The Realm Makers Conference is coming! Mark your calendars now - May 30-31 at Villanova University, PA. I have an interview with the founder, Becky Minor. For even more information, see the website: http://www.realmmakers.com/
Where
did the idea for Realm Makers come from?
Realm
Makers grew out of the rising sentiment among Christian speculative fiction
authors that we don’t quite fit on either side of the religious market or
secular market fence. We needed a place of our own to relax and be ourselves,
whether that involves geeking out over the latest season of Doctor Who or
working out the nuances of a costume. The idea of offering a full two days
where every class applied to the speculative fiction writer grabbed me by the
throat a couple years ago and insisted to be brought to life.
How
did you develop this from an idea into a full-fledged conference?
Mostly
by doing the thing in life that terrifies me most . . . asking other people to
jump on board. Having faculty people want to hear is a huge part of enticing
attendees to join us, so making connections was the first step. Splickety Magazine
editor Ben Erlichman is the king of networking, so his help has been invaluable
in initiating those conversations. From there, it was just a matter of
analyzing other conferences I’ve been to and figuring out the most efficient
way to imitate those events.
Does
Realm Makers have a mission statement? If so, what is it?
Realm
Makers strives to provide a faith-friendly symposium for writers and artists
who focus their creative efforts on science fiction, fantasy, and all their
sub-genres. Whether artists wish to gear their content for the inspirational or
secular marketplace, they have a place at Realm Makers.
What makes Realm Makers stand apart
from other conferences for writers who are Christian?
The
full-conference focus on speculative fiction as a genre is the key factor that
differentiates Realm Makers from other Christian conferences. While we do offer
some classes on general writing craft, I’m convinced that nowhere else could
you spend two days drinking in content that embraces geekdom with one arm and a
walk of faith with the other. Realm Makers is a place where an author can talk
about his work and about his faith, and the folks at his lunch table will “get”
what he loves. (Because let’s face it, many of us have sat at that “mixed
genre” conference lunch table and gotten some wide-eyed looks when we explain
what we write.)
How
will Realm Makers 2014 differ from the first Realm Makers?
Much
of the conference will have a similar feel and approach to the first year. We
have a powerful faculty with some returning faces and some newcomers. As for
what’s changed, we have added a cool “early bird” session that will occur on
Thursday night, which involves snacks, public critique, and prizes. So our
general approach is to continue to offer what worked well last year and to
tighten the areas that were a little loosey-goosey. We’re learning as we go.
What
can attendees expect from Realm Makers this year?
This
year, attendees can expect to meet 60-100 cool folks who love what they love
(We’re hoping for the sell-out at 100), to enjoy first rate facilities at
Villanova University, and to hear engaging experts in many areas of writing
they might not find at other Christian writers conferences. We’ll also repeat
our Friday night awards dinner where costumes are encouraged but not required.
What
are the benefits from attending a conference like this?
Learning
and building relationships are by far the top two benefits of attendance. For
authors looking for homes for their manuscripts, we also have a growing list of
editors and agents who will be listening to pitches during the conference, so
attending could very well advance some of those writers toward landing that
contract. It’s a well-known fact that authors who meet editors at conferences
have a much better chance at publication/representation than those who submit
blind queries.
What
kinds of workshops are in the works for 2014?
The
2014 schedule will include workshops and panel discussions on
the
use of science in fantasy
what
it’s like to be wounded or to have to wound someone else
the
process of developing graphic novels
flash
fiction
horror
networking
the
role of an agent
the
inner workings of a publishing house
creating
story-world languages
and
more still in development!
Are
you going to have a costume banquet and book signing again this year?
Ooops!
Got ahead of you on this one, didn’t I? Yes, we are still planning the
costumes-encouraged dinner on Friday, though people should definitely feel at
ease coming in something from their regular wardrobe. We get that cosplay isn’t
for everyone. The programming for Saturday night is still in development.
Do
you have any tips for attendees?
First
and foremost—even if something makes you feel like you’re going to die of
anxiety, give it a go…whether it’s talking to an author or speaker in the
hallway, or sitting at a table full of people you don’t know, or trying out
flash fiction even though you can’t say “Hello” in less than 2500 words.
Judging by last year’s conference attendance, Realm Makers is a great place to
take some chances and reap the rewards, whether personal or professional. So I
guess my other piece of advice is “Don’t miss it!”
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