No sooner am I back and recovered from my time at the Nebula Awards Weekend than it is time to get ready for the big Memorial Day weekend convention rush, which for me this year means a trip down to Balticon, a convention I’ve not been to for several years.
I’ve had a few email exchanges with the folks running programming, and I’m fairly sure this is what I’ll be doing and where you can find me.
Friday, May 23rd
4:00 – 4:50 p.m. | Belmont Why Good Writing Still Matters
A discussion of the role of craft in modern writing when so many books are available that do not attempt to push the literary envelope.
Jon Sprunk, Charlie Brown, Joy Ward, Lee C. Hillman, and me.
Saturday, May 24th
12:30 – 1:20 p.m. | Pimlico Professionalism and the Young Writer
Age may be just a number, but what do you do when most people have been working in the industry longer than you’ve been alive? How do you balance edits and essays? How can young writers best present themselves to their readers and colleagues?
Sarah Pinsker, CJ Henderson, John Zaharick, TJ Perkins, and me (as moderator).
2:00 – 3:00p.m. | Maryland Foyer Autographing
Tom Doyle, Hugh O’Donnell, and me. Also Barry.
5:00 – 5:50p.m. | Belmont In the Hot Seat
Professionals (from any field) are there to answer questions. Getting agents, self-publishing, tracking disease vectors, motivation… whatever. The panel answers everything. That’s the deal.
Joshua Bilmes, Jon Sprunk, Myke Cole, John Cmar, and me.
Sunday, May 25th
9:00 – 9:50 a.m. | Salon B Editors Q&A
For the writers in the audience, or aspiring editors, here’s your chance to pick the brains of our panel of seasoned editors on topics like submissions, the editing process, publication and after — whatever you want to know about how to get your work accepted and what happens once you do.
Ian Strock, Sue Baiman, Joshua Bilmes, Walt Boyes, and me.
11:00 – 11:50 a.m. | Derby Dealing with Problematic Authors
Every editor has had unfortunate experiences with authors who are difficult to work with. How do you deal with the situation when they fight you on revisions or get combative over contract terms? How do you decide when enough is enough and how does that impact your process moving forward? Panelists share their war stories and how to deal tactfully with difficult situations.
I know I’m the moderator, but the rest of the panel is a secret to me.
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Pimlico Reading
Grig Larson and I battle it out for a reading slot. Not sure who is going first, so come for both!
Things got a bit over zealous at Balticon, and they appear to have scheduled me for times when I’d already told them I wouldn’t be available. So, don’t trust the pocket program (at least with respect to me). I will not be on following items:
Friday, May 23rd
9:00 – 9:50 p.m. | Salon B Where did you get the idea?
10:00 – 10:50 p.m. | Salon B When to Stop Revising and Move on to the next project
Saturday, May 24th
12:00 – 12:50 p.m. | Salon B Writing Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-Offs
Sunday, May 25th
8:00 – 8:50 a.m. | Salon A Use of Social Science in Speculative Fiction
10:00 – 10:50 a.m. | Salon A How NOT to Break into Print
Doubtless other adventures await me at Balticon. I hope to see you there!
