What I Learned at My First Book Fair...

On Saturday December 9th & Sunday December 10th, I attended my first  public event as an author.

It was a Children's Bookfest at Groundwork! New Bedford, MA.

I didn't sell out, no, but I walked away much richer in knowledge and experience than I expected.

Here's my story.

Panic.
Sheer panic. That was my first emotion as I drove down route 24 to my first event as a published author.

It's one thing to research how to prepare and be successful at them, but what everyone needs to understand is that EVERY event will be different. Some will be book-specific, some will be generalized craft fairs, and others will be local town events. Each event will attract a different age groups and/or audience. With that in mind, I tried to keep an open mind as possible.

About New Bedford Children's Bookfest: Groundwork! is actually a "co-working space" for freelancers, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and creative professionals. They have run Bookfests before, although for all age groups. This event placed a heavier focus on possibly the best readers: kids! I really loved Groundwork and the people who worked there- they provided such a friendly and fun atmosphere! The sign up and set up was simple, and I didn't feel bad asking questions. 

Scenario: About 20 vendors. One room. Open space. SNOW on Saturday. Sunny Sunday.

One of my best friends (and supporters), Becky and I arrived about a half hour early on Saturday to set up. That was the easy part. We taped my brand new banner on the purple table cloth and tried to display my works in an appeasing manner. (I forgot my bookstands!) I brought three books: my debut novel, "The Aeonians", and two anthologies I participated in from the Just-Us-League. I put out a bowl of candy and a list of recommended books. Yes. Recommended books that I didn't write. My approach was to appeal to anyone walking by. If they didn't see what they liked, they could possibly find one on that sheet. All but one are written by indie authors.

My next step was to introduce myself to all the other vendors- this was worth while because I met some of the most wonderful, talented authors and illustrators. Over the course of the two days, I had learned a lot from some of them. In particular, an author/illustrator named Eric, was my neighbor to the left, and he provided such amazing advice. He shared his previous experiences: what worked, what didn't work, and how he made each event a learning experience.

So, who came? Because of the weather and possible other factors, the foot-traffic was a little light; however, I was able to engage with some amazing people. It ranged from grandparents buying Christmas presents to families bringing their little ones. One soft-spoken girl in particular hung by my booth for a good chunk of Saturday. She looked at each of my books and shared with Becky and I some of her favorite reads. We were impressed by her love of reading and genuine interest in all three books. Because of her, I am inspired even further to continue writing and also encourage the creative spirit to anyone who'll listen. I've had other wonderful conversations from families. Many were impressed with the anthologies-a collaboration of short stories with a particular theme by authors from all around the world (I humbly am only one author out of many). It was also encouraging to see people genuinely interested in hearing how I came up with my debut novel, "The Aeonians". This event taught me that I shouldn't be so self-conscious- that I'm not a greasy salesman. 99% of folks loved hearing about the stories and how they came to be.

In the end?

• Figure out your $ strategy ahead. I had a hard time with this. Do I sell it at a lower price to sell more? How do I price three completely different books?
• I made modest sales. Never judge your success by the NUMBER of books you sold. Gauge success by sales in proportion to foot traffic.
• Another barometer of success is simply the number of customers you engaged with.
• Putting out candy really didn't make a difference, while showing positive energy did.
• Everyone is a potential customer.  Give everyone equal attention.
• It's OKAY to pitch your book- but always evaluate the customer by their body language. Some prefer to look and read in quiet.
• Be simple, but stand out.
• Be professional, but establish a connection.
• And speaking of connections- MAKE friends with other vendors. I learned about book reviewers, subscription services, how to find events and so much more.
• KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SALES. The $$$ you made and copies you sold. I highly recommend tracking on excel or notebook. Meticulous tracking makes things easier for when you determine net sales at the end of the year, comparing it to expenses, and taxes!

A BIG thank you to those at Groundwork! (and the amazing food by Destination Soups)! I will be back! Thank you to Becky for all your help. Thank you to all the amazing people I met.

My next event is this weekend! Saturday and Sunday 12/16-12/17 in Kingston, MA called "Make it Local". This will be a completely different experience, and I can't wait to see what's in store!

*Peace*
J.E.