Writercon

[shadowscast]

It's been two weeks since I got home from Writercon, and I haven't written about it yet. Whoops! Guess it's time to get down to it.

First, my Writercon experience summed up in one word:

SQUEEEEEEEE!

Yeah, it was totally awesome. I can hardly believe now that I was hesitant about whether to buy tickets or not. But it's true; back when people first started talking about Writercon last December, I thought to myself "oh, that sounds pretty fun...but it'd be expensive to get there...and I'm not sure what my work situation will be...and I'm not very involved in fandom and what if I don't know anybody and it's just awkward?" But then I let my husband talk me into it (it didn't take much, honestly) and the rest is history!

I can hardly believe now that I worried that I wasn't sufficiently involved in fandom. I met so many people I knew from online! And who knew me, even! It was a fantastic whirlwind of meeting all these people who were strangers to my eyes but with whom I'd had important and meaningful interactions online.

This of course led to the always-amusing standard Writercon greeting: "Hello!" ::stare at each others' breasts:: "Oh, hello!!!"

(My one suggestion for the concom for next time: bigger, higher-contrast fonts on the nametags!)

I'm not going to try to individually name everyone I met, partly because I'm afraid of leaving someone out and partly because the list would just be so long! Suffice it to say I think I managed to meet everyone who I knew I had to look for, along with lots and lots of other really cool folks.

I will mention my roomies by name, though, because they were the best part of the con: thanks, savoytruffle, margarks and cordelianne for three nights of talk about fic, slash, fandom, other random stuff, lots of giggling, and not nearly enough sleep! (Who needs sleep?) I didn't know any of them beforehand; I'd contacted savoytruffle early on because I knew she didn't have a roommate yet, and my logic was entirely "She writes good Spander, therefore she'd make a good roommate!" And apparently she decided the same thing about me, and then she managed to track down two other Spander authors for us to sleep with, and it was awesome. It was like a Spander breakout panel every night when we went to bed!

Also special thanks to savoytruffle and margarks for putting up with me and cordelianne coming over all Canadian all the time. And in particular, thanks for putting up with us talking about the weather all through dinner that one night!

Speaking of being Canadian, thanks to the person (whose name I now forget, eep!) who brought all the little Canadian flags for us to stick on our nametags. It was very handy being able to identify each other instantly, and ask the all-important question: "Which city?" As a result I actually managed to find a fellow fic writer in my very own city: softprincess, with whom I've subsequently hung out and talked fic on two occasions since Writercon! (She's helped to soften the blow of returning to the real world.)

So, yeah. When I think back on Writercon now, it's a big happy blur of meeting strangers who were already my friends, of talking about stuff that I love and am passionate about constantly with other people who love and are passionate about the same stuff, of laughing so much it hurt, and of feeling more excited and inspired than I can remember feeling in a very long time.

And that was my Writercon summary! Maybe one of these days I'll manage a more specific day-by-day account, but I'm glad at least I've managed this. And now, to bed!

Comments

[shapinglight]

It does sound like lots of fun. I hope we can get our own Writercon over here off the ground and see for ourselves.

[timeofchange.livejournal.com]

Wasn't it amazing? Getting to meet and talk with all those incredible women who totally get you without having to explain or apologize or give a long, involved back story? So much fun. I think we met for about 2.5 seconds. Next time maybe we'll have a chance to chat a bit more.

[carmen-sandiego.livejournal.com]

*waves*
Me! Me with the Canadian flags :) Now they were a dollar store purchase worth well more than expected! Next time, more stickers.

It was lovely to meet you at the Con! More Canadian fun must be had.

[rainkatt.livejournal.com]

I barely have one edge of one toenail in fandom, and yet, I LOVE Writercon more than I can say. I'm pretty out at home and at work about reading fic, and liking all things Jossverse, but no one really gets it the way Writercon folks do. (Well, except for mobile_alh, who was going to come with me until it turned out to be the same weekend as Comic-Con, which was a working weekend for her.)

Just be thankful that the font was bigger on this year's badges. Last time, I swear I was actually touching the chests to read them. :-) "Hi, let me molest you while I figure out who you are."

It was lovely to see you, if only in passing. Next time...

[lumenara.livejournal.com]

I had no idea you were at WriterCon, or I would have been on the lookout for you. Curses.

Next con?

[shadowscast.livejournal.com]

Next con!