So my sister One Amahira and I are finally looking to take our fanfic workshop panel out of the SoCal area. Assuming our panel gets approved, Fanime will be both our largest convention to date as well as furthest from home. (Our prior conventions have been MikomiCon for several years, and PMX in 2010. We're on for Anime Conji in San Diego this month, and pending approval for Ani-Jam in Fresno in August.)
The two of us got started doing a fanfic workshop at MikomiCon after being repeatedly disappointed by fanfiction panels at Anime Expo: the panels we attended generally would take it completely for granted that everyone in attendance would already know all the basics, and offered very little useful advice for fanauthors looking to improve on their work.
We've already got a general outline for our panel's content: things like tips to avoid the "Mary Sue" cliché, ways to overcome writers' block, advice for publishing work online, and a lot of general creative writing advice ranging from characterization of good guys, creating convincing antagonists, and world-building. The legal issues with fanfiction, some of the various jargon associated with it, and other such topics also get some discussion. At prior conventions we've had it in the program and stuff that people are welcome and encouraged to bring samples of their own work to discuss, though thus far only a couple have been brave enough (or remembered to bring their stuff!) We don't bite, promise! :D
Depending on the panel slot(s?) we might get, the panel may be run as a 2-hour single panel covering the entire range of topics, or possibly a 2-hour beginner/intermediate panel and a 1-hour advanced panel. Or heck, a series of 1 hour panels for beginner/intermediate/advanced respectively.
What I'm curious about is how many people would be interested in attending? What sort of fanfiction related stuff would you like to see addressed at the panel?
The two of us got started doing a fanfic workshop at MikomiCon after being repeatedly disappointed by fanfiction panels at Anime Expo: the panels we attended generally would take it completely for granted that everyone in attendance would already know all the basics, and offered very little useful advice for fanauthors looking to improve on their work.
We've already got a general outline for our panel's content: things like tips to avoid the "Mary Sue" cliché, ways to overcome writers' block, advice for publishing work online, and a lot of general creative writing advice ranging from characterization of good guys, creating convincing antagonists, and world-building. The legal issues with fanfiction, some of the various jargon associated with it, and other such topics also get some discussion. At prior conventions we've had it in the program and stuff that people are welcome and encouraged to bring samples of their own work to discuss, though thus far only a couple have been brave enough (or remembered to bring their stuff!) We don't bite, promise! :D
Depending on the panel slot(s?) we might get, the panel may be run as a 2-hour single panel covering the entire range of topics, or possibly a 2-hour beginner/intermediate panel and a 1-hour advanced panel. Or heck, a series of 1 hour panels for beginner/intermediate/advanced respectively.
What I'm curious about is how many people would be interested in attending? What sort of fanfiction related stuff would you like to see addressed at the panel?