Journal Entry
Networking at a con
Diana Rowland covers the basic rules about networking at a con:
#1 ) Don’t go to a convention for the sole purpose of networking. It shows, and you will have the unpleasant reek of desperation clinging to you. Go to a convention because they’re fun and there are a lot of really really cool people to meet, only a small fraction of whom are actually agents and editors. Go to the panels. Listen to what is said. Form your opinions, and keep an open mind. Wander through the dealer’s room and talk to the vendors. Smile and be polite and nice.
And then there’s #4:
#4) Again, if you’ve been fortunate enough to have a pro/semi-pro take you in hand, don’t stick with that person for the entire con. Dare to break away, especially if you find yourself waiting for them outside the bathroom.
Better yet, don’t follow them into the bathroom.
Yes, that’s happened to me.
No the person wasn’t needing the facilities, they stood behind me at the urinal and kept talking to me about a point I’d made on a panel.
Yes, I avoided that individual for the rest of the con.
Filed under the topic On Writing on October 22nd 2007 at 11:24 am. You can subscribe to the RSS feed for this entry to keep track of comments. You can also use to trackback.
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1. Steve Buchheit on Oct 22nd, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Okay, I followed you into the bathroom, but I don’t remember standing behind you at the urnal. Of course, that could be do to my blinky memory.
2. tobias buckell on Oct 22nd, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Steve, I don’t recall you ever standing behind me at a urinal talking!
3. Josh on Oct 22nd, 2007 at 4:50 pm
That’s pretty close to the story about the agent who was using the bathroom stall and had someone slide them a manuscript under the door for consideration.
4. Mary Fitz... on Oct 22nd, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Are there really people who need to be told to brush their teeth? Seem they have more problems than fitting in at a Con.
5. CB on Oct 22nd, 2007 at 6:56 pm
I’m with Mary on this one–I am shocked to learn that my fellow sci-fi fans/amateur writers need to be told about basic personal hygiene and basic social graces that most folks learn at the age of 6.
Or, maybe not so shocked after all.
6. Tobias Buckell on Oct 22nd, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Josh, yeah.
Mary: my first con I remember going to the ‘welcome to Conventions’ panel, where they instructed people that they should bath, brush teeth, eat, etc. It had a chilling effect on me. I wondered what I’d gotten myself into by showing up somewhere where people needed to be taught basic hygiene rules.
Nonetheless I didn’t run away, which means I’ve met all sorts of cool people
All my friends seem to understand basic hygiene, the scary panel notwithstanding. I do run into some people who do seem to need the primers, but so far it seems that happens only occasionally…
7. Wyman Cooke on Oct 24th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
I think what happens is that people get caught up in the convention that they forget about the basics, such as hygiene and food. And sleep. Yog’s rule of Con-going is to get at least five hours of sleep and three meals per convention day. And not to reverse the portions.
I think I remember waiting outside that restroom when the guy followed you in.
8. Kelley on Oct 26th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Thank you guys for posting this. I’m an avid reader of sci-fi, but I will be going to illustration conventions next year to get feedback, have fun, and network.
While the basics are common sense, I can tell you now I can see myself becoming nervous and quite possibly fumbling or doing something I normally wouldn’t do there. I have time to prepare myself, however. It does happen.
I’ve never been to a convention before. I hope to learn much from them.
9. Tobias Buckell on Oct 27th, 2007 at 12:12 am
Cool Kelley, good luck!