The life of the modern author

I'm writing this in the ExCel Centre, at the start of day two of Loncon 3, the World Science Fiction Convention.  I arrived midday yesterday, and immediately got pitched into listening to talks and panels.

Looking through the talks and panels I've picked out to attend, it strikes me how they reflect the life of the modern author.  There are the craft workshops : creating new worlds, settling new worlds, a critiquing workshop I've signed up for.  Then there are the publishing things: hunting an agent, what do editors do.  And the third string I'm doing are the publicity things.  I'm on a panel tonight, and have arranged to sell my books in the dealers' room.  Assuming I sell some, I'm scheduled to do a signing session on Sunday lunchtime.  

These are the fun things that go with the hard work of writing, and I'm going to enjoy myself today.  Having indie-published two books establishes me as an author, and gives me just enough credibility to get on a panel at a Worldcon.  As an unknown, I'm feeling pretty chuffed about that, and I intend to milk the publicity it brings for all it's worth.

And ultimately that's the life of a modern author.  It isn't just about sitting in our garrets churning out words, it's getting those words out to the world, and telling the world about them. By whatever means we have at our disposal.