26th New Zealand National Science Fiction Convention 2005

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Writing classes and workshops

Your chance to learn from the Master - a two-day writing class with Orson Scott Card

Uncle Orson's Writing Class

Date: 23-24 March 2005
Venue: West Plaza Hotel, Wakefield Street, Wellington
Cost: $300.00

Uncle Orson's writing class is a two-day seminar where you'll get to discuss the essence of writing with the master storyteller. It is open to novice and experienced writers alike.

Participants will take part in discussions, lectures and idea sessions from morning until night, with Orson Scott Card leading the way.

For more information, check out Orson Scott Card's website, http://www.hatrack.com.

Card is a renowned American author. He is best known for the Ender's series (which includes Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead). But his experience is not limited to one genre or form of storytelling. His contemporary novels Lost Boys, Treasure Box, and Homebody brought a powerful emphasis on character and moral dilemmas to the old-fashioned ghost story. His "Women of Genesis" series-Sarah, Rebekah and soon Rachel and Leah - brings these ancient matriarchs to life.

Perhaps Card's most innovative work is his American fantasy series "The Tales of Alvin Maker", whose first five volumes are set in a magical version of the American frontier. France awarded Heartfire, the fifth book in the series, its highest science fiction award, Le Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire 2000.

Card's works have been translated into many languages, including Catalan, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovakian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish.

A dozen of Card's plays have been produced in regional theatre, including the musical Barefoot to Zion (written in collaboration with his composer brother, Arlen L. Card). His historical novel, Saints, has been an underground hit for several years, and he has written hundreds of audio plays and a dozen scripts for animated video plays for the family market.

Card has written two books on writing: Character and Viewpoint and How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, the latter of which won a Hugo award in 1991. He has taught writing courses, including his Literary Bootcamp at UNC-Greensboro and Utah Valley State University, and a novel-writing course at Pepperdine. He has also taught in such workshops as Antioch, Clarion, Clarion West, Seton Hall, and the Cape Cod Writers Workshop.

Writers' workshop at the con

In addition to the writing class run by Orson Scott Card, there will be a free-of-charge writers workshop held at the con for attending con members.

This will be a Clarion-style workshop-participants will read and comment on other writers' work, and have their own work commented on in turn.

The workshop will start at 9 am on Friday, and go as long as necessary for participants to finish commentary on all works.