I know, I know. I’m a writer blogger, but I’ve got this YouTube channel thing, as an #authorTuber. So, when I saw this panel at Balticon53, I had to pop in and take some notes. I’ve blogged about my approach before, but these notes come from the experts!
Thanks to Rebecca Davis, Devin Jackson Randall, and JP Beaubien, moderated by Melissa L Hayden, I’ve got some validation for things I do, and some new things to try out.
YouTube Basics
How do you even START a YouTube channel?
If you have a gmail account, you’re already there — at least for personal use.
Why you might want a separate email and channel for your YouTube Channel
Prevents hackers or trolls from easily interferring with your day-to-day accounts.
Helps with branding.
Because you can’t keep your subscriptions entirely private from the one you’re subscribing TO — and not all the YouTube channels you follow are likely to be on-brand.
How Private Can Your Activity Be?
You can hide/show a lot of things from your feed, but on the individual videos/channels that you’ve responded to, your name is still attached. Such as:
likes
subscriptions
comments
Why You Might Want Your Activity Public
Just like with blogging, a good comment on another user’s blog can drive traffic back to your channel.
Plus? People like to support people who support them — the reciprocal nature of YouTube can be strong, especially among smaller YouTubers.
The “Rules” of YouTube
Before you start putting everything out there, you’ve got to know the rules.
Legally
Copyright infringement check is mostly automated — a single report of infringement is a lot less “weighty”. (Thank you, trolls)
You can get hit months later with an infringement charge — that results in your video getting removed — for sharing a Picture.
Typically, in this case, you can successfully argue that it is:
Fair use
Parody
Education
To avoid charges — video clips from movies/etc need to be a small percentage of your video.
If you get 3 strikes in one year, your site is DELETED.
Why are copyright claims important?
1. If a property doesn’t protect their copyright material, then it enters into common use and their copyright holds no weight.
2. If your channel is big enough to be monetized, there are more restrictions on what you can share from other sources.
How DOES One Get Monetized?
The big question that a lot of YouTubers want to know.
CAVEAT: the rules are ALWAYS changing.
The big things you need to know:
Over 1,000 subscribers
4,000 hours of watch time in the last year
You get no payout until you’ve earned $100
If your content is tagged with a yellow dollar sign, it means some ads may not be appropriate for this video. In other words, you get fewer ads and less money.
I.e. Some key words, that are not listed anywhere, can lead to less visibility and ads. Experience has shown YouTubers that “corpse” is one of those words.
How To Monetize A Post If You Can
There will be a “Monetization” tab in the YouTube creator studio
You get to select where in your video the ad is:
Preview
Mid-video, 30 second, unskippable ad
Ads at the end
Pop-up ads
Where Do The Ads Come From?
By the time you have 20-30,000 followers, you’ll start getting propositions, although it might not be ads that you want. These days? It usually starts off with:
Russian Ads
Phone mobile games.
Where Do YouTubers Make Their Money?
It’s not from the monetization. Yes, they get some money from there, but that’s not where the salary-level YouTubers get paid.
Sponsorships are where it’s at. After you have about 70,000 followers, sponsorship offers will be coming in. Make sure it’s something that matches your brand and something you’re not embarrassed to tie your name to.
How To Find A Sponsorship?
Wait for them to come to you, unless you have a great pitch, for a company that is an excellent match for your channel. Don’t accept a sponsor you don’t believe in.
The recommended way to handle a sponsorship is through an agency like socialBluebook.com.
Typically, you’ll have a contract and a due date, with 2 business days for you to approve their ad. The contract is typically terms:
Either X views in Y days
Or you’ll have to show their ad again
YouTube is a Hussle
For people who aren’t monetized through YouTube or sponsors, there’s still ways to make money — if just to support your YouTube habit.
Merchandise
Patreon
Community Expectations
YouTube isn’t just screaming into the void. You want to have something to offer. You want to have a theme, so that subscribers know what to expect — not meeting expectations is the best way to lose followers and get down-voted.
You need to have a personality! People watch videos because of the person, more than the information. They can probably get the information elsewhere.
Building on that — you need to entertain the audience and have energy.
Invest in a decent microphone (Audacity is a decent, free, voice editing software program)
Manage the comments on your posts
You can ban certain words
You can shadow-ban: the user sees their comment, but no one else does.
Watch and comment on other people’s videos. Especially in your niche:
Your videos should appeal to their audience
You can see what other people are doing in your niche
You can see what’s overdone and what’s not covered
And? If you’re posting on the topic, you’re probably interested in it
CAVEAT: Don’t spam comments. “Nice post. Check out my site.” are obvious link spam and won’t get you far.
Clearly, this is a high-level conceptual approach to YouTube. Where to start, the big copyright worries, some of the details about how monetization works, and community expectations.
Is there anything the panelists missed? Anything I wrote down wrong?And… is there anything you’d like to share about YOUR approach? Let me know in the comments below.
And? If you’re an #authorTube blogger, this is a call out for you to share your links below! I’d love to connect.
Whether you’re thinking about a podcast, joining #AuthorTube, or just wanting to wow the audience when you read an excerpt from your own writing aloud to an audience, being a dynamic voice actor has a lot of benefits — for writers and creators of other forms of media.
In the titular panel, August “Gus” Grappin, Starla Huchton, Tee Morris, and Veronica Giguere, with Erin Kazmark moderating, shared tips to help you rock the voice acting world.
How IS Voice Acting Different Than Just Acting?
Of course, voice acting is a form of acting. But, when most people think of “actors”, they think of people on stage, television, or film. Without others to interact with, voice acting is a whole other ballgame.
Without an audience, there is no feedback
Those who feed off the audience find this a detriment
Those who the audience makes anxious, find themselves better able to relax and get into character
Theater is a team sport, unlike most voice acting
In theater, a good actor can bring you up, a bad one can kill the scene
In voice acting, you’re typically recording in a room by yourself and you have to trust the others to bring their A-game
It’s hard to match the energy, when you’re not all recording together
For audiobooks – it can be challenging to get feedback or direction from the author.
You have to use a microphone!
4 Tips To Keep The Narrative Itself Dynamic
Characters lend themselves to different voices, based on age, gender, and energy level. Narrators can be trickier. Third person narrators are almost an eye-in-the-sky, while differentiating a first-person narration from the character’s dialogue offers a few challenges.
Find a ‘character’ for the narrator. With good writing, the setting itself is a character and lends itself to a certain tone.
“Make a meal of your words,” says Phil Rossi. Linger on the words, with the exploration of the world coming through with your tone.
Think of the ‘narrator’ as ‘the storyteller’. Not someone reciting the words but someone telling the story to a fascinated audience.
In that vein — try to imagine that you’re talking to an actual person. A friend that you don’t want to bore (or roll their eyes).
7 Ways To Make Characters POP
When you are trying to differentiate in your voice between different characters, it can be easy to fall into cliches — be it a shrill woman, a thick-accented foreigner, or a slow, low male voice. And wild characters can be hard to understand.
Luckily, there are some tricks that can help.
Moving or changing posture between characters.
Giving a character a physical tic — twirling hair, glaring, talking out of the side of their mouth
Being careful not to mumble or speed up during action scenes
Pay attention to your use of breath and pauses. They can be dynamic but, don’t “Shatner” or you’ll “Shat all over your audience.” (thank you, Tee)
Pay attention to the character’s attitude — don’t make the focus of your delivery be on their gender
If your voice is naturally feminine, hardening your delivery, even without lowering your voice can help
As the narrator, hold the tension. Let them relive the experience as you bring the listener along for the ride.
I have a horrible habit of rushing jokes because I can’t wait to share the punch line. You don’t want to drag it out, but you want the audience to get there at a natural pace, not rush them, nor drag it out.
Reading aloud, be it for a animated show, podcast, or live audience can be nerve-wracking. But, if you’re dynamic, your audience should enjoy themselves.
Were there any tips you know that the panelists didn’t get a chance to mention? Are there things you enjoy in your audio dramas that you’d love to see more of? Or things you keep seeing that you HATE? Let me know!
Thanks for reading! I’ll be back again next week with even more panel notes from #Balticon53. Because I’ve got a book of notes here.
Having attended, at this point, easily over a hundred panels in the last 5 years, I definitely have opinions. And there is one role that can make or break a panel.
Whether you’re a writer guest-of-honor on a panel at a convention, or just hosting a dinner party, being a good moderator is highly underrated skill.
My favorite panels are where the big names are friendly and informative, and the smaller names are confident with their answers — without anyone talking over each other.
In the titular panel, Barbara Krasnoff, Grig Larson, DH Aire, Jennifer Povey, and Jazmine Cosplays, moderated by… Um. I think it was Barbara, but really? It was the most polite and self-moderated example of a panel I’ve ever watched.
How To Prepare To Moderate
When you sign up to be a panelist, or you’re asked to be one, pay attention when you get your schedule. If you’ve got that big ‘M’ in parenthesis, you’ve been selected as the panel moderator. Which means, you don’t have to know everything about the topic, you just have to make sure your panelists share everything they know.
Read up on both your topic and your fellow panelists.
Prepare open-ended topical questions
Read the panel description — sometimes it gives you all you need for discussion questions!
If you get fellow panelist emails, reach out and coordinate
Ask them what questions they’d like to be asked
If there are identity sensitive questions, give them a heads up
Pay attention if there are tangents they ask to avoid
Decide if you want to give introductions for the panelists, or make them introduce themselves.
How To Guide The Conversation
There are panels that basically run themselves. The panelists are solid on the topic, friendly and gracious at taking their turns, and make a lot of fascinating points. Other times? The conversation could use some… guidance.
Know who the audience is here to see — if there is a big name, or subject matter expert, you might let them talk a little longer.
Make sure everyone gets a turn. If someone is going on a bit, redirect.
If you think you might have a chatty panelist or two, feel free to inform the panelists of a time limit on answers during the introduction phase.
Ask leading questions
You want to make the panelists look good!
You can use leading questions to get back on topic, after a tangent
NOTE! If the audience is looking interested in the tangent, you can let it go a little.
Watch the panelists, if they seem to perk up at something another panelist is saying, take note of that and come back to them, especially if they haven’t been dominating the conversation.
A difference of opinions is more interesting than everyone in agreement — as long as it’s a case of personal preference and not a personal attack.
If the panel conversation seems to run dry, or the topic was too obscure, let the conversation veer. Especially when it’s engaging the audience.
Save 10 minutes at the end for a Question and Answer period. And don’t hesitate to open the floor for questions early if the conversation has ground to a halt.
If the audience is huge, try to leave extra time for the Q&A, and be apologetic if you can’t hit them all.
The last 2 minutes should be for the panelists to give closing thoughts… and do their book/social media plugs.
If you run out of time, you can always offer for people to send their questions to you on social media — assuming the panelists are open to answering more questions.
How To Shut Up Panelists
Some panelists love to hear themselves talk, others talk a lot when nervous, and others are so excited about the topic they’re just overflowing with things to say. But. A panel isn’t a monologue, and sometimes you’ve just got to move the conversation along. Or, a panelist might be working their way toward embarrassing themselves, or getting a little too worked up.
Some things to say to redirect the conversation
“Thank you, SPEAKER. QUIET-PANELIST, what did you think of what SPEAKER just said?”
“Thank you. Let’s give OTHER-PANELIST a chance to answer the question.”
“I’m gonna have to stop you there. Our time is getting short.”
“Now, it’s time to move on to NEXT-PANELIST.”
“That’s a great topic. I’m going to suggest it for a panel next year.”
“Oh hey, I think someone in the audience had a question.”
How To Moderate The Audience
Sometimes, the ones you need to watch out for aren’t even on the panel themselves, (although, some think they should be, and some may have been excellent additions).
Be firm. The rest of the audience is here to see the panelists, not listen to the audience. When you open the floor for questions, be sure to let them know, “Questions only, no statements.”
If they’re rambling, cut in. “Do you have a question in there?”
You can use that, “That’s a great topic for a panel. You should suggest it for next year.”
If there’s not quite a question, and you need to take the floor away from them: “Does anyone want to address that?”
If an audience member crosses a line — either by repeatedly ignoring your requests, or saying something beyond the pale, you can kick them out. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to leave.” And just wait, or ask someone near the door to call for security, if they leave willingly.
What NOT To Do!
Now, the panel didn’t go into this, too much. But, I’ve seen a lot of crazy things in panels. I think we can find the rest of the answers from looking at, let’s call it, the negative space in the tips above.
The top 9 ways to be a horrible moderator
Let it tangent off-topic, with an irritated audience, while there’s plenty of topic left to cover
Don’t let the audience ask questions
Treat the panel as your platform, with the other panelists as supporting characters
Single out one panelist based on their identity, and make them speak for all people of their race/gender/ability/etc
Share any fellow panelist contact info you have, publicly
Let people talk over each other
Tell people their opinions are wrong
Let the audience or panelists bash each other
Spew hateful rhetoric
A good panel is informative, entertaining, and friendly. If you stay in this industry, it’s likely that you’re going to see these people on future panels. If you moderate panels that people enjoy participating in and/or attending, it’s likely they’ll look forward to being on panels with you in the future.
This week, I managed to go to the book launch of “Struggling With Serendipity“, a memoir from a blogger I’ve been following for 3 years.
In the past, I’ve made it to book launches at conventions (The Perils of Prague and TV Gods) and I volunteered at the book launch of The Cursed Child (mostly because I missed the original Harry Potter launch parties and wanted to see what one might have looked like).
I’ve attended book signings — for authors AND web comic artists. And while lower key, these have some overlap.
Some were book signings with a reading first, some were book signings with actors and performances, some were open room parties with snacks and a credit card machine if you wanted to buy, and some were fun and games with the books off to the side, waiting for you to feel obliged to at least check out the reason for the event.
No two launch parties have been the same, but there are usually some overlaps.
1 – You Need To Advertise
If people don’t know it’s happening, they can’t come.
2 – Pick A Good Location
Pick a location that will appeal to your audience (and a good time of day)
If the story is based in your hometown, you’re going to have some local appeal there.
If your fanbase is full of people who love conventions, have your book launch at a convention.
If your book is for kids, have it at a kid-based festival, where they’re already going. Or at a school book fair.
3 – Be Prepared To Extrovert
If you can’t do it all yourself, bring backup. You want to be able to welcome people in, or call bypassers over (in a friendly, but not aggressive manner. Especially in a dealers’ room, you don’t want to tick off your neighbors).
You want to put out a warm and welcoming atmosphere that makes people comfortable asking the question, “so, what’s your book about?”
And?
You’ve got to be able to answer that, in one sentence or less, in such a way that more-people-than-not will want to know more.
4 – Do Something
You can’t just show up with a book, at a book launch, and expect to sell. Otherwise, you might as well just be a seller. What makes this a LAUNCH?
You can have free snacks or cake! You can have swag (magnets, bookmarks, etc).
You can have a raffle for a free copy!
You’re probably going to want to read an excerpt from your novel. Have a section — preferably near the beginning if it’s a novel — that requires minimal explanation. Best are scenes with dialogue, world building, and maybe even some action.
If you’re selling your book, be sure to offer to sign it! Maybe even personalize it. [If there’s a huge crowd, have paper for people to write their names on, so you can spell them right].
5 – Bring Your Friends and Family
Some of you might have the mistaken impression that your friends and family aren’t ‘real’ fans, they’re obligatory fans, and that you have to have strangers there to endorse you.
LIES!
People are busybodies and herd animals. If we hear someone else being excited about something, we’ll probably take a look.
I’ve seen book signings, down around the corner from the actual event, where fans had trouble finding them. If you’re sitting quietly at a table, people might not realize something’s going on.
If I had nightmares, I’d have them about book signings where no one shows up.
So? Bring your own party!
Either you have company while you’re stuck at a table. Or you have enthusiastic fans who can talk you up and run for drinks, pens, and your backup box of books.
Let your friends and family fete you! But if it’s open to the public, make sure you’re welcoming, without a cliquish vibe.
6 – Bring Your Own Supplies
Make sure you have everything you need!
A box of your own books (small or large, you should at least have some on you)
Even if your book launch is at a bookstore, sometimes the shipment doesn’t come in. Sometimes, they sell out. Having backup helps keep things less stressful for everyone.
Quick drying pens (or markers — whichever you prefer). With backup ones, in case one dies.
Business cards
Next? Things that can make a book launch go better
Your friendly, neighborhood writer-blogger-vlogger-voice actress has been BUSY!
Two weekends ago, I attended a writers’ workshop put on by my local writer’s group, Write By The Rails. Unfortunately, I had to miss the end of it.
Why? You might ask.
To hit my regional NaNoWriMo kickoff party!
Then, this past week, my day job was busy enough that I managed to take Friday off without having to burn any leave… to attend my first World Fantasy Con — including my panel debut!
And, of course, that doesn’t include finishing up OctPoWriMo, Halloween, keeping up with my blog and vlog, and a little thing called NaNoWriMo!
It’s been a little frantic here at Morgan’s lair.
As always, I’ll be sharing my panel notes, (although, some were more recommended reading lists) but first, I’m going to be sharing my experiences with you.
The writing workshop
It was a cool, rainy fall morning when I parked on the street in front of the full church parking lot, and prayed I’d read the parking regulations correctly. I asked a gentleman, walking across the parking lot if I was in the right place, and he confirmed.
I followed the sidewalk to the side door and found myself in the foyer of the church where the workshop was taking place. Once I’d hung my jacket and gotten my nametag from the table in the hall, I corrected my nameplate and found a seat at the large circular table toward the middle of the room. After a quick introduction to my fellow tablemates, I pulled out my notepad and settled in.
As always, the Write By The Rails crowd was enthusiastic, supportive, and welcoming.
The first panel was on marketing and took a local view. Most of the tips were more useful for non-fiction and novels set in the local area, but there was information about getting coverage for book launches and more.
We took a short break to look at all the books for sale by local authors. Manassas has a decent selection of local novels. Even most of the self-published books are high quality and make me proud to be associated with them.
Next up was a panel on memoirs. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be open to writing a memoir, but it was fascinating to hear the thought process that goes into it, how it differs from a biography, and the process for finding the theme that pulls the memoir together.
Finally, the topic nearest and dearest to my heart. Fiction novelists. The panelists were skilled, knowledgeable, and wrote in my genre.
Altogether, there were four panels: marketing, memoirs, novel writing, and poetry, I missed the last one. As always, I took copious notes on all — except that last one. Despite my OctPoWriMo inspired interest in poetry, I’d already committed to attending my regional NaNoWriMo kickoff party.
The NaNoWriMo kickoff party
I’d seriously joined NaNoWriMo in 2013, but didn’t attend my first in-person event until after I’d started this blog. This was my 3rd kickoff party.
I like going and meeting my local writing community. The circles overlap, but by no means encompasses those who are in the other local groups, and that weekend, I was determined to find my inner extrovert. (outer extrovert?)
I drove through the rain and made it to the library’s basement parking deck 10 minutes before kickoff time. I headed up the stairs, finding a conference room right where I remembered it from last year. The first room you get to at the top of the stairs. I held my breath, hoping it was in the same place.
Peeking in, I spotted the chairs in a circle, and the tables set up for food and drink offerings. With a sigh of relief, I headed in and signed up, adding my genre and motivation to the group display board as requested. Got my raffle ticket (and skipped putting my name on it, cause it was numbered) and goodie bag, and went about introducing myself to those near my chair (carefully selected to be right next to the snack table.)
Once we got going, everyone was asked to introduce themselves, share their NaNoWriMo forum name, years writing, and talk about this year’s project. When they got to me, my regional liaisons introduced me as our resident blogger. So I knew what I had to do.
“Hi, my name is Morgan Hazelwood. You can find me on the forums as morganHazelwood. And since I’m our resident blogger, you can find my blog over on morganHazelwood.com.”
“Folks. That’s! How you do branding,” our liaison laughed.
So, when we got to the raffle (a table full of items, in which our raffle only indicated the order of picking something off the table), I got a lot of grief for being basically the only person who DIDN’T put their name on their table.
I re-met people from previous years, chatted with first-timers, and never-finisheders. And I hope to see most of them, if not in person, then on the new-to-our-region discord chat rooms.
Plus, I ate way too many snacks, I couldn’t even finish my amazingly decadent peanut butter cupcake.
OctPoWriMo
        OctPoWriMo       31 Poems in 31 days
Until OctPoWriMo, my main experience with poetry was class assignments and teenage flirtations with boys and paganism.
I think my biggest surprise was how quickly I could turn a theme into a poem that I didn’t hate. I don’t think I spent more than 15 minutes on anything except my sonnet (not counting typos while inking them.)
Overall, I think I would do poetry again. Either for a themed contest or anthology or as a writing exercise to get the words flowing. Perhaps, to keep up with writing when stuck in the editing doldrums and feel like being creative.
(If you missed them, here’s week 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.)
Blog/Vlog
Clearly, I was still vlogging and blogging the last two weeks, with those poetry roundups, some author spotlights, and of course, my weekly blog and vlog posts.
Last week’s blog and vlog were done after spending 6-8pm handing out candy while debugging code for my day job. Then, I finished drafting and editing my post, set up my camera, and went to work. After my second take, I found out that the audio wasn’t what I like, but I tried both my plug-in camera and my built-in laptop one. With midnight coming quickly and a long day at work ahead of me, I went ahead and posted what I could. Then did a round of packing for World Fantasy Con and snuck in 110 words right after midnight.
I’ve been working on making my non-panel write-up blog posts more personalized, while still having useful tips that can help other writers. (Let me know how I’m doing.)
Since people’s interest peak’s the week after an event like a writers’ workshop or a convention, I’m torn between blogging my NaNoWriMo stuff and my panel write-ups. So. Expect a mix.
My NaNoWriMo progress thus far
NaNoWriMo kicked off on a 12 hour work day, with a 2-hour drive for me to check into a convention. With work keeping me as late as it did, though, the drive was cut to about an hour twenty, but I spent a bit too long in the ConSuite saying hi and settling in.
I ended the first day with 660 words, a thousand shy of the target. On day 2, I found the NaNoWriMo room at WorldFantasy, settled in, and squeaked out exactly 1,667 words. It was a great space and something I hope to find in more conventions — during NaNoWriMo or not. The only thing I would have added is extension cords and maybe an additional power strip or two. At a different event, allowing artists with their sketchbooks or quiet reading in the space might also work.
Day 3, my writing break was cut short 250 words shy of the target because I had to go to a panel — my debut as an actual panelist. After all the panels I’ve written up, this is the first one I’ve participated in. Day 4, between getting home, a nap, and visiting with my brother(sushi + binge-watching season 1 of The Good Place), I finally managed to get my daily target of words in just before midnight but was lagging almost a day for the month.
Fortunately, I’d taken Monday off work, and narrowed the gap in a long and distracted writing afternoon. My word target is amazing, it can expand to take however long I have to reach. Tuesday, I finally caught up and am now keeping on track!
World Fantasy Con!
The Baltimore Renaissance Hotel
Since Balticon is my ‘home convention’ and where I met many of those who convinced me to attend World Fantasy, I’m very familiar with the space. It’s a bit expensive to stay there, and parking is ridiculous…
But the first convention I worked was at the Gaylord National in National Harbor, Md. After that hotel, there are very few places that would give me sticker shock. And the Renaissance’s layout has nothing on the Gaylord, where only 2 elevators even reach the convention center.
Coming in the night before was worth it to me to miss the expected traffic and allowed me to settle in before the crowds got there. Although, “crowd” is a relative term. Balticon is noticeably larger, even when it’s not the 50th anniversary.
Working The Con
Morgan, wearing a Charles Babbage (and Ada Lovelace on the back) locket, eating squash soup, root veggies, and rice.
In the past, I’ve worked in guest relations for an anime convention. Liaisoning with the invited panelists and speakers, making sure their transportation and sleeping arrangements are made, their table (should they want one) is set up, that they’re fed and hydrated, and that they make it to those panels. That job is 24-7, from the day before the convention, sometimes until the day after it ends.
This time? I’d signed up to staff the ConSuite.
For those who don’t know. The ConSuite is a thing that exists at most fan-run conventions. Typically, it’s a hotel suite with snacks to tide one over and a place to hang out and chat with your friends past midnight that isn’t trying to sell you stuff.
At World Fantasy? They kicked it up a notch with slow cooker oatmeal in the mornings, full sandwich spreads, hot dinners, and leftovers from all the receptions. Not to mention, the expected snacks and candies.
Plus? As a new staff member, whose schedule didn’t permit me to help load or unload the supplies, they’d scheduled me 7pm-11:30pm on Friday and Saturday only. That left my days free for panels, and my evening free for parties and BarCon (i.e. The hotel bar, where writers/agents/etc hang out and network). I did end up missing the mass book signing and the art gallery receptions, which were far more of an event than I’m used to from less formal conventions, but I wouldn’t have traded my shift for any other.
Networking and New Friends
I’d been introduced to one of the ConChairs (organizers and coordinators) of World Fantasy back in May, when I ended up helping him co-host the DC 2021 bid party for WorldCon (they want to host it, currently, no one is campaigning against them). (As opposed to World Fantasy Con). He invited me in as ConSuite staff, made sure to introduce me to new people everytime I ran into him, and helped me raid the ConSuite after-hours for a post-daylight-saving-time-rollback-snack.
I ended up staying up past 2 am both Friday and Saturday nights, talking with people and having some quality conversations.
In the ConSuite, I met a ton of people–some new people, some vaguely remembered from cons past, and some fondly remembered. I chatted with them, shared my business card and Anansi’s business card, and found several more writers, bloggers, and artists I need to follow.
I’m now a member of Broad Universe. An inclusive network to support women writers of science-fiction, fantasy, and horror. As part of their more real-world support methods, they get tables at conventions that members can use for free (well, working a shift or 3) and they organize group readings.
I even networked on the elevator ride out of the con, Sunday afternoon. The gentleman emailed me links to the novel and non-fiction that he’s written on Monday. I’m working on my own follow-ups — emailing notes to thank people for their conversations and recommendations — especially those I’d love to chat with again.
My Debut Panel
At 5pm on Saturday, I made my debut as a panelist. I’d suggested several writing topics — beta reading, editing, querying, even social media. Instead, they realized I’d listed ‘voice actor’ on my list of qualifications. I’m a voice actor for Anansi Storytime, a folktale audio drama podcast, and, of course, I have my no-edits lazy vlog.
Thus, I found myself on Talking The Talk: Audiobooks from Fantasy Works. The panel was moderated by the award-winning Guy Gavriel Kay. My fellow panelists were Simon Vance, of literally over a thousand audiobooks, and Jessica Albert, from the small press EWC Press in Canada, where she manages the casting and creation of their audiobooks.
Guy Kay took his job as a moderator seriously and reached out to us a week before the convention, showing he’d clearly researched us all. He eagerly offered to pivot to include my experiences and discuss the differences in podcasting versus audiobooks, plus the difference between managing a voice project and being the voice for it.
The night before, I organized my notes as if I were about to vlog, and made sure to get all the equipment and process details from Anansi’s producer, in case that came up. I kept my notebook on my lap throughout the panel but never opened it. No one else was looking at notes, except Guy Kay, confirming the questions he was asking.
In person, he was no less gentlemanly and thorough, taking time to cater each question to address our particular specialties. I managed to provide a few answers I’m proud of.
At one point, though, I’d answered a question, I *knew* I’d answered the question, but the exact wording of it had escaped me, such that, when the time came, I couldn’t summarize my thoughts. I had to turn to Guy Kay and say, “I’m sorry, I got lost. What was the question again?”
As soon as I got back to my room, after the panel, I realized exactly what I *should* have said. And will say if I have this issue in the future. “Does that answer your question?”
A friend I’d met a few Balticons ago was there and took my picture for me before the panel. Then, he shared his favorable impressions in a quick post-mortem afterward. (Thank you!)
I’d seriously joined NaNoWriMo in 2013, but didn’t attend my first in-person event until after I’d started this blog. This was my 3rd kickoff party.
