FAQ ◊ Syllabus ◊

DragonCon 2009 Writer’s Workshop Info

In 2009, A. C. Crispin will again be offering her Basic Writers Workshop at DragonCon on September 3 and 4, 2009. 

She will NOT be offering the Advanced Writers Workshop in 2009, but will instead offer a FREE mini-workshop on "How to Get a Real Literary Agent." (See FAQ for details.)

Ms. Crispin is a best selling science fiction and fantasy author who has been making a living with her writing since 1983.  With Victoria Strauss, she founded Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America's famous volunteer group, Writer Beware, and she serves as its Chair.

Ms. Crispin's Basic course provides a full overview of the science fiction and fantasy genre. It gives students insight and information on how to market their fiction in today's competitive publishing environment.  The Basic course also includes, at no extra charge, a personalized manuscript critique by Ms. Crispin.

At completion, students will understand the importance of background genre reading, scientific or other appropriate research, developing fleshed-out characters, original or “twist” plotlines, setting, and descriptions in their science fiction or fantasy short stories or novels. Students will learn sources they can consult to find legitimate, suitable markets for short story or novel submissions. They’ll be able to produce a correctly formatted and printed manuscript, and a workable query or cover letter. They’ll be able to identify and avoid the writing scams that are proliferating in today’s highly competitive markets. (For a breakdown of course subjects, see the Basic Course Syllabus on this site.)

This course will run for two full days at Dragon*Con, on Thursday (one day before the con “officially” begins) and Friday, September 3-4, 2009. Submission of a manuscript for review by Ms. Crispin is desirable, but not required.

Ms. Crispin has been teaching the Basic Writers Workshop at Dragoncon since 2001.  Many of her former students have gone on to sell their work to professional markets and several have won awards for their fiction:

"While Ann's lessons on the fundamentals of the craft, especially as they applied to genre writing, were solid, the best part of the workshop for me was the critiques.  Her brutal honesty left me with no doubts on what my story needed to succeed.  And she was equally honest with me about my story's strengths.  I walked out of my critique with a much clearer picture of who I was as a writer and what steps I needed to take to improve my craft.  And yes, after revisions, I sold that story."

~Jennifer Pelland (2008 Short Story Nebula Nominee for 'Captive Girl')

"The Writers Workshop taught by Ann Crispin at Dragon*Con 2000 played a pivotal role in my becoming a published, professional writer. I highly recommend her two-day Beginning Writers Workshop for aspiring writers looking to improve their craft and learn about the publishing industry and her Advanced Writers Workshop for intermediate level writers seeking to take their prose to the next level."

~Eugie Foster (Phobos award winner for 'All in My Mind)

"I've been a student of Ann Crispin's Dragon*Con workshops since 2002, and her courses have been key in my becoming the professional writer I am today.  Not only does Ann give a no-holds-barred, straightforward approach to help students better their writing and understand the publishing industry, but her classroom fosters a true writing community.  Fellow alumni and I have stayed in touch over the years, pushing and supporting each other through mailing groups, critiques, recommendations, and friendship.  For anyone who wants to be a serious writer, take a workshop by Ann Crispin."

~Trisha J. Wooldridge (EPPIE Award winning author of "Party Crashers" in BAD-ASS FAERIES 2: JUST PLAIN BAD)

For more info about Ms. Crispin, check out the A.C. Crispin website.

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A.C. Crispin’s Writer’s Workshop: Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. How much does it cost to attend the Basic workshop?

A. Cost for the two-day 2009 Basic Workshop is $175.00 per person. This 16 hour course includes extensive handouts on marketing fiction, as well as the personalized manuscript critique by Ms. Crispin.  Send your check, payable to Dragon*Con Writers Workshop, to our office at:

Dragon*Con
Attn: 2009 Writers’ Workshop
PO Box 16459
Atlanta, GA 30321-0459

Q. How much does it cost to attend the Advanced workshop?

A. The Advanced Workshop will not be held in 2009. 

Ms. Crispin will instead offer a FREE mini-workshop on "How to Get a Real Literary Agent."  She will accept ten students for this two-hour workshop. This mini-workshop will cover how to locate real agents, how to avoid scam agents, how to follow agent submission guidelines, and how networking can be useful. 

The second hour of the mini-workshop will be devoted to Ms. Crispin reading and critiquing the query letters submitted by the ten students.  

Admission to the FREE mini workshop will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Write to DragonCon to be placed on the list.

Dragon*Con
Attn: 2009 Mini Workshop
PO Box 16459
Atlanta, GA 30321-0459

Q. When will the Basic workshop be held?

A. The A.C. Crispin Writer’s Beginner’s Workshop will be held September 3-4, 2009. The workshop will begin on the Thursday before Dragon*Con officially starts, and run through Friday afternoon of the first day. The workshop will begin at 9:00 A.M. and last until 5:00 P.M. both days, with a lunch break.

Q. When will the Advanced workshop be held?

A. There will not be an Advanced Workshop held in 2009.  Ms. Crispin is working on developing a special offering for the 2010 Advanced Workshop.  She will be accepting five students ONLY for an intensive novel submissions workshop that will focus on putting the final polish on the novel submission packages for five students.  Each student must have completed the Basic workshop and submit a writing sample to be considered for admission to this 2010 workshop.  More details will be posted about this in early 2010.

Q. Why is the Basic workshop starting a day before the convention officially starts?

A. We are starting the workshop early so that those attending the A.C. Crispin Writer’s Workshop may also attend the regular Dragon*Con Writers Track programming on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Q. Where will the workshop be held?

A. The A.C. Crispin Writers Workshop is currently scheduled to be held in the Hyatt Marietta Room at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta.

Q. I don’t have a manuscript to submit yet; I’ve just started writing. Can I attend the Basic workshop anyway?

A. Certainly. Manuscript submission is desirable, but not required.

Q. I have a manuscript to submit. What are the submission guidelines?

A. All manuscripts to be read by Ms. Crispin must be submitted to the following address by August 10, 2009:

Dragon*Con
Attn: 2009 Writers’ Workshop
PO Box 16459
Atlanta, GA 30321-0459

Manuscripts must be typed, double-spaced, in approved manuscript format. (See the manuscript guidelines on the SFWA website: (www.sfwa.org) Handwritten or single spaced manuscripts are not acceptable. Ms. Crispin will read manuscripts up to 5000 words, or about 20 double spaced pages. Attendees may submit short stories, or the first chapter and synopsis of a novel for critique. No electronic submissions will be accepted. No poetry, please.

Q. What does the Basic workshop cover?

A. A syllabus of the workshop is available toward the end of this Q&A, and gives all the topics covered. Day One of the workshop will cover writing subjects such as characterization, plot, setting, description, POV, creating the illusion of reality, research, theme and style. Day Two will be devoted to marketing your work to professional markets, and critiques of manuscripts that have been submitted.

Q. What level writer do I have to be?

A. Ms. Crispin’s workshop allows plenty of time for class discussions and Q&A, and is designed to help writers from the complete beginner stage to those who are beginning to submit their work for possible publication.

Q. If I attend Dragon*Con and sign up for the Writers Track, does that entitle me to attend Ms. Crispin’s workshop?

A. No. Ms. Crispin’s Basic Writer’s Workshop is separate from the regular Dragon*Con Writers Track. You must register for it separately, and there is a charge to attend.

Q. What materials should I bring to the Basic workshop?

A. If you have submitted a manuscript for critique, and would like to share copies of your submission with the other class members, you will be given instructions on how to send copies of your manuscript electronically to the other students prior to the start of the class.  It's advisable to print out any stories you have read and have comments on, so you can give the other author your comments on his/her story. 
Ms. Crispin will be in touch with her students prior to the workshop to let them know how many will be attending, and to provide an email list for the class attendees, etc. Please bring notebook and pen for taking notes. Laptops and tape recorders are fine, too, though you should probably bring an extension cord. No video cameras, please.

Q. I really want to attend the Basic Workshop, but I can't afford the extra expense.  What can I do?

A. Each year, Ms. Crispin offers one free "scholarship" slot to her workshop to a deserving writer who is experiencing genuine economic hardship.  If you'd like to be considered for the 2009 "Scholarship" slot, please write to the Head of the DragonCon Writer's Track, Nancy Knight.

Q. I still have a question about whether I should attend. Who can I ask about the Basic workshop?

A. You may email Ms. Crispin at Anncrispin@aol.com.
Handwritten or unprofessional appearing manuscripts cannot be read. Please adhere to the word-count and manuscript guidelines for your submission.
In the cover letter accompanying your manuscript for review, please give the following information:

1. Name, age, and, if published, please list your professional sales.
2. Complete contact information: street address, telephone number(s), and email address. Ms. Crispin calls each student prior to the class to discuss any special concerns they may have, so she will need this information from you.

Of course, participants must also have an attending Dragon*Con 2009 membership. Only a limited number of students can be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis.  Early registration is recommended, as this course always sells out.

Science Fiction & Fantasy Workshop Syllabus

I. Introduction to Genre Fiction

A. Why It’s Easier to Sell

B. The Ancient and Proud Tradition of Storytelling

II. Introduction to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Genre:

A. What is Science Fiction?

B. What is Fantasy?

C. What are “Subgenres”?

1. Cyberpunk

2. Media Tie-ins

3. Hard S.F.

4. Fantasy Subgenres

5. Mercs in Space

6. S.F. and Fantasy Crossovers

a. Mystery

b. Romance

III. The Elements of Fiction: What They Are and How They Work Together in S.F. and Fantasy Writing

A. Characterization

1. Creating Believable Characters

2. Your Protagonist

3. Your Antagonist

4. Secondary Characters

5. Creating Believable Aliens and Non-humans

B. Plot

1. Is There Such a Thing as an Original Plot?

2. If You Can’t Be Totally Original, How Can You Still Be Intriguing and Saleable?

3. Robert A. Heinlein’s 3 Plotlines

4. Primary Plot

5. Subplots - Do You Need Them? When? How Many?

a. How to Make Subplots Tie into Primary Plots Seamlessly

b. Subplots as Crossovers - Romance, Mystery, etc.

C. Setting - What World is This Anyway? What Time?

1. Why Settings are Crucial to S.F. and Fantasy Fiction

a. We’re Not in Kansas, Toto

2. Creating S.F. and Fantasy Worlds

a. Background Data: How Much is Too Much?

b. Avoiding Expository Lumps

3. How to Write Effective Settings When You Can’t Go There in Person

4. Setting in Time Travel Stories

D. Description: Characters, Worlds, Aliens

1. Writing Effective Character Description

2. Writing Dynamic Narrative

3. Writing Action Scenes

IV. Rivets and Trees, Nuts and Bolts: Constructing a S.F. or Fantasy Story/Novel

A. Breakdown into Scenes

1. How Long Should a Scene Be?

2. What Should a Scene Cover?

3. Transitions: How to Get from One Place and Ttime to Another without Jarring the Reader

B. Point-of-View

1. Determining Whose POV is Best for a Given Scene

2. Why one POV per Scene is Usually Best for Today’s Genre Fiction

3. Handling Difficult POV’s

a. Can You Create Alien Aliens and Still Have Them be POV Characters?

b. How Do Aliens Differ from Non-Human Fantasy Characters?

C. Pacing

1. Be Careful of Flashbacks Slowing Down the Pacing

2. Make each Acene do Double Duty - Advancing Both Characterization and Plot

3. Pacing in Short Stories

4. Pacing in Novels

D. Creating the Illusion of Reality for Alien, Time-Travel or Fantasy Worlds

1. Verisimilitude - How to Make it “Ring True”

2. Research - How Much is Too Much?

a. S.F. Research - Science is All

1. Planetology, Physics, Biology, etc.

2. History for Time Travel and Alternate History

b. Fantasy Research - Folklore, Magic, and What’s Been Overdone

3. How to Avoid Getting in Over Your Head

a. Who Should Write Hard S.F.?

b. Fantasy’s Easy by Comparison...Right?

E. Dialogue

1. Developing Your “Ear”

2. Writing Dialogue That is Easy to Read, but Rings True

a. Creating the Impression of Alien Speech Patterns

b. What’s Been Overdone in Fantasy Dialogue

3. Suiting Speech Patterns to Characters

4. How to Write Dialect and Still be P.C.

F. Style

1. What Styles Work Best for S.F.? Fantasy?

2. How to Develop Your Own Unique Style

3. Improving Your Style

4. Writing Smoothly

5. Avoid Letting “Style” Get in the Way of Telling the Story

G. Atmosphere

1. What is It?

2. When it’s Crucial, When It’s Not

H. Theme

1. Stating It in a Sentence or Two

2. Most Important During Revision Phase

3. Don’t Let the Message Get in the Way of the Story

I. Advanced Storytelling Techniques

1. Present vs. Past Tense - When is It Justified?

2. Flashbacks - Why Editors Usually Detest Them

3. Stream-of-Consciousness

4. First Person Narrative? Third?

a. Pros and Cons of Each

5. Polishing Manuscripts

V. Techniques Writers Use

A. Developing Discipline

B. Revision: How Do You Know When Enough is Enough?

C. Using Your Own Emotions and Experiences to Make Readers Care

1. If you Don’t/Can’t Care, They Won’t Either

D. What is the Reader Thinking/Feeling?

1. Why You Need to Know

2. How to Gauge a Reader’s Reactions

E. Writing Groups

1. Pros and Cons

2. Organizing Your Own - Rules are Essential

F. Writer’s Block - Techniques for Jump - Starting

G. How to Be Creative When Words Won’t Come

VI. Marketing Your Work - Okay, You’ve Finished. Now What?

A. Studying S.F. and Fantasy Markets

1. Why You MUST Be a Reader if You Want to Be a Writer

a. Spending Time at the Bookstore

b. Genre Publications

2. Should You Tailor Your Fiction to a Particular Market/Sub-Genre? If So, How?

3. Non-Category S.F. or Fantasy - Can You Sell It?

B. Marketing Short S.F. and Fantasy

C. Marketing S.F. and Fantasy Novels

D. When Do You Need an Agent? How Do You Get One?

E. Dealing with Rejection

VII. It’s a Jungle Out There - Avoiding Writing Scams

A. How to Spot Them

B. How to Network with Other Writers

1. Useful Websites and Groups

2. Professional Writers Organizations

C. Hurry Up and Wait - How to Stay Creative While Going Crazy Waiting for Editorial Responses

VIII. The Emotional Toll of Writing - Is it Worth It?

A. How to Stay Positive

B. When (if Ever) to Quit

IX. The Writing Life

A. Finances

B. Professional Etiquette/Dealing with Editors, etc.

C. When to Quit Your Day Job

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