Worldcon Mark II

[EUOL]

Okay, I got my membership acknowledgement today.  That means I'm officially an uber-nerd.

So, anyone else already bought their ticket?  I'd kind of like to know who I can count on going.  Remember, the price jumps up again in a few months.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

my financial situation is just very fuzzy. And I don't know if I'll have something to shop around, my pace has slowed considerably.

[EUOL]

You bring up two very valid concerns.

Nothing I can do about the first.  About the second, I would just give my usual "Well, write some more!" speech.  

I don't know that you absolutely HAVE to have something to shop around at that moment.  It's probably the most effective method, but if you're going to have anything to send off during the entire next year, you can still use credits from Worldcon.   The truth is, they're probably not going to remember you anyway.  So, your 'I met you at the SFWA party at Worldcon' line in the cover-letter will probably do just about as much good in February as it would in September.

And, of course, there is something to be said for simply going to make contacts and begin learning how to network in a con environment.  It took me four years to finally find the right editor.

[stacer]

Is this the one that's in Boston? Tell me a little more about this, EUOL--and by that I mean what you would tell someone who knows nothing about cons beside what I overhear you guys talking about. I get that publishers will be there, but what else goes on? Is it like LTUE, where they have literature seminars? Or is it more of a gaming thing?

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

hrm... I might could justify it with a few chapters. I can certainly get ten chapters or so looking pretty by September.

The biggest thing of all is the money though. Unless something big happens...

[EUOL]

Well, I'm not exactly sure about Worldcon.  I've always gone to World Fantasy in the past.  It's mostly like LTUE--except, instead of three or four bozos up there (one of which was me this year) you have people like Donaldson and Terry Brooks.  They have almost exclusively panels with big discussions, along with some smaller things like readings.  It's very professionally-oriented, with panels like 'The state of fantasy in the current market' and 'The must-read books of the year' along with panels on worldbuilding and things.

The real reason everyone goes, however, is to network.  It's a professional convention, which means you go to try and make deals with people who you might not see in person for the rest of the year.  As such, there are a lot of parties and informal gatherings where people stand around and chat.

From what I've heard, Worldcon is like this--only with an extreme fandom edge added to it.  It's supposed to be insane.  A professional con and a fandom con mashed together.  Everyone in the biz says that the first, must-attend con is Worldcon.  World Fantasy is a close second.  So, I expect that everything you can do at WF will happen at WorldCon, and probably more, since more editors go.  (For instance, Tor will send six people instead of three.)

[EUOL]

To SE (who posted while I was writing a response to Stacer.)

This is what Dave told me when I gave that same complaint.

He said something along the lines of "There's no decision to be made.  If you want to be a professional, you have to go.  Find the money somewhere, or get comfortable with being an amateur for the next twenty years."

He may have hit it too hard.  However, the fact remains that I found my current agent and my current editor both by going to the cons he told me to attend.  Every con I went to I found an editor who told me I could send them my material.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

/me wants to go.

One of the advantages to this is that I can drive up. My brother lives in New Hampshire, so one thing I keep pushing is to get him to come down and hang with me while there, and my wife and his wife can hang out with the childrens for a few days.

looks like it's time to have a long talk with the wife about this.

[EUOL]

Now remember, I'm not sure whether Dave was right or wrong, but he was very firm on this issue.  Of course, I had six novels done at the time.  

I can't promise you'll meet anyone.  In fact, I can't even promise that I'll be able to introduce you to anyone.  (Though I'll try.)  However, the editors WILL be there, and I can certainly tell you my strategies for talking to him.

[Tage]

I'm still probably going to worldcon. I'm just going as a fanboy, though; and because I like Boston.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

boston is a very cool town. They have excellent clam chowder.

[House of Mustard]

How much is it?

[House of Mustard]

Never mind, I just looked it up.  The membership fee, plus the airline and hotel, plus a week off work is just a little too much for me.  Plus, it's not like I'm really into fantasy.  I just wanted to go to a big convention and see what it's like.

[stacer]

Hey Tage, you could meet Belle.

Hrm. Then again, she'll be moving home to D.C. next month. Oh well.

EUOL, what's your opinion on this as a professional thing for someone like me, who's interested in writing, but more interested in editing? I'm curious how it might intersect with my interest in children's and YA fantasy, as that's what I'd like to concentrate on most.  Also, can you point me in the direction of their website? I'm becoming a little disenchanted with the children's writing professional society I've been a member of for the last few years and I'm curious.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I think Jeffe and I calculated about $600/person for the whole trip. But that was driving up from DC, which is considerably cheaper than flying from Utah. (3 or 4 tanks of gas, maybe a meal or two, $100 travel expenses tops v. a $200+ plane trip).