Monday, September 2, 2013

Dead author walking

I love WorldCon! I'll fill you in on the many cool and wonderful events in the next couple weeks but I need to decompress a bit and sleep before I can actually turn those memories into words. What I can say is that I'm more thankful than ever that I went to Superstars. Not only does it prepare you for the business side of being a writer, it prepares you for a few of the better happenings at cons: the parties and running into scores of famous authors.

I remember the first time I passed one of the Superstars instructors in the hall (I won't say who so I can preserve some dignity) I nearly froze. Despite the number of authors living in the Pacific Northwest, I usually don't run into them at the grocery store or the car wash. Usually it's only at events, both public and private, that I get to see them. I was unprepared for the commonality of it and as a result got a bit starstruck. Superstars gave me the chance to acclimatize to it.

Yes, the number of bestsellers and living legends at the seminar is a fraction of what I encountered at the con, but there's no way I could have walked by George R R Martin, Robert Silverberg, and Harry Turtledove without gawking like a newb.

I also learned at Superstars the importance of parties and BarCon. There are a lot of parties at WorldCon and if you're a writer you can't miss out on them. Likewise, you shouldn't pass up a little downtime in the hotel bar. Important contacts can be made and insider information can be acquired at both, and usually from those in a position to know. There were a lot of writers here and quite a few of them never set foot in either and they really missed out.

I know I keep plugging the virtues of the seminar, but really. How can I not when I'm still discovering the lessons I was unaware of? If I hadn't gone to the seminar I wouldn't have had a clue how to been able to deport myself nearly as well. So what are you waiting for? Go sign up for Superstars Writing Seminar. You need it.

2 comments:

  1. This is a very good blog which was written in post-action letdown. I look forward to your other forthcoming posts. So much of writing like any profession is learning as you said how to deport ourselves in a reasonable fashion and become acclimatized. We network with and learned so much by associating with these great people who happen to be outstanding writers. While the basics are the same, the delivery and presentation is undergoing multiple rapid paradigm shifts. Superstars helps us to get a grip on some of what is going down. I feel that for my career this probably needs to be something done annually. I'll be going again in February and I hope that you're able to attend.

    Most importantly, where are the pictures of the cinnamon roll and how much of it did to eat?

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  2. Reading back on your FB page I found the critical information about the cinnamon roll.

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