Wordos
Encyclopedia
The Wordos is a writing workshop
based in Eugene, Oregon
, United States
. Its members meet once a week to critique
stories and discuss the art, craft, and business of writing
. It is a long-running speculative fiction
critique group, and has a high concentration of published
authors. However, having prior publishing credits is not a prerequisite to joining. The group has produced winners of the Galaxy Press
international Writers of the Future
contest six years in a row.
The group promotes itself as a means to help writers produce fiction
of salable quality, and to continually improve their writing abilities. The workshop's primary focus is on short
speculative fiction, but members have had fiction of other lengths and genres critiqued.
, surrealist
short story writer and novelist Ray Vukcevich
, science fiction writers Kathy Oltion
and Jerry Oltion
, Bruce Holland Rogers
, Patricia Briggs
, fiction and non-fiction writer Leslie What
, Jay Lake
, Eric M. Witchey
, Devon Monk
and many others. Deborah Layne, a long-time member, is also the founder of Wheatland Press
, the award-winning publisher of the Polyphony anthology.
model of critiquing. A member reads a submitted story, writes comments on it, and then, on the evening of the workshop, speaks for one to three minutes offering those and other comments aloud. At the end of the evening the critiqued story is given back to the author.
Members also report on news over the previous week, including accepted stories, rejections, and re-write requests from publishers.
Writers of the Future
contest consistently since 2001. There have also been several Nebula Award
-winning workshop members and members who have been nominated for or won the Endeavour Award
, World Fantasy Award
, and Philip K. Dick Award. One member, Marshall Moseley, was a finalist in the Bravo television series "Project Greenlight
".
Writing circle
A writing circle is a group of like-minded writers needing support for their work, either through writing peer critiques, workshops or classes, or just encouragement...
based in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its members meet once a week to critique
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
stories and discuss the art, craft, and business of writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
. It is a long-running speculative fiction
Speculative fiction
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as...
critique group, and has a high concentration of published
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
authors. However, having prior publishing credits is not a prerequisite to joining. The group has produced winners of the Galaxy Press
Galaxy Press
Galaxy Press is a trade name set up to publish and promote the fiction worksof L. Ron Hubbard, and the anthologies of the L. Ron HubbardWriters of the Future contest....
international Writers of the Future
Writers of the Future
Writers of the Future is a science fiction and fantasy story contest that was originated by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s. Hubbard...
contest six years in a row.
The group promotes itself as a means to help writers produce fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
of salable quality, and to continually improve their writing abilities. The workshop's primary focus is on short
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
speculative fiction, but members have had fiction of other lengths and genres critiqued.
History
Founded in 1987, "The Wordos" was originally called "The Eugene Professional Writers Workshops, Inc." The name was changed in 1995, to make it "shorter and friendlier." They kept the original name for business purposes, however. The group meets weekly in a local bookstore.Notable members
The membership over time has included, young adult and fantasy novelist Nina Kiriki HoffmanNina Kiriki Hoffman
Nina Kiriki Hoffman is an American fantasy, science fiction and horror writer.-Profile:Hoffman started publishing short stories in 1975. Her first nationally published short story appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction magazine in 1983...
, surrealist
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
short story writer and novelist Ray Vukcevich
Ray Vukcevich
Ray Vukcevich is a writer of fantasy and literary fiction. His loopy, sometimes surreal stories have been compared to the works of R. A. Lafferty, George Saunders, and David Sedaris. Some seventy-five stories, with titles such as "White Guys in Space," have appeared in science fiction and...
, science fiction writers Kathy Oltion
Kathy Oltion
Kathy Oltion is a science fiction novelist known primarily for her Star Trek work, which began with publication in the first two Strange New Worlds anthologies from Pocket Books ....
and Jerry Oltion
Jerry Oltion
Jerry Oltion is a science fiction author from Eugene, Oregon, known for numerous novels and short stories, including books in the Star Trek series...
, Bruce Holland Rogers
Bruce Holland Rogers
Bruce Holland Rogers is an American author of short fiction who also writes under the pseudonym Hanovi Braddock. His stories have won a Pushcart Prize, two Nebula Awards, the Bram Stoker Award, two World Fantasy Awards, the Micro Award, and have been nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award and...
, Patricia Briggs
Patricia Briggs
Patricia Briggs is an American author, well-known for the Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series. Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, and lived in various cities in the Pacific Northwest...
, fiction and non-fiction writer Leslie What
Leslie What
Leslie What is a writer of fantasy and literary fiction and nonfiction. She grew up in Southern California and attended Santa Ana College, and earned a certificate in Vocational Nursing...
, Jay Lake
Jay Lake
Joseph E. Lake, Jr. is a science fiction and fantasy writer. In 2003 he was a quarterly first place winner in the Writers of the Future contest. In 2004 he won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in Science Fiction. He lives in Portland, Oregon and currently works as a product manager...
, Eric M. Witchey
Eric M. Witchey
Eric M. Witchey is an American fantasy writer living in Salem, Oregon. His short fiction has appeared in numerous print and online magazines, such as Jim Baen's Universe and Writers of the Future. In 2003, he won First Place in the Ralan's Spectravaganza online speculative fiction writing...
, Devon Monk
Devon Monk
Devon Monk is an American writer of urban fantasy novels. She has also published over 50 short stories in fantasy, science fiction, horror, humor, and young adult magazines and anthologies...
and many others. Deborah Layne, a long-time member, is also the founder of Wheatland Press
Wheatland Press
Wheatland Press is an independent book publisher, specializing in science fiction, fantasy, and horror short story and poetry collections. It was founded in 2002 by Deborah Layne...
, the award-winning publisher of the Polyphony anthology.
Method
The Wordos follow the Clarion WorkshopClarion Workshop
Clarion is a six-week workshop for new and aspiring science fiction and fantasy writers. Originally an outgrowth of Knight and Wilhelm's Milford Writers' Conference, held at their home in Milford, Pennsylvania, USA, it was founded in 1968 by Robin Scott Wilson at Clarion State College in...
model of critiquing. A member reads a submitted story, writes comments on it, and then, on the evening of the workshop, speaks for one to three minutes offering those and other comments aloud. At the end of the evening the critiqued story is given back to the author.
Members also report on news over the previous week, including accepted stories, rejections, and re-write requests from publishers.
Awards
A member of the Wordos has won or placed in the L. Ron HubbardL. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
Writers of the Future
Writers of the Future
Writers of the Future is a science fiction and fantasy story contest that was originated by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s. Hubbard...
contest consistently since 2001. There have also been several Nebula Award
Nebula Award
The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...
-winning workshop members and members who have been nominated for or won the Endeavour Award
Endeavour Award
The Endeavour Award, announced annually at OryCon in Portland, Oregon, is awarded to a distinguished science fiction or fantasy book written by a Pacific Northwest author or authors and published in the previous year....
, World Fantasy Award
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
, and Philip K. Dick Award. One member, Marshall Moseley, was a finalist in the Bravo television series "Project Greenlight
Project Greenlight
Project Greenlight was a contest and television series focusing on first-time filmmakers being given the chance to direct a feature film. It was created by Alex Keledjian, developed by Eli Holzman and produced by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Sean Bailey, and Chris Moore through their production...
".
Partial list of award-winning stories
The following is a partial list of award-winning stories written by members of the Wordos:| Author | Story Title | Award | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce Holland Rogers | "Hollywood Considered as a Seal Point in the Sun" | Muse Medallion for Short Story Short Story Short Story is a piece for violin and piano composed by George Gershwin in 1927.Gershwin composed the duet from two other short works that premiered at the same time as his Three Preludes. He combined a section of the "Novelette in Fourths" and another slower work to create this piece.... |
1995 |
| Lifeboat on a Burning Sea | Nebula Award Nebula Award The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year... for Novelette Novelette A novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella... |
1996 | |
| "Thirteen Ways to Water" | Nebula Award for Short Story | 1998 | |
| "The Dead Boy at Your Window" | Bram Stoker Superior Achievement Award Bram Stoker Award The Bram Stoker Award is a recognition presented by the Horror Writers Association for "superior achievement" in horror writing. The awards have been presented annually since 1987, and the winners are selected by ballot of the Active members of the HWA... for Short Horror |
1998 | |
| Pushcart Prize Pushcart Prize The Pushcart Prize is an American literary prize by Pushcart Press that honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in the small presses over the previous year. Magazine and small book press editors are invited to nominate up to 6 works they have featured.... |
1999 | ||
| N/A | Individual Artist Fellowship from the Oregon Arts Commission Oregon Arts Commission The Oregon Arts Commission is a governor-appointed body of nine commissioners who allocate grants for artists based in the U.S. state of Oregon. It receives the bulk of its funding through the National Endowment for the Arts, the state, and the Oregon Cultural Trust.-History:Established in 1967,... |
1999 | |
| "Bitter Pills" | SF Age Readers' Poll; Best Short Story | 1999 | |
| "Don Ysidro" | Winner, World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction This World Fantasy Award is given to the fantasy short story voted best by a panel of judges, and presented each year at the World Fantasy Convention.... |
2004 | |
| Jerry Oltion | Abandon in Place | Nebula Award for Novella Novella A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000... |
1997 |
| The Astronaut from Wyoming (with Adam-Troy Castro Adam-Troy Castro Adam-Troy Castro is a science fiction, fantasy, and horror writer living in Miami, FL. He has more than eighty stories to his credit and has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Stoker. These stories include four Spider-Man novels, including the Sinister Six trilogy,... ) |
Analog Analog Science Fiction and Fact Analog Science Fiction and Fact is an American science fiction magazine. As of 2011, it is the longest running continuously published magazine of that genre... Readers' Choice Award for Novella |
2000 | |
| Seiun Award Seiun Award The is a Japanese science fiction award for the best science fiction published in Japan during the preceding year, as voted by attendees of the Japan Science Fiction Convention. "Seiun" is the Japanese word for "nebula", but the award is not related to the American Nebula Award. It was named after... for Best Foreign Language Short Story of the Year |
2007 | ||
| Leslie What | "The Cost of Doing Business" | Nebula Award for Short Story | 1999 |
| "Why I Wash the Dead" | 1st Place, Oregon Writers Colony Essay Contest | 2000 | |
| Eric M. Witchey | Echo | New Century Writer Awards; 9th Place Novel Novel A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century.... |
1999 |
| "Dreams and Bones" | 2nd Place, Writers of the Future Contest | Q3, 2001 | |
| "Life and Death and Stealing Toads" | 1st Place, Ralan's Spectravaganza "Grabber" Contest | 2003 | |
| Leon J. West | "Memoria Technica" | 2nd Place, Writers of the Future Contest | Q4, 2002 |
| Jay Lake | "Into the Gardens of Sweet Night" | 1st Place, Writers of the Future Contest | Q4, 2003 |
| John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer | 2004 | ||
| Ken Brady | "Asleep in the Forest of the Tall Cats" | Published Finalist, Writers of the Future Contest | 2004 |
| Marshall Moseley | "Wildcard" | 3rd Place Project Greenlight Project Greenlight Project Greenlight was a contest and television series focusing on first-time filmmakers being given the chance to direct a feature film. It was created by Alex Keledjian, developed by Eli Holzman and produced by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Sean Bailey, and Chris Moore through their production... |
2004 |
| Stephen R. Stanley | "Mars Hath No Fury Like a Pixel Double-Crossed" | 1st Place, Writers of the Future Contest | Q3, 2005 |
| Blake Hutchins | "The Sword from the Sea" | 1st Place, Writers of the Future Contest | Q2, 2006 |
| Damon Kaswell | "Our Last Words" | 3rd Place, Writers of the Future Contest | Q2, 2007 |
| John Burridge | "Mask Glass Magic" | 3rd Place, Writers of the Future Contest | Q4, 2007 |
| Stephen R. Stanley | Illustrator | Winner, Illustrators of the Future Contest | Q1, 2008 |
| Grá Linnaea | "Life In Steam" | 3rd Place, Writers of the Future Contest | Q3, 2009 |
| Jacob A. Boyd | "Lone Pine" | 3rd Place, Writers of the Future Contest | Q3, 2011 |
External links
- Wordos (official website)
- http://www.sff.net/people/j.oltion Jerry Oltion's SFF.net profile
- Eugene Weekly newspaper profile of Nina Kiriki Hoffman
- Register-Guard newspaper profile of Marshall Moseley
- Register-Guard newspaper profile of the Wordos
- KVAL CBS 13 interview with Damon Kaswell and John Burridge