How to have/join a posse for Worldcon in Helsinki.

December 28, 2016 7:08 AM

I'm going to be attending Worldcon in Helsinki in August 2017. I'm a writer of speculative fiction, with a handful of publishing credits but few connections in the literary world. I tagged along with a more established writer friend at a literary convention last year, and it showed me that it can be hard to fly solo in such a sprawling social environment. I would like to build some connections in advance with other writers who plan to attend so I can look forward to meeting some peers and networking with like-minded individuals. Where should I start?

This is a professional opportunity for me, so I'd also like to forge some connections with people in the publishing world: agents, editors, publishers. But it's an early step, and I'll be happy if I can begin to establish a peer group, get inspired, have a nice time and not feel like a wallowing introvert.

My first experience at a literary convention was amazing but a little overwhelming. I felt like I belonged there and loved talking to other writers, but wasn't particularly adept at professional networking. I don't know many other writers in my everyday life, and may not know anyone who will be at Worldcon. So before I get to Helsinki, I'd like to begin building some casual connections to other attendees.

Where should I start? Online forums? Twitter? Reach out to other authors who were in anthologies that published my stories? I don't want to come across as nutty or weird; I just lack many of the kinds of established friendships that many writers have from their graduate programs or... wherever the heck writers meet other writers.

posted by itstheclamsname to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

Do you have business cards? They aren't expensive, and they are super useful for networking. I try to make it a goal to introduce myself to several new people per day at professional conferences, and give them my card. I'm kind of shy, the goal helps me break out of my shell.

I have a friend who is a comic artist. (As in, draws comic books.) He is known enough that people recognize his name, but not his face. When he goes to cons, he wears a t-shirt with his name on the chest. It's funny and friendly. He told me that one side-effect is that he becomes much more polite when he's wearing the shirt. He phrased it "you don't want to be a dick with your full name written on your chest."

Reaching out to people ahead of time via social media or email is perfectly acceptable in my profession, as long as it's kept simple. "Hope to chat in person at MegaAwesomeCon!" as opposed to "will you proofread my new manuscript during the conference?" You can also ask people you know if they are going, and if they can make introductions.

Good luck.
posted by Cranialtorque at 7:41 AM on December 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Ah, too bad that you missed this year's capclave. It's a good starter con in your geographic area. You might search around for other small cons to attend both as a way to forge friendships and to practice.

The key to being outgoing is to just get out there and do it. Attend panels, take mental notes of people you thought were interesting. If you see them elsewhere at the con, approach and politely compliment them and introduce yourself. If conversation is going well, offer to buy them a drink. Hang out in the con's bar area and act friendly and approachable. And yes, definitely get business cards.

Twitter is a good place for SF networking. Also perhaps the SFWA forums, though it's been awhile since I've been a member. Absolutewrite is good, too, and has a lot of people working in scifi.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:52 AM on December 28, 2016 [2 favorites]

I'm not going to WorldCon until 2018, so I hope you get some more sophisticated answers. Brandon Sanderson is very open about his journey from aspiring writer to successful writer and he gives some elementary Do's and Don'ts on an episode of Writing Excuses.
posted by puddledork at 9:29 AM on December 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

I am another SFF writer in your area! I am watching this thread with interest, and I did not know about Capclave - thank you PhoBWanKenobi for the tip. I'll have to go in 2017.

(I bought a membership this year but won't be able to actually go, it looks like. I would have liked to say hi! Maybe in 2018?)
posted by aperturescientist at 9:44 AM on December 28, 2016

I started going to cons as a bookseller and so met a lot of writers and publishers. Then I became good friends with a couple of writers and would go as their friend and met even more writers and publishers. So I suggest very small to small literary cons. Find the cons list in Locus online and see what's happening within a few hundred miles of you and go. The small cons afford more access to the GOH and panelists and thus more opportunity to tout yourself. A really good one is ICFA (Internatl Con on the Fantastic in the Arts) in Miami or Ft. Lauderdale in March (an academia/writer con). Absolutely have business cards to give out, and they should have some indication that you're a pro. Possibly offer yourself as a panelist by getting in touch with the staff very early. I'll be at World Con 2018 because one of those friends I made years ago is the fGOH, so I'll get to meet even more writers. Too bad I'm not a writer, eh?
posted by MovableBookLady at 2:31 PM on December 28, 2016 [2 favorites]

Aside from the in-person networking, you should also suggest yourself for the con's programme. From what I've seen, Twitter and Facebook are both pretty decent for networking, though the latter does somewhat favour connections and networks that also exist outside itself. MetaFilter itself has a fair amount of overlap with sf fandom, and the /r/fantasy subreddit is a pretty good place to look at as well.

I'm not a writer myself, but I do run conventions, and really they're communities, made out of people that find each other interesting. As long as you don't too forcefully try to just promote yourself, you should not have any problems forming connections if you're brave enough to just go strike up conversations -- this applies online as well as in person.

I'll be at Worldcon 75, though I'll most likely be running around continuously taking care of one emergency or another (I'm on the con committee, and most often the one that'll get blamed for everything).
posted by eemeli at 9:03 AM on December 30, 2016 [1 favorite]