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Bits from WorldCon/Nippon 2007
Aug. 31st, 2007 08:20 amOkay, later I'll need to come back and clean this up (ha! as if there is ever time for that). But . . .
8/29
Saw a tall Englishman at the JR train station Wednesday evening getting help to find his hotel. Asked if he was going to the Con, and he lights up. "Yes! See you there!"
Walking through pouring rain Wednesday evening looking for our hotel, nearly there because we can see a green sign ahead of us, and there on the corner is a flashing sign for "Star Gateway." It's a game center . . . or maybe an omen?
Checking in at the hotel, a man in BRIGHT tie-die shirt. Ask? "Going to the Con?" "Yes, what gave us away?" with a good chuckle. And promises to see you there.
8/30
Up the escalator, over the rolling ways (thinking of Heinlein's story and wondering if there are little teeny men inside :-), through the Landmark Plaza and other dedications of mercantile success . . . and registration passes along a colorful badge.
Talk to the volunteer desk. "YOU CAN TALK JAPANESE AND ENGLISH!" Translator badge, please, please, spend as much time as you can.
So off to my first assignment - child care :-) and walk in to find an old friend from almost 20 years ago. We catch up briefly.
Game panel - talking about how to involve newbies, mostly. Make learning the rules part of the game, accept folk traditions, have a logic to your game. Clue: let newbies tell you what they want to do in their terms, then feed it back to them in game terms.
Intro to WorldCon panel - can't do it all. But try things. And remember, it's a good con if when you leave you're interested in something you've never heard of before. 6-2-1 rule! Get 6 hours sleep, 2 meals, and 1 shower every day.
SF for teens - Watch for Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. Patrick Neilson Hayden pointing out that SF has become a literature of middle-age experience, partly in reaction to criticism as being "power fantasies for teens." But, "who needs power fantasies more than teens?" And a highlight of the panel - Patrick mentioned emotional involvement, David Silver griped about who needs emotionally compelling, just tell a good story, Farah Mendelsohn talked about the move to emotional psychology and the need for sense of wonder - and Patrick ends up making a red-faced plea for NOT meaning psychological introversion, not meaning girlie stuff, but just meaning that we need honest, deep feelings. Cory steps in as peacemaker and gets them back onto Sf for teens.
A theme that I think I saw - "incluing" how do you get new readers clued and ready for the brave new world of your story?
More later. Got to get over there - the volunteer coordinator asked me to come in early, because they need translators.
8/29
Saw a tall Englishman at the JR train station Wednesday evening getting help to find his hotel. Asked if he was going to the Con, and he lights up. "Yes! See you there!"
Walking through pouring rain Wednesday evening looking for our hotel, nearly there because we can see a green sign ahead of us, and there on the corner is a flashing sign for "Star Gateway." It's a game center . . . or maybe an omen?
Checking in at the hotel, a man in BRIGHT tie-die shirt. Ask? "Going to the Con?" "Yes, what gave us away?" with a good chuckle. And promises to see you there.
8/30
Up the escalator, over the rolling ways (thinking of Heinlein's story and wondering if there are little teeny men inside :-), through the Landmark Plaza and other dedications of mercantile success . . . and registration passes along a colorful badge.
Talk to the volunteer desk. "YOU CAN TALK JAPANESE AND ENGLISH!" Translator badge, please, please, spend as much time as you can.
So off to my first assignment - child care :-) and walk in to find an old friend from almost 20 years ago. We catch up briefly.
Game panel - talking about how to involve newbies, mostly. Make learning the rules part of the game, accept folk traditions, have a logic to your game. Clue: let newbies tell you what they want to do in their terms, then feed it back to them in game terms.
Intro to WorldCon panel - can't do it all. But try things. And remember, it's a good con if when you leave you're interested in something you've never heard of before. 6-2-1 rule! Get 6 hours sleep, 2 meals, and 1 shower every day.
SF for teens - Watch for Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. Patrick Neilson Hayden pointing out that SF has become a literature of middle-age experience, partly in reaction to criticism as being "power fantasies for teens." But, "who needs power fantasies more than teens?" And a highlight of the panel - Patrick mentioned emotional involvement, David Silver griped about who needs emotionally compelling, just tell a good story, Farah Mendelsohn talked about the move to emotional psychology and the need for sense of wonder - and Patrick ends up making a red-faced plea for NOT meaning psychological introversion, not meaning girlie stuff, but just meaning that we need honest, deep feelings. Cory steps in as peacemaker and gets them back onto Sf for teens.
A theme that I think I saw - "incluing" how do you get new readers clued and ready for the brave new world of your story?
More later. Got to get over there - the volunteer coordinator asked me to come in early, because they need translators.
