Speculative Fiction Writer's Workshop
June 2 - 14, 2013

Author and CSSF Director Christopher McKitterick, who served as guest author from 1996-2010, now leads the workshop, and we usually invite an outside author or editor to lead the second week. In 2013, we are honored to have two guest authors!

For Week One, Grand Master James Gunn - who founded the Center and first taught the workshop in 1985 - will critique one story from each participant. Welcome back, Jim!

For Week Two, the inimitable Andy Duncan returns for his second guest-author appearance.

During the last day or two of the second week, we also expect to have both our Campbell Award and Sturgeon Award-winning authors plus Kij Johnson and other Campbell Conference-attending authors and editors on hand talking about the business of writing.

Andy Duncan won the Sturgeon Award for his 2001 Asimov's novella "The Chief Designer." His first collection, Beluthahatchie and Other Stories, won a World Fantasy Award, as did his SciFi.com story, "The Pottawatomie Giant." His 2012 publications included a second collection, The Pottawatomie Giant & Other Stories (currently available from PS Publishing), and a Tor.com story, "On 20468 Petercook," while his novelette "Close Encounters" was the cover story of the September/October issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Duncan has been nominated six times for the Nebula Award, twice for the Stoker, three times for the World Fantasy Award, twice for the Shirley Jackson Award, and twice for the Hugo Award. Duncan has been a juror for the Philip K. Dick, Shirley Jackson, and Bram Stoker awards, and has taught at Clarion, Clarion West, and the SF Writing Workshop at the University of Kansas. Recent books include Crossroads: Tales of the Southern Literary Fantastic, an anthology co-edited with F. Brett Cox; The Night Cache, a stand-alone novella; and Alabama Curiosities, an offbeat travel guide. A tenure-track faculty member in the English department at Frostburg State University in Maryland, he also teaches a weekly seminar on 21st-century science fiction and fantasy in the Honors College of the University of Alabama.

Duncan attended Clarion West in 1994 and studied creative writing at North Carolina State University under John Kessel (another Gunn student). He taught Clarion in 2004 and Clarion West in 2005, was a full-time journalist for 12 years, and taught college for 17 years. He is Assistant Professor of English at Frostburg State University in the western Maryland mountains, and an instructor in the Honors College of the University of Alabama. He regularly blogs at Beluthahatchie.

What's Andy's writing like? My favorite description, by Craig Jacobsen in the SFRA Review:

If Harper Lee and Gene Wolfe had a love child, Andy Duncan is it.

Click here to visit Duncan's complete bibliography, and here to see his Wikipedia page.

The Workshop is intended for writers who have just begun to publish or who need that final bit of insight or skill to become a published writer. We work with all brands of speculative fiction, including horror, fantasy, magical realism, slipstream, speculative philosophy, hard SF, and so on.

SFWA Science Fiction Grand Master James Gunn established the Workshop in 1985 and led it on his own (with appearances from Sturgeon and Campbell Award-winning authors) until 1996, when author and CSSF Director Christopher McKitterick began co-teaching; Kij Johnson also co-taught from 1996-2002, before branching off her own SF&F Novel Writing Workshop, offered during the same two-week period. Gunn stepped back his participation in 2010, but plans to drop in from time to time to meet the workshoppers and offer words of writing wisdom, and he usually joins us for lunch in the (very good) adjoining dorm cafeteria. We'll likely enjoy other special-guest authors and editors, as well.

Simultaneous scheduling and adjacent meeting spaces provide valuable opportunities to intermingle with the other group and discuss writing from different perspectives outside regular meeting times.

Jim Gunn dispensing wisdom during his 2008 SF Writer's Workshop.

The Campbell Conference following the workshop plans to bring the winners of the Campbell and Sturgeon Awards to the campus as special guests, and several more SF-writers and editors are also scheduled to attend, talk, and sign books during the special Campbell Conference this year. We invite our special guests to come and talk to us on Friday afternoon about "The Secrets of Successful Science Fiction" - always a great experience! Our notable visiting authors, editors, and other guests of the Conference usually stay in the dorm with the attendees, so you will have special access to these luminaries. Starting in 2013, we are proud to announce that Workshop participants may register for the Conference at no cost: Just note that you are a Workshop attendee on your registration form. You must still register in advance, of course!

Housing information is available below.

Participants will have time for writing, for recreation, for socializing, and for individual conferences.

2013 Writers Workshop Offered June 2–14

This year's Writer's Workshop meets from June 2–14, and the Campbell Conference, June 13–16. We will have an informal get-together with the Science Fiction & Fantasy Novel Writers Workshop attendees on Sunday evening, at 6:00pm in our residential hall where we'll be meeting, to get acquainted and plan for the coming weeks.

The "Young Gunns" of 2012
Clockwise from left: Bradley Denton, Jack Ryan, Isaac Bell, Tepring Crocker, Kara Tan Bhala, Chris Kenworthy, Kathy Kitts,
Mark Silcox, Chris McKitterick, Chuck Von Nordheim, and James Gunn (back to camera on left).

Graduate academic credit is now offered through English 757 - talk to your advisor about pursuing this option; if you are not a KU student but wish to take the Workshop for graduate credit, contact English Graduate Secretary Lydia Ash right away to discuss the possibility: lash@ku.edu. Attendees arrive at the dorm Sunday daytime and stay through the entire Campbell Conference, so plan to arrive on Sunday and leave the Sunday afternoon or evening of the Campbell Conference. If you wish to arrive early to settle in, please let us know so we can see if we arrange that with the Housing department.

The "Young Gunns" of 2008.

Preferred length is the short story (2,500 - 10,000 words), though writers frequently turn in short-shorts (shorter than 1,000 words) or longer works; if you write novelettes or novellas (longer than 10,000 words), please limit your submissions to less than 30,000 words total; due to time constraints and the structure of the Workshop, we usually cannot take up more than three works total, even if they are short-shorts or flash fiction, so keep that in mind. If you are writing a novel, consider instead the novel-writing workshop held in conjunction with this short-form workshop, because it's challenging to give useful feedback on just a few chapters. Everyone comments on every story, each story is analyzed for publishability, and writers are encouraged to submit their work for publication. We might also work on exercises, analyze successful fiction, and more.

The "Young Gunns" of 2005
Standing: Ann Tonsor Zeddies, Mark Grover, Larry Taylor, Fran Van Cleave, James Gunn, Harold Agnew, Nolen Harsh.
Kneeling: Chris McKitterick, Mary Rose-Shaffer, Eric Warren, Karen Schwabach, Mandy Earles, Pat Buehler.

Applicants will be notified about acceptance starting in March, so contact us as soon as you can! Enrollment for KU graduate credit begins in April, but contact us early if you plan to enroll for credit so we can reserve you a spot. We continue accepting applications until the Workshop fills or until May 20, whichever comes first.

The Workshop offers a three-hour session of manuscript critiquing, discussion, and other exercises each afternoon, starting at 1:00pm and running until 4:00pm or a little later if needed. The rest of the day is free for writing, study, consultation, and recreation. We often have lunch together in the student union at noon, and most nights we go out together for dinner on the town. Attendees write or revise one manuscript over the weekend and usually work on an exercise or two. Participants often exchange more manuscripts during or after the Workshop, so be prepared to share more if you find interested readers!

Bradley Denton and Nathaniel Williams playing the blues, 2012 Workshop.

Does the Workshop help students get published? Most former attendees have not only gone on to publish in both the short and long forms, but to win the fields most prestigious awards. Among these are multiple award-winning authors Pat Cadigan, Bradley Denton (who has also served as guest author), and John Kessel. Two Workshop graduates have won the grand prize in the Writers of the Future contest, and the majority of grads have gone on to publish their work.

The "Young Gunns" of 2004

Housing for the Writers Workshop

Our official dorm housing for out-of-town attendees is one of the lounges in Rieger Scholarship Hall (a mirror of last year's Krehbiel Hall) at 1303 Ohio Street, a brand new residence located near the Kansas Student Union, Oread Hotel, and downtown. Rooms share a bathroom (about one with 3 stalls and showers/bath per 6 rooms), and have a sink and counter space for a microwave or other small kitchen equipment. Building amenities include a lovely wraparound porch with seating (including a chair-swing or two), basketball court, pool table, and many private study areas.

Dormitory rooms were available at the following rates for 2012, and should be similar this year (hold off on sending a check for housing until we have final costs):

• Twelve-night stay (Sunday night through Thursday night) in a shared double room: $258; if you want the double rate, you need to work out a roommate in advance, because the Center is charged per room, not per occupant, and we cannot choose roommates for you. To settle in and meet your fellow workshoppers, we recommend arriving early in the day on Sunday. 
• Twelve-night stay in a single room (unshared): $441. To settle in and meet your fellow workshoppers, we recommend arriving early in the day on Sunday.
• If you plan to arrive a day early or stay a day late, add $21.50 per night for a double room, $37 per night for a single room. Be sure to indicate on your registration form if you wish to check in earlier or check out a later. Many attendees arrive a day early to prepare for the coming weeks.
• To stay for the Campbell Conference, add $43 (shared) or $74 (unshared) for Friday and Saturday night. This is a great opportunity to meet our Campbell and Sturgeon Award winning authors, plus other authors and editors, so we recommend staying through the Conference weekend.
• Note: This year, Housing cannot accommodate check-ins earlier than Saturday before the Workshop. You must request to check in early and pay for an extra day if you wish to arrive on the Saturday beforehand. Housing also cannot accommodate stays beyond June 16.

If you wish to stay in a dorm, you must make dorm reservations by May 24. Please pay for your room in advance once you hear from Lydia Ash about this year's final rate.

Use this form to reserve a dorm room.

Contact Lydia Ash lash@ku.edu for any logistical help you might need in getting settled for your stay. More logistical information is available on the CSSF LiveJournal.

See this map of the University of Kansas to find your way to the dorm: http://www.ku.edu/~parking/ParkingMap.pdf

Check out VisitLawrence.com for local hotel information.

Meals are available in a variety of places, including the Kansas Union and a myriad of local restaurants. Check out Lawrence.com for a list of just a few of the local eating establishments.

The "Young Gunns" of 2003
Front row: Kij Johnson, Jeannette Cheney, Betsy Boyce, Nolen Harsh, Terry Mackey, Adrian Simmons.
Middle row: Harold Agnew, Thomas Seay, Pat Buehler, Jennifer Schwabach, Cliff Johns, Kelly Green, Betty Hull.
Back row: Wolfgang Baur, David Kirtley, Rod Rogers, Frederik Pohl, Chuck Marsters, Larry Taylor, James Gunn.

Costs

Tuition for the Workshop is $500, exclusive of meals and housing, upon acceptance.

If you wish to take the Workshop for graduate credit (English 757), enroll as usual through KU (we also request $100 to help cover costs associated with our guest authors, payable to CSSF). Dorm and meal costs rise the longer you stay, of course, so plan appropriately. Meals vary in cost depending on where you eat. If you wish to take the Workshop for undergraduate credit and have worked with him in the past, contact Chris McKitterick about enrolling in English 495 (Directed Study).

A limited number of reduced-cost scholarships are available for those in financial need. To be considered for the reduced rate, please request it and explain your need when contacting us. Typical reductions are $100 for promising candidates in need (total cost $400 for non-KU students; KU students may apply to have the guest-instructor fee waived).

To register after you have been accepted, please complete this electronic form and send a check made out to the University of Kansas.

How to Apply

Enrollment is limited to approximately 8-12 enrollees, so if you wish to attend, be sure to enroll early! Positions go quickly. To reserve a spot for this year's Writers Workshop:

1. Between January 1 and May 20, submit via email to Chris McKitterick (cmckit@ku.edu) a sample story in proper manuscript formatting you wish to use in the Workshop. Use the subject line "CSSF 2013 Workshop Application" for clarity. We accept applications from January 1 through May 20 (first-come, first-served). Our goal is to pick a good diversity of writers whose approaches and writing styles will work well together. We usually fill our ranks early, so submit early! If you apply late and are accepted, be prepared to have two more stories ready to submit to the group before May 24.

2. Are you a KU student or hoping to take the Workshop for graduate English credit? Great! KU enrollment is late in the application period (April), so to ensure your spot submit your application package - before KU enrollment - to Chris McKitterick as soon as you know you would like to take the Workshop. For details on registering for graduate English credit at KU, contact Lydia Ash (lash@ku.edu). To get permission to take the course for undergraduate independent study, contact Chris McKitterick (cmckit@ku.edu)

3. If you are accepted, congratulations! You'll receive detailed information about the Workshop and an invitation to our private Google Group. If you are not accepted, you'll hear details about how to improve your chances of getting in next year.

4. Once you are accepted, fill out this form and send it and your check to Lydia Ash. If you wish to apply for reduced tuition, contact Chris McKitterick right away and submit a note explaining your financial need. If you wish to attend the Campbell Conference, be sure to register for that, as well - just because it's free for attendees doesn't mean you don't have to register! Your registration is not complete until you have submitted both the form and your check by the June 1 deadline.

5. Between acceptance into the Workshop and May 24, submit a total of three stories (or a maximum of 30,000 words for all three works) via our Google Group for distribution to other Workshop attendees. Please identify your preferred order, as that will affect which our Guest Authors read (McKitterick reads all three). You may submit these one at a time or all at once. Final deadline for submitting stories to be workshopped is May 24. Electronic submissions (only in .rtf or .doc format) are required for ease of distribution.

A registration form is available online. Everyone - including those taking the course for credit or not-for-credit - must fill out this form and submit it to Lydia Ash (lash@ku.edu).

If you are not a current KU student but wish to take the Workshop for graduate credit, you need to apply as a non-degree-seeking graduate student. Fill out this KU application form and supply a copy of an official transcript showing proof of an undergraduate degree. On the application form is an area for comments/notes. Indicate that you wish to enroll only for the summer SF Writing Workshop (ENGL 757). You must enroll using the KU online enrollment system, and you need a permission code from Chris McKitterick (cmckit@ku.edu) sometime during April. You can officially enroll for graduate credit after you have the code, but be sure to enroll by June 3 or KU will charge a late-enrollment fee. If you have any questions about the application or enrollment process, please let Lydia Ash know.

Contact Lydia Ash (lash@ku.edu) for any logistical help you might need in getting settled for your stay. More logistical information is available on the CSSF LiveJournal.

Transportation from Airport to Lawrence

The shuttles most people use to get to and from the Kansas City International (MCI) airport to Lawrence are:

• KCI Express Shuttle offers pickup and delivery right to our dorm for only $5 more than the normal rate. Phone Reservations: (816)645-1815. After 8:00 PM CST (816)372-1556.
• KCI Airport Shuttle (also known as the "Roadrunner Shuttle"). Full information here (scroll to the bottom of the page for rates). Toll-free phone contact number: (800)747-2524 or call your travel agent.
• Ground Transportation, Inc, is a local Lawrence business. (888)467-3729 or (785)838-4500. See a schedule here.

Maps

Here's a cropped map of the University of Kansas (click the image to see it in full-screen size):
 

Here's a map showing where KU is located in Eastern Kansas:
 

University of Kansas map (in .pdf format):
http://www.ku.edu/visit/maps.shtml

Kansas Union map (in .pdf format):
http://www.union.ku.edu/kansasuniondirect.pdf

Lawrence map (a bus-route map, but very useful, in .pdf format):
http://www.lawrencetransit.org/maps/ltspage2.pdf 

Google Maps (just input where you wish to go and it will provide the maps).

Lawrence in the Summer

For anyone who hasn't visited, Lawrence is wonderful, a lively small city in the Kaw River valley, filled with art, events, and activities. The location of the University of Kansas, Lawrence is situated about 40 miles from Kansas City and 20 miles from Topeka. Summers can be hot, but classrooms and housing are air-conditioned.

Among its many amenities, the University of Kansas contains a large science-fiction collection (including a number of single-author paper and manuscript collections, such as Theodore Sturgeon's) and other great reference collections; museums of natural history and art; and sports, theater, and lots more. Lawrence offers many excellent restaurants and shopping and recreational opportunities. Kansas City is less than an hour away. Nighttime opportunities include movies, dinner, live concerts, star-gazing sessions, and of course talk about writing and more.

The nearest major airport is Kansas City International (MCI), about 55 miles from Lawrence. Transportation to Lawrence from Kansas City International can be arranged through one of several airport shuttle services. By car, Lawrence is at the intersection of U.S. 59 and I-70 (Kansas Turnpike) or K-10. The I-70 West Lawrence interchange is closer to campus. Lawrence can also be reached along the lovely Kansas Highway 10.

Find out all about Lawrence - its history, stores, museums, observatories, and SFnal activities - here.

Contact us for any logistical help you might need in getting settled for your stay:

Lydia Ash ( lash@ku.edu )

updated 4/20/2013