I write fantasy and science fiction. My agent is currently marketing my fantasy novel The Talisman Bag.
Several years ago, I used to be a normal person. Sure, I would write a chapter or two now and then, but nothing serious. I could stop when I wanted to; writing never interfered with my life. Then somehow, I woke up one morning and my addiction was out of control. I didn’t just start books, I finished them. The manuscripts stacked up around the house (you know it’s serious when you find yourself buying a high-speed Laserjet that only prints black and white). Meanwhile my family complained loudly about eating so much bottled spaghetti sauce and frozen meatballs. Eventually, I knew I had to do something. So I joined a writer’s group—not to stop writing but to get better at it. And since I write speculative fiction, I started going to conventions.
In TV sitcoms, having a character go to a science fiction convention is shorthand for “loser,” but I don’t think that’s fair. What other genre sparks such love in its fans that they meet periodically to celebrate their passion? It’s true there are a few mystery conventions, but the speculative fiction community events far out perform them in terms of history and geographic coverage. On most weekends of the year, somewhere in the world there is at least one science fiction or fantasy convention. At some of them like Dragon Con in Atlanta, a lot of people dress up in costumes. At others like Readercon or the World Fantasy Convention virtually no one dresses up. Yet somehow outsiders always focus on the dressing up. In sitcoms it’s usually people in Star Trek uniforms and Vulcan ears, but unless the convention is media-specific, there are more likely to be elves, fairies, a few Jedi and maybe a Klingon or six.
If you’re at all interested, either because you write science fiction or fantasy, or because you read it and love it (or watch it and love it), you should check out the local conventions near you. There are several online lists:
http://www.sfsite.com/depts/cons01.htm
http://e.webring.com/hub?ring=sfcons
http://www.readassist.org/fan/cons.html
Or just Google your town/state/region and the words “science fiction” and “convention.” If you go to network and meet other writers, it’s easy to do. If you’re hoping to snag an editor or an agent there, pick the convention carefully. If you’re good at talking to strangers and (potentially) crashing parties, you might be able to talk to an agent or an editor. But you have to understand the rules. Never expect to hand them your manuscript. Don’t even bring it with you unless you plan to work on it in your free time. It’s OK to have business cards with your contact info, but more likely, if you do succeed in striking up a conversation, and the editor or agent expresses an interest, they will expect you to send them either a query letter or all or part of the m.s. They will tell you what they want to see from you.
Also, be aware that they don’t always wear badges with their names, and no one’s badge says “Agent” or “Editor.” Do your homework and find out ahead of time who publishes and/or represents what you write. Locus magazine is a good source of information on the publishing side of speculative fiction. Learn the names! If you subscribe to the print edition, you can even see what these folks look like. And if you see an editor or agent but don’t get a chance to pitch your book to them, check them out later and send a query letter or sample pages, depending on what their submission requirements say. It doesn’t hurt to mention that you saw (or met if that word is accurate) them at a convention in your cover letter or query.
And of course, in addition to networking, conventions offer interesting programs, gaming, readings, movies, costumes, and usually a big room full of books, jewelry, crafts, and even clothes. Most people call it the dealers’ room but every now then a long-time fan will call it the hucksters’ room.
Regional cons like Balticon, Philcon, and MileHiCon are good places to jump into the convention scene. The picture above is of the dealers’ room at Balticon. Worldcons are more expensive but a lot of fun. However, for the best networking possibilities, I recommend the World Fantasy Convention, even if you write science fiction. Both Worldcon and WFC move around and are in different (sometimes foreign) cities every year. Neither is cheap.
For more musings on writing, see the link for my blog on the left.