Spring is almost here and with it brings (besides cleaning up the garage and finding all that stuff you lost in the yard before the snows came) what to most pop culture fans is one of the best times of the year..Convention season!
From local cons to the big shows, it’s time to attend our favorite shows, to bring out our costumes, our rare items to be signed or just the chance to hang out people who enjoy fantasy and fiction.
The great thing I’ve noticed over the last few years is that there is a more international flavor to the crowds at conventions. My favorite convention is of course SDCC.
With the global pandemic in the rear-view mirror, it seems that more people from across the planet are coming to the biggest show of all. If you’ve never been to SDCC, it’s so worth the attendance lottery or trying to audition for a professional badge if you’re in the business or wanting to take your concept further.
Now, this next thing I want to communicate is for the writers out there. What you’re about to read is really important and is especially for the USA writers.
Open your minds! Trying to break into the US writing market is as tough as finding a white dog in a blizzard. The market in the US is saturated and getting noticed can be done, but you’d better be one incredibly talented self-promoter. I admit to being one these rare souls and even with this talent I spent many years getting my work out there by using the usual channels.
But then, I met some wonderful people from Mexico and everything I knew was put on its head. I started learning about markets way beyond my country’s borders and the new audiences for my work were looking for something different and something unique, but unlike the more jaded domestic crowds, the Latin American and the European crowd had been mostly ignored by the USA creatives. Sometime it was the language barrier (which is easily overcome these days thanks to apps like Babbel etc.) or sometimes it was fear of the unknown. Well, if you’re going be a writer, you can’t be afraid of anything. Well, besides the damn oxford comma but outside of that, get over your fear!
My film Bubba has now been dubbed in German and was played on the largest streaming service there plus in other parts of Europe. Add to this that my other writing is now being translated into Latin Spanish and it’s been so fun! I have new friends and fans who give me a greater perspective on the world and the global village we all now live in and also fresh ideas which to a writer are the blood of our existence.
So, as we now enter the time of year where we venture forth to embrace new experiences, look into the international markets for fans and professionals alike. You will discover not only new things to embrace and become part of your pop culture world, but new things about yourself and where your work will be welcomed with open arms and not with the usual dismissive wave from the who you know crew.
Now go and next month I’ll be posting places that you can go to try these theories out and get your passports in order to do it.
Yours unruly,
Mitch
