On My Loncon 3 Attendance This Year
Posted on June 3, 2014 Posted by John Scalzi 29 Comments
Sorry, my UK friends and fans: Sadly, I won’t be attending Loncon 3 this year.
The reason for this is pretty simple: my novel Lock In comes out on August 26 (August 28 in the UK), and on that day I start a four week book tour here in the US. Before that date I’ll be doing some appearances and promo and PR work. I’m also, importantly, writing a novel, which needs to be done so you can all have it next year. I’m trying to get as much work done on it before that I do those four weeks on the road. I can write on the road, and do, but not as much, and frankly not as well, as I do at home.
Loncon 3 is August 14 – 18, and travel to/from will eat up an additional day on either side, plus jet lag, travel fatigue, etc. That’s basically a week out of my schedule, a week before a long tour, with a book on deadline. Knowing myself as I do, I wouldn’t expect I would get a lot of writing done in that interim week between Loncon and my tour.
Essentially, attending Loncon means six weeks of not getting work done (or of getting it done particularly effectively). At this point, given my scheduling for the year, and the scheduling of the book I’m writing, in terms of deadlines and its release in 2015, I just can’t afford that much time out of the production schedule.
And it’s killing me. I was an early and enthusiastic supporter of the Loncon 3 bid, and have been very much looking forward to what would be my first trip to London, which is a city I’ve wanted to visit for, well, pretty much forever. I’ve been looking at my schedule of commitments and my writing schedule, trying to find a way to convince myself that I could make the travel and the writing work. But realistically, it’s not going to work, and I have to lock in my August schedule now.
So: Sorry, UK. Have fun without me.
(sobs)
But! I swear on everything that is good and pure that I will find some way over to you soon(ish). Because I want to, and because it would be fun, and because London, which I want to see and experience. It will happen. Just not this particular Worldcon.
But you’d promised I could put you in a Regency dress again. Think about the PRIORITIES.
Yeah, me neither; just can’t figure out a way to afford the trip. Some days being a responsible grownup totally sucks.
I was at EasterCon in England last year to launch my first novel and spent three days after in London. It’s all that and more. (Like you, I had wanted to see it for many years. Obviously, I’m very glad I did.) Do yourself a favour and get to the city at the soonest opportunity. It’s a treat.
Aww nuts. I *still* haven’t properly met you. Just walked on by you (while you were brain-dead) at a 4th Street Fantasy.
But its totally understandable. You’ve got book!
You said “I have to lock in my August schedule now.” Ha, I see what you did there. Sneaky self promo of the next book.
London is great. But coming to London for a 4 day convention on the outskirts (ExCeL is not that close to any place you’d want to see) and going directly home would allow you to see… very little of London. Come when you have time to really see the place.
…so does that mean a visit to GenCon is on the table?
Rick:
Depending on how far I’m along with writing, I might pop over to GenCon for a day. It’s driveable.
Ahh, well, deadlines happen…
Mary, you bring the dress and I promise you both an appropriate time slot during Sasquan. Stroll with the Stars, perhaps? ;->
I could put you in touch with the 2015 Eastercon guest wranglers of you wanted.
Seconding what Naath said: There’s not much within easy distance of the con that’s worth looking at unless you’re a BIG fan of modern architecture. I think the closest things of general tourist interest are the Greenwich museums (the Observatory and the Cutty Sark) which are 14 stops and two changes on the DLR by the most direct route. If you were planning on using the con as a way of seeing London, you would have been disappointed.
Nickpheas:
I suspect they already have their 2015 guests situation squared away, but thank you.
Oh bother, I was going to try and convince you to go to my favourite London Museum, the Transport Museum. Because Trains. And if I could convince you to visit Oxford, the wonderful boxes full of stuff in the Pitt Rivers collections. (There is no better description, they have lots of boxes full of all kinds of interesting stuff. This includes shrunken heads and an entire boat made out of soda cans.)
Sorry you can’t make it.
If you have not decided what to do with your membership you might look at http://www.loncon3.org/con_or_bust.php. Basically you can donate an attending membership and get a free supporting membership.
What Mary Robinette Kowal said. There go my hopes to use you as a model in the historical costuming track.
Oh, you have all my sympathy! We’re being responsible adults as well, and I HATE it. I want to go back SOOO badly!
Bah humbug. I was looking forward to meeting you. And then there is Eurocon in Dublin right after… oh well…. [sulk mcpoutyface]
Completely understandable, but you will be missed. Perhaps a mini plush version of yourself will have to make the trip in your stead? *eyes pile of fabric*
Just chiming in to say that London may well be my favorite city on earth — and that you need to get there when you can actually be there, and actually do things in the city. Sorry you can’t make it (me neither), but I do urge you to plan a family vacation to London as soon as you can. It’s really a wonderful place.
My wife & I spent a few days in London last November. Everything we had dreamed of, and more. If we ever go back again, we wanna do it for two weeks. Hope you can make it happen sometime!
I’m sorry you’re having to miss out on something you were looking forward to. That’s always a bummer.
Did I miss the posting of your tour schedule, or is it not up yet?
Surely you could bribe/blackmail your publisher into tacking some signing appearances in England onto your tour schedule…
And yes, I know you’re not Shirley!
You still do all your own writing? Seriously? You’re a brand now. Have The Wife handle the outlining of your genius ideas. Have The Daughter write the first drafts. Get your money’s worth out of your editor and have them polish things up.
You’ve got to streamline and focus on marketing; developing the merchandise (world and character merch, plus the narcissistic stuff (bobble head dolls and what not)).
You’ve earned first-class world travel, coke and hooker parties, and fawning adulators.
(You know, unless you just prefer 40′ limos to the airport that lawn is big enough for your own helicopter pad.)
Kickstarter to fund John’s first class trip to loncon 3 and to pay for a hotel suite. You skipped the ‘flying to london is expensive’ part as well.
I just got my hugo voter packet. This is slightly off topic, but not controversial and not far. I was pretty disappointed in the best editor content. There just isn’t enough to go on. The short form editing had some of the stories. I will read those. However, how do I tell if the stories were helped by great editing? Wouldn’t it be better if the packet include a couple pages from some of the authors who worked with this person detailing how this person helped?
How do you guys vote on best editor? John is in the business, so my guess is that he talks business with other authors, editors, etc… and gets the scoop on good editors. What about the fan base?
oh btw… Baen included all 3 books in Larry Correias series in the voter packet as well. I was going to read the first too since I didn’t think I would enjoy or get a good feel for the last one by itself. Some of the other material in the packet is pretty cool too. Its worth buying a voting membership just for the material.
if anyone is wondering the Orbit books give about 150 page sample. The Wheel of time one is in 1 .epub which is cool. The quality of the maps is the only beef. They are small. but i was totall WoT geeking out and reading bits and pieces I have not read in years. I was up until 2 AM doing this…
Pshaw, Mary! Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, you can send John a trunk with eight-and-twenty days of becoming ensembles that will win him admiration the length and breadth of the American colonies. In return, Mr Scalzi will repay your gracious condescension with frequent electric-letters containing daguerreotypes of him in the very pink of fashion. What could be more agreeable than that?
Bummer. And fully understood.
+1 on “When will the tour schedule be available?”
Boo hoo! We were looking forward to seeing you John, but totally understand that you have to WRITE! Just promise us that you won’t wait until the next LonCon to come over: there seems to be a 50 year gap between London Worldcons!