Category: blog

In the spirit of full disclosure, I cribbed most of this text from various posts that Nicola has done. Because I am that lazy! And because she says it so well.

Sunday 24th June, 11 a.m. Seattle time (which is 2 p.m. for folks on the East Coast, and 7 p.m for those in the UK): Clarion West’s first ever Write-a-thon Tweetchat! Hashtag = #writeathon.

This is the place to come and let us know how you’re doing. What you’ve learned. What you hope someone can help you answer.

Nicola will be running the chat, and will be interviewing me as the special guest. We’ll talk about how to keep writing day after day, and how to persuade people to sponsor you. And any other questions you may have! We’ll also have Clarion West staff and volunteers standing by to help with any practical or logistics issues.

But mainly it is my hope that you’ll drop by and talk to each other. Writing can be a solitary business–but in the Write-a-thon we have 228 (the final total after the dust has settled) writers from all over the world aiming for the same goal: to get words on the page and money into the Clarion West bank account. We’re a community. We can help each other.

I recommend you download the twitter client Tweetchat which inserts the #writeathon hashtag automatically and refreshes quickly. That means we can talk faster .

Look forward to chatting with you on Sunday.

Enjoy your day.

Writer registration for the Clarion West Write-a-thon closed on June 16, and… well, just wow.

Last year, 142 writers participated. This year, we set ourselves a stretch goal of 200 writers, and asked everyone we know to spread the word. And you did! I am thrilled to report that we have 236 writers from all over the world in this year’s Write-a-thon.

Thank you all so much for all you did to get the word out. Here’s the thing: the Write-a-thon is our biggest fundraising event of the year. The money we raise helps us run the organization, including things like renting the workshop venue and offering financial assistance to students. We push so hard to have as many writers as possible because A) we think it’s a great opportunity for writers to reach goals in a supportive community, and B) more writers pretty much automatically means more sponsors. Just by spreading the word, you helped us raise money.

I am enormously grateful to all the writers who signed up. You are all Ultra Cool and you will write something amazing in the next six weeks. I just know it.

I am also grateful beyond words to the staff and volunteers of Clarion West who do a massive amount of work to make the Write-a-thon happen. Our Webmaster God, our Write-a-thon team of Deities whose patience and cheerfulness is, well, godlike, our Communications Goddess, our Database Goddess, our Social Media Goddess, every single one of you is Awesome with Sauce on Top. And anyone I haven’t mentioned can smack me through the internet for having a tired brain, but know that I worship you all.

And finally, I want to thank everyone who has so far sponsored a writer. Sponsors rock. Sponsors make the Write-a-thon world go around. Because of sponsors, Clarion West can do more for writers. Because of sponsors, writers dig in and do what they love, even on the days when it’s hard.

I wrote today, and I will be doing more outlining/structural work this afternoon. I am doing this because I love it, yes: but I’m doing it with grit because I have sponsors who put up money expecting that I will bring my best game to this work. I’ve been incredibly moved by the response I’ve had from sponsors so far. And that’s how I know how much it means to a writer when someone sends in a donation of any amount with their name attached. Every dollar matters to Clarion West; and every act of sponsorship makes a writer’s day. So please, please consider checking out this list of writers and picking one or more to support. Read the samples of their work. Read their goals. Read their passion and determination. And help them make it happen!

If you have questions about the Write-a-thon, check out the FAQ!

Enjoy your day.

… do come join the Clarion West Write-a-thon as a participant!

NOW would be good (smile). As I write this, 178 writers are participating. If we recruit another 22 writers in the next 36 hours, Clarion West wins a $2,000 challenge grant from a group of donors.

That’s a lot of money for a small nonprofit. And you — yes, you over there in the corner who isn’t sure you have time, or that you have a story to tell, or that you’re a “real” writer — well, no one has time, and we all have a story, and you’ll never know whether you’re a real writer until you do your 10,000 hours of writing. You can do some of those hours in the next six weeks. So come, come on this adventure!

Why sign up? Oh, my goodness, the reasons. You commit to a writing goal for six weeks. You recruit sponsors (one or one hundred, it’s up to you!) who donate to Clarion West in support of your writing, your goals. In support of you as a writer.You work like a banshee because people spent money to provide you with encouragement. And you by jesus write something wonderful. Something that surprises you, pleases you, frightens you with its possibilities, makes you weep, makes you proud.

The Write-a-thon isn’t just “writing.” It’s a chance to rock your own world and help other writers at the same time. You help by being part of the six-week community on Facebook and Twitter (@ClarionWest and hashtag #writeathon) for updates, encouragement, and chats with other writers. You help by encouraging donations to one of the world’s best writing workshops in any genre. And you help yourself by writing. By reaching.

Summer is a season of open skies and freedom from constraint. Most of us have constraints nonetheless, but for the next six weeks, let’s be summer writers.

Please come join us! And please spread the word to writers you know. Register by the end of the day (Pacific time) Saturday, June 16 to begin creating your Write-a-thon page!

Enjoy your day.