Wiscon Panel Notes Part 3 of 3
I don't do a full run-down of everything said during the panels, just the highlights of what seemed most useful to me and thoughts they sparked. Panels in this post: Humor in Feminist Speculative Fiction; Acting for Authors; Writing Science Fiction While Living in an SF Disaster Novel; and Getting It Wrong Gracefully.
Humor in Feminist Speculative Fiction
This was the panel in which I learned that some panels are just people giving book recommendations. This was categorized under The Craft & Business of Writing, and it really should have been under Reading, Viewing, and Critiquing SF. OTOH, I now want to pick up the Street Angel graphic novel.
Acting for Authors
This was the panel in which I learned, among other things, that yes, you'll need to sneak out of the awards ceremony early to go to a panel. I showed up a bit late. There were lots of useful general tips in this. The actual critique of a people reading was less useful, I think mostly because nobody really wanted to be the bad guy. I did learn that I need to pause more at the end of sentences.
A very good point was made that the ability to be a good reader can make your writing career. It will get you invited to conventions and readings and radio shows etc. It is an important tool.
Tips for readings:
* Do not apologize before, during, or after a reading, in any way, shape, or form.
* Try to vary your vocal range and the end notes of your sentences.
* Our language naturally drops off at the end of sentences; try to avoid that.
* Remember to pause between paragraphs and story sections to convey a choppy feeling if that is what the author intended.
* Pitch your voice differently for each character, not just high for girls and low for boys. Be careful to avoid stereotypical accents.
* A lower voice can also show power or age, not just gender. The speed of speech or the emotional quality of it can also distinguish speakers.
* Tone and pauses can control the suspense.
* Look at your audience. Have your face be expressive. Use eye movements for emphasis/impact.
* See if you can get arcs in the emotional tone in readings.
* Always read manuscripts beforehand, and don't be afraid to write on the manuscript to indicate what marks you want to hit--louder, angry, quiet, pause, look, etc.
The workshop ended with a rockin' reading by S00j, who I am still more than half-convinced has hooves and might steal your children.
I also failed my willpower roll against fangirling at yuki_onna. Ah, well, these things happen.
Final note--I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and I'm guessing that helps my ability to be a good reader. But I think I need to maybe be more analytical about it some of the time, to pay attention to what techniques are being used.
Writing Science Fiction While Living in an SF Disaster Novel
Apocalyptic tales really hit a sweet spot for me, so I very much enjoyed this panel, but I didn't take a lot of notes. It was first thing in the morning, it was mostly a discussion of specific disasters....
Recommendation: Kim Stanley Robinson's "Gold Coast" series.
Because bacteria trade off genes, custom-designed bacteria would distribute some characteristics--that could be a (humorous?) grace note in SF.
Always consider interlocking crises or cases where some crises solve each other, and other crises make each other worse. A crisis will not stay isolated!
Check the government think tank pages (unfortunately, I didn't write down the names) for very good analysis of possible impacts of various disasters.
Getting It Wrong Gracefully
Writers should write characters that are different from them, including of other genders, races, and cultures, but that means writers may "get it wrong." This panel was about how to handle it when you've offended somebody and are faced with accusations of being racist, sexist, or other -ist. This was one of the most enlightening panels I attended; it was also one of the most tense--a lot of people went into this already on a hairtrigger, on all sides. The most recent example of this was RaceFAIL, so that was the main focus of the discussion.
Personally, I had defensive reactions to some of what was discussed, and I didn't even have a personal stake. Yes, some people will interpret things I say or write as being a certain way because of the color of my skin. No, that's not fair. Yes, it's prejudiced. No, pointing this out or otherwise getting defensive is not a useful reaction.
Apologies
The biggest shocker was that an apology, on its own, is inherently untrustworthy. It's not enough. It has too often been used (by assholes) as an escape clause or a delaying tactic to keep from actually having to change a behavior. If you accidentally offend someone, and you only say you're sorry, they won't believe you.
The key is to apologize and then do something about it. For example, Scalzi bringing PoC onto his blog to discuss raceFAIL after his initial dismissal pissed people off.
Under no circumstances make a conditional apology. "I'm sorry you feel that way," is particularly to be avoided!
Try not to get defensive. Also, it's never too late to stop being defensive and apologize. Sometimes it's too late for people to believe you no matter what you do, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.
Friends
If this explodes in your online space, you need to moderate your friends' comments to keep them from becoming offensive in your defense, or you will be held responsible. (Though apparently defensive friends are the way to go when responding to a bad review [and you shouldn't respond to that yourself!])
To avoid the echo chamber effect of friends leaping to your defense and making you feel justified, go to the friends who haven't said anything. Silence is not support. Ask them, "Am I screwing up?"
Responding
If you don't respond, you're guilty by default. Yeah. Sucks.
Make sure you reconsider and revise your response. Avoid a peer pressure/groupthink response.
Always consider the worst way somebody could misinterpret a statement, because that's how it will be taken.
Technique: Try reading your comment/post aloud in the most hateful voice you can, because that's how other people will hear your voice in their head as they read it. If it sounds horrific, reword!
Especially in a big fail, where people actually got hurt, if you don't know or understand the right response, ask how to fix it or educate yourself. Proceed with great caution at this step. This can easily provoke the, "It's not my job to teach you," response. It is likely that the offended person has had this conversation dozens or hundreds of times and is tired of it and of how often it seems to not work. A negative reaction may occur after educational resources have already been listed (read the comments!)--maybe even elsewhere, if the fight is being carried on in multiple locations--or when "Teach me how I'm wrong" is seen as a passive-aggressive delaying tactic.
Under these circumstances, perhaps the best response is to post an apology, including an action--or, if there is no clear remedying action, include that you are trying to find resources (if resources have been named, mention them) to educate yourself. Then do that, and mention it later.
There will still be people who do not believe you, and you will probably not be able to convince them otherwise. Trying to may make matters worse at that point.
I find the choice to schedule this panel in the last time slot interesting.
Humor in Feminist Speculative Fiction
This was the panel in which I learned that some panels are just people giving book recommendations. This was categorized under The Craft & Business of Writing, and it really should have been under Reading, Viewing, and Critiquing SF. OTOH, I now want to pick up the Street Angel graphic novel.
Acting for Authors
This was the panel in which I learned, among other things, that yes, you'll need to sneak out of the awards ceremony early to go to a panel. I showed up a bit late. There were lots of useful general tips in this. The actual critique of a people reading was less useful, I think mostly because nobody really wanted to be the bad guy. I did learn that I need to pause more at the end of sentences.
A very good point was made that the ability to be a good reader can make your writing career. It will get you invited to conventions and readings and radio shows etc. It is an important tool.
Tips for readings:
* Do not apologize before, during, or after a reading, in any way, shape, or form.
* Try to vary your vocal range and the end notes of your sentences.
* Our language naturally drops off at the end of sentences; try to avoid that.
* Remember to pause between paragraphs and story sections to convey a choppy feeling if that is what the author intended.
* Pitch your voice differently for each character, not just high for girls and low for boys. Be careful to avoid stereotypical accents.
* A lower voice can also show power or age, not just gender. The speed of speech or the emotional quality of it can also distinguish speakers.
* Tone and pauses can control the suspense.
* Look at your audience. Have your face be expressive. Use eye movements for emphasis/impact.
* See if you can get arcs in the emotional tone in readings.
* Always read manuscripts beforehand, and don't be afraid to write on the manuscript to indicate what marks you want to hit--louder, angry, quiet, pause, look, etc.
The workshop ended with a rockin' reading by S00j, who I am still more than half-convinced has hooves and might steal your children.
I also failed my willpower roll against fangirling at yuki_onna. Ah, well, these things happen.
Final note--I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and I'm guessing that helps my ability to be a good reader. But I think I need to maybe be more analytical about it some of the time, to pay attention to what techniques are being used.
Writing Science Fiction While Living in an SF Disaster Novel
Apocalyptic tales really hit a sweet spot for me, so I very much enjoyed this panel, but I didn't take a lot of notes. It was first thing in the morning, it was mostly a discussion of specific disasters....
Recommendation: Kim Stanley Robinson's "Gold Coast" series.
Because bacteria trade off genes, custom-designed bacteria would distribute some characteristics--that could be a (humorous?) grace note in SF.
Always consider interlocking crises or cases where some crises solve each other, and other crises make each other worse. A crisis will not stay isolated!
Check the government think tank pages (unfortunately, I didn't write down the names) for very good analysis of possible impacts of various disasters.
Getting It Wrong Gracefully
Writers should write characters that are different from them, including of other genders, races, and cultures, but that means writers may "get it wrong." This panel was about how to handle it when you've offended somebody and are faced with accusations of being racist, sexist, or other -ist. This was one of the most enlightening panels I attended; it was also one of the most tense--a lot of people went into this already on a hairtrigger, on all sides. The most recent example of this was RaceFAIL, so that was the main focus of the discussion.
Personally, I had defensive reactions to some of what was discussed, and I didn't even have a personal stake. Yes, some people will interpret things I say or write as being a certain way because of the color of my skin. No, that's not fair. Yes, it's prejudiced. No, pointing this out or otherwise getting defensive is not a useful reaction.
Apologies
The biggest shocker was that an apology, on its own, is inherently untrustworthy. It's not enough. It has too often been used (by assholes) as an escape clause or a delaying tactic to keep from actually having to change a behavior. If you accidentally offend someone, and you only say you're sorry, they won't believe you.
The key is to apologize and then do something about it. For example, Scalzi bringing PoC onto his blog to discuss raceFAIL after his initial dismissal pissed people off.
Under no circumstances make a conditional apology. "I'm sorry you feel that way," is particularly to be avoided!
Try not to get defensive. Also, it's never too late to stop being defensive and apologize. Sometimes it's too late for people to believe you no matter what you do, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.
Friends
If this explodes in your online space, you need to moderate your friends' comments to keep them from becoming offensive in your defense, or you will be held responsible. (Though apparently defensive friends are the way to go when responding to a bad review [and you shouldn't respond to that yourself!])
To avoid the echo chamber effect of friends leaping to your defense and making you feel justified, go to the friends who haven't said anything. Silence is not support. Ask them, "Am I screwing up?"
Responding
If you don't respond, you're guilty by default. Yeah. Sucks.
Make sure you reconsider and revise your response. Avoid a peer pressure/groupthink response.
Always consider the worst way somebody could misinterpret a statement, because that's how it will be taken.
Technique: Try reading your comment/post aloud in the most hateful voice you can, because that's how other people will hear your voice in their head as they read it. If it sounds horrific, reword!
Especially in a big fail, where people actually got hurt, if you don't know or understand the right response, ask how to fix it or educate yourself. Proceed with great caution at this step. This can easily provoke the, "It's not my job to teach you," response. It is likely that the offended person has had this conversation dozens or hundreds of times and is tired of it and of how often it seems to not work. A negative reaction may occur after educational resources have already been listed (read the comments!)--maybe even elsewhere, if the fight is being carried on in multiple locations--or when "Teach me how I'm wrong" is seen as a passive-aggressive delaying tactic.
Under these circumstances, perhaps the best response is to post an apology, including an action--or, if there is no clear remedying action, include that you are trying to find resources (if resources have been named, mention them) to educate yourself. Then do that, and mention it later.
There will still be people who do not believe you, and you will probably not be able to convince them otherwise. Trying to may make matters worse at that point.
I find the choice to schedule this panel in the last time slot interesting.