Editors and publishers are not gods.

For those of you going to Wondercon this weekend, or any other show in the next few months, hoping to get a portfolio review from an editor or publisher, here is the best advice I can give you.

Editors are not gods. They are not superhuman. They do not hold your future in their hands.

They are just people. Cool people, grant you, who do a cool thing, but people none the less.

So when you go to meet with them, treat them…like people.

Have a conversation about something cool you like. Smile and say hello. Be genuine.

But don’t get all knock-kneed and mumbly just because they work on Spider-Man.

Editors hate that. What they like is when you can talk intelligently about your work, the industry as a whole, and your experience in it.

There is little worse in a portfolio review that being looked at in awe.

It’s really hard to hire somebody who can’t think straight when you are talking to them. Remember, these are people you will have to work with for years, and they are looking for personality as much as they are looking for talent.

Besides, it’s just more fun when you can have a real conversation with somebody.

So yes, they might be able to get you a job after the show. More likely, they will have notes about your portfolio, and ask you to resubmit later.

Most importantly, what you can get from that meeting is a great contact and the beginning of a friendship.

And it’s really hard to make friends with somebody you are in awe of.

So breathe and remember, the odds of you landing a job after a portfolio review are slim. The odds of you making a connection for a future job or a friend are high.

This is not life or death. This is supposed to be fun.

What do you think editors and publishers? Am I talking out of my ass?