Convention Tips for Introverts
[cross posted at Romance Vagabonds]
I just got back from Dragon*Con - got woken up this morning by my Precious Little Tax Deductions (ages 7 and 5) who jumped into the bed at 7 am (sleeping in, at Casa Kessler) and hugged me to pieces. Ah, bliss! I’d say that today the decompression begins, but who am I kidding? I have the full-time day job AND the boys with me AND revisions for the next book due AND the boys’ soccer practice today AND my Loving Husband won’t be home until late because his first class this semester begins for him after his full-time job. So…in other words, back to business.
But I wanted to talk Dragon*Con. Picture, if you would, 40,000 people, spread over four hotels in Downtown Atlanta. Add incredibly creative costumes to a full two-thirds of the people. And tons of panels. And vendor booths. And music. And noise. And yep, crowds. Oh, and you’re on three panels, so you’ll have to actually Speak In Public. There you have it: every introvert’s worst nightmare.
I mean, look at me: I’m a soccer mom who telecommutes for her day job and locks herself in her home office at night when the kids are asleep so that I can write. Most of my good friends are virtual, people whom I see maybe once a year, if at all. I’m horrifically shy. I tend to get nauseated before going to conventions, and I usually have at least one AHHHHHHHHHHHHH moment when I have to retreat to my hotel room and just breathe.
But I survived Dragon*Con! More than that: I had **fun**. So here you go:
Jackie Kessler’s Convention Tips for Introverts:
1. Remember that people at cons are there to have fun. Translated for the easily paranoid, like me: There’re not going to point at you and stare and giggle. They want to have a good time - and that means, since you’re there, that **you** can have a good time too. (Remember, I’m an easily terrified introvert. I have to remind myself of these things.)
2. It’s OK to be a fangirl. Want to know who was there, at the Walk of Fame? James Marsters. Yes, the extremely personable (read: lickable) Spike from BUFFY. And he’s awesomely funny, and very Zen. So yeah, I pluncked down $20 and bought an autographed picture and chatted with him for a couple of minutes. And thanks to my friend Kimi, I talked to James Callis (Baltar on Battlestar Galactica) and discovered that he’s a sweetheart. We talked about our kids, and our families. (By the by, he’s also extremely lickable. Just saying.) And I got to make an idiot of myself in front of Laurell K. Hamilton. Seriously. My conversation with her was something like this: SQUEEEEEEEEEE!GUSH!LOVE!INCOHERENTSENTENCE! But that’s OK too, because I’m positive that in the 17 years she’s been writing the ANITA series, I’m not the first person to make a complete fool out of myself in front of her. (That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.)
3. If you’re on a panel, that means people want to hear what you have to say. You **know** stuff. And people want to know what you know. Match made in heaven! (And they also won’t point and giggle.)
4. If you’re attending a panel, it’s OK to ask questions. In fact, panelists tend to enjoy answering questions from the audience. Remember: as a rule, authors write books to be read, and we love to hear from readers. So please: bombard us!
5. Swag happens. I brought almost an entire suitcase of swag - buttons, pens and post-it notes. And I came home with none. Me = happy! So when you go to conventions, be prepared to get free things. And if you’re an author, BRING SWAG.
And the usual: food and drink is expensive, and there’s lots of goodies to be bought. But you know what? Worth it. I can’t wait until Dragon*Con 2009. And I hope I’ll see you there.
Jackie Kessler
I just got back from Dragon*Con - got woken up this morning by my Precious Little Tax Deductions (ages 7 and 5) who jumped into the bed at 7 am (sleeping in, at Casa Kessler) and hugged me to pieces. Ah, bliss! I’d say that today the decompression begins, but who am I kidding? I have the full-time day job AND the boys with me AND revisions for the next book due AND the boys’ soccer practice today AND my Loving Husband won’t be home until late because his first class this semester begins for him after his full-time job. So…in other words, back to business.
But I wanted to talk Dragon*Con. Picture, if you would, 40,000 people, spread over four hotels in Downtown Atlanta. Add incredibly creative costumes to a full two-thirds of the people. And tons of panels. And vendor booths. And music. And noise. And yep, crowds. Oh, and you’re on three panels, so you’ll have to actually Speak In Public. There you have it: every introvert’s worst nightmare.
I mean, look at me: I’m a soccer mom who telecommutes for her day job and locks herself in her home office at night when the kids are asleep so that I can write. Most of my good friends are virtual, people whom I see maybe once a year, if at all. I’m horrifically shy. I tend to get nauseated before going to conventions, and I usually have at least one AHHHHHHHHHHHHH moment when I have to retreat to my hotel room and just breathe.
But I survived Dragon*Con! More than that: I had **fun**. So here you go:
Jackie Kessler’s Convention Tips for Introverts:
1. Remember that people at cons are there to have fun. Translated for the easily paranoid, like me: There’re not going to point at you and stare and giggle. They want to have a good time - and that means, since you’re there, that **you** can have a good time too. (Remember, I’m an easily terrified introvert. I have to remind myself of these things.)
2. It’s OK to be a fangirl. Want to know who was there, at the Walk of Fame? James Marsters. Yes, the extremely personable (read: lickable) Spike from BUFFY. And he’s awesomely funny, and very Zen. So yeah, I pluncked down $20 and bought an autographed picture and chatted with him for a couple of minutes. And thanks to my friend Kimi, I talked to James Callis (Baltar on Battlestar Galactica) and discovered that he’s a sweetheart. We talked about our kids, and our families. (By the by, he’s also extremely lickable. Just saying.) And I got to make an idiot of myself in front of Laurell K. Hamilton. Seriously. My conversation with her was something like this: SQUEEEEEEEEEE!GUSH!LOVE!INCOHERENTSENTENCE! But that’s OK too, because I’m positive that in the 17 years she’s been writing the ANITA series, I’m not the first person to make a complete fool out of myself in front of her. (That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.)
3. If you’re on a panel, that means people want to hear what you have to say. You **know** stuff. And people want to know what you know. Match made in heaven! (And they also won’t point and giggle.)
4. If you’re attending a panel, it’s OK to ask questions. In fact, panelists tend to enjoy answering questions from the audience. Remember: as a rule, authors write books to be read, and we love to hear from readers. So please: bombard us!
5. Swag happens. I brought almost an entire suitcase of swag - buttons, pens and post-it notes. And I came home with none. Me = happy! So when you go to conventions, be prepared to get free things. And if you’re an author, BRING SWAG.
And the usual: food and drink is expensive, and there’s lots of goodies to be bought. But you know what? Worth it. I can’t wait until Dragon*Con 2009. And I hope I’ll see you there.
Jackie Kessler