Help support one of the very best writing programs in the speculative fiction field!

The Clarion West Writers Workshop kicks off its summer session for 2016 in Seattle this week, bringing students from around the world together with accomplished professionals in the field for an intensive six-week workshop in science fiction and fantasy writing.

Clarion West (together with the original Clarion Workshop on which it was modeled) does important work in the field, giving new writers the technical and critical tools they need to succeed commercially and artistically. I know. I attended Clarion in 1985, and it's no exaggeration to say the experience changed my life.

But Clarion West can't do what it does without community support. How can you help? Every year the Clarion West Write-A-Thon runs concurrently with the workshop itself, encouraging participating writers to set and pursue their own summer writing agendas. My goal is a modest 1,000 words a week for the duration of the Write-A-Thon, which you can support by sponsoring me here:

→   Sponsor Bill   ←

Of course, there are many other writers participating besides me. If you'd prefer to sponsor one of them, instead of or in addition to me, please feel free! Or you can participate directly by signing up for the Write-A-Thon and finding your own sponsors.

As an added bonus, if you're in or near New York City, I will be leading a weekly Write-A-Thon meetup at New York City Bagel & Coffee House in Astoria, Queens. Click here for more details.

But however you choose to help Clarion West, please do it now! Every little bit helps.