About Clarion

Clarion was founded by Robin Scott Wilson in 1968 at Clarion State College (now Clarion University) in Pennsylvania. Wilson built his system partly on the tradition of mutual criticism in use at the Milford Science Fiction Writers' Conference, a workshop for professional SF writers established by Damon Knight and Kate Wilhelm (who helped Wilson with Clarion as well).

From 1972 through 2006, Clarion was hosted by Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. In 2007 Clarion relocated to the beautiful beachside campus of the University of California, San Diego, where the workshop enjoys broad-based faculty, administrative, and financial support and opportunities for student interaction with eminent scientists engaged in cutting-edge work are unparalleled.

UC SAN DIEGO LIBRARY. Photo courtesy of flickr.com/people/mraffin/

Clarion is an intensive six-week summer program focused on fundamentals particular to the writing of science fiction and fantasy short stories. It is considered a premier proving and training ground for aspiring writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Instructors are among the most respected writers and editors working in the field today. Over one third of our graduates have been published and many have gone on to critical acclaim. The list of distinguished Clarion alumni includes Ed Bryant, Octavia Butler, Bob Crais, Cory Doctorow, George Alec Effinger, Nalo Hopkinson, James Patrick Kelly, Vonda McIntyre, Kim Stanley Robinson, Martha Soukup, Kelly Link, Bruce Sterling, and many others.

Clarion participants are selected from applicants who have the potential for highly successful writing careers and who submit writing samples with an application. Some have already been published. Though most come from the United States, students from countries worldwide frequently participate. Clarion students range in age from late teens to those in mid-career, and represent a wide variety of academic and working backgrounds.

A different professional writer or editor conducts the workshop during each of the first four weeks. The last two weeks are run by a two-writer anchor team. Workshoppers are housed in college apartments, and classes are held in seminar facilities. The resident writers live nearby and are continuously available to students. Mornings are devoted to critiquing manuscripts in a workshop setting. Afternoons, evenings, and weekends are devoted to individual writing, conferences with the current writer-in-residence, social activities, and the completion of class assignments.

For a concise, vividly presented description of the Clarion experience, readStoryteller: Writing Lessons and More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop written by Clarion co-founder Kate Wilhelm.

Two other Clarion workshops have sprung from the original: Clarion South in Australia and Clarion West in Seattle, Washington. Founded by Clarion alumni, the workshops follow the Clarion model but are independently run. Applicants are encouraged to apply concurrently to Clarion and Clarion West, which operate on similar schedules.

2012 Workshop

DATES

Workshop
June 24 - August 4

Application Period
December 1 - March 1 (11:59pm Pacific)

Notification of Acceptance
December 1 - March 20

Tuition and Housing Fees Due
Two weeks after acceptance

Scholarships Awarded
March 1-April 15 (read more)

Withdraw with Full Refund
April 30

Waitlisted Applicants Accepted
April 15 - June 5 (as spaces open)

HOUSING

In order to foster the group bonding that is part of the Clarion experience, it is mandatory that students reside in Clarion housing. Students stay in college apartments. Each participant has a private bedroom in a three-student apartment with shared bathroom and small kitchen. Laundry facilities are conveniently located.

 

UNIVERSITY APARTMENTS. Photo courtesy of flickr.com/photos/seidior/

The UC San Diego campus offers a bookstore, coffee houses, a post office, several convenience stores, recreation facilities, fast-food eateries, and an upscale restaurant. Beaches and shopping centers can be reached on foot or by public transportation. Students who bring their cars will be given a permit for parking on campus. Summer temperatures in San Diego are normally 70-80°F, dry and comfortable.

Check-in time at the housing facility is 2pm Sunday. Check-out time is 2pm Saturday. Information about nearby hotels will be provided for students who would like to arrive early or stay late.

 

 

FEES
The workshop is funded partially by student fees and partially by donations to the Clarion Foundation (the workshop's parent organization) or the Clarion Workshop at UC San Diego. Donations are tax deductible. Workshop fees are payment for services and are not tax deductible.

The workshop fees are as follows:

APPLICATION FEE: $50, non-refundable, due with the application.

WORKSHOP FEE (Tuition, Room, and Board): $4,957 payable by cashier's check made out to "UC Regents" two weeks after communication of acceptance to the workshop. The fee includes the semi-private accommodations described above and three meals a day, seven days a week, at a college dining facility. The room and board period begins at 2pm on the first day of the workshop and ends at 2pm on the last day. If scholarship has been allocated, the amount will be reduced from the total fee.

The workshop fee is fully refundable if the participant withdraws in writing by the deadline specified at the top of this page. We may be able to refund part or all of the workshop fee after the deadline if someone on our waitlist agrees to take the space. There will be no refunds after June 5.

 

 

 

 

 

INCIDENTAL EXPENSES
San Diego is a premier tourist destination. You may want to budget for visits to attractions such as Comic-Con 2012, SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, the La Jolla Playhouse, and The Old Globe Theatre. Although the campus is served by public transportation, we recommend you bring your personal vehicle if you can, or else open an account with ZipCar (use zip code 92093 to see vehicle locations on campus).

A campus parking permit and internet access will be provided at no charge. There is an optional fee of approximately $45 a month for the use of campus recreation facilities and pools, payable upon arrival at Clarion.

 

 

SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships and other financial assistance are available through both UC San Diego and the Clarion Foundation. You may apply by completing the scholarship section of the workshop application. Awards are based on a combination of merit and financial need. Most scholarships are in the range of $500-$1500.

 

START APPLICATION