World Fantasy Convention: Some Words on the Kaffeeklatsch Situation

[scott_lynch]

This year’s World Fantasy Convention, which I will be attending, has just announced its policy of charging an additional five-pound fee to attendees of its Kaffeeklatsches. A few notes:

1. I, like several authors of my acquaintance, had previously and privately declined to participate in this Kaffeeklatsch track, for all the reasons John Scalzi

Comments

[thiefofcamorr]

In an interesting choice of wording (it's masterful, really), WFC has recently tweeted:

RE: Book Club. After further discussions with the Hilton hotel, they have revealed there *is* wheelchair access to the Chartwell room (1/2)
This is via a staff lift/elevator off the main hotel lobby. We apologise for any confusion our earlier announcement may have caused. Pls RT.

[zornhau]

Damn. This is my first con since turning pro and I can see a storm brewing over it.

[mariadkins]

well done scott!

[xraytheenforcer]

I really hope that the Brighton WFC con comm decides that this isn't the hill upon which they wish to die, and that they get rid of the five-quid charge. It's a terrible precedent to set. But, more than that, it speaks to a lack of respect for authors and fans alike -- pocketing the money for your work on the authors' side, and insinuating that fans are flaky motherfuckers on the other.

Regarding accessibility -- I am glad to hear that they've apparently sorted that. Although it sounds like mobility impaired members have to ride in a service elevator. Swanky!

[shadowsniper85]

There are allot of great authors going to this event, and its disappointing that the huge amount of money needed to attend excludes so many people.

My thoughts are that basically, meeting with authors and publishers is a special thing, someone is giving you their time, and I'm surprised that this industry usually does not charge for it like the new media industry would. That said, its nice to see authors going against the charges that worldcon have put in place, rather than asking if they can add some of their own. They are after all, working.
So respect for respect.
Its sucky to be stung with little extras that eat away at your change, and considering a book itself is about £8... in light of all the things pointed out above and in Scalzis post, its a really cheeky thing for the convention to doing.

If an outside-of-con get together is arranged, awesome :D

[xraytheenforcer]

Just a note: it's NOT WorldCon (the World Science Fiction Convention) that Scott's talking about. The kaffeeklatsch controversy is associated with World Fantasy (World Fantasy Convention).

I generally wouldn't nitpick, but those are very different conventions and it's crucial to separate the two when talking about policies, especially so that the next WorldCon (which is being held in London in August 2014 and, AFAIK isn't charging for their kaffeeklatsches) isn't heaped with grief and scorn that they didn't earn.

[shadowsniper85]

Apologies for any confusion that may bring up. I do mean the World Fantasy Convention.
That's what I get for abbreviating! I'd edit the post but I can't do that for some reason.