Some is down to apathy, some down to shyness and insecurity. Why put yourself out there where you may be attacked or looked down upon, when you can interact with hundreds of people all over the world from the safety of your home?

The clubs and cons need to be welcoming, interesting, and relevant. Why would you go to these things? - to meet new people who share the same interests. But you have to feel that it's worth going to, and that the people you will meet will want you there. You have to get something that you can't get at home.

When authors complain that there's too much writing related content, you've gone seriously down the wrong path. And what are the newbies to make of it if the authors are complaining? And the people who aren't into books (despite the way some people act, this isn't a capital crime), what's in it for them?

Fun and excitement are key. Fun events that people won't get to see if they sit at home. Humourous and irreverent debates with people who are fun and worth listening to. Entertainment based panels, mad gameshows, fan olympics... Some of these things make people cringe, but at the same time, it gets folks involved either as a part of the audience or as a participant.

And as I heard at a recent con, from people who actively dislike these events, when you don't have the fun silly stuff, the con lacks spark.

And the next fucker who tells me that the 'So this is your first convention' panels aren't worth running, I swear I'll rip their nipples off! That's the chance for newbies to see who else is in the same boat, to meet people, to ask questions without feeling like they might be a nuisance or dumb.

It's a part of welcoming people to the community.