KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010 / NEWS
CAMPUS
9
A Jayhawker's guide to the sci-fi galaxy
Camps and conferences held on campus help science fiction writers improve their skills, offer perspectives on the craft
BY TIM DWYER
tdwyer@kansan.com
James Gunn first met Theodore Sturgeon in 1952 in Sturgeon's home on the Hudson River. They discussed their craft; writing science-fiction novels and short stories.
Gunn had yet to be published, but was an aspiring author. Sturgeon had released his first novel and a collection of short stories and was on his way to becoming, as Gunn put it, "one of the best, if not the best, short story writers in the field."
Fifty-eight years later, Gunn, now a Hugo Award-winning author himself and the director of the Center for the Study of Science Fiction, discusses the craft annually at the Campbell Conference at the University of Kansas with other aspiring and established writers. This year, the conference is in large part dedicated to Sturgeon and his body of work.
The conference,which runs Friday
through Sunday at the University, is an annual gathering of some of the brightest minds in science fiction for free-form discussions and the presentation of two prestigious awards: the Campbell Award, given to the best science fiction novel of the year, and the Sturgeon Award for the best short science-fiction story of the year.
This year, the conference's roundtable discussions will focus on the topic "Theodore Sturgeon and the Science Fiction Short Story."
"It was primarily the short story at which he excelled," Gunn said, though Sturgeon also wrote several novels. "He brought a level of literary skills to science-fiction writing that had scarcely been observed before."
Sturgeon died in 1985, but his daughter Noel, who is part of the Sturgeon Award committee, finished the last volume of his completed works this year. This prompted the conference hosts to delve into
the works of the namesake of their short-story award.
"He would have been very touched," she said. "He loved coming to Kansas to teach in the summer for many years and the Center for Science Fiction held a special place in his heart."
The free-form discussion, Gunn said, is a place to address the present and future of the science fiction field.
Gunn said they brainstorm ideas together and ask crucial questions regarding the status of the science fiction short story and how its nature has changed. They also speculate over factors that have influenced the writing, publishing and reading of science fiction.
In addition to the roundtable discussions, there will be readings of Sturgeon's works from 10:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Oread Books in the Kansas Union, followed by a mass autographing session with almost a dozen award-winning authors.
CAMP DRAWS WRITERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
For the past 25 years, writers from all over the world have come together for two weeks in the summer to evaluate, edit and rewrite their work.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel Writer's Workshop is a camp held at the University every July. KU professors coach and guide writers who can be University students or come from as far away as Japan, Denmark or Argentina.
"It brings writers from all over to Lawrence for two intensive weeks of writing and trying to develop their skills," said James Gunn, a fiction writing professor and coach at the camp.
The writers submit three stories to be considered for admission. The goal of the camp is to improve one of those stories in the first week and discuss it the second week.
"I think several of them are publishable." Gunn said.
Gunn said one of the problems that writers have is writer's block — when they can't think of what to write. He said professor Kij Johnson, who also helps lead the camp, uses sock puppets as a way of trying to break through it when she teaches the writers at the camp.
Gunn said last year, one of the students who revised his story at the camp had it published this summer.
Gunn has had 41 books published, including 11 novels and some short stories. He has been teaching fiction writing since 1960. Also leading the writers is professor Chris McKitterick.
Writers stay in Lewis Hall for the duration of the camp and meet for three hours to discuss their writing every day.
— Alison Cumbow
MONTEMAYOR (CONTINUED FROM 8)
stokes the possibility for emerging stereotypes. Mexico is a beautiful land with vast cultural opportunities. Its beauty, however, is often overshadowed by the drug war and immigration debate.
The University would do well by adopting the response procedures to travel warnings as suggested by the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors, or NAFSA.
It suggests a variety of stakeholders at the institution be involved in reviewing the warning, contacting relevant partners abroad to gauge what risks are of concern, establishing emergency response plans and
A report outlining eight suggested guidelines was published on NAFSAS website on March 22.
comparing activities and program locations to the areas mentioned in the travel advisory.
Though this could easily be met with ignorance and generalities about the state of affairs in Mexico, it bears repeating that it is indeed possible to be too cautious.
We stand to lose a great deal in a world of opportunity if we do not take risks. A more nuanced approach to travel advisories would mean that the risks study-abroad participants and the University take would be calculated and, ultimately, rewarded.
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