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Workshop Schedule 2023

Wednesday, July 19 – Arrival Day

All students will be staying in Westmoreland Hall.

Staff members will be on hand at 9:00 am to greet arriving students. Meet in the Westmoreland Hall lobby for check-in and keys. Take your linens and suitcases to your rooms, then rest or come back and socialize. Make sure to call home and tell your folks you made it okay!

Snacks will be served in Westmoreland Hall around 1 pm. Dinner is in Chambers Hall from 5:00-6:00.

People being picked up at the airport who will miss meals will stop en route to eat.

No formal activities are scheduled, since people will be arriving all day, but we’ll do introductions and maybe a games night after dinner.

Thursday, July 20 – Day 2 Ayana Gray

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
10:00 A.M. – 10:50 A.M. Official welcome, explanation of writing assignment 
11:00 A.M. – 11:50 A.M. Ayana Grey presentation
12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. Lunch
1:10 P.M. – 2:20 P.M. Ayana Grey presentation
2:30 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. Initial brainstorming workshop
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner 
6:10 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Staff Lecture
7:10 P.M. – 7:50 P.M. Optional social break
8:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Writing Studio

Friday, July 21 – Day 3 Ayana Gray

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Breakfast 
10:00 A.M. – 10:50 A.M. Ayana Grey presentation
11:00 A.M. – 11:50 A.M. Staff lecture 
12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. Lunch
1:10 P.M. – 2:30 P.M. Ayana Grey presentation
2:40 P.M. – 3:20 P.M. Ayana Grey Q&A, signing
3:30 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. Second workshop of story ideas 
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner 
6:10 P.M. – 6:50 P.M. How (Not) to Critique – Second year students
7:00 P.M. – 7:40 P.M. Readaloud practice for Barnes & Noble (B&N) 
7:40 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Writing Studio

Saturday, July 22 – Day 4 Cassandra Khaw

10:00 A.M. – 11:20 A.M. Cassandra Khaw presentation 
11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. Brunch 
12:40 P.M. – 1:30 P.M. Cassandra Khaw presentation 
1:40 P.M. – 2:30 P.M. Staff lecture
2:40 P.M. – 3:40 P.M. Staff lecture
3:50 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. Second year demo critiques 
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner 
** Meet for B&N, and Return from B&N

Sunday, July 23 – Day 5 Cassandra Khaw

10:00 A.M. – 11:20 A.M. Cassandra Khaw presentation 
11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. Brunch 
12:40 P.M. – 1:30 P.M. Cassandra Khaw presentation 
1:40 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. Staff lecture 
3:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. Writing Studio
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner 
6:10 P.M. – 7:10 P.M. First Lines activity
7:10 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Writing Studio

Monday, July 24 – Day 6 Tamora Pierce

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Breakfast 
10:00 A.M. – 10:50 A.M. Tamora Pierce presentation 
11:00 A.M. – 11:50 A.M. Staff lecture
12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. Lunch 
1:10 P.M. – 2:10 P.M. Tamora Pierce presentation 
2:20 P.M. – 3:10 P.M. Staff lecture
3:20 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. Writing studio
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner 
6:10 – 7:40 P.M. One-on-ones with staff 

Tuesday, July 25 – Day 7 Tamora Pierce

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Breakfast 
10:00 A.M. – 10:50 A.M. Tamora Pierce presentation 
11:00 A.M. – 11:50 P.M. Writing Studio
12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. Lunch 
1:10 P.M. – 2:10 P.M. Tamora Pierce presentation
2:20 P.M. – 2:50 P.M. Tamora Pierce signing
2:50 P.M. – 3:10 P.M. Group Photo
3:20 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. Writing Studio 
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner 
6:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Writing Studio

Wednesday, July 26 – Day 8 Staff Day

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Breakfast 
10:00 A.M. – 10:50 A.M. Staff lecture 
11:00 A.M. – 11:50 A.M. Staff lecture
12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. Lunch 
1:10 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. Staff lecture
2:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. Critique stories on your own 
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner 
6:10 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Optional social break
7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Writing Studio

Thursday, July 28 – Day 9 Sarah Gailey

800 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Breakfast 
10:00 A.M. – 10:50 A.M. Sarah Gailey presentation 
11:00 A.M. – 11:50 A.M. Staff lecture
12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. Lunch 
1:10 P.M. – 1:30 P.M. Sarah Gailey presentation 
1:40 P.M. – 2:30 P.M. Staff lecture OR Fishbowl
2:30 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. Writing Studio
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner
6:10 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Lecture OR social break 
7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Writing Studio

Friday, July 28 – Day 10 Sarah Gailey

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Breakfast 
10:00 A.M. – 11:10 A.M. Sarah Gailey presentation 
11:20 A.M. – 11:50 A.M. Sarah Gailey signing
12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. Lunch 
1:10 P.M. – 2:10 P.M. Sarah Gailey presentation 
2:20 P.M. – 4:50 P.M. Critique of first draft 
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner 
6:10 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Writing Studio – revise, start a new project, or relax!

Saturday, July 29 – Day 11 Staff Day

10:00 A.M. – 11:20 A.M. Staff mini-lectures 
11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. Brunch 
12:40 P.M. – 1:50 P.M. Staff reading 
2:00 P.M. – 3:20 P.M. Fishbowl
3:30 P.M. – 4:10 P.M. Story submission party
4:20 P.M – 4:50 P.M. Student feedback session 
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner 
6:10 P.M. – 6:40 P.M. Graduation
6:40 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Relax & start packing!

Sunday, July 30 – Day 12

*** Boxed breakfasts will be delivered the night before.
8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. – Pack and clean
9:00 A.M. Depart for the airport

Writing Studio

Writing Studio is your time! You can…

  • Go write
  • Dissect story ideas
  • Examine story problems
  • Critique an in-progress story
  • Find someone to talk with about your story
  • Or whatever makes the most sense for you!

Social Breaks

Social breaks are usually optional, silly activities like “making tiny zines out of paper”

Prologues

Much smaller optional activities before the lecture starts. You might hear staff or a fellow student read their work aloud or get a tour of a staff member’s bookshelves. 

Pre-Dawn and After Hours Activities

Optional activities like writing exercises, group discussions, or “word wars,” to help fill in the time zone gaps.

Lecture Topics

Lecture topics vary somewhat from year to year based on interest, guest lecturers, and onsite staff. You can expect lectures to cover a lot of general craft knowledge, specialized genre tips and tricks, and publishing know-how.