and so.

[lagilman]

And so, my week as writer-in-residence at Odyssey 2010 has drawn to a close. I still have my doubts as to how the lectures worked -- this is me, so of course I'm second-guessing and trying to figure out where I screwed up and how I could have conveyed the information better -- but the one-on-one meetings were, I think, productive. There were a few times I really saw a gotcha! light go on, and hopefully they're now saying "hell yes I can" rather than "er, I'm not sure I can." While they're not ready for publication yet -- they will be. They've got the talent, and the drive, and now, I hope, the properly-filled toolbox to make it happen.

I also got to tell the students that yes, really, truly, even multiply-published writers go through the "oh my god this is crap this sucks" stage when writing. Every. Single. Time.

Meanwhile, I am holed up in Hell's Penthouse, working on Vineart War 3 and wondering if going to Readercon tomorrow was really such a good idea, as right now I am feeling worn out and wrung out and not really up to dealing with the Bright and Clever Things [TM]. I am not feeling Bright or Clever at all, right now*. Knowing that it's a normal comedown to a week of being intensely On isn't making me feel any less meh about the entire thing. So if you see me at Readercon...be gentle, 'k?





*okay, I never feel Bright and Clever. Smart, yes, but not Clever.

Comments

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

Yes. When I say, as I sometimes do, that I am not Clever, people sometimes (often) seem to think I'm saying I don't think I'm smart, but the two things, while related, are quite different.

Hope you get the downtime you need.

And may I say: Yeah! for Vineart 3!

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

Whoops. DOn't know how that posted twice. Sorry.

[lagilman]

Clever, especially among writers, is a very specific thing, yeah. It is highly valued in venues such as Readercon, and I often feel like even people who otherwise sorta like me are thinking "sit down and shut up, Gilman, you can't play in this league."

And then the non-Clever-but-reasonably-Smart-and-Interesting-Nonetheless people find each other, and all's well. :-)

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I'm sure you did a fantastic job at Odyssey. And yeah, after a week of that I'd recommend a quiet hermit's cave somewhere, but hopefully Readercon won't be too manic.

[lagilman]

I ended up spending 3+ hours at dinner with like-minded and interesting people, so that was quite soothing. Plans to hermit, however, have been derailed by dinner invite Monday, a concert wednesday, and an interview on Thursday. Oh well. It's always nice to be wanted.