4th Street 2012: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

[cloudscudding]

This year's writers workshop went very well (the workshop can be kind of hit-or-miss). I signed up not sure if it would do much for me, but because it was a thing that I wanted to continue. I ended up feeling like I got my money's worth in spades (and hearts, clubs, and diamonds). I should mention that the sandwiches provided were also fantastic (2

Comments

[mrissa]

It's interesting that you're willing to quite so sweepingly state, "Those who have been attending for a couple of years have solidified into groups (even as they complain about others doing the same!)," since I ate meals with a bunch of people I haven't eaten with before, including making sure that I took first-timers into dinner expeditions early on. And for all that Steve Brust can be abrasive, I know he did too, because I saw him in a lunch group with his writing partner and two people I know for a fact are first-timers. So honestly, when I read this post, I went, "Speak for yourself, Abra!"

Everyone thinks someone else is one of the cool kids, but certainly not them--and I think if they see someone going off with one of my dinner expeditions, they file that person in the "cool kids" category and assume that their fellow new person won't have the time of day for them even if I just pulled that person in on a whim because they were standing there. And if I pull in two people, three people, four people, whatever, the ones I don't

[cloudscudding]

Okay. Ahem. "Some people that I hang out with a lot who early on complained about other groups being in-groups have now formed ones of their own, while other naturally forming groups appear to be intact." Notthatthere'sanythingwrongwiththat. I can see that it would be an easy pattern to fall into for me. So, yes, I am kind of speaking for myself.

Qualifiers, I will add them.

I did think Alec did a great job doing programming but never really wound up in conversation with him to mention it. Sorry to hear that nobody else did either, because, yes, he deserves pats on the back for it.

Extrovert, yes. Social skills, no. Helping, maybe.

[cloudscudding]

I'd emailed Janet the suggestion before you commented here and she passed it along. I didn't realize this came up at the con postmortem (skipped out to go paint Adoring Ants on a baby onesie)--I'd be curious to know if it was brought up by actual newcomers or by attendees who may have an emotional hangover from past years.

[timprov]

My advice for the first three paragraphs is go to World Fantasy. They do networking and sales well. I'd very much rather Fourth Street didn't. If it becomes a convention where writers go to pursue editors, I will be staying home.

My advice for most of the rest of the post is to find some way to be in the late-night group. I've always found that to be where the most rewarding conversations happen.

[cloudscudding]

Why, does World Fantasy have a decadent brunch? ;)

Thanks for the advice. This was the first time I've gotten a hotel room and been in the hotel in the evening, but a needy baby and my own exhaustion led to my participation in evening events lasting about--oh--thirty minutes!

[skylarker]

It sounds like 4th Street lived up to its tradition of thought-provoking programming.

FWIW my absence was in no way due to (or only my usual constant steady-state .025 percent) feeling excluded, but entirely financial. I'm hoping that situation will be upgraded by next year (when all three of the books I have presently contracted will have been released.)

[cloudscudding]

The programming was great--I have some number more posts about it.

You were not among the people I was referring to. :) Hope you can make it next year. Huzzah for book releases!

[skylarker]

Thanks. FWIW, the couple other people I know who couldn't make it cited other reasons than feeling excluded. Scheduling conflicts, money problems, etc.

[mmerriam]

I think a "newcomers' lunch" would be a good start, whether that means hauling them all off to a buffet together on the first meal break or arranging a sit-down catered dinner for new people and people who want to talk to new people--maybe with some sort of randomized seating order and a pro writer at each table? Or maybe that should be done with everyone to get them all talking right from Day 1.This, I think, would be a great idea. I have a hard meeting new people on the fly because of the introvert factor, but if I'm in a sit down situation with them, I am much more likely to get to know people. More than once I found myself thinking that a person sounded interesting, but had no viable way to meet them that works for my low-keyed personality

[cloudscudding]

Yeah, you looked a bit peaky. Hope you are starting to feel better!

[half_double]

Thanks for the write-up, Abra. I don't regret having skipped it this year, but I do still like living it vicariously through people who did go.

Was there a Thursday-night play reading this year?

[cloudscudding]

There will be much more write-up!

Instead of a play-reading, there was a storytelling circle, where people went around telling stories true and false.