Dispatches from Readercon 2015

It was a pretty eventful Readercon for BSFW.  We went down there with our largest posse yet, twelve writers strong. Three members, Mark Salzwedel, Marcy Arlin, and Bradley Robert Parks read their stories and poetry at the convention, and I was invited to speak on a panel. The next five posts on the blog were written by some of the writers who went to Readercon 2015. 


Bradley Robert Parks will introduce you to "Solar Punk," a brand new sub-genre that is both an extension of the steam-punk brand as well as an answer to the glut of post apocalyptic stories that currently take center stage.  

Christophe Maso will discuss his experience as a virgin Readerconner and his take away from the "If Magic Were Real," panel.  Marcy Arlin, a Readercon veteran will take you inside the more intimate and interactive world of the kaffeeklatches and the leading writers and editors you'd find there.  

Mark Salzwedel will examine the key elements of making your aliens not only plausibly, but also how to avoid the pitfalls that so many writers fall into when experimenting with creating sufficiently original, alien perspectives. Finally, I'll discuss lessons learned from my favorite panel of the convention, "Toxic Masculinity," including what exactly that means, social ramifications,  and how to avoid it in your writing. Check it out, we'll be posting links to videos, books, authors, and resources along the way.

-Cameron Roberson