AUDITORS FOR MY ONLINE WRITING CLASS

Hi folks,

I'm about to climb on a plane tomorrow to head to Austin and San Antonio (they're in Texas, case you weren't aware) for eight days of the marvelous Writer's Retreat Workshop (WRW) at the Oblate Retreat Center in San Antone.

Just read a FB post by Craig McNeely, who audited my online writing class last session, who wrote in it:

I've been working on a novel for the past three-four years. Sometimes the work has been heavier than others but still, the fact remains that the book hasn't truly "worked" in this time.

Then, this year, I audited a workshop from Les Edgerton. Learned a few basic but crucial things about storytelling and discovered ways in which I've been too precious about my own work, unwilling to really consider what does or doesn't work, the way I would with a client or an old DLP author.

Now, for instance, I know that this novel really begins on page 34. Got a long way to go to the finish line but it's better now than it ever was before.

So what I'm saying is: you ever get a chance to do this thing with Les in the future, you take it. I promise you'll get something out of it. Maybe not the same as what I got, but there is much insight to be had.

Craig McNeely

And, that reminded me I hadn't sent out a call for auditors for the current session. We had just begun Week 1 of our 10-week session when I had to suspend class for two weeks for my Texas trip. Which means if anyone's interested in auditing this session, we can get you in and you won't miss any of it. We'll pick up with Week 2 after I return on May 22. The fee is $50 for auditing, as opposed to $400 for active participation. We are rarely able to take on new class members as people keep taking it and the ones already in it always have first shot. This last time was a bit unusual as we had two openings from folks who'd finished their novel and are taking a bit of a hiatus while they sell their books. When we do take on new members, we always go to our auditors for the first chance.

If you're interested and would like more info, just shoot me an email at butchedgerton@comcast.net. You won't even miss what we did on Week 1 as it's all archived. You'll see everything we do in class and the only difference between an auditor and an active class member is that, just like in a college class, auditors sit in class but just don't participate. But, they see everything we're doing and just about everyone who's audited has told me it was a remarkably profitable experience for their writing.

So... there ya go. Hope if any of you are in or near Austin tomorrow night, you'll stop in for the Noir @ the Bar reading I'm doing with three other terrific writers at Threadgill's Bar at 7 pm. It's gonna be fun!

Blue skies,

Les

Help out Craig and his family!

Hi folks,

A fellow writer and editor has recently fallen upon hard times and I'd like to ask those who can to help him and his family out. Craig McNeely and his family are homeless in New Orleans. I've been homeless there, but with a difference--I was by myself. I can't begin to imagine how it would have been if my family had also been there and in that situation.

Last Tuesday they lost their home and Craig and his two little girls and wife headed to New Orleans. He's there now and homeless and needs our help.

Craig has been a friend to me and to many, many writers over the years. He is truly one of the "good guys" in writing and really needs our help.

If you can, please visit the GoFundMe site and give what you can.

https://www.gofundme.com/mcneelyfamily

Below is Craig's message on GoFundMe.

Hello,

My name is Craig McNeely. With my wife Emily, I publish the quarterly pulp mag Dark Corners and run the small press Double Life Press. You can see us up there with our two incredible kids.

In July of last year, the bottom dropped out on our financial situation. We were looking at losing our car and eviction after Emily's ex-husband skipped out on child support, and in the same month, the federal government decided that I was making too much money, even though I'm permanently disabled, now that I'm married, and dropped my SSI from $710 to $230. That's $1,100 we lost in a single month.

The following month, we lost our car and our cell phones, had our water and gas shut off, and were nearly evicted, if not for the assistance of a local church to keep a roof over our kids' heads. Still, we recovered. OCSE got involved and child support was reinstated, and we were able to get food stamp assistance. It's not easy for a family of four, including two small children and a husband in a wheelchair, in a rural town in America, but we were making it okay.

However, things have become far more complicated this year. In July of this year, I suffered significant health-related setbacks because of my Spina Bifida, leading to several visits with doctors, and I'm now largely wheelchair bound. Since we live in such a rural area, medical specialists can sometimes be very far away, making it essentially impossible if you do not have access to transportation.

In addition, government regulations changed again, as they do, and we lost food assistance.

So, we are looking for help. Specifically, we want assistance toward getting a car. This will help me when I require medical attention, as is so often the case when you live with something like Spina Bifida. Transportation means opportunity. It means physical therapy for myself. It means not walking or wheeling to the grocery store and only being able to buy what we can carry back home.

Anything that doesn't go toward getting transportation will provide food and clothing for our children, and mobility and therapy aides (like a fitness wheelchair or orthopedic shoes).

Early on, I mentioned our magazine and press. Yes, Emily and I are book people. I suspect that's how many of you know us. Well, we are putting together a benefit anthology full of great and fun stories by many of the best writers I've ever known: James Reasoner, Stephen Mertz, Les Edgerton, Will Viharo. Ryan Sayles, Eric Beetner and more, with cover art by Chuck Regan.

Every contributor to this campaign will receive a digital copy of the anthology at the beginning of October. Also, if you would rather just purchase a paperback of the anthology, you can wait for its release and support us that way. Either way, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support and generosity.

If books or cash donations are not your thing, Emily runs a small Etsy store  with handcrafted textile art pieces with a geeky twist. Head over there, check it out, and any purchases you make will also go toward our campaign.

Once again, thank you for all of your help. 

Craig McNeely

Us writers are among the most generous of any group--I know we're going to come together and help out our brother! Thank you one and all for your humanity. 

Blue skies,

Les