Re: Autocrats

[MHWag@aol.com]

Poster: MHWag@aol.com

Yes!  As Duchess Melisande said, autocratting is providing the atmosphere
within which good stuff happens.   
- First thing you want to do is decide what sort of atmosphere you're looking
for.  This keeps you from trying to include too much, and gives guidelines
for planning .   
- Then get good people and put them in the right places.  If you are very
lucky, good people will show up and do cool stuff for you.  This can't be
planned, it is grace.  
- Then be flexible. If good stuff is happening, don't stop it for some
prearranged scheduled activity, unless it's the activities that give Crown
Tourney or Coronation their names. 
- My final hint is, as an appearance snob, to make your hall look cool.
 Make/get lots of banners, wallhangings, tablecovers, whatever.  Some groups
will use a small chunk of their event budget for decorations that can be used
again.  Their bottomline may be less, but they now have stuff to use later,
or lend out, engendering goodwill.         

My first event was Midsummer Masqued Mayhem - the name should give you some
idea of the event style. It was very very small, but apparently a good time
was had by all (even the cook, who says it was her most fun feast, it was
also her first feast).  The original plans had to be almost totally changed,
as the week of rain prior to the event flooded the fighting area, but with
the right people in the right places, good stuff just happened.  Sir Timoch
kept coming up with unusual fighting scenarious, Sir Cuan sponsored a
spontaneous bearpit tourney, Efen showed up as Dook Bob for the masqued ball.

Good luck and have fun!!!
Aileen
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