Tweets for Today

[mmerriam]

• 22:29 I think I'm going to need to reassess why I go to SF cons and what I want out of them. #
• 17:30 I'm home from 4th Street Fantasy. Lots of good stuff. A little bad stuff. Careswen has a migraine. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

Comments

[timprov.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to need to reassess why I go to SF cons and what I want out of them.

Even presuming this came out of whatever bothered you last night, it's probably still a good idea. I ended up doing that after Farthing Party (admittedly for a positive reason rather than a negative) and it's made a big difference in what I get out of them.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

This is something I've been thinking about quite a bit this year. I've reached a point where, considering the personal time and expense that goes into attending a con, I need to understand what it is I hope to get out of the convention, and what conventions, combined with the right actions on my part, will allow me to find the thing I want.

This is even more acute, with careswen going back to graduate school and us needing to reassess our finances and how we spend our vacation time.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I had to do that a few years ago. (Because I am a total and complete social dork, and so the zipetty ease of A-listers and sekrit parties and deal making were not for the likes of moi. But once I realize that, and shifted my focus to friends and hearing talk about books and writing, my anxiety vanished, and I always have great times.)

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I need to decide if going to so many conventions is really worth the time money and energy.

Going to so many...

[dlandon.livejournal.com]

probably isn't, frankly :) It's which cons you attend that matter. I think that the fact that you've attended quite a few is good, because now you can sit down and assess what you got out of each one, whether or not it was what you wanted to get out of it, how your needs might change when you have a book to promote, etc, etc, etc.

I've been happy with the two I attended this year (Wiscon and 4th St) but have found other cons to have no programming that appeals to me, or ruled them out for other reasons. I had to stop going for a while because it was too depressing for me because I hadn't yet sold another book, and people kept asking about that (still haven't, for that matter). So I'd just go home wanting to cry. I've moved past that point - for the most part ;) - and this is the first year that I've attended anything other than Minicon. Now I find the right con to inspire me to want to write when I get home (just finished four pages) and to leave me both energized about my story yet simultaneously exhausted.

Keep in mind that a different set of moderators can change everything ;)

But, yes, evaluating the 'who, what, where, when, why' is probably a good idea.

- D

I'm with you

[muneraven.livejournal.com]

I am at a very similar place in my con-going life. I missed a lot of the Fourth Street Con because I was ill with some bug and went home, but I, too, am wondering about the expense versus the level of enjoyment.

Re: I'm with you

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I need to figure out why I go and what I need out of the convention.

[aedifica]

If you do reassess why you go to cons and what you get from them, I hope you post about it. I'd enjoy seeing that.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I will! I enjoyed speaking with you the couple of time we talked (once after Elise's party with Mris and later I realized that was you in the consuite on Sunday). Perhaps we'll meet a another convention!

[aedifica]

I hope we do meet again, yes! I enjoyed talking with you, too (what little we did of it). Are you planning to be at CONvergence?

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I will be at CONvergence this year. I'm on six or seven programming items (I plan on posting the list tomorrow), so I won't be hard to find.

I wish I had realized that was you in the consuite sooner: I would have invited you to join us.

[aedifica]

Join you at what? Were there even more good conversations, or something? (Well, that's a silly question. There were good conversations everywhere one turned.)

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

We were having a pretty good conversation in the consuite Sunday morning over bagels and O. J., and then Sunday during the last panel, Mris, Timprov, and some others were outside the programming room have an interesting and far-ranging talk about several subjects (from books to bras to shoes to narrative thrust with several stops inbetween).

If you plan to be at CONvergence, I'll keep an eye out for you!

[aedifica]

Oh, OK--that would have been a fun conversation to be in on! I did really enjoy the last panel, though, so I won't regret the missed opportunity too much.

As CONvergence gets closer maybe I'll be organized enough to post about trying to meet up with people rather than trusting I'll find them in the crowd. (I can enjoy meeting new people at cons, as witness this past weekend, but CONvergence is a little overwhelming for me sometimes.)

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

CONvergence is a little overwhelming for me sometimes.

I understand that! I have a hard time with the crowds at CONvergence. All the noise and people can be a bit much.

[ken-schneyer.livejournal.com]

Why does one go to SF cons?

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

There are various reasons:

Networking with other industry professionals.

They are fans and want to spend the weekend hanging out with other fans and discussing SF/F/H. plus, they get to have a party!

An author goes to a con to meet fans and support a new book.

Fans go to meet a favorite author.

Fans and pro's who know each other online, or once lived together but are now separated go to meet and talk in person.

There are other reasons, but those are the ones I can list off the top of my head.