The Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers is pleased to announce the second annual Wayward Wormhole, this time in New Mexico. Join us for the short story workshop to study with Arley Sorg and Minister Faust, or the novel workshop with Donald Maass, C.C. Finlay, and Cat Rambo.
Both intensive workshops will be hosted at the Painted Pony ranch in Rodeo, New Mexico. The short story workshop runs November 4-12, 2024, and the novel workshop runs November 15 through 24, 2024.
The Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers has been in existence for thirteen years, serving hundreds of students who have gone on to win awards, honors, and accolades, including Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Awards. “I attended Clarion West, and have taught at multiple workshops now,” says Academy founder Cat Rambo. “While others have delivered the gold standard, I decided to stretch to the platinum level and deliver amazing workshops in equally amazing settings. Last year’s was a castle in Spain, this year a fabulous location in southwestern America. And wait till you hear what we’ve got cooked up for 2025!”
"For anyone who finds Cat Rambo’s online classes helpful, the Wayward Wormhole is the Rambo Academy on steroids. The instructors were not only brilliant writers but also experienced teachers adept at leading seminar-level classes and providing one-on-one guidance. They shared a wealth of insights into the business side of being a fiction writer. For those wary of traditional critique circles, Wayward Wormhole relies on a far more useful approach to supply writers with feedback that is both helpful and kind. I came home with sparkling ideas for improving four short stories, three of which I wrote from start to finish during the workshop. Bonus: The Wayward Wormhole sent out tapes of the classroom lectures and discussions one can revisit afterwards."
~Rosemary Claire Smith
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Wayward Wormhole: Getting to the Castle
An update from Janet, who has been working away at answering questions.
The Wayward Wormhole just made getting to the castle a (w)hole lot easier by meeting you at the airport! Cat and I will head to Barcelona Airport and wait for your flight. We’ll both help with luggage and get you to the shuttle that takes us to the train station. I’ll make the trip to Vic with you and then drive you to the castle. Cat Rambo will stay at the airport, greet the next group of students, and escort them to Vic, where I’ll be waiting to drive back to the castle.
Why would we do this?
1. You are important to us plus the trip is long and generally annoying””we can help make it easier.
2. Your visit will cover a minimum of twenty-two days. That’s a lot of underwear. Yes, the castle has two washing machines, but you’ll want a few changes of clothes and other stuff, so you’ll most likely travel with more than a carry-on bag. We can help with that.
3. Traveling with someone familiar with the trip reduces anxiety, and who doesn’t need a little less anxiety these days?
Do you need to get to the castle this way? No.
Will we provide detailed instructions if you want to travel on your own? Of course, we will.
What does the trip from the airport to the castle entail? To travel the 75 miles (121 km) you’ll need to do the following:
– Take the shuttle bus from the main airport to Terminal B. They travel back and forth constantly.
31 minutes.
– Terminal B has a large train station. A train to Vic leaves every ten min. or so from 4:20 am to 10 pm. By a ticket (approx. 14 euros), catch a train.
1 h 20 minutes.
– At Vic, a car will meet you at the train station and drive you to the castle. 45 minutes.
It’s a long day, so we hope you arrive a day or two early and rest up before Sarah Pinsker gets a hold of you on November 1st.
Got any questions? Email me at janetwaywardwormhole@gmail.com
PUBLIC EARLY BIRD ENDS SOON!
Addendum from Cat: When Janet suggested this, I immediately agreed. I’m happy to be there to greet people. There’s a great little cafe there and I plan to bring a notebook and enjoy a bocadilla and some coffee while hanging out. The airport is mid-sized, and well-marked. I’ll have my cellphone handy should you need to ping me for guidance. The train ride is pretty easy and pleasant – so much to look at!
There’s only one thing more exciting than writing in a 10th-century castle, and that’s spending quality time””in person””with exceptional writing instructors. If you’re one of the lucky people who has taken classes with Cat Rambo, Ann Leckie, Sarah Pinsker, or Tobias Buckell, you know I’m not exaggerating when I say these kind, brilliant people have dug into the prose-psyche and discovered truths about communication that can change how I write with a single sentence.
At the castle, they’ll discuss beginnings and endings, setting, character, and conflict. If you’re like me, you’ve taken numerous classes about these fundamental topics, but in the hands of these master crafters, each is elevated to that special something publishers seek from today’s writers.
Have you ever wondered where Sarah Pinsker came up with an idea for one of her popular short stories? She’ll lead a short story discussion group one night after dinner. What niche topic is important to Tobias Buckell? He’ll give a talk during his spare day. What’s Ann Leckie reading, and how did those books catch her interest? How does promoting others lead to a successful writing career? Cat Rambo knows the answer.
What I want most from my time in the castle is to hear their stories. They’ve all worked incredibly hard to get where they are today. Nothing came easy, yet they didn’t give up writing. They’re all serious yet friendly, dedicated yet generous with their knowledge. I want to be like them when I grow up.
