Worldcon: Glasgow 2005

[Brian G Turner]

Thanks for the information, Kevin - and welcome to the chronicles network.

Michelle's now put me through to Marah for more information on setting up an exhibit there - should be interesting to see what arrangements I need to make, having never done a major con before.

Worldcons rarely come to the same region more than about once a decade, so if you have any interest in SF & Fantasy literature, art, fandom, etc., I heartily recommend trying to make it to Worldcon when you get the chance.

I absolutely agree - for those in the UK with a serious interest in SFF, it sounds like an ideal opportunity. Especially for those with a working interest in writing, art, publishing, or production, for the potential networking opportunities.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Which Fantasy authors will be in attendence?

I have to convince my girlfriend that attending this conference is a 'good' idea.

 

[littlemissattitude]

Kevin, welcome to chronicles-network from another Californian. And thanks for the information.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I'm not actually sure there will be any specific fantasy authors present - WorldCon, so far as I understand it, is a specifically Science Fiction convention:

http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk/goh.htm


For Fantasy conventions, I think you would need the WorldFantasy convention

http://www.worldfantasy.org/2005/

 

[Kevin Standlee]

Which Fantasy authors will be in attendence?

One of our guests of honour, Jane Yolen, has been a well respected figure in fantasy for decades. As to others, we've had quite a few "big names" buy memberships (everyone except the Guests of Honour has to pay his/her own way, as do all of us working on the convention, even the convention chairs), but we are not sure what their plans are yet. We are in the process of writing to them to check that they would be happy to be on panels, do signings and so on.

We expect to be able to start making announcements about programme participants sometime in January, and I expect that we'll have a list on the convention web site listing those people who have told us they will attend. That list, of course, is likely to be constantly changing, and will be subject to last-minute cancellations, particularly because everyone is attending on their own.

I have to convince my girlfriend that attending this conference is a 'good' idea.

What sorts of thing would you (and her) consider the most compelling reasons to attend? To meet authors? To see the Art Show and Dealers' Room? To attend the Hugo Awards Ceremony? To see the many different program items that will be on offer? To look at the many exhibits about science fiction, fantasy, and fandom? To meet other SF & F fans from around the world?

I'm not actually sure there will be any specific fantasy authors present - WorldCon, so far as I understand it, is a specifically Science Fiction convention.

Good heavens, no: While the convention name is "World Science Fiction Convention," the term "science fiction" includes "fantasy" in this context. Indeed, if you look at the definition of the Hugo Award, you'll see that it reads:

3.2.1: Unless otherwise specified, Hugo Awards are given for work in the field of science fiction or fantasy appearing for the first time during the previous calendar year. [emphasis added]

I happen to have a spare Hugo Award trophy left over from 2002, and the plaque on the base reads:

2002 HUGO AWARD​

for Achievement in​

Science Fiction and Fantasy​

As I mentioned above, one of our Guests of Honor is well-known for her fantasy writing. While once again the list of guests for any other Worldcon is no guarantee that any of those people will appear at another one, a look at the list of program participants at the 2004 Worldcon should show that Worldcon is a "big tent" gathering, covering the full spectrum of science fiction and fantasy literature, as should the 2004 Worldcon's program list.

Besides, it's sufficiently difficult to define "science fiction" and "fantasy" (think about The Dragonriders of Pern, to use a common example) that drawing any hard-and-fast line between them is usually a waste of time.

I hope this reassures people that both science fiction and fantasy will be well-represented at Worldcon.

 

[David Stewart]

I'll just reiterate what Kevin has said. The World Science Fiction Convention celebrates all forms of fantastic fiction. Many of the former Worldcons still have active Websites where you can take a look at the sort of programming they ran. For a list go to http:/www.worldcon.org. (You will also find links there to the 2006 and 2007 conventions.)

 

[Brian G Turner]

Thanks for the clarification, Kevin and DAvid - much appreciated. I had actually laboured under the misapprehension that the sff conventions were split under Worldcon for Science Fiction, and WorldFantasy for Fantasy.

Which Fantasy authors will be in attendence?

Peter, have you checked last year's participation list Kevin linked to? That's one heck of an industry gathering.

 

[Kevin Standlee]

Thanks for the clarification, Kevin and DAvid - much appreciated. I had actually laboured under the misapprehension that the sff conventions were split under Worldcon for Science Fiction, and World Fantasy for Fantasy.

The World Fantasy Convention is certainly (and by design) a convention much more highly focused on fantasy. With its membership limits and general tone, WFC is more of a conference for Professional Fantasy Authors with some fans allowed to attend if they behave themselves. Worldcon, OTOH, is the "gathering of the tribes" event; it's bigger, more boisterous, and covers more territory than focused events like WFC or the World Horror Convention.

Cheryl Morgan, whose online fanzine Emerald City won the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine last year, attends both Worldcon and WFC, and you can read her reviews of the most recent WFC in issue 111 and of the most recent Worldcon in issue 109, along with pictures and reviews of other previous WFCs and Worldcons in the EmCit archives. [Bias alert: I'm one of Emerald City's proofreaders and a good friend of Cheryl's, and she's my assistant running the Events division at Interaction, so I can't be expected to be all that objective.]

 

[Lacedaemonian]

That's a huge list! I have family in Glasgow too, so lodgings will not be necessary. Food for thought.

 

[Kevin Standlee]

Glasgow Worldcon Blog

Interaction, the 2005 Worldcon in Glasgow, has started an Interaction Announcements Blog where we'll be making announcements about the convention. For example, a recent announcement was that the Hugo Awards Nominating Ballot is now online, both in downloadable PDF and online voting form. You need to become a member of Interaction by the end of January in order to nominate.

In case it wasn't clear by the messages above: anyone in the world may become a member of the Worldcon, and if you want to become a member so you can vote, but don't think you can attend the convention, you can buy a "supporting membership" that gives you the right to vote and to receive the convention's publications.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Not sure I can make the event now. My girlfriend convinced me that a few days away in Rome would be money better spent. Saying that it is costing the grand total of £40 for the pair of us to get to rome and back. Apparently the return flight cost a whopping £1.99. Anyway I will have to see how cheap the hotel's are in Rome.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I see there is a best website category.

Definitely need to spruce this place up for that.

 

[Kevin Standlee]

I see there is a best website category.

That's right. Best Website is not one of the regular, ongoing categories; however, every Worldcon has the right to add one Special Category, good for that year only, and Interaction has decided to add Best Website. (ConJose in 2002 also had a Best Website category.) This decision is good only for the 2005 Hugo Awards; other Worldcons may decide to add a different Special Category, or not to add one at all (most Worldcon do not add a Special Category).

 

[Kevin Standlee]

Pros Attending Worldcon

In response to those who asked what industry professionals (authors, editors, artists, etc.) will be attending Worldcon, Interaction has just posted its first list of attending professionals to their announcements blog. This is just the first batch of people who have said they expect to attend and participate in programming. There will be many more as we get closer to the convention.

Of course, these lists are subject to change without notice. Everyone buys their own memberships and pays their own way to the convention, and personal circumstances inevitably cause some people to have to cancel at the last minute. However, I hope announcements such as this will give people here a better idea that Worldcon really is a major gathering of both fans and professionals in the field of science fiction and fantasy.

If you are planning to attend Interaction and think you might have something to offer Programming, please have a look at our Program Participants' Page and fill out the questionnaire there. As it says there, "if you don't tell us you are coming, we won't know you want to be involved!"

 

[Kevin Standlee]

Want to Get Involved?

Interaction is holding ConStruction IV, the fourth in a series of committee/staff/volunteer planning meetings, in Glasgow on the weekend of February 4-6, at the Moat House Hotel (the main Worldcon hotel, located next to the Scottish Exhibition and Convention Centre). All of the convention's top managers and many of the area heads and staff will be there.

Worldcons rely extensively on volunteers. Worldcons are among the largest all-volunteer-run events in the world. Hundreds of people donate their time, effort, and money to make the event happen. We can use all the help you can give us. If you're interested in getting involved with helping us put on the Worldcon this year and can get to Glasgow that weekend, I encourage you to drop in and find out what's going on.

 

[Kevin Standlee]

Re: Pros Attending Worldcon

The list of people who have agreed to be on panels at Interaction continues to grow. Most Worldcons have hundreds of SF & Fantasy professionals attending and participating in the convention programming. We recently added some more names to the Interaction Program Participant List, and we will continue to add names to this list as more people agree to participate, so check that page periodically (or subscribe to the Interaction Announcements Blog) for updates.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Re: Pros Attending Worldcon

Okay - will be adding this to the News feature here.

 

[CherylMorgan]

Just to keep you guys updated on the ever-growing programme participant list, we have recently added the following: Jack Cohen, David Hartwell, Ellen Kushner, Paul McAuley, Sean McMullen, William Meikle, Richard Morgan, Kim Newman, Alastair Reynolds, Geoff Ryman, Pamela Scoville, Delia Sherman, Jo Walton, Sheila Williams, Connie Willis.

The full Programme Participant List hasn't been updated with those yet, but we like to get the word out fast.

By the way, Newman and McAuley will be your hosts for the Hugo Award Ceremony on the Sunday night of the convention.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Cheryl,
Thanks for this - are there still tickets available?
The idea of Kim Newman as a compare has finally tipped the scales from "would love to go" to "must see!"

 

[Kevin Standlee]

Thanks for this - are there still tickets available?

Short Answer: Yes, definitely. Worldcon will not be sold out, even on the day of the event. You can buy a membership online or through the post: See the How to Join Interaction page.

Longer Answer: FYI, Worldcons, like most fan-run science fiction conventions, don't sell "tickets." We sell "memberships," and when you join the Worldcon, you become a member of the World Science Fiction Society -- in fact, that's the only way to become a member of WSFS. Join now and you'll be able to vote on this year's Hugo Awards. (The Hugo Awards shortlist should be announced in a couple of weeks.)

The idea of Kim Newman as a compare has finally tipped the scales from "would love to go" to "must see!"

Great! I hope you'll have a great time at Interaction.