Jay Lake: Writer

[conventions] Time, reading and panel etiquette

I was thinking about this topic yesterday as I was packing for Norwescon, and realized that if I wanted to talk about it on my blog, I should do so before the convention. Because if I posted this after the convention, people would think I was being a passive-aggressive grump about something that happened at Norwescon. Which hasn’t happened yet.

Or something.

So here’s me being a Ranty McRantypants about an issue that always bugs me, and is a very common problem at conventions. Probably I’ll come off as a total crank, but, hey, it’s my blog. I can crank if I want to.

See, I’m kind of a fiend about time. Barring major catastrophe or serious process failure, I am always on time to everything. Usually I’m early. Late is something that happens to other people. For the most part, this is my own private neurosis, and I deal with it pretty well. Since timeliness is valued in many aspects of our culture, this isn’t even a dysfunction. (Though some of my close friends might argue otherwise.)

But that’s when my time is my own. When the time belongs to other people, it transcends a private neurosis and becomes a matter of mutual respect. Showing up late for a meeting or a date is disrespectful of other people’s time and effort. Not to mention wasteful. Making other people late for their meeting is even more disrespectful.

So, at a convention, when I have a reading or am moderating a panel, I am a fiend about ending the event at least five minutes before the start of the next reading or panel. This is because it takes a few minutes for everyone to file out of the room. Not to mention to clear the clump around the panelists’ table as people come up to ask questions. Not to mention that the next reader or panelists need to set up, clear their heads, and be ready to go on time. Not to mention that anyone attending that reading or panel might like to make it to their next planned event on time. Not to mention that the audience for the next reading or panel would like to come in and sit down to see their desired event on time.

Sensing a theme here?

Yet over the years, I cannot begin to count the number of occasions where the reading or panel before mine has run long, right up to the transition point, or even beyond it. Which is profoundly disrespectful to both audiences (exiting and entering) as well as the pros scheduled to have the room next. And wastes the time of a hell of a lot of people.

Being who I am, after the first couple of years of putting up with this, I’ve developed the habit as needed of simply walking into the room about four minutes before the start of the next reading or panel and tactfully signaling that they need to cut it off pretty much right away. If I am ignored, I become a lot less tactful, though I am never rude. Just insistent.

When I do that, i sometimes encounter a lot of resentment and even outright anger from the audience. This is especially true of readings, where fans are listening eagerly to their beloved author.

You know what? The next author is beloved of their fans, too. And just because your author can’t judge the time required for their own reading is no reason to steal time from the next author. Or from the people who want to hear them. We’re all in this together, and everybody’s time is just as valuable to them as yours is to you.

So, if you’re a pro with a reading or a panel, please pay attention to the time. If you’re a fan in that reading or panel, please remember that the next event in that room is just as important to other people as the one you’re attending is to you. Being aware of time is just basic respect for the folks around you.

And if it’s me coming in to the room to ask the event to wrap it up now, feel free to glare all you want. That’s not going to make you or your favorite pro any less disrespectful of the next people who need the room, and mostly you’re going to amuse me with your rudeness. To my mind, that sort of irritated response is of a kind with the notion that it’s rude to ask people to stop talking in theaters, because you’re interrupting their conversation — an inversion of social norms that makes no sense except in an utterly self-centered world.

(Also, you kids, get off my lawn!)

Tags: Conventions, Culture, Process

Posted: 5:15 am Thu April 05 2012 | Comments(6) |

[conventions] Almost off to Norwescon

Tomorrow I’m off to Norwescon with the_child and lizzyshannon. My public schedule, for them what wants it, is here: [ jlake.com | LiveJournal ].

Saturday afternoon/evening is crazy, otherwise, my schedule is reasonable. I’ll be relaxing as much as possible while also being in convention mode, if that makes any sense. Plus trying to knock in at least an hour a day on drafting Their Currents Turn Awry. Because, well, that’s how I roll.

See some, all or none of you there.

Tags: Books, Child, Conventions, Currents, friends, Seattle, Travel, Writing

Posted: 5:19 am Wed April 04 2012 | Comments(0) |

[conventions] NIWA event in Silverton, OR

Yesterday the_child and I went with lizzyshannon to lovely Silverton, OR, to attend a reading and signing sponsored by NIWA, the Northwest Independent Writers Association. Authors present included Luke Alistar, Pam Bainbridge-Cowan, Andy Bunch, Adam Copeland, Tonya Macalino, Cynthia Robbins, and Lizzy Shannon.

After a light lunch, the group convened. Adam introduced the meeting and talked about NIWA’s mission of working to provide a publishing collective for authors in the independent press. Everybody then talked about their writing projects, and most folks read an excerpt. A Q&A followed, along with some book sales. It was a nice, relaxing way to spend an afternoon, and fun to hear such a selection of work from newer authors.

Lizzy Shannon and me

Tonya Macalino

Andy Bunch

Cynthia Robbins and Adam Copeland

Pam Bainbridge-Cowan

Luke Alistar

NIWA cookies

As usual, more at the Flickr set.

Photos © 2012, B. Lake

This work by B. Lake. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Tags: Books, Child, Conventions, friends, Oregon, Photos, Writing

Posted: 7:44 am Sun April 01 2012 | Comments(0) |

[conventions|repost] Announcing JayCon XII

This is a repost, which I will roll forward about once a month through the spring

In celebration of my natal anniversary, JayCon XII, my 12th annual 37th birthday party, is Saturday, June 9th, 2012 from 2 to 5 pm at the Flying Pie in SE Portland. We’re partying because I was born, and because I have beat cancer again and again.

If you can read this, you’re invited. Prior JayCon experience not required.

Note that I am announcing this early because people always tell me, “You should have told me sooner!” Except for the people who tell me, “It’s too soon, remind me later.” (Sometimes these are the same people.)

Flying Pie Pizzeria
7804 SE Stark Street
Portland, 97215
(503) 254-2016

http://www.flying-pie.com/

[ Google Maps ]

As is traditional for JayCon, Paul M. Carpentier is specifically not invited.

Tags: Cancer, Conventions, health, JayCon, Personal, Portland, Repost

Posted: 4:20 am Thu March 29 2012 | Comments(0) |

[conventions|repost] Announcing JayCon XII

This is a repost, which I will roll forward about once a month through the spring

In celebration of my natal anniversary, JayCon XII, my 12th annual 37th birthday party, is Saturday, June 9th, 2012 from 2 to 5 pm at the Flying Pie in SE Portland. We’re partying because I was born, and because I have beat cancer again and again.

If you can read this, you’re invited. Prior JayCon experience not required.

Note that I am announcing this early because people always tell me, “You should have told me sooner!” Except for the people who tell me, “It’s too soon, remind me later.” (Sometimes these are the same people.)

Flying Pie Pizzeria
7804 SE Stark Street
Portland, 97215
(503) 254-2016

http://www.flying-pie.com/

[ Google Maps ]

As is traditional for JayCon, Paul M. Carpentier is specifically not invited.

Tags: Cancer, Conventions, health, JayCon, Personal, Portland, Repost

Posted: 6:37 am Mon March 05 2012 | Comments(0) |

[travel|conventions] Heading home from Rainforest today

The retreat wraps up in a couple of hours, then I’m heading home. It will be good to see the_child again. Working here I finished revising Calamity of So Long a Life, and sent the manuscript back to my agent. I also completed the first (unusually rough for me) draft of the synopsis for Little Dog, and am sending the outline to my collaborator bravado111. This morning before I leave, I’ll be starting work on the outline for the nonfiction Antarctica project book.

Then, well, back to real life in all its manifold glories and strangeness. Regular blogging service will resume tomorrow.

Tags: Antarctica, Books, Calamity, Child, Conventions, Little Dog, Travel, Writing

Posted: 10:12 am Sun March 04 2012 | Comments(0) |

[conventions] At the Rainforest

So far I have walked a lot, seen the elk herd (twice), heard coyotes (once), finished revisions to Calamity of So Long A Life and sent them off to la agente, enjoyed some excellent company, told a wildly inappropriate story, and generally decompressed. Today some work on the outline of Little Dog, plus I’m making a presentation on novel outlines.

Home tomorrow, which is both good and sad.

Tags: Books, Calamity, Conventions, Little Dog, Process, Travel, Writing

Posted: 8:39 am Sat March 03 2012 | Comments(0) |

[travel|conventions] A signing, a funeral and a retreat

Today is the airport Powell’s book signing with Mary Robinette Kowal and me. We’ll be there from 5 to 7, so come on by if you’re in the area.

Tomorrow afternoon I’m off to Seattle for Mark Bourne’s funeral Thursday morning. the_child is going with me. (If you’re going from Portland and could possibly give her a ride home Thursday afternoon, please contact me.)

Thursday after the funeral, I’m off to Rainforest Writers Village, where I’m really hoping to decompress.

It’s been a heck of a week already, and this is only Tuesday.

Tags: Child, Conventions, friends, Seattle, Travel

Posted: 6:35 am Tue February 28 2012 | Comments(0) |

[conventions] My 2012 Norwescon schedule

See some, all or none of you there.

Tags: Conventions

Posted: 6:38 am Tue February 21 2012 | Comments(0) |

[conventions] Upcoming events

February 11th, 2012

As previously announced, I’ll be reading at SF in SF on Saturday, February 11th, 2012, along with K.W. Jeter and Rudy Rucker, hosted by Terry Bisson — three of the more interesting people I know. My appearance there is being sponsored by my publisher, Tor Books, as part of a tour for the recent release of my second Green novel, Endurance [ Powells | BN ].

We’ll be appearing at The Variety Preview Room at 582 Market St. @ Montgomery, 1st floor of The Hobart Bldg. [ Google Maps ] Doors open at 6:00 pm and the event starts at 7:00 pm. I believe I’ll be reading something connected to Sunspin. If you’re in the Bay Area, come on down for an evening of live science fiction reading and discussion.

February 28th, 2012

The airport location of Powell’s Books will be hosting an author event featuring Mary Robinette Kowal and me the late afternoon of February 28th, 2012, from 5 pm – 7 pm in the Oregon Market store (that’s outside the TSA checkpoints). We’ll be reading and signing and generally visiting with whoever passes through the bookstore. Come join us for a book event in an unusual venue.

April 28th, 2012

I’ll be appearing at the Write to Publish conference here in Portland, OR, on Saturday April 28, 2012. The conference runs 9 am – 6 pm at Portland State University in the Smith Memorial Student Union (2nd floor). I’ll be on panels, and I think there may be readings and signings. This is targeted at exposing aspiring writers to the realities of genre publishing. If you’re in greater Portlandia and this sounds interesting, come on by.

Tags: Books, California, Conventions, Endurance, Portland, Writing

Posted: 6:19 am Fri February 10 2012 | Comments(0) |