<p>I just wanted to comment saying that I ended up going to Alpha and had an absolutely incredible time- 12 of the best days of my life. I’ve blogged about it, so I’ll copy what I said over here :)</p>
<p>Alpha is a 10 day writing workshop for teens geared specifically towards speculative fiction writers. Students attend lectures on everything from dialogue to tone given by a variety of staff and guest lecturers. Admission is based solely on the strength of the 2000-6000 word short story you apply with, and while you’re there, you work on another short story, which you get critiqued and then revise for submission to publications. At the end of the program, you go to Confluence, a sci-fi convention in Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>Now that I’ve gotten the basics out of the way, I can tell you why it was so much fun.</p>
<p>For starters, I got to hang out with incredibly cool people- where else can you discuss philosophy one minute and die of typhoid on the Oregon trail the next? The writing community is filled with kind, smart, easygoing, fun and talented people who will make you squee inside from feelings of oh-my-gosh-I’ve-known-these-people-for-five-minutes-but-they-totally-get-me and also keep you up chatting until four in the morning. I know I’ve made some lifelong friends.</p>
<p>Another awesome thing about alpha is the staff, who treat you like adults and dispense writerly wisdom (and humor) left right and center. Did I mention that they’re just great people in general? Alpha also hosts a slew of distinguished author guests, and I was lucky enough to meet David Levine, Scott Johnson, Ellen Kushner and Tamora Pierce.</p>
<p>I think one of the most valuable things about the workshop is the intense yet relaxed and fun atmosphere- the focus on pure writing, specifically in relation to short fiction, is very strong. There’s also a huge emphasis on writing for publication, with a lot of discussion about saleability, markets, and the publishing industry. It’s a welcome and thorough introduction to the real world, especially if you’re considering writing as a career!</p>