So it’s no secret I’m working on being a kick-ass writer, but I did want to post my shameless appeal for donations for this year’s Clarion Write-a-Thon.

The Clarion Workshop is a 6-week long writers residency where aspiring spec fic writers get to work side-by-side with established writers in the field. Former teachers include Cory Doctorow, Neil Gaiman, George R.R. Martin, Harlan Ellison, and Samuel Delaney.

This workshop has been widely cited as one of the biggest boosts an aspiring writer can get to their career and graduates include Kim Stanley Robinson, Cory Doctorow, Bruce Sterling and Ted Chiang. Not only is the networking second to none, graduates have said that they’ve sidestepped years of trial and error by attending the workshop (which is now held on the UCSD campus).

I dream of going to this workshop. I will eventually take (a lot of) time off from work and severely deplete my savings in order to do so (once my student loans are more manageable and my writing is to the point where I feel confident in applying), and they rely entirely on donations in order to function.

Last year, they started up the Clarion Write-a-Thon, where volunteers commit to spending the six weeks when the normal workshop is running to write alongside the students (not physically, but spiritually), and raise money to help continue to fund the workshop.

So yes, I’m looking for donations – anything will help. Last year I raised a bit over $200, and this year, my goal is to double that by offering further enticement:

If you donate $20 or more, I will write you a song on your choice of banjo, ukulele or guitar about ANYTHING you want a song written about. Want a song about Santorum? DONE (if you don’t know what Santorum is, go ahead and google it). How about a song inspired by David Lynch’s Dune? DOUBLE DONE.

Really. Anything. I’ll even write an entire song that’s just played on different parts of my body.

Still with me? If you’d like to donate you can go to my writer’s page here.

They’re also still looking for folks to participate as writers – there’s no cost to sign up and no obligation to even write or raise any money. So if you want to write alongside me for six weeks starting June 27th, DO EET.

UPDATE #1: I am about 64% of the way to my goal of raising $400! As a bonus, if I do reach my goal, I will release a physical album of the songs I write and send it to all of my sponsors, regardless of donation level!

UPDATE #2: I am now 67.5% of the way there! And you can listen to the first song here (for further incentive). The second song will be up later this week!