Comments on: Fourth Street Convention Report http://voluptuary.org/jennifer/2008/06/26/fourth-street-convention-report/ what writers do Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:10:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Neil in Chicago http://voluptuary.org/jennifer/2008/06/26/fourth-street-convention-report/#comment-8 Neil in Chicago Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:39:50 +0000 http://voluptuary.org/jennifer/2008/06/26/fourth-street-convention-report/#comment-8 Since you don't go to "conventions", you haven't found out that the word is used for two very different things, though it is easy to confuse them on superficial appearance alone. Science fiction fans put on conventions to get together with the community. (Many professionals, from authors and illustrators, through editors and copy-editors, to bookstore owners, are members of the community.) The cons are put on by volunteers alone. Often the people doing the work buy a membership like anyone else, and the only direct freebie is that the invited guests of honor have all expenses paid. Various commercial "gate shows" put on "conventions" to sell as many tickets as possible. Often they hire paid stars, sometimes expensive ones, to boost attendance. Fourth Street is one of the very best of the former. It sounds like your informants have only been to the latter, or don't know the difference. (Note that some important talent, and some seriously influential people were at Fourth Street, all at their own personal expense.) Since you don’t go to “conventions”, you haven’t found out that the word is used for two very different things, though it is easy to confuse them on superficial appearance alone.
Science fiction fans put on conventions to get together with the community. (Many professionals, from authors and illustrators, through editors and copy-editors, to bookstore owners, are members of the community.) The cons are put on by volunteers alone. Often the people doing the work buy a membership like anyone else, and the only direct freebie is that the invited guests of honor have all expenses paid.
Various commercial “gate shows” put on “conventions” to sell as many tickets as possible. Often they hire paid stars, sometimes expensive ones, to boost attendance.

Fourth Street is one of the very best of the former. It sounds like your informants have only been to the latter, or don’t know the difference.
(Note that some important talent, and some seriously influential people were at Fourth Street, all at their own personal expense.)

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