jack_ryder: (Default)
jack_ryder ([personal profile] jack_ryder) wrote2006-07-03 06:36 am

Everyone in Aus SF

Or at least the three of you that have friended me:

Read [personal profile] punkrocker1991 's editorial in the latest Ticonderoga Online now.

It's all right, I'll wait.




I certainly think that's a problem that has manifested at "Magic Casements" and Conflux - too many roosters and not enough hens. I know there are science fiction readers out there who aren't remotely interested in being writers (my favourite one is a rugby player I worked with once who turned out to be a Chuck McKenzie fan) but these people don't go to cons and tend not to buy local magazines and anthologies. I think it was Cat Sparks who pointed out somewhere that the only people buying the Agog anthologies were other writers (hopefully that will change now that they're listed on Amazon.)

The demand for local short fiction is limited, and from what little I know, there's few attempts at an outreach program to bring local content to outside readers. Magic Casements is run by a writer's centre, so it's focus is, naturally, writers. Cons advertise through the usual channels so they attract the usual suspects. And (from my experience) SF discussion groups tend to attract and maintain only the hardcore SF reader - who isn't necessarily interested in local product.

I don't think there are any easy answers, but I think Russell is raising the right questions.

[identity profile] ashamel.livejournal.com 2006-07-02 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
That's not an impression I was getting (about MC), but I hope it's true.

The fact our largest city doesn't have a full-sized con must be doing something odd to demographics, anyway.

[identity profile] jack-ryder.livejournal.com 2006-07-02 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
The impression is based on a couple of people I keep meeting at MC but see nowhere else. Both fans (and one's a writer) and obviously finding MC more to their tastes then other gatherings (which, of course, they may be unaware of.)

[identity profile] chrisbarnes.livejournal.com 2006-07-03 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
Plans are afoot for the full-sized con. Consyder didn't come together for 2006, but so far it's looking positive for 2007.

[identity profile] ashamel.livejournal.com 2006-07-03 10:21 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds highly commendable (and more than a little scary).