How Authors Can Benefit From Visiting Book Fairs
How Authors Can Benefit From Visiting Book Fairs
By Julia McCutchen
It is one of the main book fairs which take place each year for professionals in the book trade alongside Book Expo in New York, Frankfurt and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. There are also many smaller yet worthwhile book fairs and exhibitions internationally.
Many authors wonder if it is worth attending these trade fairs and many commentators say that it isn’t. My view is that it can be a valuable experience if you approach it with the right mindset. You also need to plan your visit well in advance and wear sensible shoes in the knowledge that you’ll be on your feet for most of the day!
It is important to be realistic when thinking through a book fair visit, especially if you have a vision of meeting agents and editors to present your book to them. Most publishing professionals will have filled their schedule of 30 minute meetings well in advance of the fair taking place.
Having said that, serendipity can, and does, occur at book fairs.
When I was attending these events as a publisher, I remember well the number of times an author just happened to turn up at our stand when I was in between meetings. On some of those occasions, I did engage in impromptu conversations about new projects, and although it was rare, some of those spontaneous approaches did lead to us to publish the book the author had presented.
So here are 3 tips to help you benefit from attending a book fair this year:
1. Do some research to understand the basics about book fairs, set clear intentions of what you want to achieve, and plan your visit in advance. These events were created primarily for people in the industry and most professionals are there to do business with other trade insiders. Many agents and the conglomerate publishers will not be interested in the kind of spontaneous connections I described earlier. In fact, unless you have an appointment, you probably won’t be allowed in to the agent’s area which is cordoned off from the public.
However, there are many possibilities for authors who let go of unrealistic expectations and who concentrate on what is possible.
For example, you can:
• Research appropriate agents and contact them in advance to set up an appointment at the book fair
• Attend one of the increasing number of seminars being held specifically for authors to help you to get your first book published or advance your career as an established writer
• Identify publishers you may not have come across before who might be interested in your book and keep up-to-date with the ‘vibe’ in the industry.
2. Prepare appropriate materials to take with you.
Although it is unwise to count on being able to show your book ideas to anyone for the reasons I have already given, I do recommend that you take some good quality information with you just in case the opportunity does arise.
Here are my suggestions of what you should have with you. If you are writing:
• non-fiction, take a good book proposal with you plus one or two sample chapters for your book
• fiction, take a one page and a two page version of your synopsis available plus information about you as the author and ideally some marketing ideas
• an illustrated book, take some sample illustrations to show your vision of how you see the book overall.
Make sure that your contact details are securely attached to any material you might have the chance to leave with an agent or editor.
3. Remain alert to unexpected opportunities.
Alongside sensible planning, I also recommend keeping your eyes and ears open for spontaneous possibilities cropping up. You might not be able to get to see the particular agent or publisher you have targeted as being perfect for your book, but you never know who you’ll stand next to in the queue for coffee!
In such a situation, remember the importance of being able to describe your book in one compelling key sentence. That way, the person concerned can quickly make a judgment on whether further discussion is relevant or not. Finally, keeping an open mind will enable you to leave with more information, resources, contacts and opportunities for your book and to further your journey to successful published authorship – and beyond!
Julia McCutchen opens the way for writers to find their true voice, discover themselves in the process, and write consciously, creatively, successfully and with soul. A former managing director and publisher with over 20 years’ publishing experience, Julia’s holistic approach includes coaching, mentoring and masterclasses for aspiring authors. To access free articles, audios and other resources for writers, visit http://www.JuliaMcCutchen.com and http://www.iaccw.com
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