My Renovation (Worldcon 2011) Schedule #renosf Here's my final schedule for the 69th Worldcon, Renovation, August 17-21 in Reno, Nevada. If you're trying to decide whether or not to go, they also sell memberships at the door. Where there's an (M) next to my name, I'm moderating that panel. If you're coming to the "Pirates for Kids" panel on Friday at 5 p.m., have pity--I'm going to have to sprint to make it there on time.[g] Thu 16:00 - 17:00, Arrrggh! Tall Tales versus History in Pirate Research Pirate fiction is a popular sub-genre. While grounded in history, research about pirates can be tricky. Records are erratic and often exaggerated. What are some of the more reliable resources? And what about when the truth about pirates is stranger than its fiction? Carrie Vaughn (M), Darlene Marshall, Tim Powers, John G. Hemry, A. C. Crispin Fri 11:00 - 12:00, The Continuing Popularity of J...
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Image via Wikipedia Tips for New Writers Tara asked me to share some of what we discussed at Worldcon . I wish I'd taken notes, but when I'm on the panel and interacting I'm so caught up with what's going on it's hard to keep track. Here though are some of the things we discussed. Much of it you've heard before, but it bears repeating: Keep writing. Keep your butt in the chair. Develop disciplined habits. Study the work of successful authors in your field. Keep telling yourself "I did this once, I can do it again." Don't take rejection personally--editors are critiquing your work, not you. Be nice to everyone you meet--they're all potential readers. Do self promotion, but don't get so caught up in it it keeps you from writing. Develop regular writing times. I learned other authors also suffer from the "2/3 curse" where you're 2/3 of the way through your work in progress and you don't want to do it anymore and yo...
HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION Worldcon (Denvention3) was fantastic. I arrived Wednesday in plenty of time for my 4:00 panel, Survival Tips for New Writers. The other panelists were David Coe and this year's Campbell Award winner, Mary Robinette Kowal, and along with the audience I picked up tips from them on how to improve my work habits. On Thursday I had a full day of panels. How do Ebooks Change Writing--an Ebook Writing Primer was intriguing, and moderator Dave Howell worked hard to keep us focused on the topic and not wandering off into weird ebook stories. We talked about interactive ebooks with hyperlinks, but also about how many readers seem content with ebooks simply being an exact copy of a print book delivered through different media. Aaaargh! The Pirate Panel was just what you might expect from the title, an exploration of why we like pirates so much, and where pirate history and mythology collide. The other panelists--David Riley, MistyMassey and Linda Donoh...