VirtualJaneCon

A radically inclusive Jane Austen event. Made for and by fans.

FAQ

Here are the questions we get asked a lot, if you don’t find answers to your questions, let us know.

What are the dates for #VirtualJaneCon 2023?

  • February 26: Submission form opens
  • April 15: Submissions close
  • May 1: Final program decisions made
  • July 15-16: #VirtualJaneCon 2023 happens

What is #VirtualJaneCon?

It’s an Austen-filled weekend online. You can see some of past year’s programming here, but it ranged from Regency costuming to more academic discussions on Austen’s works and Regency history. It’s a fun, wide-ranging event that encapsulates the myriad interests and talents of the Jane Austen community, while remaining online and free to see, making it accessible to fans with access to social media platforms.

All programming will be posted and hosted on YouTube.

This doesn’t mean you can’t share your content or discuss the con on non-YouTube channels.

How can I submit to be included in programming?

The call for programming is here. PLEASE READ THE POST AND FORM COMPLETELY.

If you are looking for panelists or want to be on a panel, please join this FB Group to coordinate with other folks.

The call for programming will open up on February 26, 2023. The programming will be more formalized through a Google Form you will have to fill out fully. Submissions are due on April 15, 2023.

If you submit, you will need to make sure your video premieres or is public by the date and time you are signing up for in the Google Form, and it needs to be approved ahead of time by the vetting team.

What can I submit to Virtual Jane Con?

The con is, at its heart, about Jane Austen, but topics around the Regency era, Austen in pop culture, and anything Austen-adjacent are fine. If you want to do a panel, workshop or performance, just ask if it makes sense for this con. This can and should be a creative lineup, but if you have content that doesn’t work for this, think about submitting elsewhere.

Some ideas for what to talk about:

  • Jane Austen on film
  • A panel on Regency romance
  • Black authors of the Regency era
  • Dyes available in Regency London
  • Pride and Prejudice covers through the years
  • Why Wishbone is the very best Darcy

Check out some of past year’s programming here or email us with specific questions.

What we are NOT looking for is a talk that is rushed or taken from someone else’s work. You are welcome to research and cite authors and works, but you should not be putting together a talk the night before using just Wikipedia to inform your talk. (Yes, that has happened. Don’t be that person.)

Since this con will be completely on YouTube, you will be expected to make a video and have it posted during the slot you have indicated on the form. Obviously, if things change close to the event, you can email with changes, but once programming graphics and info has gone out (which will be going out at least two to three weeks ahead of the con weekend) it will be impossible to change what has already gone out.

The deadline to submit is coming up soon and I know what I want to talk about, but I haven’t fully figured everything out yet to put in my summary!

While we’d prefer to see more detailed submissions, which will help our submission committee determine our Virtual Jane Con lineup, shorter summaries are acceptable too. At minimum, make sure you include in your summary:

  • What your presentation will be about
  • Why it’s interesting and important to the Jane Austen community
  • What kind of presentation it will be (talk, workshop, performance, demonstration, etc.)

I want to present, but I don’t know how to make a YouTube channel/include closed captions/edit my video, or I have other technical questions. What kind of support is available?

We’ll be setting up regular info sessions/office hours in May and June for presenters to ask knowledgeable folks on our volunteer committee about any of their concerns with technical aspects of their presentation.

I have questions about making my presentation accessible to all.

See our accessibility guidelines here.

I don’t want to present, but I’d like to help.

Sign up to volunteer here or email us. We’re looking for help with graphics, social media, tech support, accessibility consulting, and moderation.

I don’t want to present, but I want to be part of the fun. How do I watch?

Follow Virtual Jane Con on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for programming info! 

You should also sign up for the Virtual Jane Con newsletter so you can get the program right in your inbox as well as updates for upcoming events.

I want to discuss the presentations! Where do I do that?

Once the presentations premiere on YouTube, you will be able to comment on the video. Some presenters will also have a live Q&A on YouTube after their video premieres. 

What are you doing to make Virtual Jane Con a “radically inclusive” experience?

See our Community Guidelines for expectations for organizers, presenters, and participants. We will also have moderators in all of the presenters’ YouTube videos to ensure that the videos remain a safe space for all.