Thoughts on World Fantasy Con

[jimhines]

I’ve been hearing a fair amount of frustration with this year’s World Fantasy Convention over various issues.

WFC was the first “world-level” convention I attended, more than a decade ago now. It was intimidating and overwhelming, but also fun and rewarding. Sadly, I won’t be at WFC in Brighton this month. Which could raise the question, “Why am I

Comments

[redredrage]

I am not thrilled by the idea of paying for koffeeklatches, et al, but I can also understand it. But I do have to say that yes, WFC is definitely designed as a "professional" convention. I attend both when I can afford to (I'm going to Brighton this year and it's costing me dearly) but I go to them for different reasons. When I attend Dragon-Con in Atlanta, for example, I go to be on a few panels and to enjoy the energy of the con and to meet with the occasional fan. When I go to World Fantasy it's definitely much more about business for me. There are a few cons that manage the best of both, but they are exceptions and not the rule.

[jimhines]

But I think, as a few commenters have clarified, that there's a very important distinction between "professional" and "people who can afford to pay more." I do see a value in events aimed at professionals, just as I see the need for events aimed more toward fans. I have a harder time buying the need for SF/F conventions aimed at "people with more disposable income."

[blitheringpooks]

It seems to me that the organizers place a high fee to make money [and claim that exclusivity is a good thing], but perhaps the attendees are the ones who are seeing that it ends up being a professional conference and they like that benefit. Cause/effect, but not truly intent/effect.

[redredrage]

I agree, Jim. But I don;t think that WFC is necessarily aimed at more disposable income. They have a very small dealer's room that is basically only allowed to have artwork and books. They have a no costume policy. This is nothing to do with more disposable income and, to my way of thinking (and I'm the first to say I am often wrong) is more a nod at making sure that the convention is, if anything, less appealing to the fan-oriented base. Mostly because it's meant to be more of a trade show and less of a convention in the larger sense. i believe there is also a very strict cap on how many attendees can actually be at the convention that was set in the by-laws of the convention when it was established. The people running the show have no control over that aspect, because it is in the by-laws, and THAT increases the overall cost of running the convention because there is less leeway in how you can generate monies and what sort of guarantees you can make with the hotel. I know that several conventions, like Dragon-Con, make guarantees to

[redredrage]

And on side note: Yeah, the entire gender separation panels tend to be a bit stale these days for me.