[Writing Post] Spectrum and DFWCon
I’m having a “so much to do but no pressing deadlines so….” week with almost nothing to show for it. That has to change. There’s something to be said for “allergy season” and brain muddling, but that’s just an excuse, especially with how active the next four to six weeks are going to be. I have one writers’ conference and two Day Job conferences coming up so TRAVEL! Yay.
Spectrum Fantastic Art Live was awesome, but not what I thought I was going to do at it. There was no sitting in the lobby or bar and writing (because it wasn’t that kind of facility). There was a lot of walking and stairs and stuff – which is good, but doesn’t inspire carrying stuff around. I did meet and talk to a lot of cool artists – from legends to rising stars. Helped out John Picacio some, because Texans stick together – also figured out that we’ve known each other since 2004 when we met at the WorldCon Art Show in Boston. Time flies.
Might have (maybe) volunteered myself to a potential ginormous writing project (how’s that for specific) if an article that I need to be working on RIGHT NOW, DARN IT. I need that project like another hole in my head, but it would be pretty darn cool to do. A piece of David LaRocca’s speaks to me of story ideas – just not necessarily elder god vein the way he intends it, or maybe there is some tendrils there. We’ll see. Enjoyed spending a bit of time with Sara Felix, as well as Jimmy Holloman, Sherrie Dean, and Allison Stein before running into Jimmy Murray.
The Spectrum Awards show was cool, because it was a show. Dancers, a comedienne MC, and the like. It was very nifty. And of course, there’s always a bit of “what is this equivalent to”? in my brain. So… even though the Chesleys are given out at WorldCon or NASFIC, they’re voted on by association members – so, like a Nebula Award. The Spectrum Awards are a juried thing… so like World Fantasy Awards. The Hugos are the Hugos, bless them.
And though I thought I would come back all shiny and bright and ready to write – I came back to Lean Six Sigma training that was all foreign concepts to me – STATISTICS. And the complicated stuff. Only the fact I’m a Redheaded Missourian is keeping me in the program. I was not the only one who was confused and frustrated. The instructor seemed to think this stuff was the easiest thing in the world, and we should get it first go. Um, no, that’s not the case. And if you struggled once, ANY question you had after that had to be painstakingly OVER-EXPLAINED. So not conducive to well, ANYTHING else.
But… this weekend I’m going to DFWCon. A writer’s conference. Most people are going to pitch to agents or editors. I’m going to hang out with writers, get my brain back, and maybe learn stuff. I have work I can pitch if necessary, but none of the agents seem to take what I write. So that pressure is gone. Huzzah. We’ll see how this goes.