Worldcon (Chicon7) Wrap-up
The unofficial WorldCon Pub Crawl. I got to share drinks with Holly McDowell, Jim Minz, Bill Shunn, Gra Linnea, Tom Underberg, Dustin Monk, Christopher M. Cevasco and Rajan Khanna at The Bad Apple.
One of the best things about getting older are the moments when you feel like you’re learning something for the very first time, like you have just begun a long journey.
Years ago, I started calling myself a writer, a writer of fiction to be exact. It’s been almost a decade since then, and I feel lucky to have had my work published in a couple of places. I am lucky to have a short story collection out. Some would call this success. I call it the early stages of a publishing career, and I realized recently that I have so much to learn. I learned this through WorldCon.
It was just a matter of time before I attended the World Science Fiction Society conference. I attended this past weekend, and I was at once overwhelmed and delighted. WorldCon draws some of the top writers in the field of fantasy and science fiction, and I was humbled and invigorated by being able to meet and talk to writers like Paolo Bacigalupi, Daryl Gregory, Hannah Martine and Tobias Buckell.
I didn’t survive WorldCon by myself, though. I had wonderful company, and wonderful help in navigating its social etiquette and tradition. I must mention my writing group Error of Judgment, comprised of Holly McDowell, Bill Shunn, Mary Robinette Kowal, Dustin Monk and Tom Underberg. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I get feedback on my work from them, and they also provide a deep level of friendship. They are my peers and mentors, all at the same time.
What did I learn at WorldCon? Let me tell you.
Publishing and remaining a relevant author take a dash of talent, a dash of luck, and a massive portion of hard, hard work.
No liver is prepared for WorldCon.
The utilikilt is living its heyday in 2012.
WorldCon gathers some of the nicest people.
I plant to attend the next WorldCon next year, and now I can appreciate why it’s so important for so many writers. Maybe I will have something else published. Maybe my latest novel will be complete by then. Maybe I will have more grey hair. The maybes are fine for now. That’s what is exciting about the early stages of a writing career.
In the meantime, I have lots more to write, submissions to send out, and some emails to send out. Let’s call this 2012 a pivot.
