Jean Marie's Domain

No, not that kind of intervention. This is Intervention capitalized, a very new webcomic convention gracing the Hilton DC/Rockville, Maryland, September 10-12. Yes, the con starts tomorrow, and yes, I do have panels. So does Greg, the darling spouse and squirrel wrangler of Intravenous Caffeine. This will be Greg's first con as a participating artist and guest, so come on by and show him some con love. Our schedule is:

Friday, September 10
1 p.m.
Okay, I Finished My Story. What Happens Next?
How does your story get from your keyboard to into a reader’s hands? What’s the editorial process? Why does it take so long?
Panelists: Elaine Corvidae, Jean Marie Ward

7 p.m
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Publishing, But Didn’t Know You Had to Ask.
Writers at all points in the publishing food chain share their experiences, good and bad. Panelists will discuss the various advantages of NY publishers, small press and self-publishing. Along the way you’ll learn what publishers really look for in a book, how to get your project noticed in a good way, and how to spot potential warning signs of trouble. (I had hoped to lure Ben Bova into this one, but alas, he had the flu and had to cancel. But trust me, Elaine and I have lots of experiences to share, good, bad, our own and others’.)
Panelists: Elaine Corvidae, Jean Marie Ward

9 p.m.
Free Is a Good Place to Start.
Do you have big dreams, but a minuscule budget? Never fear; our panelists can show you the path to Freedonia. This panel is a short seminar with hand-outs highlighting free word processing, graphics, audio and video programs, and free web site templates. (This is Greg’s first panel ever. Drop by and show him some con love.)
Panelists: Anthony Stevens, Chris Impink, Ryan Thompson, Greg Uchrin, Jean Marie Ward

10 p.m.
The Economies of Small Scale.
Just because your dreams are big doesn’t mean that you’ll be forced to break the bank. This panel deals with posting a comic on the cheap, a word about copyright, and the real costs of self-publishing in ink and paper.
Panelists: Anthony Stevens, Greg Uchrin

Sunday, September 12
11 a.m.
How to Use Social Media Without Inadvertently Seeming like a Jerk.
Social Media has changed the industry dramatically. Gone are the days when creators had little to no contact with their fans. Which services are worth using? How do we use them? What are some common mistakes? What are some creative promotional techniques?
Panelists: Chris Flick, Illya Kuryakin, Christiann MacAuley, Ben McCormick, Jean Marie Ward

1 p.m.
Creating Three-Dimensional Characters.
When writing an adventure or a story, having characters that the readers can get into is half the battle. If the readers or players become intrigued by the characters, then the rest of the story will fall into place. Join our panelists as they discuss creating characters that are non-flat and can intrigue.
Panelists: Pete Abrams, Chezhnian Angelus, Garth Graham, Michael Terracciano, Jean Marie Ward

And that’s just our panels. The con boasts three full-time tracks, workshops, a club (with dances) and a video room. You’ll even get the chance to meet fellow DC Area Storyteller Anthony Stevens. See you there!