With this year's Nine Worlds just around the corner - well, two whole weeks away - I thought it was about time I got my schedule out into the world. I'm fairly busy this time, at least in comparison to anything I've been at in the last year or so, and I'm also set for a pretty intimidating first. I mean, having got my head around appearing on panels, then moderating panels, and then appearing on a game show with a live audience, (okay, I didn't even slightly get my head around that), I thought I'd faced all the fears I have to face. But no! Just like uncle H.P. taught us, there will always be new existential terrors to stare down, and I'll be doing some good, hard staring at this year's Nine Worlds. But more on that in a moment. Because before the really scary stuff, we have...
- How To Break Into Comics - But seriously, how?; 13:30 PM Friday
I specifically asked to be on this, because I have no idea how to break into comics and I'm hoping someone will tell me. There must be a way! I really thought I had it when I sent Stan Lee my severed ear, but no, not even a reply. Although I'm pretty certain he was wearing it in place of his own for his Ant-Man cameo, the goof. Anyway, I'm sure there'll be some great advice flying around on this one - but expect me to be the one listening to it, not giving it.
(Please don't tell the organisers this, I think I've got them them fooled.)
- The Humanitarian Element: Superheroic Ethics - Heroism, compromise & the reality of intervening under fire; 11:45 AM Sunday
Whereas this I actually have a serious interest in, and will probably be saying serious things in a very serious voice. (You've probably never heard my serious voice.) I've noticed in recent months that I'm getting awfully bored of superheroes who behave like thugs, and of seeing stuff get smashed for no good reason, and of vigilantes who never actually seem to help anyone. I've got to a point where every time a house gets 'sploded or a car gets trashed I start worrying over insurance policies. I am, in fact, so dubious about needlessly destructive superheroes these days that I'm about to write a damn novel on the subject. So come, hear me rant! (Or else hear me get shouted down by people better informed than I!)
- Monsterclass - How to really write a short story; 13:00 PM Sunday
And here, at the end, we get to the really alarming bit. Yeah, that would be me teaching an hour-long workshop on how to write a short story. Which, okay, is at least something I can claim a limited degree of knowledge on, having knocked out over a hundred of the things and sold somewhere around seventy. But have I learned anything through that process? If I have, can I possibly convey it to other human beings? For that matter, are there other human beings irresponsible enough to listen to me talk at them for a whole hour? And if I can't even answer questions like these, what chance do I have of teaching an hour long workshop? Ha! Well we'll see, all right. Seriously, though, I'm determined to do a good job on this, if only because it's quite the privilege to be asked.
--
So there we have it: my Nine Worlds itinerary. I have to admit, I'm looking forward to this one; I get to talk about some interesting stuff, and as much as it's a bit frightening, I'm buzzed about the idea of having a go at running a workshop.
Which, come to think of it, I really should be planning, instead of writing this...
- How To Break Into Comics - But seriously, how?; 13:30 PM Friday
I specifically asked to be on this, because I have no idea how to break into comics and I'm hoping someone will tell me. There must be a way! I really thought I had it when I sent Stan Lee my severed ear, but no, not even a reply. Although I'm pretty certain he was wearing it in place of his own for his Ant-Man cameo, the goof. Anyway, I'm sure there'll be some great advice flying around on this one - but expect me to be the one listening to it, not giving it.
(Please don't tell the organisers this, I think I've got them them fooled.)
- The Humanitarian Element: Superheroic Ethics - Heroism, compromise & the reality of intervening under fire; 11:45 AM Sunday
Whereas this I actually have a serious interest in, and will probably be saying serious things in a very serious voice. (You've probably never heard my serious voice.) I've noticed in recent months that I'm getting awfully bored of superheroes who behave like thugs, and of seeing stuff get smashed for no good reason, and of vigilantes who never actually seem to help anyone. I've got to a point where every time a house gets 'sploded or a car gets trashed I start worrying over insurance policies. I am, in fact, so dubious about needlessly destructive superheroes these days that I'm about to write a damn novel on the subject. So come, hear me rant! (Or else hear me get shouted down by people better informed than I!)
- Monsterclass - How to really write a short story; 13:00 PM Sunday
And here, at the end, we get to the really alarming bit. Yeah, that would be me teaching an hour-long workshop on how to write a short story. Which, okay, is at least something I can claim a limited degree of knowledge on, having knocked out over a hundred of the things and sold somewhere around seventy. But have I learned anything through that process? If I have, can I possibly convey it to other human beings? For that matter, are there other human beings irresponsible enough to listen to me talk at them for a whole hour? And if I can't even answer questions like these, what chance do I have of teaching an hour long workshop? Ha! Well we'll see, all right. Seriously, though, I'm determined to do a good job on this, if only because it's quite the privilege to be asked.
--
So there we have it: my Nine Worlds itinerary. I have to admit, I'm looking forward to this one; I get to talk about some interesting stuff, and as much as it's a bit frightening, I'm buzzed about the idea of having a go at running a workshop.
Which, come to think of it, I really should be planning, instead of writing this...
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