I had written a post before Anticipation (Worldcon 2009) about being a panelist at a convention, and a couple of people have approached me since about general suggestions for first-time convention attendees.
Most of these suggestions assume that you’re a professional in the field, or an aspiring professional, but I think they can be applied all around.
1. There will always be someone More Important Than You, and More Successful Than You. Don’t be bitter toward these people for having what you want, and don’t cling to them to try to find out their secrets and soak in some of their wisdom or karma. They’re just people, just like we are, and sometimes it’s a relief to them to be treated like normal people. Treat them politely and as equals, and you’ll find that they’ll treat you politely and as equals, back.
2. Most of the people at a smaller, writer-biased convention are there to network, just like you are. If you’re talking to someone and a person you know approaches, don’t just wave or make them wait. If you don’t know for a fact that they know each other, introduce them and include them. Most conventions supply nametags, which make this a simple task. A professional or personal introduction can go a very, very long way. Everyone should do this, and it surprises and upsets me that more people don’t. By introducing people you know from different circles, or introducing people you know to new contacts, you’re spreading the habit and encouraging them to do the same. You’d want that introduction if it was your friend talking to someone cool. Offer them the courtesy, and you’ll be more likely to receive it from them.
3. If you’re representing yourself as a professional, look and act the part. Dress a little better than the average con-goer. It may mean that you don’t get to wear the witty t-shirt or let your cleavage hang out, but if you want to make a professional impression on people, unless those things are part of the persona you’re choosing to adopt, a nice business-casual look might be better suited. A shirt with a collar or a blouse with jeans, or slacks, can still be in a color scheme and style that don’t brand you as a total outsider, while making you look classy. Be conscious of your personal hygiene, too. Don’t torture the person you’re talking to with your garlic breath from lunch! You’ll always end up meeting the person you most want to meet when you’re least prepared to meet them, so I use that as a guide: dress the way you’d want to be dressed to meet that person, at all times.
3a. Take care of yourself. Most conventions are at hotels and convention centers – places surrounded by cheap fast food, expensive fast food, and little else. Stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and remember that caffeine, sugar, alcohol and carbs aren’t the only food groups, even if you do need to range a little further afield, or pay a little more, for the rest. Remember your vegetables and your vitamins, and your body will thank you.
4. Have a business card, a bookmark, some kind of something to hand to people. Carry them in your pocket or somewhere else in convenient reach, in some kind of protected way so that they’re not going to look like they’ve been in your pocket all day, but keep one extra card outside that container and flush to it, so that if you’ve only got a moment, you can hand off a card without having to fumble for it and make someone wait. Some conventions give out badge holders that are designed really nicely for this.
5. The best way to track down someone Important is to look them up in the programming guide, attend their reading, panel, or signing. If it’s a signing, you’ve got a few dedicated moments of their time, but it also brands you as a fan and not an equal. If you hang around after a reading or a panel, they’re in their “on” time then, unlike when they’re heading out for dinner with their friends or family, and they’re probably going to expect to be approached. If they’ve got a time commitment and they have to run off to something else, accept it gracefully. It happens. Otherwise, wait patiently with the other people who are hanging around to have a word with them, introduce yourself and say hello when it’s your turn.
5a. If you’re approaching someone Important as an equal, introduce yourself with your professional credentials, offer them your card if you can, and compliment them on some aspect of the talk they’ve just done. Don’t hand them something to sign. That instantly brands you as a fan. There’s nothing wrong with being a fan, but a fan is not an equal. If you want to be seen as an equal, forego the autograph just this once. The personal connection you could potentially make with them is more important.
6. Time can really get away from you at a convention. Flip through the schedule ahead of time, or in a quiet moment. If there are things you really want to do or see, list them out for yourself and keep aware of your list, or you’ll probably end up missing some of the things you were looking forward to. My list always has a few interesting options, where available, for each time slot. If I end up skipping the ones I’m not as into, that’s fine, but if I find myself at loose ends, or if I’m with a group wondering where to go, I have access to something I think would be interesting, or that features someone I’d like to see, without having to dig through the schedule for it.
7. Talk to strangers. Conventions are great opportunities to meet people with like interests and unexpected connections in common. You will miss out if you don’t network with new people. Even if they aren’t Big Name Important People, they may still have a lot to offer and there’s still potential for a friendship or even a professional opportunity that may surprise you. You never know what someone else does, or who they know! Going to a convention with a group of friends or colleagues is a lot of fun, but step outside your circle, too. Talk to the person next to you in line. Maybe they’ve traveled a long way, or have an interesting story to share. At the very least, it’ll be an engaging way to pass the time.
8. Be very aware of body language. If someone’s eyes start glazing over, if they start looking around and beyond you, or angling themselves away from you, it’s time to thank them gracefully and let them go. It’s uncomfortable to be cornered, and it’s uncomfortable to watch someone being cornered. I’ve been held hostage after panels by people who “don’t hear” my polite nudging that I have somewhere to be, or in one case, wouldn’t let me go even when a colleague came to take me away to our next scheduled event. Don’t be the guy (or girl) that people need to escape from.
9. Have fun! Don’t attend a convention with a checklist of people to talk to, or you’ll stress about it and forget to enjoy yourself. A convention, and even a panel, never turns out exactly the way you plan, and it’s the parts that deviate from your expectations that usually turn out to be the best and most memorable parts. Go with the flow, have fun, meet who you meet, and remember that you can’t be everywhere at once and you can’t do everything there is to do. Enjoy being where you are, and remember that there’s always the next one to do the things you miss out on.
