This week: Virtual Events Edited by: Jeff  
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"What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out."
-- Alfred Hitchcock
Trivia of the Week: While holding virtual events may cut down on major expenses like venue rental and travel costs, most virtual events still require a significant investment for things like paying the speakers, the technology infrastructure to broadcast the event, etc.
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VIRTUAL EVENTS
Earlier this year, I was scheduled to speak at two in-person writers' conferences here in California. The first conference was canceled outright due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the second transitioned to an online event, where the other instructors and I taught in virtual classrooms.
Many universities are transitioning to online course offerings for the next academic year. USC's film school, for example, is still charging full freight tuition ($60K) for an all-online version of their program.
Professional speakers are focusing on turning their public speaking appearances into digital course and other online offerings to keep revenue coming in even while the vast majority of conferences and other in-person events are being canceled.
With most of the world (and especially in the U.S.) conducting virtual events for the foreseeable future, I thought it might be worth taking a look at how to weigh whether a virtual event is the right choice for you.
The first and most important criteria is to determine whether your takeaways are roughly equivalent to what you could get in-person. At the virtual writers' conference I attended, most of the classes were roughly the same, and the fact that it was online was more of an inconvenience and not the most ideal of format than it was an actual detriment to the event. Attendees could still take the classes they want, and get the information they were hoping to get from the conference. USC's film school, on the other hand, is most famously a place for future film professionals to network and get practical production experience making student films, which is most definitely not an experience that can be largely replicated while everyone is taking their classes at home. It's worth considering whether you think you can get roughly the same experience online as in-person.
The second important criteria is the cost. While there are certainly costs associated with putting on a virtual event, such as licensing software or a platform to put on the event, still paying the instructors, etc., there is also likely a huge savings to be had in the areas of venue rental and travel costs. It's worth considering whether the cost is the right price point, given the limitations of being online only, or if the event organizers have taken the unique circumstances into consideration in their pricing.
The third important criteria is whether there's another preferable alternative. If your goal with a virtual event is to get information, can that information be found cheaper in a book, online course offering, or other format? If your goal with a virtual event is connecting with other professionals, can that be done on social media or elsewhere now that everyone is at home and online all the time. The answer to either or both of those questions may very well be, "No, it wouldn't be the same experience" but its worth considering whether, while we're all stuck at home, the absence of an in-person event would make it more cost-effective to get that information elsewhere.
Overall, the decision whether to attend a virtual event is a personal one, and will largely depend on you, what you're looking to gain, and the particulars of the event. But in this ever-changing environment where alternatives and backup plans are often necessary, it's worth considering all the factors before just deciding to attend (or not attend) an event simply because it's online this year. There are some amazing virtual events and opportunities out there, but just as many that will be a letdown. Make sure you're choosing your virtual event attendance wisely!
Until next time,
Jeff
If you're interested in checking out my work:
"Blogocentric Formulations"
"New & Noteworthy Things"
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This month's official Writing.com writing contest is:
I also encourage you to check out the following items:
EXCERPT: There is no light in my apartment except the blinking star atop the Christmas tree. There are three hundred of those tiny lights woven through the branches, but the star is the only thing I turn on anymore. The rest is a fire hazard and if I turn them on it will be a matter of time before the whole thing is up in flames.
EXCERPT: It was supposed to just be a family cookout, that’s what Andrea had told him, but as he and Kristy cross the freshly-cut grass, it becomes clear that there’s been some sort of communication breakdown. At least ten cars crowd the driveway, some parked on the lawn. A mass of people gathers on the deck, where smoke from the grill rises into the air.
EXCERPT: Oh, oh wow this old western ghostly town is beautiful and neat well mostly. What do I mean by mostly, well gather round lend an ear and pull up a chair. This little town has about forty or fifty people living here and they are happy well as happy as they can be under the circumstances. They go about their day taking care of their children, their horses, and mining in the nearby mines. You know just living everyday life but when night falls nothing is normal. An enemy is on the loose at night lurking and looking for a victim.
EXCERPT: She opened the heavy pages and gave a sigh of pleasure. How she loved the smell of a new book. Barry had brought her the latest Steven King for her birthday, knowing she was a fan. The raised characters danced under her sensitive fingers as they traced the words.
EXCERPT: I once thought about writing poetry. Poetry that made sense and touched the soul of everyone who reads it. How hard can it be, I thought.
Well, for me, it’s hard as hell. I can find words that rhyme, but when I put them together to make some semblance of order and try to create something meaningful is tough. And, for me, just not worth it when I love writing prose so much.
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Feedback from "Drama Newsletter (July 8, 2020)" about real-life drama:
Quick-Quill  writes: "I'm thrilled to be home since March. Like can be stressful and will become even more so next month when my extra $$ benefit is no longer coming. I am working on my latest novel rewrite and also reviewing other writer's chapters. This time of reading and reviewing has kept me focused and making time pass. (That and watching every true crime episode on my cable network.) I did get a notice that my internet usage is WAY UP! "
I'm glad to hear that you're using your time in quarantine so productively! 
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Drama: August 05, 2020 Issue [#10310]
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