[Dragaera] Dragaera Digest, Vol 117, Issue 1

[Calisto via Dragaera]

It sounds like a lot of fun to me but I doubt I’ll be able to make it to Minneapolis for the thing.
I have an idea though that MIGHT make it easier to pull off/ make happen.  
Why not start by attaching your idea to another convention?  In my area, New England, Comic Cons and Sci-Fi Cons
are usually held in Hotels or something like that.  Why not have a MiniCon at a booth somewhere?  Let more know about the mailing list, the website or whatever else.
I understand your all or nothing idea but even a best case scenario will need some time to develop, as fans learn about it and decide to attend plus it seem a lot less risky money wise.  

Steven Brust has written many books but as just one author and as much as I like Brust’s books and writing style I’m just not sure how many fans would come and spend money to attend a VladCon by itself.  Adding to a ski-fi convention that already has a lot of other interests represented might work very well.

Just my $.02

Calisto

> 
> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. What 'cha do'n? (Nov 2017) (Corwin Brust via Dragaera)
>   2. Re: What 'cha do'n? (Nov 2017) (Johne Cook via Dragaera)
>   3. Re: What 'cha do'n? (Nov 2017) (Chris Olson via Dragaera)
>   4. Re: What 'cha do'n? (Nov 2017) (Brian Bertrand via Dragaera)
>   5. Re: What 'cha do'n? (Nov 2017) (Steve Rapaport via Dragaera)
>   6. Re: What 'cha do'n? (Nov 2017) (walker via Dragaera)
>   7. Re: What 'cha do'n? (Nov 2017) (Scott Schultz via Dragaera)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2017 17:43:56 -0600
> From: Corwin Brust via Dragaera <dragaera at lists.dragaera.info>
> To: dragaera at lists.dragaera.info
> Subject: [Dragaera] What 'cha do'n? (Nov 2017)
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAJf-WoQUPHz2y0ZscAr9AGqXtj8j7BeHOJrSvUKpxS4q=HRBeQ at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
> 
> So, here?s an idea which I, myself, have thought of?
> 
> If this threatens to take over the list, I guess DDB or Felix or
> someone can bounce us to fetch our own subscribers, but, so y?allv?e
> had it first?
> 
> Let me know if you might be able to come, to help out, and all of your
> best most and most fun ideas for a Steven Brust focused convention,
> especially as may relate to test balloon for same in Minneapolis, Late
> Fall 2017.
> 
> For a number of years I?ve been discussing with various people the
> concept of creating an SF convention around Steven Brust/Dragaera/Vlad
> Taltos/etc/or so forth.  I now have a --somewhat long-shot-- plan to
> pull together such a thing.  It?s crazy --- isn?t that enough?
> 
> A one-year trial balloon, probably with a reg cap well under 500.
> More like 100.  Maybe 250?  I think 50 should be fine, in terms of
> pulling it off...
> 
> One pro, several fahn guests
> 
> Single track of programing designed by Steven
> 
> Music and gaming, we think.  Probably.
> 
> Food being kinda a thing, thinking fine-dining, Friday and Saturday
> evening maybe? Could potentially be a separate ticket, or something,
> we think, maybe?
> 
> Stream/record programing and music (and cooking?) for supporting
> members who can?t make it after all, people who missed the first year
> should it keep going, and so on.
> 
> THIS YEAR!
> 
> 
> VALDCON -November, 24th-25th, 2017 in Minneapolis?  What could go wrong?
> 
> ***
> 
> I still need lots of help pulling this plan together, so I might give
> up in the next several weeks if going public with the project doesn?t
> flush out people interested in helping make it happen.  I?ve been
> focused on keeping the commitments fairly modest for each of my
> hearties, but let?s not kid ourselves -- convention building a quite a
> job of work. A mighty Thank You out to those who?ve offered to help or
> soon will.
> 
> And then too, some sense that I would not go bankrupt if I signed an
> hotel contract would be good.
> 
> On that note, did I mention a have quite a number of SKZB related
> goodies just at the moment?  Another round of MSS, some first editions
> that could become signed first editions, posters, signed records that
> are starting to get difficult to find and also that Dad has said
> hang-out time with people is definitely top item on the menu if this
> manages to come about?
> 
> Which nearly brings me to the beauty of the all or nothing funding
> model, especially for creating a new fan convention.  Like many
> people, I?m interested in developing tools to make various complex and
> extremely fun things a bit easier and less risky.  To that end, by
> offering various types of convention membership opportunities to
> interested potential convention members **only if we get enough
> overall interest**, we can basically open a door for anyone who might
> be able to take the idea further to come charging in with light-bulb
> glowing and finger raised.
> 
> Finally, more best for last than last for least, Dad has talked with a
> few professional writers he allegedly knows, and who sound interested
> in doing a lecture series style set of talks with him.  This would
> include Emma Bull, Skyler White and Will Shetterly, would occur
> Thursday, Nov 23rd --the Thursday following Thanksgiving, and Steven?s
> actual birthday-- and would be a separately ticketed event supported
> out of the same fund-raising initiative.
> 
> Which fund-raising initiative is hereby declared potentially in season
> subject to our being shouted down by you, our peers in Steven?s fan
> base.
> 
> 
> To sum up --b/c fuck corporate america but hey, bullet-point lists!
> 
> - All or nothing flash-fundraising initiative to see if this idea/this
> year could happen
> - Coming soon to a social financing platform near you!
> - Lots of interesting things sitting around, here and there.
> 
> 
> Thanks in advance for your thoughts and all whatever support may befit
> and especially too for sticking with good 'ol dragaera.info, part of
> your low-key first-to-know network of internet services.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Corwin
> 612-217-1742
> 612-695-4276 (mobile)
> corwin.brust (skype)
> corwin at bru.st
> 
>