I've always been an active writer, selling professionally starting when I was in my teens. But I haven't always been an active science-fiction and fantasy writer. Early in my career I made my first sales to magazines, joined the Science Fiction Writers of America (as it was then called), served as an officer in SFWA and then set it aside for other bill-paying pursuits.

Now it's time to unearth what's unfinished and finish it for the 2024 Clarion West Write-a-thon.

My goal is to finish one incomplete trunk story. I have several, all typewritten on actual paper, that have been waiting.

My secondary goal is to write fiction at least 30 minutes each day throughout the Write-a-thon.

I do this to both kick the tires of a fiction writing career long in storage — pulling back the dust-laden cover hiding the classic chassis to see if the rubber hasn't rotted and the tires can still hold air — and to raise a few bucks for a worthy cause: Clarion West's writing workshops.

For my previous experience in the Write-a-thon (and avoidance), see this GeekWire column I wrote in 2013. For more on my current journalism work and other nonfiction writing, see my website and Authory page.

And consider donating. My fundraising goal is $650, ten bucks for each year I've been marking birthdays. 

First week update: A pretty good week. 3 hours, 28 minutes. So nearly at my 30 minute/day goal. And 744 pretty good words — a complete first scene — and a start to a new piece of short fiction. I'll take that.

Second week update: Bad week. Only 45 minutes total on fiction (vs. 30 min/day goal). Instead, wrote 1,789 word enterprise article and 306 word sidebar for a newspaper I contribute to (because deadline). Will rebound next week. Thinking of this as a marathon, not a sprint.

Third week update: Weird week. Unexpected writing obstacle hit after making some progress early in resolving a scene transition: Hot water heater decided to fail, spectacularly, messing up writing time the rest of the week. But at least some progress.

Fourth week update: I have a sculpted miniature Snoopy on my desk. He's typing. Always. And we're in dialogue. He reminds me that writing isn't just time spent typing, it's time spent thinking, working out story and character issues. I've done that, plus a few words. *Happy dance*

Fifth week update: I'm realizing that, goals met or not, the Write-a-thon has altered how I notice the world. It flipped a mental switch. As a regular writer of journalism, I've always been alert to "what's that"? Now, working on fiction again, I also notice and ask, "what if"? It's a valuable creative muscle to exercise and actively engage.

2024 Write-a-thon

Tobias Buckell and Nisi Shawl on stage at Town Hall Seattle during the 2022 Summer Reading Series.

Participants are listed in alphabetical order by first name. You may want to confirm with your writer to find out if they are using their public name, a nickname, or a pseudonym.

Want to sponsor multiple writers at once?

Click the button below and complete the donation form. In the “Comment” field list each writer you wish to sponsor and the total amount per writer. Your sponsor split should add up to your total donation and will tell us how to distribute your donation acknowledgments. Alternatively, you can send a check with a note by post to Clarion West, P.O. Box 31264, Seattle, WA 98103-1264.

Sponsor Multiple Writers

Write-a-thon Home