Let’s try this again… and keep your fingers crossed that I don’t get sick again until next month.
Held from 24–27 May 2024 both in-person (in Baltimore) and virtually (online), Balticon is on its 58th year! I’ll be on 10 panels (moderating 4 of them) this year from Friday through Sunday. Don’t forget to register for Balticon (online or in-person) here: https://reg.balticon.org/
Friday (May 24)
4:00pm EST: Microfiction and Micropoetry
LOCATION: online
Co-panelists: Wendy Van Camp (moderator), Akua Lezli Hope, D.A. Xiaolin Spires, Mari Ness
What is ultra-short fiction (microfiction), what makes it successful, and what are the markets? Poetry also has a wide variety of ultra-short forms (micropoetry). How do you write micropoetry in SFFH (scifaiku, haibun, horrorku, tanka, etc.) and where do you publish it?
5:30pm EST: How to be a Good Moderator
LOCATION: Gibson Room
Co-panelists: Carl Cipra (moderator), Chris Oakley, Wayland Smith, Daniel M. Kimmel
Moderating a discussion panel at a convention is both easier and harder than it looks. Experienced moderators share their tips, tricks, and guidelines for getting the most out of the panel you’re moderating.
Saturday (May 25)
10:00am EST: Splitting Genres – and Your Audience
LOCATION: Mount Washington Room
Co-panelists: Liz Bosarge (moderator), Emet North, Melissa Scott, David Keener
Writing across genres is challenging. It can be difficult to satisfy the tropes of multiple genres. When you mix audiences it can be hard to meet their differing expectations. So why do it? Because if you’re lucky, you can achieve something different from other stories. Let’s talk about how and why to step off the beaten path.
11:30am EST: Decolonizing Genre Fiction
Location: Online
Co-panelists: Jayrod (moderator), Kemi Ashing-Giwa, Luis Carlos Barragán, Alex Jennings
Colonies always reflect the imprint of whatever governments colonized them. How has Western genre fiction, which historically features themes of colonization, evolved with the rise of decolonization and postcolonialism? How have translated works and works from other cultures affected the conversation around these issues of genre fiction? What stories still need to be told and to what extent are publishers and audiences ready for them?
4:00pm EST: Getting Your Foot in the Door [moderating!]
Location: Guilford Room
Co-panelists: Lezli Robyn, Sheila Williams, Scott H. Andrews
Do you want to publish in magazines, anthologies, online zines? Hear from editors and publishers about what they’re looking for beyond “read the submission guidelines”. Learn techniques and tactics to help you get your work sold to paying markets.
7:00pm EST: International SFF Trends
Location: Online
Co-panelists: Leonardo Espinoza Benavides (moderator), Miguel O. Mitchell, Emad El-Din Aysha
How is SFF from one country different from that of other countries? What elements are commonly found in non-Western SFF that are not in Western SFF? With a developing global society, what changes have we seen in SFF around the world?
Sunday (May 26)
10:00am EST: Storytelling in Unusual Formats [moderating!]
Location: Gibson Room
Co-panelists: Emet North, dave ring, Alex Shvartsman, Elektra Hammond
Epistolary novels (do text messages count?), second-person narratives, footnotes that build worlds, and even stories written entirely as indices or questionnaire answers… any form the written word takes can be used for fiction. What is gained when an author moves beyond standard prose fiction? At what point does it serve the story being told, and when is it just a gimmick?
1:00pm EST: SFF as Mythology [moderating!]
Location: Mount Washington Room
Co-panelists: Tom Doyle, Sarah Avery, Jean Marie Ward, Jessica Morán
SFF frequently involves larger forces than humanity — super intelligent aliens, AIs, powerful magic users, etc. Does SFF appeal to some of the same yearnings as the spiritual? Can SFF replace active spiritual practice for some people? What in SFF speaks to the transcendent?
2:30pm EST: Finding the Right Writers’ Group – Online and IRL
Location: Guilford Room
Co-panelists: Adeena Mignogna (moderator), David Keener, Bryant O’Hara
One of the most important relationships a writer can have is with their writers’ group. Thanks to modern technology, writers’ groups are available online and IRL in a wide range of genres and geographical areas. How does a writer find a group that’s right for them, and how do they get the most out of it?
4:00pm EST: Social Anxiety and the Modern Fan [moderating!]
Location: Pride of Baltimore II
Co-panelists: Ken Schraeder, Elwin Cotman, Tavair Dominque, AD Boorman
Being an introvert in fandom can suck. Cons, parties, and other gatherings are important parts of our community, but not everyone deals with them well. Panelists will discuss ways people with social anxiety (or who are just shy) can make the most out of conventions and community events.
Hope to see you at Balticon in a few weeks! If you see me, feel free to say hi or send a DM!
MOLO WRITES 