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A few virtual convention observations:
1. Not scheduling 502987892798347 things in the same hour is a good thing. You can curate the content and produce a better experience.
2. Using Discord or Slack for attendee conversations and interactions helps build community.
1. Not scheduling 502987892798347 things in the same hour is a good thing. You can curate the content and produce a better experience.
2. Using Discord or Slack for attendee conversations and interactions helps build community.
2a. Also: using Discord or Slack to create other spaces for attendees to do things, such as by-request writing rooms or conversation Zooms = a really REALLY smart idea.
The community building aspect of virtual cons is probably the most impressive aspect of 2020.
The community building aspect of virtual cons is probably the most impressive aspect of 2020.
3. More conventions should stream versions that can run in the background on your phone like a podcast.
Mostly, this is for folks like me. I don't really get anything from watching faces, and the benefit of a virtual con is its portability. I can go on a walk and listen.
Mostly, this is for folks like me. I don't really get anything from watching faces, and the benefit of a virtual con is its portability. I can go on a walk and listen.
3. (cont) However, some virtual cons only seem to have a video stream that has to be loaded direct or it will stop immediately or eventually boot you out. Some of that is just the existing tech, of course. But I'd like to see more like podcast-style convention-ing some day.
3. (cont cont) Part of this is also the fact that I don't attend a lot of panels at in-person cons because I have a real tough time staying awake when I'm just sitting and listening. My body has to be doing something or I just turn into a zombie. Anywho.
4. #FIYAHCON is almost a perfect model for how any virtual con going forward should be done. Every single convention on Earth should be begging them for their notes. It's *not* perfect, but it's pretty damn close. And I know if they do this again, next time will be even better.
5. Curated content is, frankly, always better than "we'll just throw everything against the wall" content. For one, it's easier to manage on the part of con runners (less stuff; less logistics; far kinder to your staff who have to do all the management).
5a. Two, curated content means you can focus your convention. So if you have a theme, you don't need to scramble for 89729874 other panels that vaguely relate. You can get away from the hyper general panels to the real sexy digger panels. It's good.
5b. Three, curate content means you can make interesting choices about who you involve in your panels. There's less of the mad scramble to fill panels with people or make sure your 897987239847 panelists each have something. You've got 30 panels and 120 slots. Fin.
5c. Four, curated content means your staff have less to worry about when the con actually runs. Virtual tools are finnicky assholes...
None of this is to say that curated virtual cons are easy. It's still tough. There's still a lot of logistical nonsense to deal with.
None of this is to say that curated virtual cons are easy. It's still tough. There's still a lot of logistical nonsense to deal with.
6. Virtual cons completely destroy any argument that it is hard to find diverse panelists. While time zones and tech are limiting factors to a degree, virtual cons do remove most of the other "arguments" about diversity being hard for cons.
6a. Like, you can literally reach out to anyone now. "Hey, we'd really like more folks who can speak to the black South for these panels on Southern SF/F. Let's reach out to X, Y, and Z." And then the only limits there are time, availability, and tech. Not geography.
6b. Basically, any virtual convention that does not have a very clearly diverse list of panelists is a convention that isn't trying. And now, more than ever, it's fucking obvious how much they weren't trying and never did try.
7. Virtual cons going forward are probably going to need to have some conversations about how professional they want to appear. In physical spaces, you have more control over the actual space; in virtual spaces, people are likely in their homes with all the distractions.
7a. Depending on your audience, this may or may not lead to issues. I know I personally struggle real hard with panels where there's a lot of background noise. It's just a thing that I can't get over. I can't unhear it. My brain just hyper focuses on those sounds.
7b. But, y'know, not everyone has that issue, so it may just mean that cons that don't make it a thing to tell panelists to do their best to be in a quiet space probably won't be virtual cons I can attend. It is what it is.
8. All of this comes down to this:
Virtual cons are not perfect and we're still figuring it all out.
Virtual cons ARE cons I am more likely to attend because I actually get WAY more out of it than in-person cons (exceptions exist, of course).
Virtual cons are totally disruptive
Virtual cons are not perfect and we're still figuring it all out.
Virtual cons ARE cons I am more likely to attend because I actually get WAY more out of it than in-person cons (exceptions exist, of course).
Virtual cons are totally disruptive
