thinking thinks through, the Convention Iteration

[lagilman]

Interesting. logging onto LJ and seeing everyone's "Off to WorldCon!" posts. I thought I'd feel wistful, or.. well, something. Interestingly, what I feel mainly is relief.

Don't get me wrong -- WorldCon is always a lot of fun, and I'll miss seeing friends who will be there. But...

I started going to conventions back in 1978, as a Young Fan. And they were a blast. I didn't sleep, hung out with all the wrong-but-interesting-sorts, and in at least one case came home with mono, and in another case with a boyfriend (no, not the same conventions). And that lasted until 1990, when I attended my first convention as a Pro (editor).

And then, while conventions were still fun, they were also Work. I had to be On, and Polite, and Take Care of Other People (authors) and Get Work Done (networking), and generally came home wiped out. I can't speak to other publishing houses, but the companies I worked, you didn't get to take Monday off just because you'd been running on company business Friday through Sunday.

And then I was a Pro (writer) and I still had to be On and Polite, and Get Work Done (networking, hand-selling, etc), only I was now doing it on my own dime, which meant I had to cram more work into the work/fun equation to justify the expense. And although I could now take Monday off, after -- I still couldn't, because my boss is a bitch. *wry g*

So I sat down and took a long hard look at the reality of con-going.


Regional conventions:
Local conventions (ones I can drive to) are pretty easy-going. They're familiar to me, I'm familiar to them, I know many of the participants. It's often like old home week. So...less stress, less need to be On!... and yet, there is also less work-upside. I'm not likely to get myself into the hands of many new readers, and a lot of the people I see are people I could [and do] see without a convention, too. So a convention has to offer me something special (a really interesting panel opportunity, or a fabulous non-local pro guest, or a wide-ranging fan-attendance for me to interact with) for me to justify the time and funds.

Non-local conventions (ones I have to take a train or plane to) are a slightly better bet for me, because although they're more expensive, they have two additional benefits: 1. potential new readers who may not have heard me yammer on before and might be intrigued enough to pick up a book or stop by here, after and 2. local-to-that-area friends I don't get to see on a regular basis. I try to do at least one non-local regional convention each year (Hypericon in Tennessee, Armadillocon in Austin, etc). I'd do more, but without being a GoH, I just can't justify that much travel. Wish it were otherwise.

National conventions:
Worldcon, ComicCon, Dragon*Con, etc. Readers of this blog know that I. Hate. Crowds. But they're also where, if I plan properly, I-as-Writer can get the best exposure. So I try to do one National a year, grit my teeth and get on with it. And normally I have a great time, shill the hell out of myself in as low-key and enjoyable a manner possible, and try not to get too worn down. But I can only do one without damage, especially since they all seem to hit during the summer (dudes, we need an Autumn National!) Also, BEA, which is beyond exhausting and into insane, but isn't really a convention as such. And yeah, RWA. Next year in Washington, she swears.

And then there's WFC. WFC is technically a National, but it's also much smaller and more pro-based, and -- being blunt -- even when I was herding cats authors, far more relaxing to me than any other convention. I hate missing WFC, which is why I'm hauling myself all the way out to Calgary this year, despite an end-of-year schedule mash-up that looks to be deadly.

Summing it up: I really wish that I could go to conventions and hang out with people at the bar, and sit in on a panel or two, and go out to dinner, and just Have Fun. And to a certain extent I do all of that. But a convention is a working weekend for me, not a social one. Worse, it's a working weekend that takes away from my 'real' job -- writing -- and leaves me exhausted. Therefore I have to make every moment count, before my introverted self cries foul and goes to sit in a corner. That means making choices about where I can go, and what I just can't manage, in order to throw myself 100% into the conventions that I do attend, as is [to me, anyway] only fair and proper.

What I'm discovering tho, is that once I've made those choices, I can feel my muscles untwine, and the pressure melt off, and I can sit back and think "I'll miss seeing everyone. But it will be nice to NOT be there, too."

So y'all have fun at WorldCon. Have a single malt or a glass of wine for me. Attend and influence panels. Talk to strangers in the hallway. Hit the dealer's room hard and buy lots of books and sparklies and whatever else spreads the joy. Next year, schedule willing, in Montreal!

Comments

[fibro-witch.livejournal.com]

I love cons, both big and small. I do so want to attend Worldcon, but the body disagreed. Instead I will be in hospital (stupid body)

Next year Montreal for SURE, I love the city, almost as much as my own.

[lagilman]

urk. Sympathies!

Montreal will be much fun. Like New Orleans, the convention is almost an afterthought.