Writing tickets

For this year’s WisCon I figured that with such an overcrowded progam full of the likes of Samuel R. Delany, Nalo Hopkinson, Ursula Le Guin, Vonda McIntyre, Lois McMaster Bujold, Geoff Ryman, Kate Wilhelm, Jane Yolen and etc. etc. it would be a good idea for me to not do a reading. I’d step aside and make room for the lumies and the up-and-coming writers such as Meghan McCarron and Lauren McLaughlin (just to name two of my faves).

Plus, I really hate doing readings. Ugh! And there are enough occasions throughout the year when I can’t skip ‘em. I’m glad I did. I’d've been so stressed about it . . . So phew.

I also decided to skip out on the sign out which is the massive signing held on the last day where all the published writers sit with pens poised ready to scribble their name on whatever their readers want. Again, I was thinking about making room, if only for Ursula Le Guin’s massive queue. And such a queue it was curling around and around the enormous ballroom!

But I was also having a fit of the Australians and thinking that putting my name down for it was kind of writing tickets. I mean I haven’t been publishing for that long—my pro fiction career’s only 14 months long—I’m not that well known, don’t have many books, who do I think I am anyway?

But on the second day someone asked me if I’d be at the sign out. I started to say, “Well, you know, I figured there was no need—”

“Really?” they responded. “Because it’s so convenient to just take my books along and get them signed all at once. Otherwise I’ll have to walk around with your book, hoping to run into you again.”

“Oh,” I said, not having thought of it like that. “Sure, I’ll do the sign out.”

In all the discussion about self-promotion and what’s appropriate we not-hugely-successful writers forget that we do, in fact, have readers. That there are people who really, really want our signatures on their copies of our books. Just like I’m extraordinarily glad that I have books signed by the likes of Octavia Butler, Angela Carter, Dorothy Dunnett, Karen Joy Fowler and Kelly Link. Those are all books that mean a huge amount to me. The signature of their authors makes them that extra bit special.

I don’t know why this is so, but it is. I guess it’s the idea that Butler or Carter or Dunnett once touched these books that I own that sends a thrill through me. No matter how daggy that sounds. And in the case of Link and Fowler, who I know personally, I read their inscriptions and am instantly reminded of our friendship, of times spent together talking and bitching about writing, love, life and etc.

So I did the sign out and despite a cold and fatigue, I enjoyed it. I sat between John Scalzi and Nalo Hopkinson and in the lulls between signing we gossiped and giggled together. I signed for a young Japanese PhD student, writing about James Tiptree, Jr. who was a big admirer of The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction, for the wonderful Deb Stone who spends her working hours battling the demons of censorship, and for a teenage girl who was maybe fourteen or fifteen years old—maybe younger—who came up to me just as I was putting my pen away, clutching a copy of Magic or Madness.

Was I still signing? she asked tentatively. Sure I was. So I did and then her father took a photograph of her beaming beside me, MorM still in hand and I was even more glad I decided to do the sign out after all. And that I’d finally gotten it through my thick head that sometimes this writing game isn’t about the author at all.

Posted by Justine at 1:18, 1 June 2006 under Fans & readers, Vainglory | 18 Comments »

Comments

cherie priest Says:

Hey beautiful! Are you in the midst of changing the blog? It came up as “westerblog” but now the comments field is in your old style. I’m tired and frazzled, yet, so maybe I’m just having a brain fart …

June 1st, 2006 at 6:11 PM
2. Justine Says:

Working on making Scott’s blog less generic and field testing the changes here rather than over on his high-traffic blog. Sorry for causing alarm.

June 1st, 2006 at 6:17 PM
Darice Says:

I’m not big on getting all my books signed (unlike a friend of mine who collects signed first editions — she’s always got a pile of extremely pristine-looking books to be signed). However, if I particularly enjoy a book and I know the author and I will be in the same vicinity, I’ll bring the book — luggage weight permitting; I got the dreaded “heavy” tag flying out to WisCon!

Partially, I have books signed because I enjoyed reading them, and you’re right, the signature/inscription makes them that little extra bit special. But partially, I do it because I like to talk to the authors whose work I liked, and the books provide a nice conversation opener. (This was especially true when I was new to the con experience and kind of dumbstruck at the idea that you could go up and talk to someone about their book, and they wouldn’t look at you pityingly and/or call for security. At least, no one’s called for security yet…)

June 1st, 2006 at 10:02 PM
oyceter Says:

I’m very glad you went to the sign out!

June 2nd, 2006 at 12:51 AM
5. Justine Says:

Darice: I’m with you. The book has to mean something to me for the author’s signature to add anything to it. Having a personally signed book that you don’t actually like. Eek. That just means your stuck with it for life, unable to sell it for fear of being busted by the writer what signed it for you.

Oyceter: Thank you. Me, too!

June 2nd, 2006 at 1:02 AM
rjurik Says:

wish i was at wiscon too. next year maybe. i’ll bring my copy of magic or madness too, to make you do a signing. (:

Rju

June 2nd, 2006 at 3:06 AM
7. Justine Says:

Rjurik: Yeah you really need to travel thousands of ks to get me to sign a book for you.

Course I won’t actually be attending next year’s WisCon because I’ll be in Melbourne. Doesn’t a Mr Rjurik Davidson live in Melbourne? Or will you be a French resident by then?

June 2nd, 2006 at 3:12 AM
cherie priest Says:

Haha! No alarm. Just general confusion – pretty much a permanent state for me, these days.

June 2nd, 2006 at 12:35 PM
nalo Says:

I’m glad that your readers helped you to figure some of it out, gorgeous, because I read the first three paragraphs of this post all agog. “Doesn’t she _want_ readers?” I was thinking. And sometimes people don’t and that’s fine, but you went to all the trouble of finding publishers and getting your books published. I couldn’t figure out why you would do that, only to sabotage people’s excellent efforts to tell the world about your writing. And you know, sometimes it is about the writer. Didn’t it make you feel all warm and melty inside that those people cared enough about your books to buy them and to come and ask you to autograph them? I always feel so darn grateful for that when it happens. Keeps me slogging through the days when I think it’s all shite.

June 2nd, 2006 at 1:57 PM
10. Justine Says:

Nalo: I should’ve made it clear that everythin above was about doing promotery stuff at WisCon in particular. I’ve been doing a lot over the last year: signing, reading etc. etc. and have mostly really enjoyed it. WisCon, however, isn’t really a hub of young adult lit fans, you know? So I was kind of figuring I could take a bit of a break. Especially in the context of this year’s WisCon with you and Chip and Ursula Le Guin and Geoff Ryman and etc. etc. it just felt like I could let up for a bit.

Does that make sense?

June 3rd, 2006 at 12:23 AM
nalo Says:

The bit about taking a break certainly makes sense. I bet you’re getting a sense though of how many adults read YA fiction!

June 4th, 2006 at 2:03 AM
12. Justine Says:

Nalo: Definitely, not that I’m surprised given how much YA lit I read. I don’t remember the last time I read an “adult” book.

June 4th, 2006 at 4:05 PM
Helen Says:

Dear Dr Larbalestier,

Could I please make an appointment to meet with you somewhere in Australia sometime in the next couple of years to get my MorM signed?

I am writing this pathetic fanmail as I recognise that I am never going to finish that 3,000 word catch up email to you I keep starting… but think about you heaps, miss you heaps and still love ‘ya!

tho of course i kinda don’t cos y’all were at wiscon and I couldn’t go – again! So naturally I’m punishing myself by looking at lots of pics on flickr…

(and hey Nalo – if you’re ever on this side of the world again – I’ve got a biiiig backlog of yours to be signed )

June 4th, 2006 at 9:49 PM
nalo Says:

Hleen! Hello!

June 5th, 2006 at 2:32 PM
Helen Says:

Hi Nalo!! I’ll come over to your blog and say hello properly -
helen

June 5th, 2006 at 9:31 PM
Robyn Hook Says:

It’s good that you are modest, but don’t worry about getting out there! I met you briefly at the ?2002 Brisbane writers festival while with Ron Serdiuk, on a day I was completeely overwhelmed with writer fandom.[ I was shockingly excited that day to tell Thomas Keneally how much I'd enjoyed "Now and in Time to Be". as he walked near me to collect a chair] I found you to be very nice to this reading fan, and I wish you much success. I have “Magic or Madness” currently waiting for me in my to be read pile.

June 12th, 2006 at 4:22 AM
rjurik Says:

yeah, I do live in melbourne you spoilsport. I wanted to come to wiscon, but if you’re not gonna sign my book there, well…(:

June 13th, 2006 at 1:41 AM