Supposed Crimes 30-day Challenge Day 26 question: Have you attended any online conferences? What did you like? What could’ve been better?
Unfortunately I have not been able to attend any online conferences. Yes, I’ve been at home. Certainly could say to some extent I have had time on my hands. But the obstacles as with most conferences, has been money and my rather short supply of spoons emotionally and mentally.
Yes, these online meet ups have been mostly less expensive than in-person ones, and of course, without hotel fees and other travel expenses the cost goes down even further.
However, I just spent the last two months of the school year online every day interactively teaching. So, sitting again with headphones and listening to people talking over each other is a cacophony I’m a little leery to re-engage in.
Text chat is wonderful. And quiet. I’ve been engaging with hashtag chatter on Twitter and in groups on Facebook.
Online seminars are a different though. I’m listening to usually a single “instructor” and so is most of the audience until the end when there’s often Q&A time. I actually attended an online entrepreneurial seminar last week, taking notes and listening quite contentedly. Then when the Q&A time came up, I simply logged off. Ah, sweet quiet. Bliss. Introverted me got quiet time to process all the new knowledge. I emailed my few questions to the host-instructor afterward. Perfect.
I also enjoy podcasts and other pre-recorded content. Again, I’m listening in my own time, and there’s little to no crosstalk on the best ones. I have found I really cannot tolerate any sort of cacophonous situation. My brain shuts down.
So, yeah, while I’m aware there was apparently a sort of eruption about lacking representation for author of color or who identify or write bi or trans (I agree, btw) in a particular lesfic writing community’s recent online conference, I missed it. I’ll follow the write-ups instead.
~ Lara
Lara Zielinsky 