Rules for Me and Thee, It Turns Out
Good afterevenmorn!
My social timelines have been abuzz… alright, they were abuzz a couple of weeks ago, I’m slow… with the news that a certain writer is a wee bit miffed that their attempts to be included in the programming at Worldcon this year had been left unanswered, resulting in their exclusion in the programming. Which on the surface, is not a great look for Worldcon.
I don’t know why I’m being obtuse. It was George R.R. Martin. George R.R. Martin, author of the much-acclaimed (and unfinished) Song of Ice and Fire series, mentioned on his blog July 9th that he would be headed to Worldcon in Glasgow, but was not on any programming because he could not get a hold of anyone to arrange it. In his own words:
I am not on any programming. It is not for lack of trying, though. I wrote the con’s programming chair back in January, and again in February, asking for his phone number so we could discuss the details. No phone number was forthcoming, alas, just a form letter with a link to an application and a warning that while I was welcome to apply, I could not be guaranteed a place on the programme.
That application to be on programming never made its way to the even organizers, but Mr. Martin was nothing if not persistent. He sent queries about a number of things he’d like to do at the convention; a Wild Cards party, a memorial panel for Howard Waldrop, and the debuts of some short film he had been working on. But he received no replies to any of it.
It seems riotously unfair, really… from a certain perspective.
But not really from where I’m sitting.
![](https://www.blackgate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/books-5053733_1280-e1722294294288.jpg)
And not really for my mutuals on social media, either.
Look, I was raised in Australia, and sometimes I fear that the cultural acceptance and expectation of the implementation of Tall Poppy Syndrome might be behind my current feeling towards this whole affair, so I was a little hesitant to write of my thoughts on this matter. But, fair’s fair.
Mr. Martin wasn’t entirely correct when he claimed to have done all he could. He could have gone through the proper channels, like everyone else. He could have filled out the form that was literally sent to his inbox – or had a member of staff do it. Just like everyone else had to.
I’m not particularly familiar with the processes of Worldcon. Can*Con in my hometown is about the only science fiction and fantasy convention I’ve dared to attend, let alone apply to be a panelist at (and even then I was coerced into it). I’m working on the profound imposter syndrome that has prevented me from expanding my networking circle… which is quite the problem in my industry, it must be said. I have plans for next year to put on my big girl pants to start venturing out like an adult who is serious about her writing career. I digress…
I know that in the past, Can*Con has opened up a form, which they’ve announced on all their platforms, where one could go and suggest a topic for a panel. Doing a quick search, I note that Seattle Con has one as well. Worldcon does, but it is restricted to its membership… which makes sense. Worldcon is huge! I can’t imagine the amount of work it would take to sift through all the suggestions of their membership, let alone the entire world of SFF enthusiasts. If that is the proper channel, it is on everyone who wishes to do things in association with Worldcon go through that channel.
That goes for getting your name on the programming.
![](https://www.blackgate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/crown-3038797_1280-e1722295809785.jpg)
There are no kings and peasants. There are writers. And everyone being given an equal opportunity to sit behind a table and enthuse about the topic of the hour is exceedingly appealing to me. Largely because it’s an enormous opportunity to be seen and heard, which could make (or break, I suppose) a writer’s career. I do have a dog in the race. Or would, if I could get out of my own damned head, anyway.
I understand that things were not always quite this equitable. I imagine, anyway. I mean, what would I really know? Relationships were the currency of the circuit – and still are to a large degree. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” is an adage that still holds a great deal of truth (in all walks of life, it would seem). If picking up the phone and curtailing the channels the rest of the plebs must slog through – skipping the line, essentially – was the usual thing for those who are considered very important persons (and George R.R. Martin certainly qualifies as V.I.P, no?), then can we really blame them for expecting it to be the exact same this time around?
Even knowing this, I find I can muster little sympathy for those who are used to dancing around the rules when they find that they no longer can. I’m not at all receptive to the complaints of someone whose definition of ‘did all they could’ does not include the one thing they actually should have done.
Look, after the messy scandal of last year’s Worldcon, I have no doubt that this year’s board wanted to be extra careful not to display any signs of discrimination, or favour, towards any particular attendee. That does mean, unfortunately (or fortunately?), that everyone must follow the rules. Everyone.
And I’m kinda here for it, really.
So too were all of my mutuals, and theirs.
Honestly, I hope that this democratisation of the speculative fiction circuit continues forever into the future. It will be important, I think, for introducing new voices and new perspectives, and giving a chance to some brilliant writers who might otherwise remain in obscurity.
I might be being terribly ungenerous about it, though. What do you think? Were you aware of the kerfuffle surrounding Mr. Martin and Worldcon, and if so, what do you make of it? Sound off in the comments below.
When S.M. Carrière isn’t brutally killing your favorite characters, she spends her time teaching martial arts, live streaming video games, and cuddling her cat. In other words, she spends her time teaching others to kill, streaming her digital kills, and a cuddling furry murderer. Her most recent titles include Daughters of Britain, Skylark and Human. Her serial The New Haven Incident is free and goes up every Friday on her blog.
I don’t know how WorldCon does things; I’ve only attended one WorldCon. But back when I ran convention programming, for events ranging from modest local general interest events with a few hundred attendees up to the San Diego Comic-Con, I used to come up with a list of possible panel topics (drawing on several other people’s suggestions) and mail it out to a bunch of potential attendees with a letter of invitation, as well as to people who asked for it (all this was before conventions had Web pages). Anyone could check off topics they felt interested in talking about, or even put special marks by topics they really, really wanted. And there was space for them to make special requests . . .
It sounds as if WorldCon was doing something at least similar, modulo via an electronc rather than print interface. And really, I’d think that would be more convenient for participants than spending time on a phone call. I can’t see it as a discourtesy to them. Though it might have been polite to send a note acknowledging GRRM’s communication and reaffirming that he can use the standard interface; people do want to know that they’ve been heard.
It’s always… interesting when an author becomes more of a public personality than his or her work is. Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler, Stephen King, whichever poet it was who was “mad, bad, and dangerous to know,” and now G. R. R. Martin. I’m sure there are women in this category, too. Maybe Anne Rice? Ursula K. LeGuin? It’s well to analyze the foibles of fictitious characters because that’s what they’re designed to facilitate, but an author doesn’t have the armor of fiction when he or she steps out from behind the work. I think that’s the underlying narrative of the present kerfuffle– Mr. Martin got very much reminded of his lack of armor earlier, and now suspects he is undergoing double-jeopardy for public foibles with the WorldCon thing. Do we know for absolute certain that nobody got any soft treatment?
As one of those weird people who naturally scores “lawful good” on the quizzes, I totally agree with you, everyone should have to go through the channels set up to handle these sorts of things in an equitable way. If that is being enforced this time, hurrah!! But I don’t have the faith that it truly is, and that this has no whiff of the punishment that Mr. Martin may suspect.
Best wishes on growing your authorial footprint, Ms. Carriere! Make sure to publish planned appearances to your blog so we can support any we’re in the area for!
It was Lord Byron, definitely a man to whom the rules meant nothing. (Just ask his sister…)
Thank you, Thomas. X) His name flew out of my brain the moment I reached for it.
Oh goodness. I have been so buried in my various projects that I actually have no idea what the other misstep Mr. Martin has made this year. Do I want to know?
And thank you! I absolutely will!
On the one hand, I’ve been going to Worldcons on an occasional basis since the 1970s, and I’m going to this one, as both an attendee and participant. And whoa nelly, I’ve never seen a bureaucratic behemoth like the online sign-up-and-vet processes Glasgow has going on. It’s all done by volunteers, of course, so much can be forgiven, but there appear to be multiple committees and subgroups handling different aspects of the con, each with their own methods, and it’s not clear that they actually speak to each other. There are a great many hoops to jump through, and sometimes you have to jump through the same ones repeatedly to get to completion.
That said: Martin is a prosperous guy who must have at least one assistant working for him, and as you say, that person could be delegated to handle the bureaucracy so Martin wouldn’t have to personally jump through any Worldcon hoops. Complaining to the media that you didn’t get special treatment is not a good look.
Oh really? I’m entirely out of the loop, and so I haven’t had to deal with it.
But yes. Complaining about the lack of special treatment absolutely isn’t a good look. I’m sure some sympathised, but I could not.