OK I'll admit, I didn't think an online con could come close to replicating a real face-to-face con. After all, the best thing about real conventions is spending three days immersed in a environment where all you're doing is talking about books and stories, talking about reading and writing and selling and buying of books and stories. You might escape for a couple of hours to play tourist or get something to eat, and off at night to sleep, but the buzz comes from being around other people with similiar interests and outlooks.
Whereas with an online convention, you're spending up to 24 hours a day talking about books and stories, talking about reading and writing and selling and buying of books and stories. You might escape for a couple of hours to sleep or get something to eat, and run to the supermarket to buy milk, but the buzz, um, OK...
Online, you don't just passively sit and listen to panelists discuss a topic, you discuss it along with them, even if you're the sort of person who wouldn't dream of asking a question at a face-to-face con. You don't get the forced break every night because time zones mean there is always something happening, sometimes two or three things, so you can be participating in a panel AND having a chat with an author at the same time. You do get a mixture of UK, US and Australian authors that wouldn't be possible at a face-to-face con. You do get debut authors having the same time in the sun as well-known authors. You do get to meet new people, and discover new books. You do get a buzz, and inspired to go and try all sort of new writing things (although I think vampire-werethylacines might be going a bit far).
Also, I now know...
...more about wombat poop, smuggling sheep across the Murrary, marsupial elephants and cursed villages
...what LOA is
...even if your first novel has been been rejected 80 times, you can land an agent on the second try with your next book (sorry![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
buffysquirrel).
...I can function quite well on 5 hours sleep a day, at least for a weekend, if I'm half of the tech team keeping the chats going (along with our wonderful team of mods)
...I can introduce people & question them until a self-sustaning discussions start
...more different ways that writers work
...gillpolack has read books by everyone
...it is possible to deal with a leaking hot water cylinder & plumbers while taking part in panels or chats
...and after spending a intense weekend at an online con, you know longer feel envious when other people talk about their upcoming conventions!
Whereas with an online convention, you're spending up to 24 hours a day talking about books and stories, talking about reading and writing and selling and buying of books and stories. You might escape for a couple of hours to sleep or get something to eat, and run to the supermarket to buy milk, but the buzz, um, OK...
Online, you don't just passively sit and listen to panelists discuss a topic, you discuss it along with them, even if you're the sort of person who wouldn't dream of asking a question at a face-to-face con. You don't get the forced break every night because time zones mean there is always something happening, sometimes two or three things, so you can be participating in a panel AND having a chat with an author at the same time. You do get a mixture of UK, US and Australian authors that wouldn't be possible at a face-to-face con. You do get debut authors having the same time in the sun as well-known authors. You do get to meet new people, and discover new books. You do get a buzz, and inspired to go and try all sort of new writing things (although I think vampire-werethylacines might be going a bit far).
Also, I now know...
...more about wombat poop, smuggling sheep across the Murrary, marsupial elephants and cursed villages
...what LOA is
...even if your first novel has been been rejected 80 times, you can land an agent on the second try with your next book (sorry
buffysquirrel)....I can function quite well on 5 hours sleep a day, at least for a weekend, if I'm half of the tech team keeping the chats going (along with our wonderful team of mods)
...I can introduce people & question them until a self-sustaning discussions start
...more different ways that writers work
...
gillpolack has read books by everyone...it is possible to deal with a leaking hot water cylinder & plumbers while taking part in panels or chats
...and after spending a intense weekend at an online con, you know longer feel envious when other people talk about their upcoming conventions!
