This is my favorite show of the year. I never miss it. I started going when I was a kid, and this will be my 38th in a row. Better yet, it falls across my birthday once again, so there’s double reason to celebrate.
If you’re a tabletop gamer of any stripe and have the time and means to make it to Indianapolis this week, you should be at Gen Con. Here’s my schedule for this year’s show. I hope to see you there!
Wednesday, July 31
- 9 PM: The Diana Jones Award party. I host this private event for industry professionals every year to help kick off the show on Gen Con Eve.
Thursday, August 1
- 11 AM: Fireside with Peter Adkison. I’ll be one of the guests chatting with Peter Adkison, founder of Wizards of the Coast and co-owner of Gen Con, about the convention’s history.
Friday, August 2
- 10 AM: Networking, It’s Not Just a Food Chain. Networking is an important part of the industry, but authors aren’t leeches. Gabrielle Harbowy, Chris Bell, and I give tips on how to be sure to give as well as take.
- 12 PM: Business Plans for Writers. Writing is a creative endeavour, but it’s also a business. Which means … you need a business plan. Shanna Germain, Chrostopher Husberg, Keith Law, and I discuss making one.
- 6 PM: Play a Soon-To-Be-Published Board Game with Game Designer, Matt Forbeck! This is part of the Worldbuilders charity party. I’ll be playing an unpublished board game of my own design with those hardy souls who grab tickets to my table. As of this writing, there’s only one seat left!
Saturday, August 3
- 10 AM:I Want to Be a Writer. Where Do I Start? What are the qualifications you need to be a writer? Or do you really just need a pen, a chair, and a prayer? Robyn Bennis, Aaron Rosenberg, Karen Bovenmyer, and I discuss it.
- 11 AM: Passing Story Time Without Losing Readers. The pace of your story is as important as the plot and the characters. Tee Morris, Melissa Olson, and Elizabeth Vaughan, and I discuss the passage of time in fiction.
- 12 PM: Can Playing Games Help You Write?Many authors in the science fiction and fantasy genre are also gamers, but does it make them better writers? Bruce Cordell, Gregory A. Wilson, Kirk Dougal, and I discuss our experiences.
- 4 PM: Signing with Matt Forbeck. The one official signing slot I have at the show. Come say hi!
