ReaderCon Brouhaha

[d_aulnoy]

The Great Escape [from posting on LJ, because I , you know, suck] concluded with a ReaderCon, and the ReaderCon, apparently, has concluded with some drama.  I left long before the offending "This IS Your Father's ReaderCon!" fliers were handed out (hey, if it was my father's ReaderCon, the GoH would be my mom, and there would be enough vodka to float an oil  tanker), but the resulting internet discussions have led me to reach a few conclusions.  To whit ....

I keep hearing the sentiment, phrased critically or approvingly, that, ReaderCon is very academic, daaaaaaaaaaarling, and that that's its beauty/flaw.  This is used to explain or excuse the type of programming/paneling that goes on (for those who've never attended: generally hour-long panel discussions with little or no Q&A).  But, as a long-time fan and an enthusiastic academic, I have to tell you ... this would not fly at an actual academic conference.  I remain somewhat befuddled, if not outright miffed, that the falsely stodgy image of academia is used to defend an event which is primarily social, and one would hope more and not less fun for the plebes below the salt.  coffeeandink  has a lovely and thought-provoking post on the reprecussions on the structure that is implemented at ReaderCon that I'm not going to reiterate: just go and read her thoughts, and the resulting commentary.  I'd say that the kind of structure that we do see at ReaderCon is part and parcel of what a lot of fans are critiquing as part of its general culture of authority and One True Fandom, and that it is somewhat problematic ... not in terms of ReaderCon alone, but in terms of many of the internet kerfuffles that we've seen over the course of this past year, where a large segment of fandom (read: young, internet based, and feeling somewhat excluded or overshadowed) observes an issue, and the Establishment says, "Pish!"  The growing pains, they are a-happening.  Stick it to the man, man!  Or, better yet, start your own grand new offshoot, volunteer for that concom, or put your money where your mouth is and go to the conference that best supports your preferences . 

ReaderCon was a lot of fun this year, but since single-track programming isn't really my cup of tea, and given that I have no known talent for ground-up organization and no desire to pull out my old GRE scores, methinks I'll be at WisCon, where academia goes to twitch.*

*Not because of the structure, but because of the cheese-curd sushi and home-brewed cider at the room parties.  Two great things that do not go great together, let me tell you ....

Comments

[yuki-onna.livejournal.com]

Of course, starting an offshoot will get you snarled at by the programming chair and called names...

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw that. That was *classy.*

It does make me wonder exactly how it was meant to be read, though - if you condescend to them, they will come? NOW, they will see the error of their ways in having their own readings of a defunct ad campaign? Possibly underscoring their low GRE scores?

... or maybe it is all a part of the cunning plan towards the downsizing ....

[yuki-onna.livejournal.com]

Yeah...smaller con means less people there, isn't that the point? So why, exactly, can't I have a party of my own if I don't feel welcome there?

He actually said we should pretend like the flyer didn't happen. While verbally lashing my readers. And not apologizing for it once. Nice. Up to us to erase it from our minds, after all, our reading of it was the problem, not the flyer itself, and certainly not any sentiment behind it!

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

I still think you should, frankly: EVM's position on this has oscillated between being nonsensical and outright insulting, and while I'd embrace good manners and a "My bad!" for an organizer who apologized for any misunderstanding and reassured me that I and mine were still wanted at the con, I'm failing to see any motivation to kowtow to the feelings of an organization that won't acknowledge mine. I realize I'm tarring the organization with the brush of one outspoken member, and I'm reserving judgment till later, but at the end of the day? I still hate large single-track cons, and I'm still going to be looking for other things to do that weekend, and I bet I'm not the only one. You shouldn't have to be the lightening rod for the controversy, but you shouldn't have to accommodate this tomfoolery, either ....

[owlfish]

Thank you for this. I'd just read yuki_onna's posts on the subject and - because it was the sort of day where I fidgeted around waiting for a tradesman who never showed up - read the comments too soon to be educated in the critical importance of GRE scores to con running. *goes off to read the other linked-to posts*

[sacredchao23.livejournal.com]

I have heard epic tales of this WisCon, perhaps someday I shall be able to attend. I enjoyed ReaderCon the one time I was able to attend, but I can understand coffeeandink's point. Even though I knew quite a few people there from other places there was more of a distance between guests and attendees than other places I've been to.

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

I think it's the combination of, a) no real panel discussion, so no way to mentally bookmark the people whose views you share, b) no shared meal-times, so no unplanned mingling, and c) no party-suites, so no "social lubricant" for meeting strangers.

[sacredchao23.livejournal.com]

All of that makes sense. I enjoyed ReaderCon when I went, but primarily because I knew people (mostly from ICFA). If ReaderCon had been my first con I probably would haven't had as great a time.

[squirrel-monkey.livejournal.com]

Seriously, how weird was that GRE comment?

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

Especially considering that they abolished the analytical section the year after I took it, so ... 8 years ago, minimum? Nothing like those defunct standards to illustrate your qualifications in a field that's being criticized for being out-of-touch with contemporary desires ....

[ckd]

I had a really hard time coming up with my response to that comment. I'm still not sure how well I succeeded; it doesn't look like my intent got through to EMV, though with any luck someone got a chuckle out of it somewhere.

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

Chuckle, and a wave of admiration - I thought it was a very diplomatically phrased response to a fairly outrageous statement.

[julieandrews.livejournal.com]

Okay, I totally missed the cheese-curd sushi. Whoever offered that has to offer it again next year!

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

It was a couple of years ago, and it was ... memorable.

[parttimedriver.livejournal.com]

Since you raised the point: I've moderated a lot of panels at Readercon, and I always try to reserve the last 20 minutes or so for Q&A, and I'm far from the only one to do so. I can't say with any certainty that panels with no Q&A are the exception, but in my experience at Readercon, they certainly aren't the rule.

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

Hm ... I may just be striking it exceptionally lucky, then. It does seem to mesh with a lot of the other criticisms that I've heard of the con, but if/when I go again (maybe sooner than I'd thought, given the latest releases), I'll make a point of choosing by mod as well as topic.

[redplum.livejournal.com]

I think I got the other kind of lucky, having spent most of my time either at short talks -- which didn't have discussion, but which were, you know, short -- or at panels with generous Q&A time. (I don't actually know how much Q&A there was on the panels I was *on* because I was nervous and therefore have no trustworthy memory of events.)

I would have liked parties and some non-author--led kaffeeklatschery, though. It was a slightly lonely con for me, in parts.

(This is Erin. Hi.)

[d-aulnoy.livejournal.com]

Hail, Erin! LJ was withholding comments, so I didn't see this until just now. I'm glad your panel experience was good (just so I don't give the wrong impression entirely, I did see *some* good ones: the panel on book reviewing was a delight), but I agree with you, it does seem like a really ... disconnected con, if you do not already have a very tight circle of friends there. Again, WisCon! ICFA!