Fourth Street Fantasy Convention

This is a reminder to everyone who might be interested that Fourth Street Fantasy Convention is approaching.  For those who don’t know, this is a small convention (100+ people) heavily oriented toward writing and writers–I sort of made it up back in, I think, the late 80’s so I could hear smart people argue about problems I was having.  The theory is that anything that is about writing is also about reading; “How to Read Better” has always been an unstated discussion topic.

What distinguishes Fourth Street from most conventions are two things: 1. A very high percentage of professionals (writers, editors); and B. Strict single-track programming with lunch breaks, so everyone can be at every panel (and, of course, continue the arguments from one to the other).  It used to be that did the programming; lately it’s mostly Alec Austin with help from Tom Whitmore and me, and I’ve been delighted by how things have gone.  I have learned stuff.  I think it has helped me write better; I know it has helped me get more out of my reading.

Check out who will be there (John Scalzi, Elizabeth Bear, Will Shetterly, Emma Bull, &c &c)

It’ll be in Minneapolis, June 22-24, and for actual, useful details, go here.

I’d love to see all of you there.

 

 

Published by

Avatar photo

corwin

Site administrative account, so probably Corwin, Felix or DD-B.

0 thoughts on “Fourth Street Fantasy Convention”

  2. There is no chance I could be there, so I have to ask this here. To quote the programming page:

    Steve Brust has consistently advanced the claim that ‘POV fixes everything’.

    I don’t follow this. Could you expand a little on what this means? Since this is going to be discussed at a paid event, I realize it may be impolite to ask about it here, and if so, I apologize for that.

  3. I had hoped, and started planning, to return this year, and then one of my cousins scheduled his wedding for that weekend.

    So I went to Minicon instead, and I’m going to DeepSouthCon 50, since it’s the weekend before the wedding.

    Maybe next year.

  4. L. Raymond: Many, many things in writing that appear insurmountable, can be solved by concentrating on point of view. Some people have trouble with fight scenes; others with descriptions; others with transition scenes. If you concentrate on, “whose head am I in, and what is important to that person, and exactly what does that person observe and notice?” most of these problems vanish, or, at least, become much easier.

  5. Essentially, you equate POV with “why is it happening”? If so, I completely agree. I’ve lost count of how many tedious scenes I’ve read during which I’ve had to wonder why is it being narrated from this angle or described by this other person. I never thought of it as a character problem though, so I’ll have to keep that in mind next time.

  6. I hate it when inconsequential things like ‘college’ and ‘geographic location’ and ‘finances’ come between me and things I really want to do. Just the snippet about POV was helpful, and we barely scratched the surface.
    Oh well, maybe next year. Or, more likely, four or five years from now, but hopefully next year.

  7. I really need to visit more often. There was absolutely no reason for me not to attend.

    I know, what a pointless comment.

Leave a Reply