Penguicon Awaits & Freelance Stuff
Penguicon starts today, my schedule is behind the cut below.  I'm on a bunch of panels, but thankfully my schedule isn't that crazy--I actually have some gaps and my first panel isn't until 6 PM tonight (although I'll be there way in advance so I check in and relax...speaking of, I still have packing to do and other prep stuff, oy). Don't forget--I'm giving out free CDs with the first three episodes of the Magic of Eyri Podcast.

In freelance news, my latest article for Lansing Capital Gains is online--featuring an interview with everyone's favorite goblin author, Jim C. Hines (jimhines ), oh and the other fellow in the article is the bass player for the band I'm in (I'm the drummer). Jon wasn't originally in the article, but one of the folks I interviewed moved out of state after I turned the piece in, so we had to quickly find a replacement. Thankfully, I remembered that Jon had spent some time in D.C., so I was able to interview him ASAP (the article is on Michiganders who left the state for work/school and then came back).

Additionally, I was contacted yesterday about taking part in a local teen writing workshop. I don't know all the details yet, but I said I would be glad to help out--I just hope I can fit it into my schedule. I think my role would be to help the kids learn about the 'writing process.' Sounds like fun, I have a few ideas to make things interesting. The main thing I'll stress is don't worry about the first draft being perfect, that's what the later drafts are for.

Type your cut contents hereMay 1, 2009 6:00 pm Sci-Fi/Fantasy - The Perception Sarah Hoyt, Daniel Hogan, Jeff DeLuzio, Sarah Monette What is the general perception of genre writing? Pros and cons of Genre writing vs. traditional fiction.

May 2, 2009 11:00 am Can I Be Your Friend? Bringing Authors and Readers Together John Scalzi, Jim C. Hines, Wil Wheaton, Mary Robinette Kowal, Daniel Hogan, Dr. Philip Kaldon Facebook, LiveJournal, WordPress, MySpace, Twitter, website, etc. — SF/F/H authors are encouraged to engage in self-promotion on the web. Some, like John Scalzi and Wil Wheaton make it look easy. But where’s the line on privacy and personal details for the authors? And what about fans bent on making the transition to troll or stalker? No one said this was going to be easy.

May 2, 2009 12:00 pm Self-Publishing - How to Not Get Totally Screwed David Crampton, Wil Wheaton, Daniel Hogan, Rick Jackson, Alex Heberling, Megan Rose Gedris, Michael Marcus, Sarah Zettel Vanity presses are popping up left and right, and a writer/comic artist no longer needs to beg and plead with a publisher to get their work out there. So how to you get your book ready for print? What printers give you the best bang for your buck? How do you get people to notice it? These questions and more addressed.

May 2, 2009 3:00 pm To See a Universe in a Grain of Sand Sarah Hoyt, Dan Hoyt, Elizabeth Bear, Daniel Hogan,Sarah Monette, Sarah Zettel Worldbuilding. How to create your universe.

May 2, 2009 4:00 pm What’s So Funny?! David Crampton, John Scalzi, Jim C. Hines, Dan Hoyt, Daniel Hogan, Brian Briggs Humor in Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Does it work? Why or why not?

May 2, 2009 5:00 pm Copywhat? Copyrights! Open Source Licensing in Literature Elizabeth Bear, Daniel Hogan, Eric Raymond, Rick Jackson What they are, how they work and things to bear in mind when submitting to traditional publishers and e-publishers. Also - what happens to the rights on my e-blog if I want to publish somewhere else?

May 3, 2009 8:00 am National Novel Writing Month David Crampton, Jim C. Hines, Mary Robinette Kowal, Daniel Hogan Every November hordes of would-be writers as well as established pros unite to attempt to produce 50,000 words in one month. Good idea or waste of time? Does it help or hurt writing? What about the pressures of deadlines in general? Does slow and steady win the race, or does the pressure cooker of trying to produce so many words in the last hour really work?

May 3, 2009 9:00 am Book Signing Catherynne M. Valente, John Scalzi, Jim C. Hines, Wil Wheaton, Sarah Hoyt, Dan Hoyt, Elizabeth Bear, Daniel Hogan, Brian Briggs Come meet some of our great authors and get your book signed. There may or may not even be readings done by some of them - how well can you beg?

May 3, 2009 12:00 pm Is Audio the New Print? Wil Wheaton, Steve Eley, Daniel Hogan, Rick Jackson, Rick Stringer There’s an explosion of audiobooks and podcasts out there. Is Audio supplanting print as the medium of choice?

May 3, 2009 1:00 pm Selling Your Soul - Marketing Your Work on a Limited Budget David Crampton, Jim C. Hines, Daniel Hogan, Rick Jackson Websites, freebies, conventions and business cards - plus anything else we can think of! Ways to help market and promote yourself and your product when you’re strapped for cash!