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Friday, March 28, 2008

Writer's Bootcamp 2: In Praise of Collaboration

In just a few hours, I'll be zooming off in the Batmobile to Scranton, Pennsylvania for a second annual gathering affectionately known as Writer's Bootcamp. Gathering isn't really quite the right word as it's just friend & author Christopher Hopper and me getting together. Scranton is halfway between his NY home and mine in MD, so we meet there once a year to brainstorm fiction, fellowship, and be generally silly. But I can tell you it is a MOST rewarding time.


There is nothing better than having a friend you can totally trust, unless, of course, it's a friend you can totally trust who happens to share your exact passion for writing {oh, and for Monty Python, as well}. We figure, it worked for Tolkien, Lewis, and the rest of the Inklings, why not try it.

We'll sit in a hotel room, both laptops humming, and we'll be furiously pecking away at the keys. I'll be working on a new fantasy series, and CH will be working on Book 3 of his White Lion Chronicles. But during the entire time, we bounce ideas off of each other--"Bah, I need a name for this hero type character!" "Arrrghhh, I've written myself into a corner. How can I get this character out of this?" --OR-- "EEEP, read this and tell me what you think!"

It is remarkably profitable time on more levels than I can fully explain. And in between writing jaunts, we head over to the Green Dragon, er, the Bird and Baby, uhm, actually, we go to our favorite Public House, The Banshee!! And guess what we do there (besides food and beverage)?? We talk about stories.

Tolkien and Lewis knew what they were doing.

Go figure.

More this weekend.

24 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow. That's sounds like a really cool experience. I hope that if my writing ever amounts to anything I could maybe get into a group or friendship something like that.

Anonymous said...

Sounds fun! My friends and I like to get together and brainstorm too. Except, we don't do it in a hotel room with laptops. Usually at school with lots of college ruled paper:)Have a great time!

Anonymous said...

Sounds awesome.

Shane Deal said...

Awesome! I was just telling my sister that I would like to go to The Banshee. like yesterday.

Greatly enjoyed the video the two of you did last year there.

Ian said...

That sounds like a lot of fun....but most of my friends despise the very thought of writing. (The nerve of the schools, trying to make everything acadeimic!) But I very recently discovered that one of my friends wants to write a book someday....and maybe one day I'll have a chance to eet some of my blogger friends who love writing. :)

:)Ian(:

Anonymous said...

what? DIONIA and ALLEBLE together in one room? can one room even contain such creative genius? i daresay, you risk exploding the place with all the ingenuity!

:o)
- I've hired you to help me start a war! It's an prestigious line of work, with a long and glorious tradition.
- I just don't think it's right, killing an innocent girl.
- Am I going MAD, or did the word "think" escape your lips?! You were not hired for your brains, you hippopotamic LAND MASS!

Signed; Swordmaiden Juliette's mom

(for somereason we can never log in again even once we set up a user name and everything...can only post a comment under anonymous..strange)

Christopher Hopper said...

Sir Wayne!

I beat you to our hotel room and have sacked the person that was awaiting the chance to sack us.

Now for something even more unusual...

I, too, echo your sentiments. I feel so honored to have found a friend like you...that we can even do this!

And kudos to AnneMarie for the "world's colliding" comment! Love it!

CH

~Just*Flinn~ said...

Sounds like fun! I should start something like that here. Many of my friends would love it.

Anonymous said...

It is always a blessing to have a friend who shares your passion! My best friend and I are both Wayne Batson fans and we both LOVE to write, so we've had little "Writer's Clubs" together as we call them, where we basically get together and do something like what you explained, just without the food and beverage... unfornutately. ),:

-A fellow writer and your biggest fan

Araken said...

Sounds good!

Unknown said...

Cool! I hope you and Christopher have a great time!!! :)

Shelby Marie said...

Ah, that sounds truly wonderful. One day I hope to get together with a few of my blogging friends and do something like that...'tis a farfetched dream, but I tend to dream big anyway...

missunderstood.princess said...

omg thats great i kindda got a friend like that but we haven't know eachother for very long so it's not exacly time for me to try that yet but it sounds cool!!!! hope yall have fun!

Tori Rose Lee said...

Have fun, Mr. B! I hope your time is profitable and that you are pleased with the work!!!

Never Alone!

everlastingscribe said...

Oh, my 'bootcamp' is in two weeks! I'll be out in Ohio visiting Rhu and I can hardly stand the wait!

Same type of thing that you and Sir Christopher do m'lord. We'll be writing furiously on laptops on the floor in her room and one or the other of us will go "Oh crud! I thought I had this but. . " and the other will go "To the rescue!" and come and 'help' the other out of the hole they got into in the plot or character or what have you.

I can agree with Lewis in this definition of friendship in reguard to her-

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, "What! You, too? I thought I was the only one."

May Christ bless and keep the work of both your pens, and hone your vision.

~Scribe

Anonymous said...

That sounds fun.

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Unknown said...

Hmmm.. Scranton, I go up there every so often since I have so many relatives living there; the times I go to my grandparents up there is my sort of writing refuge too! I'm writing right now, a vampire novel and I'm enjoying every minute of typing it up. I wish you luck in writing!! Have a good time!

Unknown said...

Christopher Hopper said they did another author talk video. Really can't wait for that.

Anonymous said...

That sounds awesome! I'm sure it will be productive as well.
~Hannah

missunderstood.princess said...

i really liked this idea and because it was so great i've decided to make it into a writers cell group at Manna Church!! ( the coolest church EVER )thanks so much for this great idea i'll be sure to tell everyone that i got it from you! you rock keep writing!

Sapphira Adi said...

Wow! That sounds relly fun to do! I also have a dream like Sjelby Marie to get together like that with some blogging friends. Have fun!

Christopher Hopper said...

Scribe: You gotta' let us know how your boot camp goes!

Misunderstood Princess: that is SO cool that you're starting a cell group with this idea! PLEASE do tell! We didn't have any sort of writer's guild/group up here in norther NY so a buddy of mine and I started one called The Inkblots (after The Inklings) and it's got two new members with two more wanting to join!

CH

WayneThomasBatson said...

CFA: don't wait! Find a friend who likes to write and get something started--it could be the spark that makes your writing amount to something.

LadyShy: a cool location helps, but it's not essential.

Hi, Strivin!

SJD: Wait 'til you see the new video. Should be very rocking. Sir Christopher's craft gets better with age. lol

Ian: Glad you found a writer friend, but keep your online friends in mind. There are all kinds of online collaborations you could get into.

Hello, Anon, as if I didn't know who you were. And yes, combining Alleble and Dionia is a dangerous thing--explosive even. lol "Inconceivable!"

Flinn: so start something! I wonder if Josh could create something on the Forum. Hmmm...

Anon#2: I am blessed by your readership. Thanks for your passion.

Hi, Araken and Pais!

Shelby, no doubt you will. Your big dreams are well on their way to coming true. Never alone.

Misunderstood: it's good to give time to allow a friendship to grow.

Thanks, Victoria Lee: we did have a VERY profitable outing.

Scribe: so funny that you should pen those examples. A few hours into one writing session: CH says, okay, Wayne, I've gotten my characters in one serious fix and I'm not sure how they can get out." LOL I of course suggested the ole Transdimensional Worm Hole technique.

Hi, Nick!

Justin: glad to hear you're still pounding the keyboard!

Hiya, Hannah!

Misunderstood Princess: you've started your own cell group! Suh-Weet! That is a HUGE opportunity. Keep the pencils sharp and the mind sharper!

Hi, Saphira! Have you and Shelby discussed such a thing?

New post about our trip coming soon.