Next week I am going to attend the fabled Milford, the annual UK writing workshop for speculative fiction authors. I am excited and together nervous – this is the place you can expect your pieces to be torn to shreds, but where you’ll probably learn more than your ego can handle. For the ones not familiar to this workshop, here’s a good description, directly from the official webpage:
“The conference is the longest-running SF writers’ event in the UK. It has been a regular and almost annual occurrence since 1972, drawing members from Britain, Europe, America and Australia. Over the years it has moved venue several times, but has been in its current location since 2004. It has settled into a comfortable, workable format: demanding and exhausting, but also convivial. In short, it’s a social as well as a literary event–a chance to connect with other writers. Many famous names have passed through Milford in its (more than) four decades: Anne McCaffrey, Brian Aldiss, Bruce Sterling, Charles Stross, Chris Priest, Diana Wynne Jones, George R.R. Martin, James Blish (the founder of Milford in the UK), John Clute, Neil Gaiman and Samuel R Delaney. More recently Alastair Reynolds, Gaie Sebold, Jaine Fenn, Karen Traviss, Kari Sperring and Liz Williams.”
Oh well. I’m not sure I’ll be able to post any update to this blog from Snowdonia, North Wales, which is where Milford takes place -and not just because of the wifi (which I have told it works): I may well be too mentally taken for that. This also means that I’m going to miss Cassini’s farewell. 
Yes, because on September 15, with its fuel tank now almost empty, the probe will make its final dive straight into Saturn, heading for the gas giant’s surface. (I have written a lot about the Gran Finale, but if you want to catch up with the last details, this article from Nature is a good one).
While we won’t receive any scientific data that day, we can expect a lot from the press – in the form of videos and stunning images. Stay tuned.
Have a great time at the conference
Many thanks, Tammy!
Have a wonderful time, Steph – as you say, it sounds rather gruelling, but it should also give you plenty to work with. I really look forward to hearing how you get on in due course:))
Thanks Sarah, if I survive the ordeal, I’ll write about it 😀
I look forward to it:))
I hope you have a wonderful, productive time at Milford! I’m certain you won’t be alone in feeling overwhelmed. Take it all in and don’t worry about remember anything — just relax. What you need will stay with you.
Many thanks for the words of encouragement, I’m going to need them 😀