2018 SFWA Nebula Conference
Event Information
Description
May 17th - May 20th, 2018
SFWA members and other individuals who are interested in the field of science fiction and fantasy are welcome to attend SFWA’s Nebula Conference. Attendees may participate in workshops, programming and special events throughout the weekend.
You do not need to be a member of SFWA to attend. We encourage anyone with a connection to the field to join us.
Focusing on three tracks relevant to professionals in the genre, attendees will be able to choose from career management, professional development, and expert knowledge panels and workshops throughout the weekend. We are very early in the programming process but if you'd like to know what past conferences were like, you may access the 2017 schedule here: http://nebulas.sfwa.org/nebula-conference/2017-nebula-conference-schedule/
You will be able to meet with major industry vendors throughout the weekend. In 2017, companies like Draft2Digital, Kickstarter, Patreon, Pronoun, were in attendance and giving talks or best practices to attendees. We hope to have even more participation this year, so please watch this space for updates!
Our 'Office Hours' sessions in our expert knowledge room provides an opportunity to sit down with industry professionals on a wide range of relevant topics.
The conference will also feature the prestigious Nebula Awards and banquet along with receptions honoring SFWA's newest Grand Master and the Nebula Award nominees.
Like free books? Every full conference registration got a full bookbag with lots of excellent swag.
This conference is fully accessible and we will strive to make this event comfortable, safe, and engaging for all attendees.
Our policies on harassment and accessibility are located here:
Nebula Conference Accessibility
Understanding the Accessibility Checklist
If you have special requests for accessibility accommodation, for both on-site and off-site events. (e.g. transportation, mobility, vision, hearing, etc.), any information provided in the registration will be kept in the strictest of confidences.
HOTEL
Important News Regarding Our Hotel Block
The Nebula Conference is growing! Unfortunately, this means the SFWA room block at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center is currently full.
We are negotiating to expand our room block and hope this will be a temporary situation. In the meantime, we have made overflow arrangements with the Doubletree (a Hilton property) just one block away.
One Bigelow Square
Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
The DoubleTree rooms are $159 per night for Nebula Award Conference attendees.
Please do not cancel a Marriott reservation through the website. Instead, write to Steven H Silver at events@sfwa.org
If you have a reservation at the Marriott and would consider moving to the Doubletree, please let us know. We’d like to be able to offer Marriott rooms to people with accessibility issues. We recommend shifting over to the Doubletree if:
- you are attending the Nebula Conference on Friday and Saturdaynights only
- you would like a cheaper room ($159 vs. $164 a night)
- you prefer Hilton points
- you would like a suite – the Doubletree has suites available in various configurations, starting at $179 per night
Reserve your DoubleTree room here: Click to Access DoubleTree Hotel Reservations
For questions about the Nebula Conference or for assistance with event registration or hotel reservations — or if you should experience any difficulty in booking your room or are told that the room block is full before we announce it — please contact events@sfwa.org.
Main Conference Hotel
112 Washington Place
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
To contact the hotel directly: 1-412-471-4000
Room rate: $164.00 plus any applicable taxes and fees.
Click here to access hotel reservations for the Nebula Conference. [Currently Full.]
Room rate: $164.00 plus any applicable taxes and fees.
To contact the hotel directly: 1-412-471-4000
Some things of note when making a reservation:
- Due to the ongoing changes for their most recent merger, there reservation system is a bit complicated.
- You will need to go through several screens in to request the kind of room you want. For example, instead of selecting a king or a double-double early in the process, you have to note this on the "Your requests" window which is three screens from the beginning.
- When you see the Edit Requests button, select it.
- The Preferences Summary window will then be displayed.
- Select the top option on the Preferences Summary window:
- You'll see options for room type. Select the type of room you want.
- Note any other rooms preferences you have.
- Press the Update button at the button on the window.
- If you are signed in as a Marriott rewards member, we understand that the process may differ from the above as well. We have heard it will pull your desired preferences into the reservation automatically. So please keep that in mind when making your reservation should you need anything different from your normal travels for this conference.
If you should experience any difficulty in booking your room, or you are told that the room block is full before we announce it, please email events@sfwa.org for help.
FAQs
REGISTRATION
Q: Who attends the SFWA Nebula Conference?
A: Authors, editors, agents, publishers, and other professionals come to the conference to attend programming, network, conduct business, relax, and to see friends.
Q: Do I have to be a member of SFWA to attend?
A: No. The conference is open to all who buy an attending membership.
Q: What is the dress code for the conference?
A: Most of the weekend is casual, wear whatever you'd like. There are receptions each evening, for which many dress up, business casual, cocktail dresses (but they don't all dress up). The banquet and awards ceremony will see everything from business casual to formal.
HOSPITALITY SUITE
Q: Is there a SFWA Suite?
A: There will be a hospitality suite, and it is open to all attendees of the conference.
Q: What are the hours of the hospitality suite?
A: At this point, we’re still in negotiation with our crack hospitality team, but you’ll be able to have a light breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and it will be open following the receptions and banquet.
BANQUET
Q: Will I be able to eat if I’m a vegetarian?
A: Yes, we selected a Vegan option during our tasting session at the hotel in addition to a beef and chicken option.
Q: If I have dietary restriction, can I be accommodated at the banquet.
A: Yes, we even have a space for you to note your dietary restrictions on the registration form.
Q: Can I attend the Awards Ceremony if I don't attend the Banquet?
A: Yes, after the banquet, we'll open up the doors to all members. There will be seating set up for attendees who did not join us for the banquet.
Q: If I can't attend, where can I watch the Awards ceremony?
A: SFWA plans on streaming the Awards ceremony live via Facebook Live and Youtube Live.
PROGRAMMING
We are very early in the programming process but if you'd like to know what past conferences were like, you may access the 2017 schedule here: http://nebulas.sfwa.org/nebula-conference/2017-nebula-conference-schedule/
We are looking for panels and solo presentations geared toward working professional science-fiction and fantasy authors. To submit your proposal, please fill out the "Call for Panels" form.
If you have a request for a topic you would like to see to covered, but do not wish to present yourself, please use the "Topic Suggestion" form.
MASS AUTOGRAPHING
There will be a (free) mass autograph session for attending authors on the Sunday afternoon at 1:00pm. This signing is open to the public as well as to the Nebula Conference attendees. If you’re an attending author and would like to participate, please sign up for the mass autograph session when you register with Eventbrite.
SFWA will operate an onsite book store that will carry as many of the participating authors’ books as possible.
May 20th, 1-3 PM
Pittsburgh Marriott City Center
112 Washington Pl
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
OTHER
Q: How can I help support the SFWA Nebula Conference?
A: You can help publicize the conference by discussing it on social media. If you are attending, volunteer to help. It's a great way to meet people and make connections, especially if you are new to the field. If you live far away from Pittsburgh and are unable to attend, you might consider hosting a local Nebulas Event where you watch the streamed ceremony and have your own party with local SFWA members and other interested members of the SFF community.
