Balticon - Virtually There and Learning What that Means

So, I’m finding this year’s Balticon a very different experience. I’ve been attending Balticon since 2011 and I’ve been on panels since 2012 after my first book came out. If I recall correctly, I was in the Dealer’s Room with a table for the first time the following year.

In preparing for going Virtual, Balticon planned to offer session on Zoom with overflow on Youtube and viewing of other programs on Twitch. The other piece of the Virtual con puzzle was using Discord to establish areas where people could chat. For example, I’ve channels in the Virtual Dealer’s Room, offering each vendor a chat channel and an audio/video channel.

After my first session a couple of people stopped in my Dealer’s Chat room and I was invited to guest blog for someone, who I think I last guest blogged for about 3 years ago—that blog article got a lot of visibility, which was really nice. So, I am networking, but it’s not the same. All the vendors are noticing the significant drop in visit, which isn’t exactly unexpected. Balticon isn’t charging us for participating this year, offering us the opportunity we’d originally requested.

So, today, Balticon announced that over 1,300 people participated on Friday and on Saturday over 2,700 participated in the online Balticon, which doesn’t count additional visitors on Youtube. So, numbers wise, there are a lot of attendees and from what I’ve seen in people introducing themselves on Zoom chat during just the panel I’ve been on, we’re not a regional con. Balticon has people attending from all over, including New Zealand and Australia.

Balticon did numerous practice Zoom sessions, which has helped make being on a panel run smoothly, particularly thanks to the tech’s running things behind the scenes. Two of my panels had over a hundred people on Zoom alone.

But are people utilizing the audio/video channels on Discord, not so much, at least from my Dealer’s Room vendor perspective. Some people are following panelists for additional Q&A in the Discord chat programmatic chat rooms immediately after the sessions. And the Virtual Bar and Consuite seem to have some activity, I just feel really disconnected stopping by. Then again, I’ve never used Discord. I’m not a gamer or a High School student, whose been using it a lot more frequently recently and over the years.

I guess what I should be saying is I really appreciate the amount of effort the Balticon folks have put into making this con even possible under the most trying of circumstances. I just wish, or perhaps hope, that more people will check out all the authors’ websites and consider buying a book, not just attend panels. Then again, I should remind myself this is a long game and with the sessions being recorded. I should be able to link them to my blog to better connect to new and long-time fans—and like all my fellow writers see our stories read and appreciated. Oh, and sell our books, so we can continue doing what we love doing most, write and share our stories.

Dare to Believe,

D.H.