Today was Leslie What's first day as instructor, and it went pretty well for the most part. She had to do a little moderating and assuaging at points during the critique session. I don't know if it was just the stories that were on the block this morning, or the strain of doing this for two weeks solid, but the critiques are starting to get a little more negative than before. I think one reason may be that we've read stories by everybody in the group now, and we have a ceratin expectation as far as talent and creativity. People might be thinking, "X wrote a fantastic story last time, and I expected better." But that's just an observation. I could be completely off the mark, talking out of my ass. There was only one story that everyone as a group liked, though the ending was unclear.

In a change of pace, Leslie is offering optional evening classes from 7:30 to 9:00 on varying subjects. Just about everyone wants to go to the one tonight, including me, which meant I had to get all the stories critiqued early, which I did. It feels nice to have all my homework done.

An idea has gelled for me, a surreal story about loneliness and invisibility called "One." I got the idea last week, but it took a little time to ferment in my mind, which I think is good. I won't be writing this one in one sitting, which I think is also good. The one thing I took from my previous two critiques is that I'm not thinking the whole story through in my attempt to get it down as fast as I can. Speed is good, but I usually have to worry at a story for a while before I can write it down.

I started reading from The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest, an anthology edited by the dynamic duo of Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, and illustrated profusely by Charles Vess. It's a fantastic book so far, culling some of my most favorite writers.

I need to get some writing done before Leslie's class tonight, and so I say buh-bye.