2008 Schedule
Wednesday, July 16 - Day 1
10:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M. Arrival, Franklin Hall is our dorm this year
5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Dinner
7:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. Official welcome, short manuscript format presentation, evening social – Village Hall
Thursday, July 17 - Day 2
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
10:00 A.M. - 11:15 A.M. Michael A. Arnzen lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A.M. - 12:00 noon Explanation of writing assignment
12:00 noon - 1:00 P.M. Lunch
2:00 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. Writing Studio – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. - 3:45 P.M. Michael A. Arnzen lecture – Village Hall
4:00 P.M. - 4:45 P.M. Go over initial story ideas with the whole group. Get feedback on how to trim or expand the chosen idea into something that will sustain a short story. – Village Hall
5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Dinner
8:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. Presentation - "How Not to Critique a Story" followed by reading practice for those students who will be reading at the bookstore this week – Village Hall
Friday, July 18 - Day 3
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
10:00 A.M. - 11:15 A.M. Michael A. Arnzen lecture – Powers Hall Lounge
11:20 A.M. - 12:00 noon Writing studios – McKenna Hall computer lab 137
12:00 noon - 1:00 P.M. Lunch
2:00 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. Michael A. Arnzen lecture – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. - 4:45 P.M. Critique of the Beta stories, two groups – Powers Hall Rooms 108, 109
5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Dinner
6:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Writing studios. Students should have a good start on the story. Go over the work done so far in small groups. Any questions? Problems? Is it a good start? Is there a good narrative hook? – Village Hall
7:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Catherine Krahe presentation – Village Hall
Saturday, July 19 - Day 4
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
10:00 A.M. - 11:15 A.M. Timothy Zahn lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A.M. - 12:00 noon Writing studios – Village Hall
12:00 noon - 1:00 P.M. Lunch
2:00 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. Timothy Zahn lecture – Powers Hall Lounge
3:00 P.M. - 3:45 P.M. Beta presentation (Rebecca) – Powers Hall Lounge
4:00 P.M. - 4:45 P.M. Writing studios – Village Hall
5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Dinner
6:15 P.M. – 6:45 P.M. Beta presentation (Lara) – Village Hall
7:00 P.M. – 7:45 P.M. Travel to Barnes and Noble, Greensburg, for the reading and signings
8:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. Timothy Zahn Signing and student readings
10:00 P.M. Return to UPG
Sunday, July 20 - Day 5
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
10:00 A.M. - 11:45 A.M. Timothy Zahn lecture – Village Hall
12:00 noon. - 1:00 P.M. Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. Writing Studios – Village Hall
2:00 P.M. – 2:45 P.M. Timothy Zahn lecture – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Writing Studios – Village Hall
4:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. David Kirtley presentation – Village Hall
5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Dinner
7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Writing studios – Village Hall
9:00 P.M - Whenever Eye of Argon reading - Food Suite
Monday, July 21 - Day 6
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
10:00 A.M. - 11:15 A.M. Christopher McKitterick lecture – Powers Hall Lounge
11:20 A.M. - 12:00 noon Writing studios – McKenna Hall Room 137
12:00 noon. - 1:00 P.M. Lunch
2:00 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. Christopher McKitterick lecture – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. - 3:45 P.M. Sarah Brand presentation – Village Hall
4:00 P.M. - 4:45 P.M. Writing studios – McKenna Hall Room 137
5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Dinner
6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Writing Studios – McKenna Hall Room 137
8:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. Diane Turnshek presentation – McKenna Hall Room 137
Tuesday, July 22 - Day 7
Before 8:00 A.M. Turn in first draft!!!
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
10:00 A.M. - 11:15 A.M. Christopher McKitterick lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A. M. - 12 noon Writing studios – McKenna Hall Room 137
12:00 noon - 1:00 P.M. Lunch
1:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. Beta presentation (Isaac) – Village Hall
2:00 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. Christopher McKitterick lecture – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. - 4:45 P.M. Writing studios – McKenna Hall Room 137
5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Dinner
6:00 P.M. – 6:45 P.M. Writing Studios – Village Hall
7:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. David Kirtley presentation (Marketing) – Village Hall
8:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. Thomas Seay presentation – Village Hall
Wednesday, July 23 - Day 8
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
10:00 A.M. - 11:15 A.M. Tamora Pierce – Village Hall
11:20 A. M. - 12 noon Beta Presentation (Rachel) – McKenna Hall room 137
12:00 noon - 1:00 P.M. Lunch
2:00 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. Tamora Pierce lecture – Village Hall
3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. Critique of first draft – Powers Hall Rooms 117, 118, 119, 120
5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Dinner
6:00 P.M. – 6:45 P.M. Writing Studios – McKenna Hall room 137
7:00 P.M. - 7:45 P.M. Travel to Barnes and Noble, Greensburg, for the reading and signings
8:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. Tamora Pierce signing and student readings
10:00 P.M. Return to UPG
Thursday, July 24 - Day 9
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
10:00 A.M. - 11:15 P.M. Tamora Pierce lecture – Village Hall
11:20 A.M. - 12:00 noon Writing studios - Cutting exercise – McKenna Hall Room 137
12:00 noon - 1:00 P.M. Lunch
2:00 P.M. - 3:45 P.M. Tamora Pierce lecture – Village Hall
4:00 P.M. - 4:45 P.M. Writing studios: pointed focus on second draft. – McKenna Hall Room 137
5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Dinner
6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Writing Studio – Village Hall
8:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Karina Sumner-Smith presentation – Village Hall
Friday, July 25 - Day 10
8:00 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. Turn in polished, printed copy of second draft suitable for mailing.
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast
9:30 A.M. - 12:00 noon Pack
12:00 noon - 1:00 P.M. Lunch
2:00 P.M. Leave for Confluence
Story milestones:
Before coming to Alpha have at least one but preferably more story ideas prepped with characters, setting, and, perhaps, an outline. Do not bring an already-written story to revise during the workshop. You need to work on a new piece during the week.
- July 17 – Thursday - Day 2 – Have at least 2-3 story potential story ideas. Start writing a first draft.
- July 18 – Friday - Day 3 - Continue working on the first draft
- July 19 – Saturday - Day 4 - Continue working on the first draft
- July 20 – Sunday - Day 5 - Continue working on the first draft
- July 21 - Monday - Day 6 - First draft should be finished and turned in before retiring
- July 22 – Tuesday - Day 7 – Read first drafts for critique
- July 23 – Wednesday - Day 8 - Critique first drafts, revise
- July 24 – Thursday - Day 9 - Turn in second drafts
- July 25 – Friday - Day 10 - Polish and mail, if you wish
Writing Studio
Writing Studio can be and is a many colored thing. It can be:
- “Go write”
- Dissect story ideas
- Examine story problems
- Critique an in-progress story
or all of the above. If there are specific plans for a Writing Studio time slot it will appear on the schedule. Otherwise it means "go work on your story."
Optional critique groups
After returning to campus on Day 2, any Alpha student who would like to have a critique on a previously written story, will have an opportunity to surrender their story to one or more volunteer critiquers. This is something new that we’re trying this year. Any Alpha staff member or student may sign up as a volunteer to critique stories. After starting all later critiquing meetings will be arranged by the participants.
Computing lab hours
- Mon-Thurs: 8:30 A.M. - 10:00 P.M.
- Fri-Sat: 8:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
- Sun: Closed
Note:
Many of the evening activities, with the notable exception of the trips to Barnes & Noble, are optional. If you need the time to write or sleep then do so.