The Takeaway — What Useful Things Did I Learn from My Con Experience?

After attending Farpoint Con 2022 — what did I learn?

Murray "MJ" Blehart
5 min readMar 1, 2022

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what did I learn at the con?
The author at his table during Farpoint 2022.

For the first time since 2016, I attended a con. Farpoint in Hunt Valley, Maryland, is a sci-fi con that’s got a rich history and has been ongoing for years.

I attended as a guest. Thus, I sat on several panels, did a reading from one of my books, and had scheduled times to sign and sell books, too.

I was told by many that this was not a typical Farpoint. And I utterly understand why.

There was a mask requirement. Though they were not as diligent about enforcing it as they had said they would be — I’d say 95% of those in attendance were good about masking. Because of COVID fears — and the reality that we’re not out of the pandemic woods yet — many canceled last minute. That’s how I wound up the moderator for one of my panels.

Though they also restricted attendance, I suspect it wasn’t wholly necessary to do so. Even in the most crowded events at the con, I never felt like people were on top of each other, and social distance was observed. However, the wedding party also at the hotel during the weekend was a wholly different issue.

Though I wasn’t sure what to expect — there were things learned at this con that can and will be useful to my work going forward.

What did I learn?

Sales and exposure

There were two different approaches used by authors at the con.

Some were set up as vendors. They had tables in the sales areas and sat there to sell their books during most of the con. One or two of them were also on panels — so I guess they closed their booths at those times.

Others were like me, attending as guests. We were given times in a different part of the convention space — not with the vendor spaces — and an hour here or there to sit, sign, and sell.

As a vendor, you had a table, set space, and thusly got to sign and sell books. However, as a guest, I appeared in the book and on the website. Further, as an author guest, I got to do a reading.

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Murray "MJ" Blehart

I explore mindfulness, positivity, philosophy, & conscious reality creation. I love to help & inspire. And I also write sci-fi/fantasy. http://www.mjblehart.com