Trade shows

108Days said:

Anybody have any experience participating in trade shows? Are they worthwhile?
Thanks

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BEA is the biggest US-based show, and if you want to see just how many publishers there are out there, it's worth going. But it's expensive, and publishers are focused on meeting booksellers, media, etc. It's not a great place for authors to go and troll for potential publishers without previously-made appointments.

As far as buying booth space, if you aren't already connected with a publishing company, it's probably not worth the expense. Most small presses (self publishers and micropublishers) are relegated to the lowest-floor small press section, which tends to be quite far away from most of the action on the main floor.

Your best bet is to try to get a badge from your publisher, or make enough appointments with agents and potential publishers that spending the money on a day pass is worth your while.

Hope this helps.
Lauri

How about book fairs and regional book expos, like the Los Angeles Book Show?

maestrowork said:

How about book fairs and regional book expos, like the Los Angeles Book Show?

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Our distributor does these shows for us, so I don't have any personal experience with them.

Maestro, are you talking about the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books?

book_maven said:

Maestro, are you talking about the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books?

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I believe so... it's a big one held in April, I believe.

Yes, that's the one. It's not a trade show, but a book festival. And it is one of the best in the nation with about 150,000 attendees each year. Have you been? If not, I highly recommend it. I go every year. It always takes place on the last weekend in April which in 2006 is April 29-30.

I believe a single booth is $900 for the two days if you reserve in advance. Having been to the festival repeatedly (first as a visitor, then as a member of the press), I do not recommend buying a booth by yourself. Your publisher might do well there, but single authors in a booth do not generally attract a large audience. Getting on a panel is excellent, but the competition is horrendous.

Check them out at http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/