Alas, everyone I’d like to meet is at LibertyCon, or on their way home. I vaguely dream of being able to attend one day, but here on the far side of the world, it seems unlikely. Still, I am still standing – still writing. I have Covid which really hasn’t helped my state of mind or my writing. So, I read a couple of con-set books BIMBOS OF THE DEATH SUN and DEEP SECRET. You could tell one author loved sf/fantasy cons and the other didn’t. Both hark back to a pre-woke era, and I should think the conduct of the con-goers described would cause much pearl-clutching fainting fits these days.
Still, that was quite reflective of much of the sf/fantasy community and people seemed to survive, and the genre thrive. It was obviously at least at some stage attractive to younger participants. I hope that they can adapt around to that again (I think we can safely say it hasn’t been the cons in either of those books for 25 years – and they and the genre have mostly lost ground. Yes, I know Indy is growing.) Because of my isolation, I have no real idea what is going on with whole con scene, so I could be completely wrong. Cons were never a business proposition for me (I live too far away), were stressful (lots of people) but did let me get to know my audience.
Which brings me to the question: what do we do to build a community, in which authors can thrive and produce? ‘Online. Social media!’ Yeah? And you work your butt off and the social media company… closes your account. Mailing list? Yes, well for some people. I tried starting mine at a time when I was struggling to keep myself and wife with a roof over our heads. Discord? Not build for the internet in little islands – and, like X takes FAR too much time. Frankly, all of this relies on a personality not designed to be solitary and writing. And a fair amount of luck, even if you have the personality.
Mad Genius Club 
5 responses to “Here I am”
Would have been great to see you at LC, Dave. But that’s a rather far way to travel, indeed.
Community and network is hard, even (perhaps especially) in the digital era. Most digital relationships, especially those encouraged by social media, are shallow, transitory things. Likes and emojis rather than discourse and dialog.
It’s hard… and building real interactions with writers and readers in this environment is similarly hard.
I wish I had an answer.
It is hard to build a community when there is only one way to think. A community is a melting pot of ideas, current science fiction is a liberal wasteland of virtue signaling and ensuring the diversity ladder is strictly enforced.
*Giggle* I read Bimbos of the Death Sun a couple of years before going to a con in Salt Lake City around 1992 – and spent much of the time trying not to laugh out loud, because so much of the con was EXACTLY like the book. Except for the murder, and the obnoxious guest of honor, of course.
There was a big national con in San Antonio, shortly after we settled here, and I looked into attending – but it (and later events!) turn out to cost a bomb for a simple day pass, in comparison. It just wasn’t worth the candle, so we’ve never gone again to a local con.
As for connecting with other writers – sigh. The local writer’s marketing group seems to have been killed off by the covidiocy. I’ve got a couple more local things on my calendar for later in the year, but most of my connection to other writers is on-line.
Yeah. Marketing. Bleah.
My comment got stolen. Someone tell Dave that his name was all over Liberty Con as a good writer. Jolie LaChance KG7IQC