I don't have anything to workshopped right now but I would certainly pay a couple hundred just to hang out with Gene Wolfe and the rest of you guys.
Unfortunately, my experience with organizing these things (not workshops but events and stuff) is that the cost of just a location to hold an event like this for just a weekend (with food not necessarily) included could not be had for less than $80-$120 per person -- if you can guarantee 50 or more people. Also, a workshop is a lot of work for the teacher -- very reading intensive; harder than a normal class I would think. I'd be embarrassed to ask any writer of marketable merit to do it for just 2 or 3 thousand - even if it were just a dozen or so writers he would be working with.
Thus the tuition for the Odyssey workshop was $1400! Probably a very reasonable rate. I don't intend to throw cold-water on a wonderful plan at its inception. I just wouldn't like to see a good idea squelched by unreasonable expectations.
On the otherhand, a readers workshop where the participants were responsible for reviewing and discussing each other's works; with, say, a series of "book club" type meetings to discuss various Wolfe works; with Wolfe in attendance. This is beginning to sound more like a Gene Wolfe Convention. I kinda like that idea too. :-)
-- Crush
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From: "Josh Geller" <brunians at brunians.org>
To: <urth at urth.net>
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2003 9:08 AM
Subject: Re: (urth) Wolfe Walks - my rant
On Sat, 2003-07-26 at 06:26, Andrew Bollen wrote:
As I say, I am wondering how much I would pay for a week's writing class with Gene Wolfe. The answer is at least a couple of hundred dollars,
I wonder further. I wonder how much how many people on this mailing list would be willing to pay for a week's writing class with Gene Wolfe. How many people here would be willing to pay two hundred dollars for a week's writing class with Gene Wolfe? If the answer is ten or twelve, don't you think that $2000 or $2400 could pay the Wolfe's travel, food and hotel expenses and perhaps even afford them a small fee? All work would have to be done on a volunteer basis, of course. Do people who know the Wolfes think they might be interested?
I would be willing to devote time and work to this, if there are other people who are willing to devote time and work to this.
What does everyone think?
Yep, I'd be in it. Problem is, I'm in Australia. Maybe some kind of on-line thing as well? Wouldn't have to be very interactive or hi-tech to be useful.
Very easy to arrange.
I'd also be willing to put some time into it.
Sounds good. Who else?
J.
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