Why do people run Cons, then?
xSaBx, Mistress of Stuff
to them and said "Why do I do this?" Why DO the people here who are
involved in UK Fandom run Cons?
I'm not just talking about the Eastercons (which run yearly) but also
the one-offs, and it's a SERIOUS question. If they so often run into
financial difficulties, if there are so many differences of opinion as
to what is "correct" and "incorrect" Con-running, why does everyone
keep bothering?
:->
xSaBx Mistress of "Stuff"
--
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(All your Gubbins in one convenient Package...)
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Fiona Anderson
<sa...@simple-signshop.demon.co.uk> writes
>I bet everyone here has, at least once, turned around to someone close
>to them and said "Why do I do this?" Why DO the people here who are
>involved in UK Fandom run Cons?
Because it's fun.
>I'm not just talking about the Eastercons (which run yearly) but also
>the one-offs, and it's a SERIOUS question. If they so often run into
>financial difficulties,
I'm sorry, that just isn't the case. There have been cons with financial
difficulties, and there have been two examples this year of such, but
generally cons break even, and some make a modest profit. If people
really were losing money all over the shop they wouldn't continue to run
cons, and there would by now be no cons whatever. The fact that cons
have continued to happen for decades should reassure you that despite
the experiences of a minority of cons, financial difficulties are the
exception not the rule.
> if there are so many differences of opinion as
>to what is "correct" and "incorrect" Con-running,
Some people like pop music, some like jazz, some like classical stuff,
and each could tell you the merits of their particular fancy, but they
all like music.
Same with conrunning - I can think of several people who's views on how
to do things differ from mine, but debating the merits of each type
allows you to put into words and justify your preference by reasoning,
and not just by feeling. Gary mentioned smofs and intersmof earlier,
these are bounces for conrunning discussions, and people get a lot from
the interplay of ideas, even and sometimes especially where those ideas
are in opposition. Seeing several points of view allows you to pick and
choose among them for the one that most suits your own particular
circumstances.
--
Fiona Anderson
*WARNING* you have entered a Tact Free Zone
http://www.intersec.demon.co.uk/tactfree/
xSaBx, Mistress of Stuff
Simon Bradshaw
sa...@simple-signshop.demon.co.uk (xSaBx, Mistress of Stuff) wrote:
> I bet everyone here has, at least once, turned around to someone close
> to them and said "Why do I do this?" Why DO the people here who are
> involved in UK Fandom run Cons?
>
> I'm not just talking about the Eastercons (which run yearly) but also
> the one-offs, and it's a SERIOUS question. If they so often run into
> financial difficulties, if there are so many differences of opinion as
> to what is "correct" and "incorrect" Con-running, why does everyone
> keep bothering?
A very good question, speaking as someone who has had some involvement in
conrunning for ten years and is currently co-chair of a small con (see
http://www.cix.co.uk/~sjbradshaw/seccon.html).
In my case, the answer goes something like:
1. I enjoy attending conventions.
2. I particularly enjoy certain sorts of conventions.
3. If you enjoy cons, the a good way to make sure they keep on happening
is to help run them.
4. If you enjoy a particular sort of con, a good way to make sure it
happens is to run it yourself.
5. Running (or helping to run) a con can be an enjoyable way of attending
it, astonishing enough as it seems.
I don't mean to imply that conrunning is an altruistic thing; indeed,
there's a fair element of self-interest in the above reasoning. Nor do I
have anything against fans who attend cons without having any inclination
to run them. But, for me, the above about sums it up.
Yes, it can be a pain in at times. In the aftermath of Intersection, I
nearly gafiated, although that was more due to a feeling that my personal
life was suffering than specific disillusionment with fandom. (As it
happens I promptly started going out with the chair of the
then-forthcoming Eastercon!) All in all though, I think I've had more fun
overall than if I'd purely been a con-goer over my time in fandom, and
it's certainly made me feel a more active part of the fandom that I enjoy.
*** Simon Bradshaw ***
To avoid my spam-bucket replace 'filter' with 'simon'
John Richards
>
> I bet everyone here has, at least once, turned around to someone close
> to them and said "Why do I do this?" Why DO the people here who are
> involved in UK Fandom run Cons?
>
> I'm not just talking about the Eastercons (which run yearly) but also
> the one-offs, and it's a SERIOUS question. If they so often run into
> financial difficulties, if there are so many differences of opinion as
> to what is "correct" and "incorrect" Con-running, why does everyone
> keep bothering?
>
As has been said "mainstream" SF conventions do not often run into
financial difficulties which is why I remarked upon the fact that
Infinity and The Wrap Party both apparently did. When there is a glut of
conventions some get cancelled. Rarely do they make it all the way and
then run into serious trouble. The possibility is always there of
course.
I run cons because when it works I get a kick out of it. I am an
argumentative chap and the best way I have found of getting a really god
argument going with a room full of people is to run a programme item. If
I can run good programme items then other people will ask me to do it
and I get to argue with even more people. I also get to talk to people
who have raised questions in books and to ask them what they meant. On a
really good day I can arrange confrontations with oranisations such as
National Viewers And Listeners.
I can do all this without having to have a career in TV or Radio.
If there are so many differences of opinion as to what is "correct" then
surely the best way of proving that yours is the best one is to run
another convention in which your ideas are put to use. This would tend
to produce more conventions rather than fewer.
__
JFW Richards South Hants Science Fiction Group
Portsmouth, Hants 2nd and 4th Tuesdays
England. UK. The Magpie, Fratton Road, Portsmouth
Jonjo
>
> xSaBx, Mistress of Stuff wrote:
> >
> > I bet everyone here has, at least once, turned around to someone close
> > to them and said "Why do I do this?" Why DO the people here who are
> > involved in UK Fandom run Cons?
> >
> > I'm not just talking about the Eastercons (which run yearly) but also
> > the one-offs, and it's a SERIOUS question. If they so often run into
> > financial difficulties, if there are so many differences of opinion as
> > to what is "correct" and "incorrect" Con-running, why does everyone
> > keep bothering?
> >
> > :->
>
> As has been said "mainstream" SF conventions do not often run into
> financial difficulties which is why I remarked upon the fact that
> Infinity and The Wrap Party both apparently did. When there is a glut of
> conventions some get cancelled. Rarely do they make it all the way and
> then run into serious trouble. The possibility is always there of
> course.
>
We did it because we wanted to. The main reason was to try and put Cardiff back
on the convention map. So many cons in England and Scotland and very few, if none in Wales
in recent years.
Soon there will be more con running opportunities to be had in Cardiff once a 1,000 seater main hall
is operational in a new large star hotel. Maybe one year an Easter Con could be held in Cardiff or
in another city or town in Wales.
There was a very heated discussion at Infinity as to whether nor not a National Welsh
SF con could be held, on the style of an Easter Con. being bid for by con com's and
moving around Wales. If this is to happend is yet to be seen.
I like helping out at cons, I think its part of the reason I go, to help out the organisers
who have put so much of there time into running the convention. My little way of saying thank you,
for all the Con Coms hard work.
Jonjo
--
Jonathan 'Jonjo' Jones
http://members.xoom.com/jonesjd/
Alex McLintock
>I bet everyone here has, at least once, turned around to someone close
>to them and said "Why do I do this?" Why DO the people here who are
>involved in UK Fandom run Cons?
(In my small way) I do it for the same reasons why I sometimes host parties.
That can't be too hard to understand...
Sometimes I help out at other people's cons, and sometimes I help out at other
people's parties. You never really relax at your own party because you are too
busy sorting stuff out, but you have them anyway.
Alex
Bjorn Tore Sund
>I bet everyone here has, at least once, turned around to someone close
>to them and said "Why do I do this?" Why DO the people here who are
>involved in UK Fandom run Cons?
Pat McMurray and I were going home from Baltimore on the same
flight, and were chatting in the airport lounge while waiting.
Both of us were dead exhausted from working long hours in ops;
I, at least, had trouble keeping my head up. At one point I
looked at him and asked "Pat, why do we _do_ this?"
His answer was long the lines of "Well, I don't know about you,
but I've had the time of my life here!"
Which sort of answered both my question, and yours.
Bjoern
--
Bjoern Tore Sund
"When in fear, and when in doubt:
bjo...@infotek.no Run in circles, scream and shout!"
http://www.ii.uib.no/~bjornts/