Everyone in Aus SF

[jack_ryder]

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

Read 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.

Comments

Active Readers

[jack-ryder.livejournal.com]

I keep forgetting that you came out as a reader first and foremost, Zara. In fact, when it comes to SF/Fantasy, I identify more as a reader than as a writer (as my writing is mostly for performance at the moment.)

Certainly the local scene needs more active and engaged readers - i.e. more readers like you. In my limited experience with reading groups (i.e. Futurians and what I've seen of the Infinitas group) is that the old guard tend to dominate discussion and dismiss other readings or approaches to the material - which discourages the very active readers that the scene needs to be healthy.

And it's from the pool of active readers that we'll draw effective critics (i.e. who are critics first and foremost and don't have to be concerned about the arse-covering fiction writers employ when they're writing about their own brethren - or their potential paymasters - unless they're benpeek - phew, what a load of subordinate clauses!)

In a nutshell, we need to create and maintain environments that cultivate and don't alienate active readers. The current con scene may not be doing it.

Re: Active Readers

[chrisbarnes.livejournal.com]

I agree that the current con scene probably isn't generating and sustaining a large pool of active readers, but I wonder if it ever could. I imagine that the great majority of readers will never attend a con, or even know (or care) about their existence. Still, it'd be nice to have more of them come along.

It's my intent that Consyder will move away from some of the "same old stuff" (do we need yet another "the state of small press" panel? I think not) and explore some slightly different territory, and thereby help open up the con scene to new people... but I won't make any promises yet!

Re: Active Readers

[i-ate-my-crusts.livejournal.com]

In a nutshell, we need to create and maintain environments that cultivate and don't alienate active readers. The current con scene may not be doing it.

And, interestingly, this is something that the UK scene excels at. I've been doing some extensive compare and contrasts, and I intend to keep doing them. I want to bring readers into the Aus scene, and I have some ideas that I did want to put into place for ConSyder (I know Chris Barnes feels strongly about reader-focused conventions, too, so I have no doubt he will do great work...)

:)