Admin Post: Panels and How to Suggest Them
Hello! This post will detail the panel selection process. This is not the post where you suggest panels. That's coming next!
So, here's how the whole panel thing will work at Muskrat Jamboree:
Step One: Cut a hole in a box.
Step Two -- No, wait. Sorry, wrong thing!
Panel suggestions -- even if you're not attending!
Immediately following this post, I will put up the panel suggestion post. Anyone can post panel suggestions, even if they're not attending. Ask your friends! Pimp to your flist! There are a lot of smart fangirls with great panel ideas out there!
Panel suggestions will be open until Wednesday, Jan 17th. I'll make a post announcing when panel suggestions are officially closed.
How panels are chosen -- by YOU.
After all the suggestions are in, I'll break them down by fandom and type -- meta, het, slash, small fandom, big fandom, etc. Then, I'll start putting up polls here in this community for you to choose the best of the lot!
Example:
Say I have two due South panel slots available. I will put up a poll with ALL of the DS panel suggestions, and then top two are in. Simple, yes?
(I really hope it's simple. Because I've never done this before. Yay?)
If there are a number of assorted small fandoms and x number of small fandom slots, you will be voting on which fandom you want to see represented.
In other words, majority vote rules. It's fair, it's concrete, and best of all, it's out of my hands! Woohoo!
How mods are chosen.
Quite simply, whoever suggests the panel has first dibs on moderating it. If the person who suggested it doesn't want to moderate or isn't attending, I'll throw the panel name out here, and you can email me if you're interested in moderating.
After we have the master list of mods and panels, I'll set the schedule and post it here!
Now, I know there are a lot of con-newbies coming to our Jamboree, so here is some basic info about panels:
You mean like...paneling? What?
A panel is essentially a moderated discussion about a specific topic. This doesn't mean it has to be formal, awkward, or that you can't use the word "cock." It's just a group of fangirls discussing the things/people/shows we feel passionately about!
What does a mod do?
Mods are in charge of five things:
1. Introducing the topic.
2. Keeping the participants ON topic.
3. Keeping the conversation flowing by asking good questions like, "So why IS Captain Jack hotter than the sun?"
4. Making sure everyone gets a turn and stays polite.
5. Wrapping up the discussion in a timely manner and thanking your participants!
Some mods bring visual aids, charts, handouts, etc., but it's not necessary. (If anyone has 8x10 glossies of John Barrowman, however they will have to be um, approved by me. Yes.)
Some guidelines for excellent panel suggestions
Please try to make your suggestions focused.
Bad ideas:
1. SGA
2. Due South
3. Harry Potter
Good ideas:
1. John Sheppard's Hair: Sentient or No?
2. When Fraser Bottoms
3. Kingsley/Shacklebolt (Or, My Name is Bethbethbeth and I Want You to Come to My Panel)
Also try to avoid panels that are about your specific kinks.
Bad: Why I Like to Be Tied Up
Good: What Characters Would You Most Like to See Tied Up?
What about meta?
Meta suggestions can take many forms. We can talk about writing challenges, fannish clichÈs, fannish trends, etc. Another type of meta panel is the instructional panel: Beyond the Basics of HTML, or DADT for Military Slash Writers, etc.
The one thing I would advise against are inflammatory panels. "Why fandom X sucks" is just going to cause trouble!
Whew! Feel free to comment with any questions, and happy suggesting!
(I'll slip you $10 if you suggest a Jake 2.0 panel. Ahem.)
So, here's how the whole panel thing will work at Muskrat Jamboree:
Step One: Cut a hole in a box.
Step Two -- No, wait. Sorry, wrong thing!
Panel suggestions -- even if you're not attending!
Immediately following this post, I will put up the panel suggestion post. Anyone can post panel suggestions, even if they're not attending. Ask your friends! Pimp to your flist! There are a lot of smart fangirls with great panel ideas out there!
Panel suggestions will be open until Wednesday, Jan 17th. I'll make a post announcing when panel suggestions are officially closed.
How panels are chosen -- by YOU.
After all the suggestions are in, I'll break them down by fandom and type -- meta, het, slash, small fandom, big fandom, etc. Then, I'll start putting up polls here in this community for you to choose the best of the lot!
Example:
Say I have two due South panel slots available. I will put up a poll with ALL of the DS panel suggestions, and then top two are in. Simple, yes?
(I really hope it's simple. Because I've never done this before. Yay?)
If there are a number of assorted small fandoms and x number of small fandom slots, you will be voting on which fandom you want to see represented.
In other words, majority vote rules. It's fair, it's concrete, and best of all, it's out of my hands! Woohoo!
How mods are chosen.
Quite simply, whoever suggests the panel has first dibs on moderating it. If the person who suggested it doesn't want to moderate or isn't attending, I'll throw the panel name out here, and you can email me if you're interested in moderating.
After we have the master list of mods and panels, I'll set the schedule and post it here!
Now, I know there are a lot of con-newbies coming to our Jamboree, so here is some basic info about panels:
You mean like...paneling? What?
A panel is essentially a moderated discussion about a specific topic. This doesn't mean it has to be formal, awkward, or that you can't use the word "cock." It's just a group of fangirls discussing the things/people/shows we feel passionately about!
What does a mod do?
Mods are in charge of five things:
1. Introducing the topic.
2. Keeping the participants ON topic.
3. Keeping the conversation flowing by asking good questions like, "So why IS Captain Jack hotter than the sun?"
4. Making sure everyone gets a turn and stays polite.
5. Wrapping up the discussion in a timely manner and thanking your participants!
Some mods bring visual aids, charts, handouts, etc., but it's not necessary. (If anyone has 8x10 glossies of John Barrowman, however they will have to be um, approved by me. Yes.)
Some guidelines for excellent panel suggestions
Please try to make your suggestions focused.
Bad ideas:
1. SGA
2. Due South
3. Harry Potter
Good ideas:
1. John Sheppard's Hair: Sentient or No?
2. When Fraser Bottoms
3. Kingsley/Shacklebolt (Or, My Name is Bethbethbeth and I Want You to Come to My Panel)
Also try to avoid panels that are about your specific kinks.
Bad: Why I Like to Be Tied Up
Good: What Characters Would You Most Like to See Tied Up?
What about meta?
Meta suggestions can take many forms. We can talk about writing challenges, fannish clichÈs, fannish trends, etc. Another type of meta panel is the instructional panel: Beyond the Basics of HTML, or DADT for Military Slash Writers, etc.
The one thing I would advise against are inflammatory panels. "Why fandom X sucks" is just going to cause trouble!
Whew! Feel free to comment with any questions, and happy suggesting!
(I'll slip you $10 if you suggest a Jake 2.0 panel. Ahem.)