Wiscon Programming Signup Ends Today!

Today is the final day to sign up to be on programming, to create a reading, and to indicate interest in attending specific panels.

You don't have to have a paid membership for this year's Wiscon to have a look at the panels and mark which ones interest you. You _do_ have to create a (free) account.

Even if you're just curious in what sorts of panels get suggested for Wiscons, or this Wiscon in particular, well, now's your last chance to check it out! Some of them are going to get cut as the programming people hammer out the schedule.

http://syndicated.livejournal.com/wiscon_news/21851.html

Thoughts on Among Others by Jo Walton

Usually I don't post reviews here. And yet this isn't exactly a review. And I think it better suits LJ than Goodreads.

I finished Among Others by Jo Walton a couple of days ago. And I really need to return the library book.

I'm going to put the rest behind a cut tag.. if I can remember how to do that. There are going to be minor spoilers. Or rather, spoilers for trivial details, mostly.

( Did this cut thing work right? )

ETA: For those keeping track at home, it took me 3 tries and a Google search to get the lj-cut thing right.

On not getting into Clarion

There's a great post over here if you applied to Clarion and just found out you didn't get in. It's worth a read.

I will also suggest you do a couple positive things. You can start doing some of them right now. Or add them to your action plan.

* Join Critters, or another online critique group, or an in-person critique group. If you're not already in one. Or if your current one isn't working out. That's one of the reasons you applied to Clarion, right?

* Plan a trip to a convention. If you've never gone to one, or it's been awhile, or if you've only gone to Creation Conventions, then.. you need to go! Part of Clarion is about meeting fellow sf/f writers. If you go to cons, you'll do the same thing! I highly recommend Wiscon, as you may have noticed. Also recommended through the grapevine: Philcon, Readercon, World Fantasy Con, FOGCon. And whatever cons are local to you. They're cheaper, and you'll get to know people you can meet up with more often.

* Join Broad Universe (more useful if you're a woman) and/or Outer Alliance (for lgbtqia and allies). Another of those connections things. You'll hear about publication opportunities and conventions, and be able to discuss things sf/f and writerly. Or find another group that suits you.

And plan to apply next year. You and your writing will be in a different place next year. And the group of instructors will be entirely different.