WriterConUK - open for business!

[curiouswombat]

The committee - namely gillo, daiseechain and me - have got the hotel booked and figured out how to get a PayPal button thing so that people can pay - so we are open for business. (Doing the PayPal bit was exciting for me - I was quite proud of myself when I did that - and even more amazed when Daisee and S2C tried it and it worked!)

For those on my Friends List who have no idea what I am talking about - a resumé;

A long, long time ago, in a Galaxy far away... well, actually six or seven years ago, on LJ, lots of American fandom people used to be so excited about something called WriterCon.

They met each other - by the hundred! They had breakfast together! And dinner! They had speakers and were all terribly serious about panels and presentations... and we small band of non-Americans were really rather jealous.

A small group of wonderful folk (I can say that, as I wasn't one of them!) decided, instead of just being envious, to see whether they could organise something similar - which is why it was called WriterConUK.

To be perfectly honest I don't think we are really quite like the US one.

A quick check list of similarities and differences -

We meet each other - but only up to a maximum of 40 of us! We have breakfast together! And dinner! And chocolate! And partake of alcohol!

And then there is the They had speakers and were all terribly serious about panels and presentations...

Um - we have speakers - they are us. We are not terribly serious, but we do learn a lot about fandom related stuff - the art of writing drabbles, how to be a good beta, coping with writer's block, making icons, things readers hate... all have been covered over the years - here and here are the last couple of programmes. But we have also done a sing-along version of a Buffy episode, and made models of Tardis... And we have a raffle, because we are, mostly, Brits - and a multi-fandom quiz (bring your own questions) and have personalised goody bags!

I really think our small get together might be more fun than the American version, to be honest.

You don't have to be a writer - just a fan - of any fandom - or just of Lj itself. And if you have never met any of the LJ community face to face before you really will still find you are amongst friends straight away - it is most certainly not cliquey!

For the full details on this year's get together click here - and then see if you have the first weekend in August free...

Comments

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

You can't have a do without a raffle!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! (I already have a raffle prize - I bought it before Christmas going 'Yay! WriterCon Raffle!')

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

I have something too. There'll be two prizes at least.

[quinara]

ALCOHOL! RAFFLE!!!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

We have our priorities right we do...!

[quinara]

It's true at least that I tend to go for the prizes that combine the two...

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Was it nice, the bottle you got last year?

[quinara]

Oh, yes, very - I had it with some friends. Half an hour (or something) in the freezer and it came out a treat!

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

It sounds like lots of fun and just my cup of tea. Pity I live in Rio.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is fun - such a shame it's a bit far for you to commute!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I think I'd like your WriterCon better than ours, too. LOL I'd give the alcohol a miss but that'd just leave more room for the chocolate. *g*

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It really is fun - tiring, as we are almost all inclined to sit up for ages gossiping engaging in deep meaningful discussions...

[engarian.livejournal.com]

It would be such a delight to go, unfortunately I am across the pond and funds/time/etc simply isn't available. But that's OK, you can party harder to party for me in absentia.

- Erulisse (one L)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It's fun - and such a mixed bag of people - for example the spread of ages last year was over 40 years and there must have been half a dozen fandoms.

We have twice had visitors from the US as it has fitted in to planned vacations - but otherwise we just share the party with you all virtually - which is fitting, of course.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wish I could go to this -- sounds like a blast.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It really is fun - we do learn things from our speakers, but it is as much about the friendship as the learning and I don't think anyone has ever ended up feeling lonely.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

That's usually the best part of these events!

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'll register as soon as I get a moment or three, but in the meantime, I am so gakking this. *g*

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Gak away!

[lilachigh.livejournal.com]

just registered - but do I send cheque to you direct and who do I make it out to? I suppose I could find all this out by looking, but writing to you is easier! Oh and there will be a Dr Who scarf for the raffle! Maybe 2.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I've sent you a message with the details.

And Oh! Dr Who scarf!

[raingirl26.livejournal.com]

so wish i could wheee it up with you, but i'm of the american side (but don't go to writerCon, not being a writer or anything) and can't travel very much for multiple reasons - money not being the least.

sounds like so much fun (and i agree, probably much more fun than the new world version). and congrats on getting the paypal thing going. hope you'll let us know how it goes after your august date.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is a really good weekend - although it will probably be less relaxed from my viewpoint, being one of the organisers this year. There will certainly be feedback in August.

[raingirl26.livejournal.com]

are there pics of the tardis's?

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I'm sure someone took some - but I'm afraid I didn't....

[raingirl26.livejournal.com]

hey! last night my husband started reading pooh to our 12 year old son (who couldn't sit still for it earlier) and your icon is from the first chapter!! i'm, of course, sitting in for the bedtime story as i can never get enough of pooh.