"James Gunn is as sage as they come."
-Trent Walters, from a Writer's Workshop review for SF Site
For 2008, the Writer's Workshop will meet from June 30 through July 11, and the Campbell Conference, July 11 - 13. If you are coming from out of town, plan to arrive on Sunday, June 29. We will have an informal get-together with the Science Fiction & Fantasy Novel Writers Workshop on that Sunday evening to get acquainted.
The Campbell Conference plans to bring the winners of the Campbell and Sturgeon Awards to the campus as special guests, as well as Frederik Pohl and his wife, Elizabeth Anne Hull, a former president of SFRA and a Campbell Award juror. Several special SF-writer guests and more are also scheduled for the special Campbell Conference this year.
Housing information is available below.
Participants will have time for writing, for recreation, for socializing, and for individual conferences.
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.
Photo by Leonid Korogodski
2008 Writers Workshop Offered June 30 - July 11
In 2008, the Science Fiction Writers Workshop will meet from June 30 to July 11, concluding with the Campbell Conference. Academic credit is not offered, though KU students may also register for a Directed Study class through the English Department (talk to your advisor about pursuing this option; this adds KU credit costs). Most attendees come to the dorm a day early and stay through the entire Conference, so plan to arrive on June 29 and remain through July 13.
The Workshop is intended for writers who have just begun to sell or who need that final bit of insight or skill to become a published writer. Preferred length is the short story (10,000 words or less), though writers frequently turn in short-shorts (shorter than 3,000 words) and longer works. If you are writing a novel, you might want to consider the novel-writing workshop held in conjunction with this short-form workshop. Everyone comments on every story, each story will be analyzed for publishability, and writers will be encouraged to submit their work for publication.
James Gunn will lead the Workshop. The Writers Workshop will have Fred Pohl and Elizabeth Ann Hull as guest reviewers during its last day, and we hope to have other attending authors participate at least one day, as well. Kij Johnson and Chris McKitterick will be present during the full two weeks for personal consultation and other activities, and Kij Johnson will teach a novel-writing workshop in conjunction with the regular Writers Workshop. Feel free to take the novel-writing workshop at the same time as the main Writers Workshop, but expect to do a lot more work! Notable SF author-guests of the Conference usually stay in the dorm with the attendees, so you will have special access to these luminaries.
Starting in 2005, the winner of the James E. Gunn Award for Science Fiction Writing is also invited to attend the Workshop with a partial scholarship in addition to prize money.
Applicants for admission should write to James Gunn and Chris McKitterick by mid-April expressing interest in the workshop, and must submit by June 1 a manuscript of professional appearance and near-publishable quality; this manuscript serves as admission material as well as one of the projects to be workshopped during the two weeks if the applicant is accepted. Following acceptance, participants submit two additional manuscripts before the Workshop begins, which along with the first will be distributed to other participants. Required format is electronic for easy distribution to the other workshoppers. At this time, participants must also send a check for tuition (payable to James Gunn) and a check for housing (payable to KU Housing).
The Workshop offers a three-hour session of manuscript critiquing each morning. The rest of the day is free for writing, study, consultation, and recreation. One manuscript will be revised over the weekend. Participants often exchange more manuscripts during or after the Workshop, so be prepared to share more if you find interested readers!
Does the Workshop help students get published? Well, Check out this page to see a list of CSSF Workshop alumni publications and awards.
The "Young Gunns" of 2004
Housing for the Writers Workshop
Last year, our official dorm housing was Ellsworth Hall, a renovated residence located at the top of the hill. Each room in this dorm has a private bathroom as well as a sink and counter space for a microwave or other small kitchen equipment. Dormitory rooms are available to out-of-town attendees at the rate of $18 a night double, $36 a night single (note the recent rate change); if you want the double rate, you will need to work out a roommate in advance, because the Center is charged per room, not per occupant. Workshop participants must make their dorm reservations no later than May 30. Please pay for your room in advance by calculating the nightly rate times how many nights you will stay in the dorm, and make this check payable to CSSF (you may combine checks for CSSF).
If at all possible, please contact us with your intention to participate in the Workshop as soon as possible, and space is limited to 8-12 total participants. We need to reserve early this year in order to get one of the nice, renovated dorms!
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.
Photo by Chris McKitterick
Costs
Tuition for the Workshop is $400, exclusive of meals and housing (or KU credit if so desired), payable to James Gunn. Dorm and meal costs rise the longer you stay, of course, so plan appropriately. Meals vary in cost depending on where you eat. Please send a check payable to KU Housing before you arrive.
If you want to reserve a spot for next year's Writers Workshop, please fill out one of the forms below and submit it and your sample story via email or mail. Deadline is June 1. Our mail address:
Chris McKitterick
Center for the Study of Science Fiction
English Department
University of Kansas
Wescoe Hall
1445 Jayhawk Blvd, Room 3116
Lawrence Kansas 66045-7590
Enrollment Information and Request Form
Starting with the 2008 Workshop, we will limit enrollment to approximately 8-12 enrollees, so if you wish to attend, be sure to enroll early! Positions are still available but are going quickly. Currently, the Workshop only has very few openings left, so if you wish to take the workshop, sign up soon!
Both an electronic form and a printable text form are available on line. To be accepted, you must submit a short sample of your work that you intend to workshop to James Gunn by June 1 at the latest. If you are accepted, be prepared to submit a total of three stories and an outline (maximum of 30,000 words) to James Gunn for distribution to other Workshop attendees. Electronic submissions are preferred for ease of distribution.
Contact us for any logistical help you might need in getting settled for your stay:
Transportation from Airport to Lawrence
The shuttle most people use to get to and from the airport is the "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
Local phone numbers:
Junction City: (785) 238-6161
Manhattan, KS: (785) 537-2086
Topeka: (785) 272-9995
Maps
University of Kansas map:
http://www.ku.edu/visit/maps.shtml
Kansas Union map:
http://www.jayhawks.com/union/images/KansasUnionMap2.pdf
Lawrence map (a bus-route map, but very useful):
http://www.lawrencetransit.org/maps/ltspage2.pdf
Lawrence in the Summer
Lawrence, the location of the University of Kansas, is a pleasant college town of about 85,000 situated 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 has a large science-fiction collection and good reference collections; museums of natural history and art; and sports, theater, and concerts. Lawrence has many excellent restaurants and shopping and recreational opportunities. Kansas City is less than an hour away. Nighttime opportunities include movies, dinner, concerts, and star-gazing sessions.
The nearest major airport is Kansas City International, 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
Contact us for any logistical help you
might need in getting settled for your stay:
Chris McKitterick (cmckit@ku.edu)
or James Gunn (jgunn@ku.edu).