Schedule

The schedule for the 2011 Alpha workshop is as follows:

Wednesday, July 13 – Day 1

10:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.       Arrival—Franklin Hall (dormitory)
1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.             Pizza – Franklin Hall
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.             Dinner
7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.             Official welcome and explanation of writing assignment (DBK), evening social and “Eye of Argon” reading – Village Hall

Thursday, July 14 – Day 2

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.            Breakfast
10:00 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.        David Levine lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A.M. – 11:50 A.M.       Presentation – “How Not to Critique a Story” (Betas and David Levine) – Village Hall
12:00 noon – 12:50 P.M.       Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M.              David Levine lecture – Village Hall
2:00 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.             Staff Presentation – Cate Matthews – Village Hall
2:40 P.M. – 4:50 P.M.             Go over initial story ideas in groups.  Get feedback on how to trim or expand the chosen idea into something that will sustain a short story. – Village Hall
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.             Dinner
6:15 P.M. – 9:00 P.M               Writing studio, finish feedback groups if necessary and reading practice for those students who will be reading at the bookstore this week  (Diane) – Village Hall

Friday, July 15 – Day 3

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.           Breakfast
10:00 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.       David Levine lecture – Fireside Lounge
11:20 A.M. – 11:50 A.M.       1st Beta Presentation –Yumi Shiroma – “Beginnings” – Fireside Lounge
12:00 noon – 12:50 P.M.       Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M.             David Levine lecture – Fireside Lounge
2:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M.            Critique of the Beta stories – Fireside Lounge
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.            Dinner
6:10 P.M.                                     Leave for Barnes and Noble bookstore from front of dorms
6:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.           Scott Johnson, David Levine, DBK, students B&N reading
8:10 P.M.                                     Travel to movies for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
10:30 P.M.                                  Return to UPG

Saturday, July 16 – Day 4

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.           Breakfast
10:00 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.       Scott Johnson lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A.M. – 11:50 A.M.       2nd Beta Presentation – Maddie Stevens “Dialog, the Candy of Writing” – Village Hall
12:00 noon – 12:50 P.M.       Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M.              Scott Johnson lecture – Village Hall
2:00 P.M. – 2:50 P.M.             Staff Presentation – Julie Holderman – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M.             Writing Studio – Village Hall
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.            Dinner
6:15 P.M. – 6:45 P.M.              Narrative hook exercise – Thomas Seay – Village Hall
7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.             Writing Studio – Village Hall

Sunday, July 17 – Day 5

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.           Breakfast
10:00 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.       Scott Johnson lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A.M. – 11:50 A.M.        2nd Beta presentation — Emma McWilliams – “Balancing Descriptions and Action, and/or How to Avoid ‘Purple Prose” – Village Hall
12:00 noon. – 12:50 P.M.      Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M.              Scott Johnson lecture – Village Hall
2:00 P.M.  – 2:50 P.M.            Staff Presentation – Sarah Brand – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. – 3:15 P.M.             Talk about Alpha-crits, i!Alpha, other crit groups (Sarah Brand) – Village Hall
3:30 P.M.  – 4:50 P.M.            Writing studios
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.             Dinner
6:15 P.M. – 6:30 P.M.              Student feedback session – Village Hall
6:45 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.             Writing Studio – Village Hall

Monday, July 18 – Day 6

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.           Breakfast
10:00 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.       Ellen Kushner lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A.M. – 11:50 A.M.        4th Beta presentation – Rose Owen – Village Hall
12:00 noon. – 12:50 P.M.      Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M.              Staff Presentation – David Barr Kirtley – Village Hall
2:00 P.M. – 2:50 P.M.            Ellen Kushner lecture  – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M.            Writing studios – Village Hall
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.            Dinner
6:15 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.             Writing studio – Village Hall

Tuesday, July 19 – Day 7

Before 8:00 A.M.                      Turn in first draft.
8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.           Breakfast
10:00 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.       Ellen Kushner lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A.M. – 11:50 A.M.       Staff Presentation – Amy Treadwell – Village Hall
12:00 noon – 12:50 P.M.      Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M.             Ellen Kushner lecture – Village Hall
2:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M.            Writing studios – focus on critiquing – Village Hall
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.            Dinner
6:30 P.M.                                     Travel to Barnes & Noble, Greensburg, for the readings/signings
7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.           Tamora Pierce, Ellen Kushner, students reading—Barnes & Noble
9:30 P.M.                                    Return to UPG

Wednesday, July 20 – Day 8

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.           Breakfast
10:00 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.       Tamora Pierce lecture – Fireside Lounge
11:20 A. M. – 11:50 A.M.      Staff presentation – Rachel Halpern – Fireside Lounge
12:00 noon – 12:50 P.M.      Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M.             Tamora Pierce lecture – Fireside Lounge
2:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M.            Critique of first draft – Powers Hall Rooms 117, 118, 119, 120
5:00 P.M. – 5:50 P.M.            Dinner
6:15 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.             Writing studios – focus on revising – many locations

Thursday, July 21 – Day 9

8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.           Breakfast
10:00 A.M. – 11:15 P.M.        Tamora Pierce lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A.M. – 11:50 A.M.       Staff Presentation – Seth Dickinson – Village Hall
12:00 noon – 12:50 P.M.      Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 1:50 P.M.             Tamora Pierce lecture – Village Hall
2:00 P.M. – 2:50 P.M.            Staff Presentation – Thomas Seay – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M.            Writing studios:  pointed focus on second draft – many locations
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.            Dinner
6:15 P.M. – 6:50 P.M.             Discussion of Confluence (Diane) and student feedback session – (Thomas) – Village Hall
7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.             Writing studio – Village Hall

Friday, July 22 – Day 10

8:00 A.M. – 8:30 A.M.           Turn in polished, printed copy of second draft suitable for mailing.
8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.           Breakfast
9:30 A.M. – 12:00 noon        Pack
12:00 noon – 1:00 P.M.         Lunch
2:00 P.M.                                     Leave for Confluence

Story milestones:
Before coming to Alpha have at least one, but preferably more, story ideas prepped with characters, setting, and, perhaps, an outline.  Do not bring an already-written story to revise during the workshop. You will need to work on a new short story (not a novel) during the course of the week.

July 15 – Thursday – Day 2 –          Have at least 2-3 story potential story ideas.  Start writing a first draft
July 16 – Friday – Day 3 –                Continue working on the first draft
July 17 – Saturday – Day 4 –           Continue working on the first draft
July 18 – Sunday – Day 5 –              Continue working on the first draft
July 19 – Monday – Day 6 –            First draft should be finished and turned in before retiring
July 20 – Tuesday – Day 7 –           Read first drafts for critique
July 21 – Wednesday – Day 8 –      Critique first drafts, revise
July 22 – Thursday – Day 9 –          Turn in second drafts
July 23 – Friday – Day 10 –             Polish and mail, if you wish

Writing Studio
Writing Studio can be and is a many colored thing.  It can be:

  • “Go write”
  • Dissect story ideas
  • Examine story problems
  • Critique an in-progress story

or all of the above.  If there are specific plans for a Writing Studio time slot it will appear on the schedule.  Otherwise it means “go work on your story.”

Computing lab hours
8:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.               Monday – Friday
Closed                                               Saturday
Closed                                               Sunday

We have access to McKenna Room 138 during the workshop when the computer center is open.

Note:
Many of the evening activities, with the notable exception of the trips to Barnes & Noble, are optional.  If you need the time to write or sleep then do so.