Day Five, Week Six - Last Day

Last run, last load of washing, last lot of critiques, last story...

Yesterday evening went to a bookshop in Walls End. Scott Westerfeld did a reading and a couple of us Clarion types read. I read Insomnia which I wrote over 12 months ago. I don't know that it's what I'd write now - but then what I'm writing now presumably won't be the same as what (or how) I write next month or even in another 12 months.

Grabbed Indian takeaway with some of the level 2 gang and headed back to Camp Clarion for food and to finish critiques. A game of ping pong and 'Underworld' DVD. It has no plot... so that meant we could all just relax and make rude comments about it (and admire Kate Beckinsale in black rubber).

The collaborative story is up today. Wonder what people will think? Guess I'll know in a few hours.

Just think... I can go back to 8 hours sleep a night soon!

I've been having Clarion dreams. Where, like a movie, I'm dreaming a story. Just as I get to the bit when the crucial plot point, or twist is going to take place the dream goes all blurry and I can't work out what's happening. I want to know so I can write it all down. Then I start getting stressed because what will happen if I can't write this story... God it really is time to go home!

So it's just after midnight. I've run (at 6am), I've editted the collaborative story (7.30 - 9am) I've gone to class (9am - 1pm), I've gone thru the edits with Nathan (1pm - 3.30pm). Critiqued, played basketball, showered, et dinner and critiqued. (Plus manuscript edits).

Very very tired.

After basketball suddenly realised that Clarion was almost over and got quiet upset. No more stories to write.... where's the adrennalin?

Only two more days. Relief and regrets.

Scott Westerfeld is a clever man. He had lots of good comments and suggestions for the stories which were up for critique today.

He also chatted about structure and how to add complexity - asymetry of information is the key!

We are drawing close to getting the draft of our collaboration together. It will need a very tight edit to tidy it up, and also make it look like it's been written by the one person.

Three 5000 word plus stories tonight - so critiquing has chewed a fair portion of the afternoon / evening. I snuck in a swim (so damn hot!) but forgot my goggles so had to content myself with a ladylike breast stroke, head bobbing awkwardly above water. Realised that, despite my morning runs and the odd swim, the impact of lots of naughty eating while I've been away shows. I'll behave better for the rest of the week.

Level 1 has posted up a very funny interpretation of key critique phrases. It's very funny. I'll try and get hold of a copy and post it up. I also might chase our quotes. They include such gems as 'I usually don't mind a bit of swearing in a story, but this story had way too f***ing much of it' and 'We're all going to die, but before we do we'll fix this story' and many more. Most of which probably aren't funny unless you were sitting through the Crit Room session having only had four hours or less sleep!

Speaking of which didn't nod off until 2am last night. Was waltzing up and down the hallway at 1.30am moaning about how tired I was and how I couldn't get to sleep. Trevor pulls out a pack of sleeping pills. Top stuff! They were just some herbal thingy.... don't know if it was them, or the placebo effect but nodded off half an hour later. Not so great when the alarm went at 5.45am for a jog... but forced myself out for a good 40 minutes anyway.

Didn't nap this afternoon (saving myself for a big sleep tonight) and hopeful that the brain will switch off at the same time as the light.

Party level is increasing as people hand their last stories in. Nathan and I are hoping to finish the collaboration in sufficent time to have some kick back time, even tho the story isn't due until the last day. I think we'll do it. It's making good progress.

I'm sitting still, I've got a fan blowing air onto me from a distance of 60cm and I'm still damn sweating! While the sunburnt back might be contributing to the heat I'm generating I still think it's an injustice to sweat while sitting still.

Ahhh well, enough of my whining about the weather.

Escaped on Saturday afternoon to Maroochydore to catch up with Amanda, Aku and Teemu. Took two hours to get there. Went to the beach. Looked at the sun, looked at the waves, thought to myself 'If I got out there swimming I am soooo going to get sunburnt" retreated.

Went to the local pool which had large sail cloth things for shade. Swam laps. Sunburnt back. Prolly should have lived dangerously and swum at the beach! Not to worry - I'll get enough of that next week in Byron Bay.

Got back to the ranch, well Camp Clarion, around the middle of the day. Ate and sandwich and wrote a scene for the collaboration thingy. Not a bad scene either. Napped. Dinner with new tutor (Scott Westerfeld) then back to my room to try and bash out another scene. This scene is fighting (400 very dodgy words so far). Anyhoo I've given up for today. Going to head to bed and dream of cold climates, fresh autumn mornings and a world without sweat. That's if I can sleep of course...

Have written an 850 word flash fiction for hand in tomorrow morning. It's very light - and I'm actually a bit unsure about handing it in. Not sure what people can say about it. Not sure if it's fair to hand in such an unserious piece.... enough of this insecurity...

The collaboration is due in on Thursday - but we're hopeful of finishing a first draft sometime tomorrow. The rate the current scene is moving I'm thinking first draft by Monday night might be fantasy... hopefully I'll wake in the morning with it all laid out in my head.

Am contemplating escaping into town at some stage this week for a facial, massage and pampering... mmmm paying someone to rub soothing ungents into my body.... mmmmm. Yup that does it. Must be time for sleep.