![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Wise words
"...they don’t think they need saving. I mean, they haven’t changed for years, have they? They’re not designed to be wanted because they don’t want to be wanted, not really. They want to be left alone to do their thing, and they don’t want any loud new people in the room. They serve a dwindling audience, and they have to be aware of that — so they have to be in it to simply serve that audience, to provide that presumably cosy experience to their people until the last light goes out. Otherwise they would have done something different years ago."
That's Warren Ellis talking about sf magazines, but he could be talking about the majority of sf fan clubs and conventions in Australia.
Just because your friends turn up, doesn't mean it's good.
Just because it breaks even, doesn't mean it's a success.
Just because something runs, that doesn't mean it's still relevant.
More on this later...
That's Warren Ellis talking about sf magazines, but he could be talking about the majority of sf fan clubs and conventions in Australia.
Just because your friends turn up, doesn't mean it's good.
Just because it breaks even, doesn't mean it's a success.
Just because something runs, that doesn't mean it's still relevant.
More on this later...
no subject
Just because your girlfriend is threatening to leave you because of it, doesn't mean you're putting in enough time.
I don't think the SF scene is any different to other groups though, you'll always find people hanging on to the past and not wanting to change.
no subject
I don't mean they don't wish to change, many do, but that the way they approach the potential is tentative to the point of paranoia. I make no bones about the fact that I have no idea how to make cons and clubs relevant to the latest generation, I have some basic ideas, but I'm 40, not 14, and the world is radically different to when I was that age.
What needs doing in a basic sense is to listen to the younger fans with an open mind and a willingness to take a few risks for their benefit - and to include them in the process so they have a first-hand idea of why something did or didn't work, rather than having the freedom to simply claim 'you did it wrong' if you fail.
Swancons can certainly take some punts on trying new things, because they have a solid core audience that will turn up regardless.
WorldCons should have an entire stream of new takes on stuff that can be tested out. But hell, you're flat out getting a video-programme through because many organisers are still against media fans, and don't want them included.
no subject
But other "forward thinking" groups I've been involved with have had the same attitudes and they have sadly died (who the hell uses a phone tree over email in this day and age????). It's great to be proud of our past, now lets move on to our future.
Do you think the WorldCon issues are for all WorldCons or just those that are held in certain areas? I would like to think that the media/lit fan divide is going to die out soon, so many younger and newer fans seem to be both. Indeed I never knew there was such a big split until you told me.
no subject
Aussiecon 2 in 85 managed to get all the fan clubs going to it, it worked hard to make itself relevant to them. There were reps at most club meetings for a good year before the con, slowly building the buzz and finding out what people wanted by actively seeking their ideas, rather than sitting back and saying "you come to us."
Aussiecon 3's attitude seemed very much, 'It's the WorldCon! The media fans should come because it's the WorldCon. If they want stuff in there, let them make proposals and explain why we should put it on.'
no subject
no subject
no subject
I'm told its much more notable if you to a thing like Supernova (which advertises itself as a 'pop culture expo' rather than a con). Writers are an afterthought they are a bit confused about. People told me about selling more in one hour at Conflux than in an average day at Supernova, even though Supernova is literally orders of magnitude bigger.