WorldCon Schedule, and Talking About Pseudonyms at the Night Bazaar

(Edited to add new panel info!)

I am so excited about rover Curiosity's safe landing on Mars!  (For more squee over that, plus the less exciting but still potentially interesting explanation of why I thought I wanted a pseudonym as an author but changed my mind, head on over to my post today at the Night Bazaar.) 

I'm nearly as excited about WorldCon, which is coming up at the end of this month.  (I'm anticipating the con with even more enthusiasm this time around, since I can relax and enjoy myself without feeling guilty about not using every toddler-free moment for writing!)  I got my panel assignments last week, and they all look great.  Here's my draft schedule:

Fri Aug 31:

9am "Acquiring an Agent"  (Room: Columbus CD)
Aspiring authors talk about landing an agent for their manuscript.

10:30am "The Basics of Character Building" (Room: Gold Coast).  I'm moderating this one - my very first time as moderator, eeek!
We often talk about world-building, but what does it take to create a character from scratch? How do you choose a name? How do you choose personality traits -- both strengths and flaws? Do you create the character first and then the world, or vice versa? How does the character affect the unfolding of the plot?

7pm until very, very late: Night Bazaar Sequel Party!  (Suite 2576 in the Hyatt Regency).  Free books, free food, free booze, and excellent company - cannot wait.

Sat Sep 1:

9am "Writing Groups: Good, Bad, or Inefficient" (Room: Field) I admit to groaning at seeing the time for this one, coming right after our Night Bazaar party.  Good thing I don't drink!
Some writers crave the company of other writers, seeking not only feedback on their work, but also support and/or commiseration. Others prefer to work in solitude or only seek input once a work is finished. And yet others fall somewhere in the middle. What are some of the benefits and pitfalls of being in a writer\'s group? Is face-to-face better than on-line, or vice versa? How do you handle personal or professional issues within the group and still keep it functioning? Are there any \'best practices\' for forming or nurturing a group?

12pm "World Building" (Room: Crystal C)
How does a writer 'build' a world for a story? Physical geography, economics and politics of a society, religions, conflicts.

3pm "Develop Your Story Idea" (Room: Haymarket) This one will be interesting. I've never been (or attended) a panel quite like it - could be fun!
We will take an idea or two from the audience and work on how we would turn it into a story.

And after that I am free to have fun and attend interesting panels and hang out with friends both old and new!  It's gonna be so awesome.