Why You Should Go To GayRomLit
I'm writing this from a corporate sponsored recharge room at SXSW. Techno music is blasting, free food and drink are everywhere, I've just registered for GayRomLit and omg I hope no one is sniffing the open wifi network because hahahahah I was too tired to remember entering my credit card details was a bad idea until after the fact (whoops)
Last night I hit six parties in a row, mercilessly abused my connections to gain VIP status, ran through the pouring rain, chilled with some old friends from Penguin and Publishers Weekly.
This all started on a bus, 30 hackers, 3 days, the mission: build and pitch a technical company. My team got all the way to the finals, lost to another team on our bus (the only thing that's important is that we beat San Fran!) but not before I was dubbed the "pitch master" LOL. Now we are getting major buzz here and fielding serious interest from investors and major corporations @_@
Why am I babbling about all of this? Because the real value of a conference is not in the official programming but in the action that happens when you put people with similar interests and passions in the same room. I don't even have a SXSW badge. I couldn't attend any of the official events if I wanted to (although so far I've crashed a few) and yet I'm already going home with millions of dollars in connections and publicity for both my current employer and my future career.
The main reason a lot of my friends don't want to spend the money to go to GRL is that they don't see value in the official programming. I agree the official programming looks like a total snooze fest, but again it doesn't matter. You don't go to a conference for the panels, you go for the connections. Strange, wonderful things happen when you're in the right place at the right time.
Here's a more relatable example: years ago I agreed to road trip to Katsucon with a bunch of online friends I had never met IRL before. Not only did we have a wonderful time hanging out together, we launched a massive fanfic serial that developed a huge fan following and promoted several of us to BNF status. That only happened because we were together in person.
So, if you're interested in M/M, you should definitely come to GRL. Number one: I will be there. Unlike most of the community, I'm shamelessly extroverted. If I see you alone by yourself I will definitely come up and hang out with you. So don't be afraid of not knowing anyone or not fitting in the right cliques.
Number two:I will be there (heh) a lighter schedule this year means plenty of time to organize unofficial events. I will definitely be organizing at least one Hockey Slash meetup (Chris doesn't know it yet but she will be helping) and I'll be happy to facilitate others.
Number three: There will be lots of interesting people from all areas of the industry there. Sure most of them will be trying to sell you stuff, but that doesn't matter. The thing about networking is that you never know who knows who or who is going to end up where. A lot of the most valuable network connections I've made came up in the weirdest ways. So if you're a writer or reviewer/blogger this is a great opportunity. If you have no ambitions in M/M it's STILL a great opportunity.
Number four: Reasonably sure there will be hot, naked guys there
Number five: Won't it be great to be somewhere where you don't feel like a freak for reading what you like?
Come on... you know it will be great :D
Last night I hit six parties in a row, mercilessly abused my connections to gain VIP status, ran through the pouring rain, chilled with some old friends from Penguin and Publishers Weekly.
This all started on a bus, 30 hackers, 3 days, the mission: build and pitch a technical company. My team got all the way to the finals, lost to another team on our bus (the only thing that's important is that we beat San Fran!) but not before I was dubbed the "pitch master" LOL. Now we are getting major buzz here and fielding serious interest from investors and major corporations @_@
Why am I babbling about all of this? Because the real value of a conference is not in the official programming but in the action that happens when you put people with similar interests and passions in the same room. I don't even have a SXSW badge. I couldn't attend any of the official events if I wanted to (although so far I've crashed a few) and yet I'm already going home with millions of dollars in connections and publicity for both my current employer and my future career.
The main reason a lot of my friends don't want to spend the money to go to GRL is that they don't see value in the official programming. I agree the official programming looks like a total snooze fest, but again it doesn't matter. You don't go to a conference for the panels, you go for the connections. Strange, wonderful things happen when you're in the right place at the right time.
Here's a more relatable example: years ago I agreed to road trip to Katsucon with a bunch of online friends I had never met IRL before. Not only did we have a wonderful time hanging out together, we launched a massive fanfic serial that developed a huge fan following and promoted several of us to BNF status. That only happened because we were together in person.
So, if you're interested in M/M, you should definitely come to GRL. Number one: I will be there. Unlike most of the community, I'm shamelessly extroverted. If I see you alone by yourself I will definitely come up and hang out with you. So don't be afraid of not knowing anyone or not fitting in the right cliques.
Number two:
Number three: There will be lots of interesting people from all areas of the industry there. Sure most of them will be trying to sell you stuff, but that doesn't matter. The thing about networking is that you never know who knows who or who is going to end up where. A lot of the most valuable network connections I've made came up in the weirdest ways. So if you're a writer or reviewer/blogger this is a great opportunity. If you have no ambitions in M/M it's STILL a great opportunity.
Number four: Reasonably sure there will be hot, naked guys there
Number five: Won't it be great to be somewhere where you don't feel like a freak for reading what you like?
Come on... you know it will be great :D
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*mentally tallying public assistance credits from now until GRL*fuck.
*reading 'hockey slash meetup' over and over*
fuck!
*reading 'there will be hot guys there; looking for subtext*
i hate you, isa. i really, really hate you.
*begins preliminary preparations for ad-hoc kickstarter campaign to fund LGR pilgrimage*
Mwhahahaha~ COME ON WE WOULD HAVE SO MUCH FUN. JUST REGISTER ALREADY
If this were in my hemisphere I would so go. And walk round carrying a Starbucks cup all day.
Emma wrote: "If this were in my hemisphere I would so go. And walk round carrying a Starbucks cup all day."What Emma said. Have this in Australia, it is quite close to Indonesia. So maybe I could scrap money somehow -- though New Zealand is way more expensive.
I signed up for GRL. It is so not characteristic of me. I am so excited.
Hey, sugar, lookin' for a date?*cocks hip suggestively*
Because the real value of a conference is not in the official programming but in the action that happens when you put people with similar interests and passions in the same room.
And that is exactly why I've registered. I really don't care much about the official programming, and I definitely don't care about getting a bunch of autographs. Not 100% certain yet I'll be able to go, but I want to have the option. Because there are a lot of people I'd like to be in the same room with, and see what happens. =D
Any plans to pick up on your earlier unconference ideas? I thought the break-out sessions sounded like a neat idea, or panels on special topics. (Or is that something GRL will already have going on as part of the main programming?)
Absolutely :D GRL hasn't posted a schedule yet, so I'm not sure what they will/will not have. My impression is that the panels are going to be author focused, not topic specific, so we should definitely supplement with unofficial events :DI will probably hack up some kind of hotline/website to keep people informed of who is gathering where.
"OMG, so you're the angel statue!"
"Ooh, so you're the face behind the Starbucks cup!"
"You know, I pictured you more...poster-y..."