Essay Question!
Saturday, December 8th, 2007 05:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rolanniBackground:
I have received an invitation to be a panelist at Boskone, which is something I'm always pleased to see. Since 1998 I think we've only missed two Boskones -- both times because we were Guests of Honor/Special Guests at another con on the same weekend. February is a Good Time for a New England convention, the good folks at NESFA throw a great party, and it's wonderful to catch up with the traveling tribe.
Just to be clear, I adore Boskone and always have a great time, once I've arrived.
However, being the Shy, Retiring Gentlewoman(tm) that I am, the pre-con is sometimes -- OK, often -- a bit difficult.
For instance, when a convention invites you to be a panelist, they often send along a list of topics and ask you to tell them which you are expert enough to discuss with four-to-six other panelists for 50-55 minutes in front of a room full of people, many of whom probably know more about the topic than you do. They will ask you to suggest topics for discussion, and to share with them which subjects you would, for whatever reason, Really Rather Not talk about.
This is all Good. I've been to a few conventions where I discovered the panels and topics thereof when I arrived at the convention, an approach that produces interesting, if variable, results.
My particular problem is that I inevitably look at the list of suggested topics -- and wilt. There are droves of fascinating and erudite people in the SF/Fantasy community. Me? Not so much. So, I tend to say that I'll be pleased to participate in panels discussing writing, the business of, and those discussing characterization. I used to say that I'd be pleased to participate in discussions of worldbuilding, but that found me on hard science panels where the panelists were, yanno, building a world, which is not what I mean when I say worldbuilding, but I'm apparently in the minority, there.
So, finally, the question:
What would you like to hear me discuss on a panel with four-to-six other panelist? Take as much room as you need.
Special bonus question:
What topics/events are you missing in your convention diet?
I have received an invitation to be a panelist at Boskone, which is something I'm always pleased to see. Since 1998 I think we've only missed two Boskones -- both times because we were Guests of Honor/Special Guests at another con on the same weekend. February is a Good Time for a New England convention, the good folks at NESFA throw a great party, and it's wonderful to catch up with the traveling tribe.
Just to be clear, I adore Boskone and always have a great time, once I've arrived.
However, being the Shy, Retiring Gentlewoman(tm) that I am, the pre-con is sometimes -- OK, often -- a bit difficult.
For instance, when a convention invites you to be a panelist, they often send along a list of topics and ask you to tell them which you are expert enough to discuss with four-to-six other panelists for 50-55 minutes in front of a room full of people, many of whom probably know more about the topic than you do. They will ask you to suggest topics for discussion, and to share with them which subjects you would, for whatever reason, Really Rather Not talk about.
This is all Good. I've been to a few conventions where I discovered the panels and topics thereof when I arrived at the convention, an approach that produces interesting, if variable, results.
My particular problem is that I inevitably look at the list of suggested topics -- and wilt. There are droves of fascinating and erudite people in the SF/Fantasy community. Me? Not so much. So, I tend to say that I'll be pleased to participate in panels discussing writing, the business of, and those discussing characterization. I used to say that I'd be pleased to participate in discussions of worldbuilding, but that found me on hard science panels where the panelists were, yanno, building a world, which is not what I mean when I say worldbuilding, but I'm apparently in the minority, there.
So, finally, the question:
What would you like to hear me discuss on a panel with four-to-six other panelist? Take as much room as you need.
Special bonus question:
What topics/events are you missing in your convention diet?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-12-10 05:10 pm (UTC)I'm thinking of works like:
The Liaden Universe(tm)
Hellspark, Janet Kagan
Swordspoint, Ellen Kushner
Drake Maijstral novels, Walter Jon Williams
Anthony Villiers novels, Alexei Panshin
Dominic Flandry stories, Poul Anderson
"Gentleman Bastards" series, Scott Lynch
Dune, Frank Herbert
Foreigner et seq., C.J. Cherryh
The Element of Fire, Martha Wells
The Five Gods novels, Lois McMaster Bujold
Witty dialogue seems to be a fundamental requirement, where "witty" does not mean "humorous". Or so it seems to me.