SF/F/H Conventions: Why?

[mmerriam]

I am currently examining why I attended Conventions. Considering this year there were (are) eight cons I can name off the top of my head right here in the Twin Cities, I need to figure out what it is I want out of them, how I plan to get the things I want, and what my plan to do so should be.

So my question to you, Oh Mighty Flist, is: If you attended SF/F/H conventions, why do you go and what do you get out of them?

And yes, I am still working on a novel, thank you for asking.

Dark Water Blues

Comments

[pameladean]

I was going to conventions long before I became a writer, and the main difference since I became one is that, with some relief, I can look at my participation on panels as my contribution to the convention. I do very badly at all aspects of running conventions and I'm not really that great of a badge-checker, either; long ago, I challenged somebody who was aggressively ghosting a very small con, and he pulled me off my chair. Lots of large imposing fans immediately showed up, but I can't help feeling that I handled the challenge badly. ANYWAY, I go to conventions see people I don't see otherwise and to participate in the amazing community of fandom, or my piece of it. While I'm there, I do panels and readings and autographings if I'm asked, and those are fun, but I don't think I'd go just to do that if I didn't want to see people.

P.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

:nods: Good, good. This is the type of answer I'm looking for as I consider why I'm going to conventions.

Pulled you off your chair? What a buffoon. And frankly, he's lucky he didn't get beat down by the large imposing fans who showed up.

[pameladean]

Oh, good, I'm glad it's useful.

I'm just as pleased that no beating-down occurred. The large fans in question were quite mild-tempered as a rule, and merely had to look at him. I don't think he felt he had the moral high ground, and they did.

P.