So, one of the biggest annual writing conferences, Muse & the Marketplace, begins tomorrow. At least, on paper it begins tomorrow.
I signed up for Muse on Feb 21, the day registration opened. I was so excited. Last year it was a fantastic use of my time and money.
All marketing material for Muse says “May 18-21” and last year it ran Wednesday-Sunday, so I assumed this year was similar. Maybe running one fewer day explained why it was cheaper. Silly me, though, assuming that those dates actually meant “this event will be happening on these days.”
After receiving a few queries from excited attendees about what exactly tomorrow would bring, an organizer today announced on the conference site:
Starting on May 18, connect with other Muse attendees directly or join them in the Virtual Lounges, which will always be open for chat and onscreen socializing in the Sessions area of Hopin, ending at 9 PM ET on May 21.
On May 18, 19, and the afternoon of May 21, Manuscript Mart appointments will be taking place; these individual appointments do not show up on the public schedule.
Virtual Keynote Panels and Shop Talk Roundtables with agents and editors will take place May 20–21.
This is the first time anyone has mentioned that.
Okay, no big deal. I did notice that the price was less this year, so I’m sure if I’d done some snooping, I could have figured out exactly what starting on May 18th meant. I’m sure that the “MUSE STARTS in 15 HOURS” is a typo of some sort, and the lack of clarity in emails is probably somehow my fault too.
It’s probably my fault I took 2 days off of work for nothing.1
So that’s the situation. Let’s make the most of it. I’ve been given two days with nothing to do. The perfect days to write.
I’m reminding of Ursula K Le Guin’s writing schedule, which she once described thusly:
So with that in mind, this is my schedule for Thursday and Friday.
3:30 a.m.—wake up to pee.
6:00 a.m.—wake up again and try to get up.
7:00 a.m.—actually get up; eat breakfast (lots).
8:00 a.m.—write, write, write.
12:45 p.m.—lunch.
2:00-4:00 p.m.—reading.
4:00-5:00 p.m.—clean the house and play with the dogs.
5:00 p.m.—make dinner or come up with an excuse to get takeout. eat.
7:00 p.m.—lie down, either on the couch or in bed, watching TV, playing video games, cuddling with dogs and spending quality time with Sara.
10:00 p.m.—drink water and go to sleep.
If you need to reach me during these two days, please don’t.
If you’ve ever been a teacher, you know that taking a day off of work requires triple the work of just showing up. That’s probably why they only give us eight personal days per year.
This is a bummer. Glad you are making the most of your found time. Whatever you write will be a masterpiece.