Tidbits from Comic Con

I am shamefully late with these golden nuggets from the Comic Con 2014 panels. Here are a few inspirations and tidbits that have stuck with me since last summer. 

Tidbits from – FAIRY TALE REMIX Panel  

Shannon Hale, Cornelia Funke, Marissa Meyer, Danielle Paige, Tony DiTerlizzi, Ben Tripp

Shannon Hale

• Everything is a metaphor.
• If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want your children to be very intelligent, read them more fairy tales. – Albert Einstein
• Writers are the reporters of magic.
• Interesting questions to ask when adapting a fairy tale:

Why are the characters there?

Why do the characters do what they do in the story?

What do the characters do when they are not "live" in the story?

Here's a blog post from Tor with more details on the

 FAIRY TALE REMIX PANEL

Tidbits from Marc Guggenheim Panel 

(Writer of the ARROW TV Series and a billion other things)

• Setbacks precede a big step forward.
• Learn to write wherever and whenever you find snippets of time.
• Switching genres builds writing muscles.
• Develop a voice – not a specialty – writers are hired for their voice. 

Tidbits from the WHAT’S HOT IN YA Panel

Nathan Bransford, Scott Westerfield, Tahereh Mafi, Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Kresley Cole, Tessa Grafton, Natalie Parker, C.J. Redwine, Brendan Reichs

• A first draft is idea oriented.
• The story you want to tell will be the story people want to read.
• No one sees the next big thing coming.
• Trilogy? That means four books?
• The YA market is a giant canvas.
• If you wrote a book and it is out there, you are a writer.
• Writers are a tribe.
• Voice is what readers consistently expect from you as a writer.
• Critique relationships are important. 

Tidbits from COMIC CREATOR CONNECTION Panel

This is a program that sets up a “speed dating” scenario between writers and illustrators. Super concept. It’s not just to connect comic/graphic artists to writers. Indie authors have also used this organization to find cover artists. For more information check out their website.

Comic Con 2015 or Bust!!!!

Hooray for Comic Con 2011

What is this phenom called Comic Con?

Let me start by sharing their mission statement:

Comic-Con International is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture.

To me “The Con” is the place where I can get my fan-geek on without being judged as I soak up the latest on Star Wars, Superheroes, Hobbit, True Blood, Dexter, Big Bang Theory, Vampire Diaries, Glee, Twilight, Torchwood, Dr. Who (list too long to continue) and of course fantastic YA and MG authors/books. It’s an awesome platform to promote your work.

My feelings about Comic Con 2011 are bittersweet. I’m delighted there were multiple panels devoted to MG and YA literature this year, but sad that I didn’t get to see them. To channel my inner-Scarlett O’Hara I say, “As God as my witness, I will never miss Comic Con again.”

As a special treat today, I have an interview with one of this year’s Comic Con attendees, Cameron Rose.

What is the pull of Comic Con for you?

I like being a fan of what some consider “geek culture.” Aside from seeing movies, TV shows, and reading comics there’s really no other way than Comic Con to celebrate my appreciation for the huge umbrella that is popular culture in one place. There is nothing quite like being there in person when something exciting happens like Joss Whedon announcing there will be a DOCTOR HORRIBLE 2.

What were the best costumes you saw this year?

The best, and frankly most exciting was seeing Garrus and Shepard from the MASS EFFECT video game series. I saw more people dressed as the 11^th Dr. Who character than anything else. There were at least three really well put together Dalek costumes from the Dr. Who series.

Did you dress up?

I was Spiderman, my personal favorite superhero, but my goal was to make the worst Spiderman costume possible. I think I succeeded.

What were your favorite panels?

THE best panel was Joss Whedon. He’s my favorite writer and he’s made all my favorite shows like BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and FIREFLY. (RIP FIREFLY) What made the panel so great was its format of just a simple Q&A between Joss and the fans. Something a proud Browncoat can appreciate very much.

Note: Browncoats are dedicated fans of the show, FIREFLY.

The Dr. Who panel was also fantastic. I love the show. Being a Dr. Who fan in America can be a lonely pastime. Being in a room with thousands of people cheering and screaming for Matt Smith (the 11^th Dr. Who) and Karen Gillan (Amy Pond, his companion) was a totally new and incredible experience.

Anything else you’d like to share about Comic Con?

I think it’s great that the actors, authors, and writers that speak on the panels seem just as excited to be there as us fans. It makes you feel like you have a real connection to these people whose work we love and admire.

Thank you, Cameron.

My lifelong dream is to someday be on a Comic Con panel promoting my own work. What about you?


Did anyone see any of the YA or MG lit. panels at "The Con?"

Many of the Comic Con Panels are available on YouTube. Browse and enjoy. Here is a post from DM Cunningham that guides you to the kid lit. panels.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has a Comic Con story or aspiration. Hope to see you all there next year.