Anyone ever rent a table at a horror convention: was it worth it?

question I would ask__

Have you been to this con before?
how big is the con-- how many people attend?
how many other authors have tables?
can you share a table with someone?
does it have a charity auction? If so I would donate a copy of my book--maybe somebody who doesn't win the bid might buy one
Do they need more guest speakers? Most of the bigger cons have panels and need guests. they might comp your member or table fee.

GHGut said:

I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience marketing their own book at a convention and wouldn't mind sharing their stories. I have a new horror novel I published with a print on demand press (Eden by Tommy Arlin through Amazon's Booksurge) and I am weighing my options as to whether renting a table at this summer's Horrorfind Weekend in Maryland is worth it....Thank you all!

(I looked to try and make sure this wasn't covered but if it was I apologize).

Click to expand...

I've attended the last three Horror Hound Weekend con's in Indianapolis, IN. (There's only been 3 so far)

At the first there were two authors with tables there, and they looked pretty lonely. There were no authors with tables the last two shows.

I've never been to horrorfind, so obviously your mileage may vary! That said, if you have a website set up for your book, etc. I have hit all three of those cons in force with business cards and stickers, etc. printed up for my horror website and passed them out to random people, and stacked them deep on the freebie table. This does help get the word out a lot and is considerably cheaper than the table rental! (Sometimes cheaper, depends on the con)

Been to many conventions (still go), but I only once rented a table. Utter failure!

You'd be much better off applying to be a guest. From there, if you're accepted, they'll require you to be on panels (or discussions) about various topics. But here is where the 'face' time will pay off - they'll give you signing times where you can sell your book. A much better bargain if you ask me.

I've done this many times.

Don't get a table. Seriously. Don't bother.

Waste of money, waste of time.

I am not an unknown flogging a POD. I've sold more than 20 novels to large publishers and have a loyal fan following. I've been the frelling guest of honor at conventions, I've been to cons that had over 14 thousand attendees strolling by--and not sold a single book!

1) You won't get the publicity you think you'll get, because you'll be just another book seller in a room full of them.

2) You won't stand out as a writer, because there will be plenty of them roaming around or hanging at the bar.

3) You have to man the table all freakin' day. It gets old, fast, and when people don't stop by it gets very discouraging.

4) You will NOT make back your investment. Add up table cost, gas to get there, hotel room, food, cost of the books vs. the possibility you will sell oh, let's say five books. No way will you break even, much less turn a profit.

5) Some of the more savvy attendees won't touch a POD book, however charming and talented you may be. They will want to spend their money elsewhere and do.

Go to the con to enjoy it for its own sake, to learn, network, and make friends.

Contact Guest Relations and ask if they will have an "artist's alley." Some cons offer free tables to writers and artists that you can use for a specific time period to pimp your book and give away bookmarks with your web addy.

You should not push to get on as a guest, because most POD books don't count as a professional credit. (No advance against royalties usually means it doesn't count on your writer's resume. I don't make the rules, that's just how things are for now.) However, you can ask if they will have panels on POD publishing, and can offer to share your experiences there with others.

You can ASK if they would consider extending you a guest pass, though. Never hurts to see if they won't bend things a bit, especially if you're polite about it. Guest relations folk often have to put up with a lot of a&&holes, you want to be the refreshing exception in their day! If they say no, suck it up and smile. Everyone has to pay their dues.

Make sure the person you contact knows you're a neo with a POD book. Don't try to make yourself out to be more than you are. You will have to be humble. It can be hard, but it will serve you better than being like this person. (She also writes horror, has a book with Publish America and 3 with a POD press and is convinced she's a bestselling author, even though the NYTimes never heard of her. It's a good cautionary tale on what not to do. Enjoy.)

If they do give you a turn at an artist's alley table, turn up on time and be charming. Let your book sell itself, give away bookmarks. Have fun.

Otherwise...no table? NO problem. Enjoy the con.

Attend panels on writing and publishing so you can learn from writers farther up the ladder. Yes, I have sold more than 20 books, but you betcha I'm in the panel rooms taking notes the same as any newbie! There's always something new to learn.

Make friends with other writers. If you get the hairy eyeball from a pro (you'll know it when you see it) for having a POD book, don't let it bother you. Be friendly, relaxed, shake hands, talk about the craft, but not your book, not unless someone specifically asks.

Make sure you have your one-sentence TV Guide style plot synopsis ready. Avoid glazed eyes--it has to be one line. (My book? Oh, it's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy meets Relic, but with a higher body count--especially when the aliens land! )

Check out the parties, be open to meeting all kinds of folk. The people you meet could end up being lifelong friends!

I agree very much with Gillhoughly's idea of 'mingle, meet and greet, learn'. That is a great suggestion!

Thank you!

One thing--make sure you are sincere about being friendly and enthusiastic and don't overdo things. Be confident. Insecure desperation is as much of a turn-off in publishing as it is in dating!

People can tell right away if someone's putting up a front to get something out of them. Just relax and enjoy. Be a friend to make a friend, and listen. Tons of people will be talking, but danged few will be listening. Watch how other pros handle themselves, that's how I learned. The good ones are gracious, enthusiastic, good humored, and always polite to everyone, especially hotel staff. (You can tell a lot about a person by how they treat the waitress or waiter!)

Just yesterday I was in a comic shop and got to talking with a guy who really, REALLY wants to get into the business as an artist. He was pretty darn grim about it, too.

I've written comic scripts, but don't know that much about the business--but even I could see he was going about it the wrong way.

Number one problem? NO sense of humor. I made jokes and they flew past without roosting. I was trying to make contact, make some kind of human connection with him, but he was wound so tight I thought he'd break something.

He had sketches in the comic store hoping a publisher would walk in, spot his raw talent, and want his phone number. (Yeah, like that's going to happen in a small shop in central Texas.) Instead of letting his work speak for itself, he was shoving page after page at me, comparing his stuff to others and ripping their technique apart to convince me he was better.

(Negative vibe alert! Vacate to the bar!)

Every time I came up with a bit of help for him he'd interrupt with his own conclusion to my sentence (a wrong one) or ask "who do you know?" "You know anyone who can help me?"

The pushy desperation had me backing toward the door.

I tried to tell him about a *huge* convention that will be in our area in two months and about their artist's alley. There was still time for him to get signed in for it. I even gave him my name to give to the guest relations coordinator. But again, every time I tried to give info he needed he'd interrupt with a variation of "I'm trying to get into the business." (Yes, dude, I get that, now shut the heck up so I can HELP you!")

He was so busy spouting his mission statement that he missed on the fact that other artists with pro credits would be there--artists who could help get him on the right track. He dismissed them as competition he had to beat to get to the prize.

It was in his head that if he could just show his sketchbook to a publisher that he'd get hired on the spot.

I got the idea that if Stan Lee himself walked in to tell him how to do things the right way this guy would interrupt him and blow it.

The pros are at these events to push their books, impart their knowledge, and have FUN. They want to play. If you're someone they can talk to in a social setting, they'll know you'll be okay to chat with about business.

I made a VERY valuable contact with a major publisher at a convention party. I didn't know who he was at the time. We joked over drinks and cake, then got into a spontaneous balloon volleyball game that took over a whole roomful of writers; some of them were major names, Hugo and Nebula winners. We were balancing drinks in one hand and belting that balloon with the other, laughing like idiots. It was insane and FUN.

Later on someone dropped his name and I danged-near fainted. He was the owner of one of the bigger publishing houses that later bought some of my books. I don't know if that volleyball-oon game had anything to do with it, but it showed a side of me to him he'd have never seen in a formal meeting!

My advice? Listen to Gillhoughly. She/he knows what she/he's talking about.

Again, I agree with Gillhoughly. I met my current publisher at a convention - they do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. From that informal convention meeting (having a few drinks in the hotel bar, laughing and being social), days later, they asked me to submit a manuscript. I didn't ask them, beg, or shove my manuscript at them while at the convention.

So it all goes to show - be outgoing, social, professional - but yourself! Remember editors, publisher, agents are people too. They're at a convention to have fun as well. And who knows, you might just make a connection.

Thank you--again!

One last bit--don't overdo it with the free booze at parties. You can be a disgusting, falling-down drunk slob of a writer AFTER making the bestseller list, but not before!

And leave the scary t-shirts at home or wear them with a jacket. Play freak the mundanes some other weekend.

One of the turning points in writer Bob Asprin's career was when a pro told him to ease off wearing his Trek Classic Klingon guise. Seemed he was scaring the editors! You want to scare an editor with your fantastic prose, not your wardrobe choices.

Neil Gaiman is awesome with a plain black T and a coat, but then he's just awesome, period.

Again, more sage advice from Gillhoughly! That was what I meant by professional - don't get blind stinkin' drunk or wear clothing that might be considered 'out there'.

Also remember when having casual conversation not to toss in 'My book is about. . . '. There's time for that later. Trust me. Talk about a television show or movie, even discuss other worthy literary works. Or about the panel you attended at the convention. Intelligent conversation!