Convention Comp Policies

[jimhines]

Most of the time, when I attend a convention and do programming, membership is comped (i.e., I don’t have to pay for a convention badge). This makes sense to me. Generally you have to do a minimum of 3 or so panels, but at that point you’re considered to be contributing to the con, just like someone who volunteers for X hours in exchange for a

Comments

[jimhines]

I know the RT convention is huge. Do you know the average size of the mystery cons you mentioned? I wonder if those are the equivalent of World Fantasy, where there are just too many authors attending. (Also, are these fan-oriented or business-oriented cons?)

[apis_mellifera]

Er. I'm technically in charge of the SF/F section of RT and I get no input into the SF/F panels they have at the convention. I've never proposed a panel, though, in part because the kinds of panels I find most interesting are not a good fit for the audience--and it would be difficult to find panelists, too.

RT is a very expensive con but it does include meals, so that's definitely something to keep in mind. I know staff and senior reviewers get comped memberships, I do not know about author-participants (although I could make inquiries).

[apis_mellifera]

I just asked and the answer about RT's panels is that people pitch them to the publisher and things go from there. And there are "genre captains" at the convention, but those are always authors not senior reviewers or editorial staff. That's probably what your friends meant by panel wrangler for each genre.

I am very lucky in that I get comped, otherwise I couldn't afford to attend. And I know that for a lot of the fans who attend, it's the highlight of their year. I don't think there are a lot of regional romance conventions the way there are SF/F ones.