"I usually do one con a year as a GoH and try to make the World Fantasy Convention for business purposes. Last year I went to a worldcon for the first time in two decades. I may go again this year"
About this Quote
The key tell is “World Fantasy Convention for business purposes.” Foster punctures the romantic notion that conventions are purely fan-service pilgrimages. They’re markets: face time with editors, agents, foreign rights people, fellow writers who can recommend you for anthologies or blurbs. Networking gets dressed up as celebration, but everyone involved knows the difference between being seen and being read.
Then there’s the quiet headline: “a worldcon for the first time in two decades.” That gap hints at how careers evolve. A writer with Foster’s longevity doesn’t need constant visibility to validate relevance; he can afford to opt out. Coming back after twenty years suggests either a renewed strategic need (a new project, a changing industry) or a recalibration toward community in an era when online presence has replaced a lot of hallway conversations.
“I may go again this year” lands with deliberate nonchalance. It’s the voice of someone who has survived enough hype cycles to treat cultural institutions as tools, not temples. The subtext: fandom is meaningful, but a professional life is negotiated one commitment at a time.
Quote Details
| Topic | Travel |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Foster, Alan Dean. (2026, January 16). I usually do one con a year as a GoH and try to make the World Fantasy Convention for business purposes. Last year I went to a worldcon for the first time in two decades. I may go again this year. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-usually-do-one-con-a-year-as-a-goh-and-try-to-108766/
Chicago Style
Foster, Alan Dean. "I usually do one con a year as a GoH and try to make the World Fantasy Convention for business purposes. Last year I went to a worldcon for the first time in two decades. I may go again this year." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-usually-do-one-con-a-year-as-a-goh-and-try-to-108766/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I usually do one con a year as a GoH and try to make the World Fantasy Convention for business purposes. Last year I went to a worldcon for the first time in two decades. I may go again this year." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-usually-do-one-con-a-year-as-a-goh-and-try-to-108766/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.




