Book Update 2/8/2010

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And now an update on the Fan To Pro book.  I spent a lot of the weekend working on it, so here's the latest:

Status:

  • The book is actually formatted and uploaded at Lulu.com.  This actually took awhile due to PDF conversion issues.
  • I am now working on the cover, which seems to work well as a simple cover for now – though people are still dropping ideas on me left and right.  I think next time I may "fansource" cover design more and hands-off it.
  • I hope to get the cover finished in a week or so and approve the final version in March.
  • Release to Lulu will be earlier than release to Amazon and other stores as it takes a few weeks for a new book to go through the system.  I'm still aiming for March.

What I learned:

  • Typesetting and laying out a book is a very unappreciated skill that you will NOT appreciate until you actually do it knowing a book you set up will be available to the public.
  • PDF conversion is also a massive crapshoot.  Lulu.com's PDF conversion beat the one I had on my Mac Word.  I ended up using Mac Word to get my book PDF, but had to cope with some annoying margin issues.
  • The first time you do set up a book for publishing, take a whole day to do it.  Trust me on this.
  • Examine other books to get ideas for layouts, numbering, and more.  That helped a lot.
  • Don't forget title, copyright, dedication, and other pages.

So the book is all but ready to go.  It needs a cover, a print check, and some tweaking.  But late March is looking awfully good . . .

 . . . and yes when it's done I'll write up my experience with Lulu.com!

– Steven Savage

Turn It Around: Applying Work to Fandom

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Are you applying your work lessons to your hobbies?

This may seem like a strange thing to say, especially to the people who use their hobbies tocope with the stress of work.  However if your ambitions are to go from fan to pro, if you want to be a progeek, then you need to learn to apply your work to fandom, not just the other way around.

If there's something you do on the job that you're good at (or in some cases just decent at) consider how you can apply it in your fandom:

  • A good typist can help with program books, website content, etc.
  • A person good with accounting can help with a covention or fansite budget.
  • If you're a manager, why not organize a gaming event or convention?

Applying what you do on the job to your hobbies has several benefits:

  • It lets you get involved in fannish activities at an "experienced" level.
  • It lets you improve your job skills while having fun.
  • It looks good on a resume.
  • It may be useful towards certifications.
  • It lets you take more enjoyment in your work since it's now a broader part of your life.
  • It can give you ideas for more geeky careers – or how to geek-out your current career.
  • You can support your fellow fans.

Don't just take your fandom into your career – find ways to turn it around.  It'll make life easier, let you do more – and perhaps inspire you as to your next steps . . .

– Steven Savage

Convention Idea: Beyond The Presentation

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The roundup of convention ideas is here.

You know how the usual convention pro-fan event goes:

  • You get a presenter or presenter.
  • You get their audiovisual equipment
  • You get whatever else they need.
  • They show up and do the event.

I'm all for this method – after all, its what I do at conventions – but if you're going to expand the pro-fan events you do, the things you do to educate your attendees, you need to think outside of the box.

In this case, the box of "person-shows-up and does things."

There are many ways you can run pro-fan events without the standard person-at-the podium.  The more ways to experiment with doing these events, the more you can have- and the more ways you can bring information to your attendees.

Have you thought of video conferences?  They may take a bit to set up in time an money, but you can bring in guests that can't otherwise attend for whatever reason.  You can even bring people in from around the world – in the same room so to speak.

What about pre-recorded seminars, run on movie screens?  A bit limited of course, but you can get information to your attendees without the need of a live guest.  Your guest might even let the seminar/panel be put online.

Consider the simple conference line.  If a guest can't attend, and you can't video conference, you can patch them in.  Never underestimate the power of a good conference line.  It could even be used for a famous "special guest" to drop in for a few minutes.

Consider the webinar – a web seminar.  Your convention could "simulcast" events at the convention and online for people who couldn't make it.

Or, why not stream some of your events online so everyone can attend – if only in spirit – and on their monitors.

If you're going to do pro-fan events, think out of the box.  Many businesses use a variety of ways to train people – like the above – so can you!

For that matter, imagine what your convention team – and attendees – will learn setting this all up . . .

– Steven Savage