[Clarion West 2k1: the fun never ends...]

Monday.

Got to bed at roughly 2am on Sunday night; awoke at 5am Monday without the ability to fall back asleep. Insomnia in one of its more insidious forms. Since I couldn't get back to sleep, I decided to type, instead. By the time I left for class, I was a thousand words into my new, as yet untitled, story.

At class, we talked about the different kinds of stories that open with messages (Alien), an arrival (The Terminator), a departure (The Running Man novel), a death (A Death in the Family), a wedding (The Godfather), a disaster (Carrie -- this would be a personal disaster, in this case), a crime (The Pink Panther), a mistake (What's Up Doc?), a disappearance (The Vanishing).

Connie pointed out that in each case, these stories are starting off with an upset to the equilibrium. They require a response. The rest of the story unfolds from there, and is ultimately concerned with a drive toward the new equilibrium.

Connie encouraged us to think about what kicks the story into action and why.

Another point from today's class: feed your information to the reader on a need-to-know basis.

The critiques were good, and I have to say that while my story was thoroughly and properly dissected to a pulp, the critiques didn't get personal as well they might have. I found them useful; I think the story can salvaged. All that said, my warning for future Clarionites still holds: submit no re-writes! Ever!

While the crits were good, they are also showing signs of getting a bit raw. I wasn't the only one who received some sharp comments. All part of the week four phenomenon, I'm told.

After class, Connie volunteered to have lunch with us, so about nine of us went out for Thai food and talked up a storm. I had a great time, and it seemed that the others did, too.

Circumstances forced me to miss my one-on-one with Connie during the afternoon. She and I agreed that we can make it later in the week (possibly after I turn in my story on Friday), although there were now some new threats to my slot on Friday (in the form of another possible shift in scheduling). Did I mention that I made a mistake by turning in a story to fill that open slot on Monday?