About

I’m Dina Steyn. Since I’m getting married in 2018 (hooray, blog material!) and might change my surname, I also go by the moniker Dina Wordsmith. My day job is working with words as a language editor, translator and copywriter.

Ten years of convention-organising experience

I worked as bottle-washer, cook and chief (I worked my way up) for a Pretoria gaming convention from 2004 to 2014.  My con was Upcon (short for the University of Pretoria Convention). I started by working a kitchen shift one year, guarding die gates the next and then somehow moving on to become treasurer and chairperson. In 2010 I founded the Great Geek Collective (GGC) to bring geeks together and help students run my con baby. The GGC took over Upcon from the students in 2012 and in 2014 we hosted G2C2 2014: Phoenix rising. Then I skipped out.

Wedding planning

I’ve helped out with kitchen teas a few times, found out I was allergic to ivy juice from setting up a friend’s wedding the night before, and by the end of September 2017 I’ll have been a bridesmaid twice. Not as impressive as my con experience.

This blog

Skipping Convention follows my journey to marry convention-planning experience and wedding planning. (I’ll wait for you to finish groaning). I want to share things to think about if you want to plan a small (about 600 people) geek convention. And we’ll find out how (and if) I manage to skip some wedding conventions.

Please share any advice on coping with the wedding and feel free to ask questions about comic and games conventions.