our eighth year. The average age is 16.5, but we’ve had students as young as 11 and as old as 21–we’re trying to stick to the 14-19 range, but it isn’t firm. Every year we give out thousands of dollars of need-based scholarship money, but we never know too far in advance how much we’ll have in the fund.
> Mioki-laon 29 Jan 2008 at 5:16 am
> HmΓ’β¬Β¦950 dollarsΓ’β¬Β¦Γ’β¬Β¦Γ’β¬Β¦..
> IΓ’β¬β’d rather have more authors to choose from.
The students see about 40 authors, agents, editors, artists, writers and scientists once they get to Confluence during the last weekend. (10 days at camp, two at the conference.) Alpha is held at a small campus in the middle of nowhere because that’s where I live. It’s a tax-exempt, non-profit, literary charitable organization, whose 10-person staff are all volunteer. The $950 barely covers food, University housing, travel costs after students arrive and pay for the author guests. We’ve had plenty of international students (Wales, Canada, New Zealand) and a large contingent come from the west coast every year. Well, it’s the only workshop of it’s kind in the world.
Did I mention I love Scott’s books? I never thought of asking him to be an Alpha author guest–I guess we try to not spend lots of money on guests and he lives so far away, but–that’s just for part of the year. He is in NYC a good bit. Hmmm . . . thanks for the bug. I’m already in preliminary talks with author Diane Duane for 2009, and Tammy comes every year, but that leaves a couple of slots open.
Now, I’ll never have an awkward silence without thinking of Abraham Lincoln. Geez, you guys. You’ve already changed my life. π
Diane
Oh, and, lanie-la-wa-sensi,
Pittsburgh has three free SF/F writing groups (mine is Write or Die: http://word.pghfree.net/) and monthly club meetings (PARSEC: http://www.parsec-sff.org/). You should check ’em out. You’d be welcome.
Diane
YAY Im so gonna do this. I’ll be 16 by then so it will be no problem. I will definetley beg my parents for the money. And New Jersey isint so far from pittsburg. Yay hope to see some you there..if I get it. lol
wow, that was a lot! That would be so awesome if Scott would go there, I wouldn’t care if I couldn’t write.. I would go and 2 posts ago I tlstill need help
YesYesYes!!! So I can still sign up and turn in my story and stuff? Because I’m only thirteen. I still have to do a lot of convincing with my parents though because I live on the West coast, so it is really far away. I’m soooooo excited, I already have a story written, too.
^ whats ur story about?
Stories are fun to READ!
read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! read! Stories are fun to read and only read!
I can’t say yet, it’s not that I don’t trust you guys, it’s sort a secrect right now, you know?
HOLY FREAKIN CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I’m gonna pass out! My wondrful loving adoring parents have agreed to let me send an application to the Alpha Writing Workshop!!!! Let me just tell you, it’s hard to type this now, cuz I’m bouncing off all the walls!!! I’m NOT getting any sleep tonight! I LOVE my Daddykins for convincing my Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’
*so excited, can’t breathe!!!*
TAM PIERCE!
I am currently freaking the heck out. OK, I seriously need to work on my stories.
Oh, Lena-la Your back! Hey, just so you know, Gaspy’s still mine.HeHeHe, j.k.
Yeah! Ish was grounded for a week. You can Rent Gaspard from me if you want!
That’s okay, cuz I know that I am HIS!
HeHeHe!!!Just so you know, I’m giggling hysterically!
Lena-la I am thoroughlly appauled! Who in their right mind would ever give up Gaspard for even five minutes? Are you feeling feverish?
HaHaHa!!!J.K.
(still laughing hysterically)
Well, he cost three thousand dollars a minute. xD
Hey, I’d be willing to pay that price, then again I would pay for him all the time, and you would become very very rich, my friend, and very very lonely.Ah, tres magnefique.(sp?) What does xD mean?!?
Everyone uses it, yet no one will tell me. I feel left out.
YaY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Not sure what that was for, probably left over from my earlier sugar rush. The only bad thing about a sugar rush is th aftershock of the sugar crash.
Oh fooey! I was making chicken noodle soup and I just opened the can and I dropped it, and my dog tried to lick it all up so now she’s got soup all over her ears. Darn those adorable long bassett hound ears. I am admitting it, if I am in the kitchen there will almost certainly be a disaster. I’m not necessarily a bad cook, just extremely accident prone.(Where is the stupid mop?) Oh YaY!!! my Dad just cleaned it!
No. I will not be lonely because I ALSO own Kevin Flamme and Edward Cullen. Did you not know that. (By the way, Kevin is now for sale for ten bajillion dollars and Edward is for rent for 10,000 dollards a millisecond.)
That is an awfully low price for Edward, quite a bargain if you ask me. Who’s Kevin Flamme? Never mind I’ll look it up.
Ooohhh, he’s kinda hot, but still confused as to *who* he is.
Gaspy’s like a gazillion times hotter than him though.
How bout we make a compromise Lena-la?
I get Gaspard and you get that Kevin guy?
Agreed?
See Ya!
Oh, okay I got it now, but compromise is still available.
(hehehe!!!)
can i has edward?
please? i’ll be a good girl…
No, you can’t have Edward because he’s marrying Bella, duh.
You can have Jacob though, actually take him, he’s free, okay I’ll probably pay you to take him.
. . .GASPARD IS MINE! -steals back- Sorry .. Ish a bit protective over my Anniba.
Meanwhile, Scott Westerfeld is watching these going: Who’s Gaspard Ulliel? And why do so many teenage/preteenage girls fight over him?
No No NOOOOOOOOO!!!! I’m a super ninja!YA!!! HaHaHa!!! My kungfu worked, Gaspard is MINE once again!Muhahaha!!!
I would be a little scared if teenage/preteenage boys started fighting over him.
GASPARD IS MINE FOREVER. -puts a safety cuff on Gaspard attaching him to myself and to a sign that says ‘THIS IS PROPERTY OF LENA-LA’
Oh, that one hurt Lena-la that one hurt deep.
(I’ll use my mastermindish ways to get you back Gaspy, don’t worry.)
HaHaHa!!! I got a new screen saver for my celly and every time there’s an incoming call it says “Gaspard is My Man” with cute little hearts around it.
…wow…
Wow is right. I’m coming for you Gaspard!
Yeah, right. -places mini Moogles up so that T & Z don’t try to steal my Anniba-
I won’t try Lena-la, I will. And I wouldn’t have to steal him, cuz my Gaspy would come willingly.(HeHeHe!!!I mean!) No, I don’t want to be hostile.
(click my name, it’s linked to his site, with tons of fab pictures of him)
See I can be nice.LoL!
Can you syphathize with me Lena-la? I’m lonely without my Gaspykins. (OMG, did I just say Gaspykins?My obsession has reached a new high. Help me?)
-takes out cloning machine- That’s what this was made for! -zaps Gaspard- THERE YA GO! -hands T & Z the clone-
*raises hand* Pick me, pick me! Okay what evs, great compromise, but can I have the original Gaspard?
Pretty Please?
Hey this cloning things been tested right? DON’T RISK HIS FABULOUSNESS!!!!!!!
Thanks for posting this! I think I might apply π
-grabs original Gaspard- He’s mine, missy. -.- -growls- But the clone is a perfect, fabulous version, so he’s almsot exactly like Gaspard anyways.
*sigh* Gosh, Lena-la you are very persistent.
almost? In what ways is G.C. different?(G.C. = Gaspard Clone)
Have you clicked on my name that is linked to Gaspard’s site yet, Lena-la?
Going to work on my Alpha story, which I have chaned like 12 times now.
oops, -changed-
Duh! Ish <3’s Mr. Ulliel.
Scott, before you shudder at yet ANOTHER sappy Gaspard post, just know that this is a REALLY cute guy and you sort-of asked for posts like this when you wrote teenage chick lit. XD
yeah
I don’t know any guys who read ANYTHING (‘cept for Ian…but he’s odd, ya know with, like, doctor humor and I don’t think he has ever gotten less than a B+ on his report card)
Hmmm…a guy in my class says ish all the time. He says it means shut up. Does it? But yeah, most guys at my school are very illiterate.
Well, I’ve never gotten less than a B so I guess I’m weird too…huh…
~Me Too~
Not exactly.
For me, ish can be used in situations such as this:
Ish is going to the store!
Ish is sick
Ish you okay?
Oh, okay.
*sigh*
LaLaLa!!!
Sorry, bored.
i have a question about peris…
could you explain more of what he looks like??
i wonder
wha dose peris looks like
hummmmmmmmmm
sorry i cant spell
what dose peris look like i wonder
hummmm
im here to talk…
-.-
Sheesh this post is like a ghost town(ghost post?HeHeHe Rhymey!)
-tumbleweed rolls by-
I submitted my application today! YaY!
Got it. Good luck to you.
I’m amazed how many people wrote on their Alpha applications that they heard about the workshop from Scott’s blog. From right here.
Amazing.
Besides this blog, other answers to “Where did you hear about Alpha?” included:
–from my English teacher
–from Tammy’s blog
–from a web search on “teen writing workshops”
–“I met someone at the Nebula Awards Weekend in NYC last May who told me about Alpha.”
–BoingBoing
Good show–I’m happy.
Diane
YaY! I’m kinda worried though because I was a big dunce and didn’t put the page count in the right place and I didn’t notice until after I sent the story. And thanks for the Good Luck!
That sounds soooo awesome. I’m only 12, but I plan on being a writer.I wish I could go though *sigh* I guess I’ll just wait a few more years!
no way!!! that is apselutly positivily PERFECT for my bff steph, she writes CONSTANTLY!! she’s writin tons of short stories in all these notebooks she has in her room (she’s filled up like 20-something so far) she even wrote about writing for an essay on our state-wide tests last week. totaly gonna go on the ALPHA website, print out the page and show it to her at school tomorrow!!