What to expect at a worldcon?
February 6, 2024 9:14 AM Subscribe
I'm thinking of buying a membership for the 2024 worldcon in Glasgow, given how close it is to Edinburgh (where I live) by train and that it would get me away from the Fringe for a bit. However, I really don't know what to expect and what I would look to do.
The only other con I've been to before was NYCComicCon, which, while fun, I did with friends and didn't really meet anyone (I'm not great at meeting new people to begin with and while it's not SDCC, it was still huge). There are UK based authors I assume would be there that I would love to meet, but I don't know how easy that is at a worldcon. Beyond that, what events, panels, etc. tend to happen at one? What is the masquerade like, especially going alone?
If I go, I'd definitely go to the Hugo awards, but it's what the rest of the 5 days look like that I'm unsure of.
The only other con I've been to before was NYCComicCon, which, while fun, I did with friends and didn't really meet anyone (I'm not great at meeting new people to begin with and while it's not SDCC, it was still huge). There are UK based authors I assume would be there that I would love to meet, but I don't know how easy that is at a worldcon. Beyond that, what events, panels, etc. tend to happen at one? What is the masquerade like, especially going alone?
If I go, I'd definitely go to the Hugo awards, but it's what the rest of the 5 days look like that I'm unsure of.
I wrote up a few comments here in the recent Hugo mess thread about what it's like in general and what I'd recommend. I enjoyed it, and I'd be willing to go a short distance to be at one alone. I did not attend solo before, but my friends and I did have minor social interactions with other people.
One of the reasons I mention there that prioritizing interactive workshops is worthwhile is because we met someone from the UK that way who was on their own and got to know them a little. There will be parties somewhere, e.g. I'd also assume the Los Angeles in 2026 bid team will throw a party, so you might follow them and Glasgow 2024 on social media. There wasn't much gaming at the one I attended, but I think that's variable and also an easy way to interact with new people if it's happening. Since you ask about the Masquerade in particular, it's essentially a costume catwalk rather than an interactive event.
I'm not saying it looked like a thrill a minute for someone going solo? Like, compared to Gen Con, it's a pretty low key deal in general, but there's plenty to do. If you want to have contacts ahead of time, you might consider getting involved sooner, e.g. in a volunteer role. It's not so complicated that someone attending for the first time couldn't be helpful in some way.
posted by Wobbuffet at 9:57 AM on February 6
One of the reasons I mention there that prioritizing interactive workshops is worthwhile is because we met someone from the UK that way who was on their own and got to know them a little. There will be parties somewhere, e.g. I'd also assume the Los Angeles in 2026 bid team will throw a party, so you might follow them and Glasgow 2024 on social media. There wasn't much gaming at the one I attended, but I think that's variable and also an easy way to interact with new people if it's happening. Since you ask about the Masquerade in particular, it's essentially a costume catwalk rather than an interactive event.
I'm not saying it looked like a thrill a minute for someone going solo? Like, compared to Gen Con, it's a pretty low key deal in general, but there's plenty to do. If you want to have contacts ahead of time, you might consider getting involved sooner, e.g. in a volunteer role. It's not so complicated that someone attending for the first time couldn't be helpful in some way.
posted by Wobbuffet at 9:57 AM on February 6
You asked about "what I would look to do" and mentioned that you are "not great at meeting new people". You absolutely do not have to set any goals about meeting and making friends with people at a convention if you don't want to. You can set your own goals, like "get little tastes and glimpses of a wide variety of scifi/fantasy/horror fiction and media that I wouldn't otherwise try on my own" or "enjoy intellectual stimulation at panels and readings featuring interesting speakers" or "buy artwork, collectibles, jewelry, and hard-to-find books and films" or "attend the big ceremonial rituals (opening ceremonies, masquerade, Hugo Awards) to feel intangibly like a part of a larger society that shares my values and perspective".
Let us know whether you want to meet people and strike up conversations -- in which case we can offer specific tips -- or whether you might prefer to avoid the need to do so!
Tips, 20 years old but likely still good, from longtime Worldcon participant Teresa Nielsen Hayden. These include stuff on how to meet and chat with new people.
Tips include:
* wake up and look at recent email/Discord/social media posts associated with the convention in case of last-minute program changes
* eat a light breakfast on my own in my room (saves money and COVID risk)
* get to venue and go to a talk or reading or musical/theatrical performance that had looked promising on the schedule (which I have pre-highlighted when preparing, a few days before the convention); be ready to leave 15 minutes in if it doesn't look interesting
* wander around the dealer's room, art room, board game room, film room, etc. and be willing to try stuff that looks interesting
* grab free food from the con suite and eat lunch outdoors or in my room while reading
* take a nap
* take an hour or two to catch up on other email-type responsibilities and call my spouse back home
* catch one or two more interesting-looking program items
* go outside the venue to buy takeout dinner, eat by myself while reading, in my room or outdoors
* maybe go to a film or other performance-y program item, or just call it an early night and go to bed
posted by brainwane at 10:43 AM on February 6 [3 favorites]
Let us know whether you want to meet people and strike up conversations -- in which case we can offer specific tips -- or whether you might prefer to avoid the need to do so!
Tips, 20 years old but likely still good, from longtime Worldcon participant Teresa Nielsen Hayden. These include stuff on how to meet and chat with new people.
Tips include:
You don’t have to go to the Business Meeting, though you’re allowed to do so if you want. You can’t go to the SFWA meeting unless you’re a member. Trust me, it’s not much of a loss.....If I were to go to a genre convention alone and not knowing anyone ahead of time, as I did many years ago when I went to my first WisCon, and I wanted to avoid having to make unstructured conversation with strangers, I might expect an ordinary day would look something like this:
Early on in the convention’s program, there’ll be an orientation panel for congoing newbies. Go there. Listen. Consider taking notes.....
If you want to meet people, volunteer to work. If you want to meet authors and editors, sign up (early!) for their kaffeeklatsches, and attend their readings.....
There will be private room parties in the evening. Many of these are open to anyone who wants to attend, as long as they behave themselves politely and don’t swipe all the refreshments. If they’re not open, whoever’s doing door duty will tell you so. If they’re not polite about it, they’re the jerk, not you.
The beer and soda are in the bathtub.
People who won’t let you into their circle probably aren’t being snotty elitists. Odds are, they’re a bunch of friends who’ve known each other for ten or fifteen years. They have nothing against you. You just weren’t there, back when, and you wouldn’t get the jokes. Later on, the same people will be hanging out in other, more mixed social situations. Chances are they’ll be amiable and conversable.
The above does not necessarily apply to the field’s celebrities. Some of them get very shy at conventions because they get so much unwanted attention. Other big names in the field will be perfectly approachable.
* wake up and look at recent email/Discord/social media posts associated with the convention in case of last-minute program changes
* eat a light breakfast on my own in my room (saves money and COVID risk)
* get to venue and go to a talk or reading or musical/theatrical performance that had looked promising on the schedule (which I have pre-highlighted when preparing, a few days before the convention); be ready to leave 15 minutes in if it doesn't look interesting
* wander around the dealer's room, art room, board game room, film room, etc. and be willing to try stuff that looks interesting
* grab free food from the con suite and eat lunch outdoors or in my room while reading
* take a nap
* take an hour or two to catch up on other email-type responsibilities and call my spouse back home
* catch one or two more interesting-looking program items
* go outside the venue to buy takeout dinner, eat by myself while reading, in my room or outdoors
* maybe go to a film or other performance-y program item, or just call it an early night and go to bed
posted by brainwane at 10:43 AM on February 6 [3 favorites]
A Worldcon has a tiny fraction of the attendance of NYCC. It varies based on the year and location but it's a small event by comparison to NYCC/Dragon Con/SDCC/AX/Utopiales etc. (Still a large event compared to most fan-run US-based sf/fantasy conventions, though.) I think that probably makes it easier to meet people in some ways, but as alluded to above it is also definitely a thing where people are reuniting with friends--not to mention agents, editors, and publishers--that they may only see once every few years.
There will probably be some activities taking this into account, though, like a sign-up board on site where people can write their names down to go with other attendees to have dinner together. Don't hesitate to take advantage of this kind of thing! Social media is also useful for getting to know people in advance. I'm sure there will be Worldcon chat happening on Mastodon (especially wandering.shop), Bluesky, and Facebook, and there definitely already is in online sf/f writers' groups like Codex. If it's like past Worldcons, people will organize meetups in advance and spontaneously this way.
posted by wintersweet at 12:39 PM on February 6 [1 favorite]
There will probably be some activities taking this into account, though, like a sign-up board on site where people can write their names down to go with other attendees to have dinner together. Don't hesitate to take advantage of this kind of thing! Social media is also useful for getting to know people in advance. I'm sure there will be Worldcon chat happening on Mastodon (especially wandering.shop), Bluesky, and Facebook, and there definitely already is in online sf/f writers' groups like Codex. If it's like past Worldcons, people will organize meetups in advance and spontaneously this way.
posted by wintersweet at 12:39 PM on February 6 [1 favorite]
I went to Dublin 2019 alone and had a great time. People are friendly and chatty and I struck up many fun conversations in queues, as well as in lodgings (people would legit wear con badges at breakfast, it helped to identify Our Lot). I'd recommend not overloading yourself on panels, exploring the convention centre in advance to scout out where the events are (helps to build in transfer time) and outright planning when and what to eat.
In Dublin in particular space was at a premium and many panels had more prospective participants than room, so queue management was akin to traffic control with separate landing strips and staff counting heads to set cutoffs. I ended up missing the Masquerade and the Hugo ceremony because you had to pick up limited wristbands at a particular time and I opted for other events rather than queuing for hours. Veteran con goers commented that was unusual though. Even with better space availability I'd assume Kaffeeklatches would still be limited, and I got into all the ones I wanted when I queued an hour before signups opened. I'd say bring a book in case of queues but there'll be plenty of them for sale.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 3:13 PM on February 6
In Dublin in particular space was at a premium and many panels had more prospective participants than room, so queue management was akin to traffic control with separate landing strips and staff counting heads to set cutoffs. I ended up missing the Masquerade and the Hugo ceremony because you had to pick up limited wristbands at a particular time and I opted for other events rather than queuing for hours. Veteran con goers commented that was unusual though. Even with better space availability I'd assume Kaffeeklatches would still be limited, and I got into all the ones I wanted when I queued an hour before signups opened. I'd say bring a book in case of queues but there'll be plenty of them for sale.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 3:13 PM on February 6
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- There will be panels on EVERY topic. Are you interested in books? comics? sewing? science? There will be tracks with panels upon panels with experts taking about how to build worlds, how to get published, how stitch steampunk costumes.
- There is likely to be a film rooms and anime rooms where you can watch movies / anime 24/7
- Author readings and KaffeeKlatsches (you need to sign up for KK ahead of time, so watch the boards). If you have a favorite author - you can just follow them from panel to panel and reading to reading. (beware - the panels titled "I met my favorite author in the elevator and he's not my favorite author anymore" are VERY POPULAR at WorldCon for a reason.. ). Authors will also have a book signing session or two.
- Art show with docent tours!
- If you want to meet people - there is likely going to be a "con suite" where food is provided and conversation flows freely. In the evenings there will be room parties - sometimes bid and other con parties, sometimes "just because" parties.
- If you want to meet people productively, and see some of the guts of running the convention - head to the Gopher Hole to volunteer.
- If parties are not your vibe - filkers spend the nights filking. Gamers spend the nights LARPing.
- You want to go to the Masquerade. Trust me. Even if you're not into costuming.
- Also go to the opening ceremony.
- there is likely going to be "so this is your first Con" panel on Day 1. It might be worth going to if you're feeling (understandably) overwhelmed and lost.
Wow. I think I'm convincing myself to go...
posted by Dotty at 9:43 AM on February 6 [4 favorites]