I also attended the High Fantasy Workshop, which, IMO, was misnamed. It was more a Q&A. Nothing wrong with that, but the difference in expectation (work on a thing, advice for implementing things) and reality (questions being answered) is enormous for me.

Also, let’s be honest. This is publishing. The answer to most questions is:

• 1) We’ll know it when we see it
• 2) You can do it, as long as you do it well

It is the largest amount of money I have ever paid to make a complete fool out of myself in front of my betters and my peers. After an introduction, Luke told us to ask questions by raising out hand. Or, after a short pause, to put them into the chat.

My very literal and also nervous and thus strictly rule-abiding brain made me raise my had into the lull after that to ask my question. Let me tell you now, that not only was I the first, but also the absolutely last person to do this. Everybody else used the chat.

Had I known…

At least everybody who attended got a copy of the recorded workshop and can re-live my moment of abject terror at their convenience.

It was also not really the right Q&A for me. Nothing about my current fantasy is high (except for the author now and then). Everybody else is crafting those amazing buffets and I’m just like – popcorn anybody? It salty! (Like the author…)

Do I regret attending? No. Do I regret spending so many bucks on it? Also no. I have learnt A Thing and that is important. My head is stubborn about learning things so any way that works is a good way.

Did I learn a thing related to High Fantasy? No again. 🤷

Well, maybe a little. It is not for me the way it is. The High Fantasy I want to write will have many problems, being a stand-alone being just the start. I do not believe my way of writing, let alone my preferred language to write in vibes well with tradpub High Fantasy. (Tune in for “Just Another Tuesday in Fantasy” at some later date.)