My Balticon 2022 Schedule

My schedule for Balticon 2022 has been finalized. I’m on seven panels and I’m moderating two of them.

• Fri, 5:30 PM – When to Get Gory (Moderator)
  While gore is usually associated with the horror genre, writers can use elements of gore in non-horror works as well. How do you set reader expectations, and how do you know how much gore your audience will tolerate? What effect does introducing gore into your work (horror or otherwise) achieve, and how can you best use it to tell the story that you want to tell?
• Fri, 7:00 PM – Being a Good Moderator
  What are the skills involved with being a good panel moderator? We’ll talk about what a moderator should keep an eye on, what the moderator should be able to let the panelists do themselves, and when and how to contribute to the discussion directly while still handling moderation duties.
• Sat, 2:30 PM – Through the Portal
  Portal fantasy, in which a protagonist from the “regular” world is catapulted into a fantasy land, is a subgenre that can cover quite a few different kinds of stories. Works send a protagonist through the portal to create opportunities for personal growth, establish a stage for social commentary, or realize a power fantasy. What makes an effective portal fantasy protagonist? How can writers innovate on what is, by now, a tried and true fantasy formula?
• Sat, 4:00 PM – Poorly Projecting Modern Tech in SF
  “Spool the tapes!” Technology changes so quickly that it’s not always possible to predict what tech will still be in use twenty years from now. We share beloved examples of our favorite authors missing the mark at predicting future technology.
• Sat, 7:00 PM – Supply Chains in Your Fantasy Setting (Virtual)
  Everything has to come from somewhere, and fantasy worlds are no exception. When you’re creating your setting, what will you need to keep in mind? What are the larger implications of manufacturing techniques, trade logistics, and how goods are distributed? How do larger-scale like geography and climate affect material culture and how aware should characters be of these factors?
• Sun, 11:30 AM – Worldbuilding, Short vs. Long Fiction (Virtual)
  What’s involved in worldbuilding for a short story or novella, versus a novel or novel series? How much work and care has to be taken depending on length? Is there a minimum degree of worldbuilding needed regardless of length?
• Sun, 7:00 PM – Building My Religion (Moderator)
  Society and religion are inextricably linked. When building a world how do you create a religion that complements the society you’ve created? What can you draw from existing religions, and how can you make it uniquely yours?