The afternoon’s panel was about violence, and the evening’s was about sex. The two have a lot in common, and not just about how comical they are when done badly. (Or how good they are when done comically. Funny how that works out.) From the program guide: What makes a good sex scene? When should […]
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I spent last week at Norwescon, a science fiction and fantasy convention with a literary focus that’s held every year over Easter weekend in SeaTac. There were a variety of panels. I went to several of them. I took notes. These are from them. The first panel I went to was called Reluctant Heroes. The
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The last panel I went to at Norwescon 44 completed the circle by bringing it back to interstellar travel. This one was about the technical details of how to get there, specifically looking at the concepts of the generation ship vs. hypersleep (“suspended animation”). From the program guide: Hypersleep vs. Generation Ships Even if faster-than-light
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The Anxious Convention Pro Being a pro at a convention can feel like the next big step in being recognized for your craft. But what if you’re an anxious, shy sort? How do you move past the anxiety to take that next step? Join these pros as they share their tips for dealing with that
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Join the Resistance! Speculative fiction protagonists often fight against corrupt regimes, criminal organizations, or systemic injustice. What makes these stories so appealing to write and read? How do these fights resolve in ways that convey a writer’s message or their characters’ personalities? Does the fight have to be a pitched battle, or could organization and
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Music in Writing Music is a powerful storytelling tool on the big screen, but what about on the page? Can reading about music evoke the same emotions that hearing it does? What are different ways to use music in fiction? Panelists discuss their experiences and share their techniques for hitting the right notes in your
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Mysticism in Science Fiction Tarot readers, seers/prophets, water witches – is there a place for mystics in science fiction beyond either “psionic power” or “delusional kook?” Are there examples of rigorous scientific exploration of mysticism in sci-fi? How might mysticism and speculation be interlinked, and what books take that interconnection seriously? Mark Teppo (M), Leigh
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The fifth panel I went to over the weekend was Saturday’s “Advanced Character Creation“ Character-creation templates, which new writers can download and use, are everywhere on the internet. But what actually goes into making you feel a character’s wounds and triumphs? How do working writers approach character creation? How do you develop a character hook
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My notes from the 11am Saturday panel 4/16/2022 Dames, Damsels, & Dynamite The young ladies of young adult literature are seldom well-behaved. What empowers these budding women? What are the secrets to their success? It’s more than just dynamite or lacing up combat boots. This panel will help tell us what makes these women explode
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At Noon on Friday was the panel “The Legal Ramifications of Monster Hunting” This was a fun one. The panelists were all lawyers, iirc. From the program guide: Paranormal stories, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, and Wynonna Earp, often feature slayers and hunters of vampires, demons, and other supernatural monsters. But if that sort of thing
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