OOC: Arisia

[sythyry]

OOC: For chaotic reasons, I'm going to go to Arisia this year. As a vacation. Alone. Not even running games, for once.

So ... Help!

[Poll #895646]

Comments

[read-alicia.livejournal.com]

Here's the dilemma... oh Gods yes, networking is everything in publishing. However, as an individual of finite energy and low charisma, I find myself twitching on the floor at the thought of it. I have a better idea of how it works in the indie-queer publishing circuit than the sci-fi circuit, but here are a few suggestions.
If the written word serves you better than the spoken word, use it. Submit your novel (or sections of it) to contests and get all the nominations you can. Ask anyone you know, or your friends know, who have been published to submit quotes about your novel, and put together a sales package to hand out or mail to publishers/agents. Pimp World Tree - sales figures (no matter what they are), awards, quotes, etc. - and also sythyry.
Basically, get out the word about you, and/or develop a press kit - then start bugging publishers, agents and such.

As far as networking goes, the people I know who can claim networking as a major source of their success (Tristan Taormino, Charlie Anders, Patrick Califia, Michelle Tea, etc.) all weren't just writing novels. They had columns, magazines, worked on outreach programs, and so forth. They stayed busy in order to keep visible.

sythyry is a similar institution. You are a figure of renown, even if minor. If you're going to Arisia, I am thinking that pimping out sythyry ("and by the way, I have a new book too!") via business cards would be a great idea. Go to the dealer's room (and hall upstairs) and pass out cards - see if you can leave any out. Sometimes they'll let you. Just don't focus on publishers at Arisia specifically - pimp your work in general and if you happen to run across any publishers on the way, just give them a card and let it be.

By the way, I volunteer to help provide quotes if you need any. I'm up for a James Tiptree Jr. award, so I can be one bullet on your page of quotes, if necessary.