This week I’m attending and speaking at the Historical Novel Society NA Conference. It’s virtual this year, of course. The conference designers have cleverly exploited the benefits of that online existence to make up for some of the downsides.
Catching up with Friends
Usually at HNS there are a couple of preliminary days during which the conference offers extra-cost master classes. Some people would come early just for socializing during those lead up days. For many of us, the favorite aspect of this every-other-year conference is catching up with historical fiction writer friends from around the country.
A New Way to Interact
This year, the first three days of an extended conference are full of “conversation rooms” and “author spotlights.” I’m guessing the thinking was that there’s no hotel to pay for, so why not spread it out. These semi-informal interactions are scheduled along with the usual excellent selection of master classes for difference skill levels and experience of writers.
The conversation rooms I attended are actually working out well. Different moderators handled them in their own manner, one highly structured, the others more free flowing. They were all fun. I was surprised at the quality of conversations. I haven’t always found Zoom the most conducive place for that. By the end of Monday, I had a genuine sense of sitting around listening and interacting with some key writer friends. I picked up the usual tidbits of good advice and wisdom, but more importantly I felt connected to the larger historical fiction world as I haven’t felt in months.
HNS Conference Initial Success
Score a good day, thanks to the hard work of people like my excellent editor Jenny Quinlan who is Conference Chair, along with many others. My favorite part of my favorite conference is happening. I’d still prefer to sit around a table face to face with my friends. I’m missing the quiet conversations in this corner or that of a hotel venue, but it’s pretty darn good. Thank you!
My speaking schedule:
Wednesday
Moderating the Fantasy and Alt History conversation room
Friday
Shaking up Time’s Flowing Streams: Writing Ancient and Medieval Historical Fiction panel discussion with Eileen Stephenson, Tinney Sue Heath, James Martin, Judith Starkston
Sunday
Making the Fantastical Real, my workshop/talk on how fantasy writers use history
For a post on the last conference I attended.