Capclave, my hometown con specializing in short fiction, is coming up this weekend. Don’t miss your chance to see our award-winning guests of honor, Ken Liu and Neil Clarke, as well as hang with the some of the friendliest writers around. (Yeah, I’ll be there, too. But the rest of them are really nice. Honest.)

My schedule this year is particularly choice, encompassing a number of topics dear to my heart. I hope I’ll see you at the panels and readings. And as always, I come equipped with chocolate.

Friday

3 PM, Rockville/Potomac

Worldbuilding in Science Fiction vs. Fantasy

Are there distinctions in how worldbuilding is approached for a fantasy setting rather than a science fiction setting? Are there different approaches in how the result is presented to the reader? Are there challenges on one side of the fantasy/SF split that are less of an issue on the other? Panelists: Charles Gannon, Jean Marie Ward (m), Lawrence Watt-Evans, Allen Wold

7 PM, Rockville/Potomac

Write What You Don't Know

Fantasy authors rarely get irate email from dragons saying they got it wrong. How to write characters from places and times that you don’t know but members of your audience do, and why it’s important to get outside your comfort zone. Panelists: Scott H. Andrews, Joshua Palmatier, Michael Ventrella (m), Jean Marie Ward

Saturday

11 AM, Bethesda

Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading

Broad Universe is an international organization with the primary goal of promoting science fiction, fantasy, and horror written by women. Members will be doing readings from their own works. Readers: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Jeanne Adams, Vickie Hartman DiSanto, Karen Wester Newton (aka Carmen Webster Buxton), Jennifer Povey, Janine K. Spendlove, Denise Timpko, Jean Marie Ward (m)

1 PM, Bethesda

Reading (30 minutes)

4 PM, Salon A

Use of Mythology in Science Fiction and Fantasy

There are a lot of different mythologies out there, with both similarities and differences.  How do we incorporate and adapt them when writing our stories.  What's acceptable to adapt and change, especially when using a mythology from a culture not one's own. E.g. dragons in Europe and dragons in various Asian countries often have quite different motives and personalities ascribed to them. Panelists: Jack Campbell, Carolyn Ives Gilman, Scott Roberts, Michelle Sonnier, Jean Marie Ward (m)

Sunday

3 PM, Frederick

The Economics of Magic

How do you use magic in your fantasy work so that it doesn't become a get out of jail free option?  When your characters use magic what are the costs to the magic user or the fantasy world?  Should conservation of energy apply? Panelists: Scott H. Andrews, Jean Marie Ward (m), Lawrence Watt-Evans