A Newcomers Guide to Conventions

Hi All!

This is my first post on this or any blog, so I hope you enjoy it! If you do, keep your eyes peeled for my forthcoming view of Jim Butcher's excellent Codex Alera Series. Cya Then!

A Newcomers Guide to Conventions

Part One: Don’t Get Lost:
This was the second time I’d been to Derby. I’d confidently printed instructions on Google Maps and set forth, meeting my companion at the station, whose sense of direction is worse than mine. I then corroborate the Google maps view against a station sign. Problem One: The street names and types on the Google maps are a bit different to the real world. We found a pedestrian walk which wasn’t on the Google and almost ended up on a dual carriageway. Lesson to Newcomers: Buy an A-Z. Or find someone who knows. (Note: Street maps in Derby aren’t oriented to where you are standing and also don’t have “You are Here” on them. This makes them about as useful a tea-cosy facing a flamethrower.)

Part Two: Get their Early:
We duly arrived at the (Pretty awesome and shiny) venue. We checked in (Note: check in online in advance. Trying to email yourself and your friends name to be made into name tags at 23:00 the night before isn’t going to get you far) and tried to sign up for a workshop. Only to find they were all booked bar one

Part 3: If you want to have fun, jump in!
The one remaining was the Dark Fantasy workshop. Not entirely sure what constituted Dark Fantasy, or a workshop for that matter, we signed up. This resolved as an hour’s fun creative writing and chatting, the first I’ve done since primary school and a true pleasure :-) Also, regardless of what he says, I was truly impressed by what my friend wrote. Go R Kelly!

Part 4: Rambling around aimlessly can be fun:
Despite not knowing any of the authors or what on earth they would be talking about, we selected some seminars and duly attended. These turned out to be great, with everything from highly educated conversation about what made a good book, to how to publish, to high innuendo and a decent amount of silliness (note: if you’re and easily offended Twilight fan, don’t bother going. If you aren’t, you’ll find it very funny). So we both experienced something new, and went away planning to look up those authors and read their stuff (which someone duly dropped onto my desk. Cheers Hagel!)

Part 5: The cake is not a lie:
Keep yourself topped up on fluids and food. Otherwise you won’t been alert to enjoy the conversations and the great atmosphere. Also, go for a walk outside. Meandering around Derby allowed myself and my colleague to take in the host city and discuss what we’d seen so far. This provides a pleasant break in what could otherwise non-stop day. However, if you like non-stop, go for it!

Part 6: Have fun! (I realise I might have said this before. However its so important I thought I would say it twice).

All in all, we had a great time. Despite both being total newcomers to conventions of any stripe, the convention was easily accessible, not full of scary people and good fun. Go and try, it’s worth your time!

All the best,

Kerl

With Thanks To:

Hagel (For inviting me and allowing me to post this)

R- Kelly (For coming with me)

Mop Lady (For pointing us in the right direction when we got lost)

Justin Richards (For signing my copy of “The Resurrection Casket (Read it, Kevin the Apologetic Monster rocks!))

All the authors and publisher (For putting on a grand show)

You folks (For reading this meandering review!)