tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post9046601905030383203..comments2024-03-26T23:41:10.319+00:00Comments on Authors Electric: Conferences and Conventions - by Debbie BennettKatherine Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-5201928613659648502015-10-07T19:27:32.453+01:002015-10-07T19:27:32.453+01:00It actually strikes me, Chris, that you should fla...It actually strikes me, Chris, that you should flag this up to the SoA. Raise it at the next committee meeting. After all - it's a bit insulting to the SoA, given that you're actually on one of their committees as well. The fact that you've won a major trad book award - but are now successfully self publishing must have sent their heads into a spin. 'Does not compute!' Catherine Czerkawskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14554969254207924049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-83707062432134328812015-10-07T17:00:38.268+01:002015-10-07T17:00:38.268+01:00@Lydia - that kind of depends on the what the purp...@Lydia - that kind of depends on the what the purpose (aims & objectives?) or the CWA actually are? It's not like they issue stamps saying CWA-approved, is it? Or maybe they do? I'd hope that being long-listed for the Debut Dagger might count, but I've never tried to join.Debbie Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761474820689143835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-44816461502208329182015-10-07T16:57:57.936+01:002015-10-07T16:57:57.936+01:00That's what I've always loved about Fantas...That's what I've always loved about FantasyCon. There *are* cliques, yes, but by and large they're a friendly bunch, and the guests and "big-name" authors usually mingle happily at the bar with us plebs! And clearly they'll take anyone on a panel ...Debbie Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761474820689143835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-71336327850841371962015-10-07T15:17:36.025+01:002015-10-07T15:17:36.025+01:00Just realized I haven't been to a con since 19...Just realized I haven't been to a con since 1991. I don't have pleasant memories of them: mainly, scurrilous and high-handed treatment of new or aspiring writers by those who were safely ensconced. glitter noirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11728649916344336118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-72288563735859449222015-10-07T10:46:49.728+01:002015-10-07T10:46:49.728+01:00Enjoy your con! :) there is much discussion in the...Enjoy your con! :) there is much discussion in the CWA about whether and how to admit self-pub authors. They have discussed having a minimum sales income, which seems a bit unfair as anyone who's ever had a book published traditionally can join regardless of sales. However it amounts to whether they just let in anyone who's written a crime novel or whether they have some criterion to help ensure standards and if so, what that should be. I remember the indie panel at Crimefest and thought it was a straw in the wind for future change,not a way of editing out anyone who was on it! Shocked to hear that and puzzled, as Chris has a very distinguished publishing record trad-pubbed and is eligible (I assume has joined) for the CWA. Lydia Bennethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09328239009863878547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-63249649845036550562015-10-06T16:48:56.109+01:002015-10-06T16:48:56.109+01:00@Katherine - we first met at FantasyCons of old. W...@Katherine - we first met at FantasyCons of old. Way back!Debbie Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761474820689143835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-24328780725260543752015-10-06T16:48:06.656+01:002015-10-06T16:48:06.656+01:00What I don't get is why it even matters at all...What I don't get is why it even matters at all. The panels are all full - so what does it matter who calls themselves an author? Or will the trad authors get different coloured badges to show they are "real" authors and not playing at it like we are....Debbie Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761474820689143835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-60806809796246289692015-10-06T13:26:51.980+01:002015-10-06T13:26:51.980+01:00@Catherine - they are indeed like King Canute, alt...@Catherine - they are indeed like King Canute, although possibly closer to the original spelling.Nick Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08191176209084540085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-15144845393810710062015-10-06T13:25:31.769+01:002015-10-06T13:25:31.769+01:00Obviously the reason is that all traditionally pub...Obviously the reason is that all traditionally published authors are brilliant, and all self-published authors are crap. What's to discuss?<br /><br /><br />But seriously... sounds like a labour-saving device to me. Otherwise they'd have huge T&Cs, saying, 'You can come as an author if you're self-published and have sold at least X books in Y months in any given timeframe...' It would be a nightmare. And one might still be a decent enough indie author and yet not have sold very many books (*cough*).<br /><br />Nick Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08191176209084540085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-69266727367660255452015-10-06T13:21:49.671+01:002015-10-06T13:21:49.671+01:00I guess that as long as there is a generation of w...I guess that as long as there is a generation of writers who struggled to be traditionally published and who, once they had achieved that, believed they had "arrived" and proved themselves, there will always be a residual whiff of snobbery towards those who are content simply to create a book and who do not need the validation of a big name publisher on the spine.Andrew Croftshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16101696875255886422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-51169498538326478552015-10-06T12:51:16.726+01:002015-10-06T12:51:16.726+01:00I hope you have a great time at Fantasycon, Debbie...I hope you have a great time at Fantasycon, Debbie! I used to go quite regularly before I was published on a children's list and some young readers wandered into the bar one year to find me... but I reconnected at World Fantasycon two years ago (when it was in Brighton) and had a great time.<br /><br />One of the things I love about the Fantasycons is how everyone mixes... guests of honour, other writers, and fans whether published or not. Am surprised about the self-published snobbery in the crime world, though - didn't JK Rowling self-publish a crime novel?Katherine Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-59955740494961335462015-10-06T12:37:09.243+01:002015-10-06T12:37:09.243+01:00This surprises me, Debbie, because I too thought t...This surprises me, Debbie, because I too thought that the stigma was dying in front of our eyes. Perhaps it is, but it's dying very slowly in some quarters...<br /><br />Good luck with FantasyCon and CrimeFest, though!Mari Biellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14221256993468150226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-78134832445377620692015-10-06T10:41:15.663+01:002015-10-06T10:41:15.663+01:00Chris, Debbie, that is outrageous. And Chris, it&#...Chris, Debbie, that is outrageous. And Chris, it's doubly outrageous for them to change their minds. Sometimes, I really do despair of this business. They are like King Canute, except that he knew he really couldn't turn the tide and was only proving the point, whereas they think they can change things by throwing a hissy fit at the incoming indie authors! Surely they are going to have to change their ways? And yet whenever any of us does a panel talking about self publishing, the response is overwhelmingly positive. I'm well and truly hybrid right now, and that completely blows their minds. Catherine Czerkawskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14554969254207924049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-55735960612831485202015-10-06T08:14:55.894+01:002015-10-06T08:14:55.894+01:00The stigma is alive and well I'm afraid, Debbi...The stigma is alive and well I'm afraid, Debbie, and congratulations for getting on a panel with John Connolly, maybe you should rub Crimefest's nose in that. My own experience in getting on panels at Crimefest has been good until this year. The first year I went they gave me a Spotlight, then I had a panel every year after that until last year when I went on the Indie panel, and boy, did that stigmatise me. Not that I regret it, I loved being on the Indie panel it was one of the best ones I've ever been on. But this year, a shake of the head and a refusal because I'm self-published! It doesn't seem to make a difference that I have a history of traditional publishing, I'm a member of CWA (no self-publishers allowed to join), I'm a committee member of the Society of Authors in Scotland. None of that makes any difference because I'm now "self-published". Blah! But I'll still be attending because it gives me a chance to catch up with my family in Bristol, as well as the many friends I've made at Crimefest.Chris Longmuirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02488093821886798927noreply@blogger.com