purplecthulhu

Had an excellent time at the BSFA/SFF event yesterday. Things started with Ian McDonald discussing movements in SF, and the newly announced 'mundane SF manifesto' produced by Geoff Ryman. The general feeling of the meeting wasn't positive towards this. The manifesto was more a list of don'ts (no FTL, no aliens...) than something with more verve, zest and positivity like the original Cyberpunk manifesto.

Next up was a panel on sense fo wonder - does it still exist in SF or are we now going to popular science books for this. Panelists included fjm, Francis Spufford, major_clanger and a science writer whose name I'm afraid I can't remember. The depresessing news here was that there seems to be little sense of wonder or nuts and bolts SF in childrens fiction of the last few decades, which led to a dicsussion of education and of how science is perceived and reported.

After that was lunch and the AGMs of the BSFA and SFF. I'm not a member of either, so took this as an opportunity to wander off and browse the shelves at Forbidden Planet etc..

Things recovened at 2:40, with a talk by karentraviss about having a commercial view on writing. The good news is that it seems one can have at least an adequately paying writing career, but the hard-nosed business attitude was at least a little daunting.

Then there was a final panel on The Greats of British SF - an exercise the BSFA is running as we approach the worldcon. Great British SF novels and nominations for the 'order of merit' were discussed by BSFA luminaries and the audience.

Formal procedings then closed, and we adjourned to a pub, where I had various discussions with mevennen, rozk and many others. We then headed to a rather nice italian restaurant for food, wine and more chatting.

So a rather good day!