Sunday, April 10, 2016

Book Festival Post-Mortem

How did my 1st book festival go?  Well.  Slow. But, educational!  For my first book festival, I wanted to start off small to see how it went and then go from there.  There were around 65 authors at this book festival, so a lot of experience and perspective to tap into throughout the day.  The whole experience went well...no issues or problems...and everyone was extremely friendly so that helped too!  But, it was slow going...meaning, not a lot of foot traffic or attendees showing up which made for a long day at times.  So, that was pretty disappointing not only for me but for all the other authors that spent their time and money to participate in the event.  And, I believe a few of the authors made that clear to the organizers....so, not sure I'd go back to this particular event, but I did meet a lot of great people there!  And, they provided some great insight into what has worked for them, what events they have attended or plan to attend, and how they've engaged with their target audiences.  So, it was very informative and educational in that respect.  It was nice to get to know so many other local authors and hear their stories into the publishing world.

So, now I know what to look for in a book festival, what will suit and attract my target audience, and where I should spend some promotional time in the future.  Now, I just need to pick and choose wisely which events to spend my time and money.  I've got a pretty good idea so stay tuned!

And finally, thanks to my mom for going with me and sticking it out with me all day!  It definitely helped the day move along a little quicker with her by my side plus she's a social butterfly and talked to a lot of the authors, too!  I think she got as much insight out of the day from talking with other authors as I did!  So, it was a worthwhile first book festival experience and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Hoping you have a blessed week ahead full of new experiences!

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