No writers workshop at Denvention 3

A couple of my past entrants at Worldcon writers workshops have brought to my attention that Denvention 3—as did Noreascon 4 before it—has no intention of organizing a writers workshop in the form of a hands-on critique group.  I have looked into this matter and I thought I'd pass on what I learned.  To see the on-line chatter that has arisen on this issue, please go to the Live Journal thread, Writing workshops.... 

I was immediately concerned when the programming division manager, Mary Morman, stated, "We have seriously considered the matter, since we realize that it is very important to some people, and regretfully decided that it was not the best use of our limited funding and resources."  This took me by surprise, since no one consulted me about the requirements of putting together a critique group workshop.  No one has had more experience than I have in organizing Worldcon writers workshops and the budget and space requirements are minimal compared to other convention expenses and functions.  The strain on the budget and other resources has always been minimal.

I called Mary to find out what information the programming committee based their decision on.  Among other things, she told me the concom didn't believe requiring members to pay an additional fee to participate in a critique group workshop was fair.  During the course of the nine conventions where I have organized this function, I only heard this complaint once from an entrant who exhibited a rather overbearing attitude toward the world.  I have asked for the entry fee because the amount of money spent on photocopying and postage is variable (depending on the exact number of entrants) and expensive.  Since a relatively small percentage of a Worldcon membership enters, it is unreasonable to expect the general membership to cover the costly expenses and attention that only a few benefit.  Besides, if the entrants found a similar service elsewhere, they'd find the cost could well be 2–3 times the combined membership and entry fees.  This also strikes me as a failed argument since artists pay fees to exhibit in the art show and dealers pay for each table they sell from in the huckster's room.

Another reason Denvention 3 elected against holding a writers workshop was that it tied up program participants for three-hour blocks when they would rather be out getting the exposure from being on panels.  Now obviously Mary was given some bad information.  Granted, some pros have made that complaint, but those are usually the ones who don't participate.  Worldcon is a five-day convention, so three hours is a relatively small pocket of time.  Secondly, when I have invited selling authors to participate in the writers workshop, they are fully aware they're committing the time.  Many have turned me down and there are no hard feelings if it's not for them.  The many who have participated found the experience just as rewarding as the entrants.  The late Marion Zimmer Bradley told folks she found them to be the most enjoyable function at the conventions where she participated.  Although David Brin hasn't been able to accept all of my invitations, he has been fully supportive my efforts.  Barry Longyear always enjoys helping out new writers.  Jacqueline Lichtenberg has been one of my most enthusiastic proponents.  Sean McMullen has been absolutely wonderful in sharing his international perspective.  James P. Hogan went in skeptical the first time he tried it, but ended up repeating the experience at the next opportunity.  Bill Fawcett and Jody Lynn Nye have always been helpful and generous participants.  When I mentioned that a previous Worldcon decided against holding a workshop in the past, G. David Nordley said something about bringing the matter up to SFWA.  Whoever told the programming committee the pro participants don't like it obviously passed on false information.  In addition, demand to participate on panels is usually so great that central programming usually has to turn away many industry pros, so in some cases the workshop is their only programming item.

Denvention 3 is also registered as a non-profit, charitable organization.  Unless the state of Colorado plays by different set of rules, the only trait Worldcon has to qualify for that status is its educational aspects.  Some of the functions they offer have no educational merit and others use the term loosely, but the intent of the writers workshop is purely for the sake of instruction and learning.  Why a non-profit genre convention would disregard the writers workshop mystifies me.

Needless to say, I take this personally.  I put aside my own fiction when I coordinated these workshops, but the effort has always been worth it when I've learned my past entrants have sold their work or been nominated for Hugos or the Campbell Award.  Having put together six successful Worldcon writers workshops since 1993, I am sorry to see that people who have little understanding of their contribution to the industry take them so lightly.  Continuity is important if they are going to survive at genre conventions.  Worldcon is the flagship of speculative fiction conventions and has a great deal of influence over regionals when something goes well.  After the success Richard Chwedyk had coordinating the Chicon 2000 workshop, Windycon started offering one.  It's hard enough to have continuity broken when Worldcon goes overseas and now it will be a two-year gap until another one is produced at Anticipation in Montreal.  I'd like to see the writers workshop function continue, but if the Worldcon community devalues them as Denvention 3 and Noreascon 4 did, maybe it is time for me to move on.  I won't say I'll never do it again, but seeing conrunners dismiss it so easily makes me feel the commitment I made to them worthless.  Besides, other people need to take up the duties if they want to ensure it continues.  It really won't survive if Richard and I are going to be the only ones who put the effort into ensuring their continuity.  Worldcon masquerades and art shows have many people willing to coordinate them; it should be the same for writers workshops.  (Sometimes the reason a convention doesn't hold a writers workshop is simply because it has no one to organize it.  Craig Miller saw the value of having them as programming division manager for L.A.cons III and IV, but no one in the Los Angeles area has cared enough to develop one for Loscon.)

Be that as it may, the only functions Worldcons are required to provide are the WSFS business meeting and Hugo award ceremony.  Anything else a concom decides to offer is their choice.  They can cancel the masquerade, art show, or filking if it suits them.  Unless you're prepared to tell Mary Morman and the chairman, Kent Bloom, you won't go to Denvention unless there is a writers workshop and follow through with that ultimatum, then I doubt their minds will change.  Even then the numbers would have to be significant.  I'm not prepared to do that as Worldcons have other things to offer.  If the writers workshop truly is the only reason you want to attend, though, then don't go to Denver and plan on Montreal.  I know a writers workshop is definitely planned for Anticipation.

If you don't want to see this happen again, then I urge you to vote on Worldcon site selection and ensure the bid you vote for promises a writers workshop.  Since Noreascon 4 had no writers workshop, I will never support a Boston bid again.  Its programming division manager, Priscilla Olson, said: "Instead of having 'writing workshops' at Noreascon 4, we'll be holding many panels / discussions (short) workshops / demonstrations about writing.  We believe that those will better benefit interested attendees and the convention as whole than the traditional closed workshops."  These panels are always at Worldcons, regardless, and anyone who believes discussing theory is the same as hands-on constructive criticism does not understand what they're talking about.  Had I known that Denvention was going to make this decision as well, I would not have supported the Denver bid.  There were two or three other bids for the 2008 Worldcon and I know among them there was at least one that would have been writers workshop friendly.  Candidly speaking, I also suspect these two programming division managers may have acted on the advice of another of whom I worked with and did not get along.  It's too bad they didn't consult any of the other four I worked with to see if the others felt the same way.

This message is as far as I'm willing to go regarding a Denvention 3 workshop.  If you wish to carry on the fight, feel free, but I'm growing tired of arguing the value of the writers workshop at the World Science Fiction Convention.

Adrienne Foster

Writers Workshop Coordinator for

BayCons '91, '92 & '93
ConFrancisco
ConAdian
L.A.con III
Bucconeer
ConJosé
L.A.con IV