I was a vendor at the 2021 Imaginarium held at the Holiday Inn Louisville East in Louisville, Kentucky from June 9 through 11. Without really knowing what I was doing, even though it was the third time I'd participated as a vendor in this (usually) annual event, I signed up for "Creatives Alley" rather than the ordinary vendor room.

I'm glad I did.

Event attendance was lighter than expected, which may have been partially due to the inclement weather and/or the new location. The former location was under demolition and in terrible shape. Moving the event to another property was a smart idea.

With attendance being light and a hotel not exactly the venue to attract pedestrian traffic, Creatives Alley was the best spot for a vendor to display wares and advertise services. The organizer was also gracious enough to accommodate my request to bring and set up a second table within my "booth" space. That put me in an ideal spot to catch incoming and outgoing traffic. No, I didn't sell enough to cover the registration fee or break even on travel expenses, much less make a profit. Each time I participate in the Imaginarium, I do a little better, so I'm not ready to give up on this event yet.

The primary purpose of in-person events, I'm told by those more experienced than I in such matters, is not to sell merchandise and cover costs, but to network. This means engaging with the public and with other vendors. From my point of view, there's nothing to signal an event's lack of success than a roomful of vendors trying to sell to one another.

For a diehard introvert, engaging with the public is hard. I can do it. That's the best way to lure unsuspecting victims ... er ... potential customers and clients to my table. Once that connection is made and good manners compel the victim to answer the cheery "hello!" with a brief visit, it's time to engage in conversation. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes not. I try really hard not to be pushy by asking, "What do you like to read?" Then, if that person doesn't particularly like to read the literature I write, I might be able to direct him or her to another vendor who does.

Consider that my good deed for the day.

This year, a few writers approached me about the services Hen House Publishing offers. Most memorable, one gentleman spoke about his 200,000-word manuscript. I explained my typical recommendation for editing (multiple passes through the manuscript) and the adjunct services to complete the project. He pocketed a business card. Another young man still in college just getting started with writing. I spoke at length to him, too. He pocketed a business card. There were a couple of other people who spoke with me about the services offered. They took business cards.

Some folks purchased books. As stated, each time I attend this event, I do a little better in book sales. This year, I brought paintings, too, of which I sold a few. The compliments were validating.

Of course, not everyone with whom I spoke purchased anything. Most people didn't. That's the way these things go: the vendor expends a lot of effort to net a handful of sales. However, it's not all about the money, right? It's about making connections with people who may become customers in the future or who may refer one to someone else who then becomes a customer. Working conventions is a long game with no guarantee of success.

So, how does one evaluate the success of such an adventure? I haven't the foggiest. As far as I'm concerned, an uneventful journey (i.e., no vehicular catastrophes), a comfortable hotel room, decent food, and good placement in the venue are sufficient. The rest is on me, even if attendance isn't as robust as everyone hopes.

#henhousepublishing #entertheimaginarium #authorevents #booksigning

Perusing my feed in Reddit, one person posted a question as to whether freelancing resists age discrimination, ageism being a common obstacle faced by many workers in their 40s and 50s (or older) looking for new employment. The overwhelming response agrees that older workers find freelancing resistant to age discrimination: what matters most to t their clients is quality, not the writer's age.

The same cannot be said for other types of discrimination, specifically "reverse discrimination" favoring BIPOC and LGBTQ+ writers. It's becoming increasingly common to see solicitations for writers expressing blatant favoritism toward those groups. Society would rage if any company released a job description specifying that the freelance or contract writer be a white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant male. However, discrimination that clearly indicates such a disfavored applicant submitting a proposal would be discounted based on his demographics rather than the quality of his work draws nary a blink of surprise.

I find that offensive and insulting. Such blatant discrimination implies the lowering of standards, that  others who do not match the desired demographic cannot possibly produce the quality or type of work requested. In short, it implies that BIPOC and LBGTQ+ folks can't compete.

When I apply for a gig, I make no mention of my sex, the color of my skin, my religion, or anything else that has no relevance to whether I can do the work and complete the project. Frankly, that demographic data is none of their business. What I do mention is my experience and direct potential clients to my portfolio for writing samples. If a potential client cannot determine whether my skill is sufficient to perform the work, then there's no need for discussion.

When I do seek to hire someone, I don't ask for his or her demographics. I want to know whether (1) that person can they do the work at the level of competence I require and (2) will we get along? Just as I respect the client's expertise and knowledge in his or her field, I expect the client to respect my expertise in the work he or she hires me to do. When applying to edit more technically oriented content, I make a point of stating that I am not the subject matter expert. The subject of the document is the author's expertise; my expertise focuses on improving the quality of language in written material.

I am convinced that 2020 in large part succeeded in the attempt to reduce American society to an age of discrimination by demographic. It's not pretty and it hurts more than the people whom it excludes.

People don't use proper grammar when speaking. True, that.

This is why, when editing a writer's manuscript, I correct little if any of the grammar in dialogue. What I will do is highlight the grammatically incorrect phrase and explain in a margin note what the grammatically proper phrasing would be. The author then has the option to leave the dialogue as originally written, to accept the grammatically correct version, or to revise.

When it comes to reading dialogue, I expect better standards from characters representing higher social strata of civilization, as they're more likely to have received extensive instruction in manners, deportment, academics, etc. In short, they have an image of social superiority to uphold and the oftentimes stuffy phrasing and cadence of correct grammar supports that image. Lower caste or class individuals may be forgiven their broad slang, crude idioms, and sloppy sentence construction in dialogue.

One of my favorite movies is Auntie Mame, starring Rosalind Russell. In the scene where Mame's beloved nephew hires a ghostwriter, Brian O'Bannion, for her, the gentleman immediately flatters her with a short sentence: "I was asked to drop by to meet the fabulous Mrs. Burnside. You are she, of course."

Combined with a look of admiration and casual elegance of appearance, the ghostwriter's exacting grammar hints at superiority: a superior mind, a superior man. He's a fortune hunting cad, of course

Another favorite movie, Last of the Mohicans, has a scene in which Nathaniel Poe and company come across a burned-out cabin with its former inhabitants slain. Nathaniel, Uncas, and Chingachgook proceed, but Cora Munro objects to leaving the dead without a proper Christian burial, even though they're strangers. Nathaniel replies, "They are not strangers .... and they stay as they lay!"

The grammarian in me winces at that, wanting to correct lay to lie. The bodies lie (present tense) on the ground. However, use of the incorrect verb testifies to the character's lack of education, if not his honor and savvy.

Those two examples show how grammar can be used to play upon social perception and conceal the true character of the person speaking such dialogue.

Using correct grammar in speech isn't necessarily easy nor does it come naturally. It can help clarify meaning, but often gets short shrift in the interests of economy of expression or brevity. More than most prose, dialogue embedded within the story receives leeway, wiggle room, and lenience because people don't converse in correct grammar.

'Nuff said.