If you're alive and on the writing blognet, you've probably heard about this before, if not here it is.
edit-update Do to the fast generosity of the internet, Clarion West has "now received nearly enough money to replace the four student laptops stolen July 4." The SF/F community on the web rocks again.
Via (practically everywhere, but I'll link to) Cherie Priest (because she has the best info), some insolent fucktard broke into the sorority house the students at Clarion West were staying in, while said students were at classes, and stole, among other things, four laptops.
As everybody says, most of the students are giving up a lot out of their lives to attend Clarion. It's a six week program, many quit their day jobs to go (the main reason I haven't applied either to Clarion or Odyssey). So these people (not all are college kids) have limited resources to replace the laptops, let alone replace them quickly enough to continue the program. Clarion is an intensive writing program (most people who've gone through it say it takes months to get over it, ie. they're so wrung out from writing that they have to recharge).
Well, I can't go to Clarion (either the original or the West version, both of which are now on the Pacific Coast, go figure), and I wasn't able to get my act together to apply for Viable Paradise. So I'm going to donate what would have been my application fee to VP for their laptop replacements. I can't help by purchasing a new laptop, and the one I have to spare only runs Windows 3.2, but I can do a little.
4 comments:
I live in fear that my laptop will disappear. Not for the machine, though that would be royal suckage, but for the loss of notes, stories, story contracts, etc. I try to make backups, but am pretty forgetful.
I think that is the major blow these writers are facing. All those note, partials, WIP, everything gone (unless they had a backup).
I recommend backing up. Always have backups. Right now I have three USB/Flash drives (aka thumb drives). One carries my whole writing folder (text really doesn't take that much space). Another backs up essential data (finances, my wife's WIP). And a third is for transporting files. These drives are cheap these days (1gig is less than $10, the 8gig I bought was $20, all are off-brand/store brand).
The main problem is getting in the habit. I know people who have set up automated backup systems for clients who then forget to do it themselves.
Steve, thanks for blogging on this. Everyone here at Clarion West 08 appreciated your support. =)
-Christopher Reynaga
No worries, Christopher. Glad I could help.
Post a Comment