Thoughts on the future of Boskone

[xiphias]

It's been interesting looking at people around Boskone in the past several years. While there is still the Elder Contingent, I'm seeing more and more pre-teens and early teens who are there specifically for Tamora Pierce and Bruce Coville.

I could see Boskone shifting into a con pretty much specifically for teen and pre-teen fen, and I think that would be quite a good thing. It would fit with NESFA's organizational goals, it would match with their project to bring SF&F into the classroom, and it's something that's really needed.

People might want to move the Skylark awards to Arisia if that happened. Or they might want to focus the Skylarks on people who've contributed to YA SF&F.

But, really, the bits of Boskone that have been really working have been the ones aimed at young fen. If Boskone turns into a place where a ten-year old can have their parents drop them off, and then spend two or three days hanging out with authors, watching historically accurate sword demos, watching anime with their friends, gaming, maybe learning Rennaisance dance, making and wearing costumes, and so forth -- I think that would be a good thing.

Comments

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

That does sound really cool. :)

[beckyzoole.livejournal.com]

I was at the 2001 Boskone and enjoyed it very much. I even had dinner with Tamora Pierce, which impressed the heck out of my teenaged daughter.

I haven't been back since. My date at the con is a semi-regular presenter, and we had a nasty breakup. I just don't want to run into him accidently.... But it was a very enjoyable con, and I can see it becoming the YA con.

future of Boskone/dance

[(Anonymous)]

I'd love to do dance-for-kids at Boskone or elsewhere. I occasionally teach dance in schools and do a family workshops at the NOMAD festival and kids are usually very receptive. Boskone does not strike me as the most hospitable place for dance things, though. --Susan