Idea for Cons: VARS
I just got back from Boskone.
One of my favorite categories of things at cons is the author reading. But authors are selected for being good at writing: characterization, plot, setting, mood, and so forth... and not for public performance of their works. There are also cases of colds, laryngitis, tonsilitis, and probably stage fright.
Let me propose this: the Volunteer Author's Readers Society (VARS), which will be composed of people who have some experience and at least a tiny bit of talent for reading out loud. VARS will offer its services to concoms, who, at author's request, will schedule a VAR to do a reading for the author.
The author sends the excerpt to the VAR at least a few days (or in emergencies, minutes) before the con, and at the scheduled time, gets up, says what they want to say about the book, and sits back down, letting the VAR go ahead and read aloud for them. Then the author gets back up and answers questions and so forth.
It would be helpful if the author were to provide notes on the characters, and of course for the VARS to be fans of the author, but it's really not necessary.
Has this been tried before?
One of my favorite categories of things at cons is the author reading. But authors are selected for being good at writing: characterization, plot, setting, mood, and so forth... and not for public performance of their works. There are also cases of colds, laryngitis, tonsilitis, and probably stage fright.
Let me propose this: the Volunteer Author's Readers Society (VARS), which will be composed of people who have some experience and at least a tiny bit of talent for reading out loud. VARS will offer its services to concoms, who, at author's request, will schedule a VAR to do a reading for the author.
The author sends the excerpt to the VAR at least a few days (or in emergencies, minutes) before the con, and at the scheduled time, gets up, says what they want to say about the book, and sits back down, letting the VAR go ahead and read aloud for them. Then the author gets back up and answers questions and so forth.
It would be helpful if the author were to provide notes on the characters, and of course for the VARS to be fans of the author, but it's really not necessary.
Has this been tried before?