Wednesday, July 25, 2012

the finale of squee -- summer 2012 online writers' conference


So I have some important stuff coming up in the future. I'll be talking more about these things and posting pictures, too.

In September, I'll be heading to Park City, Utah for the Annual League of Utah Writers Conference.

I am not a Utah writer, but I'm fairly certain that I will be writing there when I attend the conference.

In November, I'll be heading to St. Louis for the Annual YALSA Symposium. I'll be speaking about literacy and guys, and why it is that the American educational system has been trying to discourage literacy among boys, who are naturally just as literate as non-boys. I'll also visit a couple high schools while I'm there, as well as speak at the St. Louis Public Library.

I am really grateful to the people at the St. Louis Public Library who went out of their way to bring me there.

And, finally, tomorrow I get to wrap up the Santa Monica Public Library's summer workshop session for teens who want to write. I'll be at the SMPL beginning at 2:00, working with these kids, who've had the opportunity to take classes from a number of authors over the past month.

So kids, you know the routine:


Oh, I have no shortage of advice to give these eager young whelps with word processors.

It's just a matter of deciding whether to take the tough love approach or the brutally painful approach.

In any event, my writers' conferences, which are always extremely expensive [but worth it!!!] are based on the following critical assumptions:

1. Reducing the unnecessarily wasteful amount of squee! being spewed into the universe.

2. Learning how to use the slot (see above).

3. Making participants cry.

Sounds like fun!

I will post heart-wrenching photographs of the casualties.