I have a headache tonight. The kind of headache that’s making me want to drill a hole in my head so I can let off some of the pressure. Or stick a fork in my eye to give me something else to think about.
So you aren’t getting a review. I can’t think straight. You don’t want me reviewing anything when I’m like this.
Instead I’m going to ask you all a question.
WHO IS GOING TO WESTERCON?
Anyone?
Anyone?
Buehler?
Westercon (happening July 3-5 in Salt Lake City in conjunction with FantasyCon) will be my very first con, and I am kind of nervous/excited. I’m nervous for a few reasons:
1. I have no idea what to expect.
2. I suck at being social, so I have a feeling I’ll walk around for ten minutes feeling lost and then leave because I don’t know what the hell to do with myself.
3. I think I’m going alone. My husband might come with me, but he cares about books roughly as much as I care about games (not much) so I think I’m probably going alone.
I’m excited because I rarely, if ever, get to actually connect with other people in this genre IN PERSON, and the opportunity to do that is something I can’t pass up.
Some very cool authors will be there, but so far I haven’t heard from anyone else going to it to visit said authors. I’m afraid that it’s going to be me in a room with a bunch of authors who look at me like I’m crazy. I know there has to be more than one reader (me) attending. There have to be more people going.
THERE HAS TO BE.
So I’m wondering who you are, fellow genrebuffs who are going to Westercon. Who are you? What are you excited about? In general, what should I expect?
Enlighten me, my readers, because so far the radio silence regarding Westercon is scaring me.
3 Responses
I, unfortunately, am not going. ::sad face::
I’m hundred of miles away, so i can’t go, alas. But cons are fun! So much to do, so much to see, and best of all so many people to talk with.
Go to panels. If you’ve never been to a con before all of them will be new to you and you’ll likely meet people. Go to readings! Those especially will be something I think you’d enjoy. Hang out in the dealer’s room. It is book heaven at almost every con I’ve ever been to. People gather in the dealer’s room, so another chance to meet people.
You can always find pros in the bar. That is a given.
Visit the con suite. People there can be a mixed bag, but often you meet someone fun to talk with.
It will be fun. Honest. 🙂
What Jaime said. You should go.
it’s fine if you feel a little lost the first hour or two. walk around, get your bearings, look through the program book to see what panels look interesting. figure out where the bathrooms are, figure out where the bar is, figure out where the consuite is.
go to some panels and say hello to the person sitting next to you. A trick I like to use to start a convo with a stranger is “I only know one person on this panel, do you know any of these other people?” or “Have you ever read so and so’s books? They’re really good!”.
Get some snacks in the consuite. see someone you recognize who asked a cool question at a panel? talk to them about it. ask what they think of that authors books.
Go to the bar in the evening. Don’t drink? no problem, get a coke or something. That’s where all the authors are going to be. And come on, this YOU. as soon as Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal hear the word Bookwork Blues they are going to be buying you drinks.
You might not walk into the place with a bunch of friends, but you’ll walk out with a ton of them. Everyone at the Con is a SFF fan, so all these people are friends you just haven’t met yet.