Every author looks endlessly for ways to put their work into the public eye in hopes of more sales. Many are without the benefit of a literary agent or manager and are often left on their own to market their writing. Finding new and innovative advertising avenues, especially those that don’t cost a fortune, can be a challenge. Social media has become an author’s best friend for publicizing their work, but they still need to interact personally with the public and their readers. One of the primary ways to do that is with book signings that provide the opportunity to meet with community readers and fans. You might see them sitting in bookstores, cafes or restaurants, joyfully greeting their visitors with copies of their work.

Another popular way of meeting readers is through book fairs and festivals. Many states host authors of all genres to participate and sign their books for purchasers and it can be a fantastic way to promote themselves and their work, but are these fairs and festivals truly worth the money and effort of ordering and toting piles of books, signs and table decor to spend the day at them?

Book Signings Are Not Always Profitable

Authors often times spend more money on the products that they sell and give away than they make back. Not only is it expensive to have their books printed, but many will also give away things for free, such as pens and bookmarks, candy, pamphlets and flyers or business cards, all that take their time and money to produce. Unfortunately, many authors have spent their days at book fairs chatting and talking about their books with visitors only to sell only a few. Not everyone is there to buy, and those who are likely have a lot of books to choose from, as there are usually a number of authors there. Some book fair attendees have even stated that it can be overwhelming to them because of so many options. Additionally, many book fairs have a small group of featured authors who often seem to reap the most attention from buyers.

Not All Book Fairs Are Local

Although most states in America host book fairs or festivals, not all cities or towns do, so authors sometimes tend to travel to be part of them, often times an hour or longer, especially if it is a more popular one that they are participating in. My state hosts a popular book festival annually that lures lots of visitors, but it is in the capital, four long hours from me. Some authors will find it worth their time while others choose more local fairs.

Book Fairs Come With Competition

Book fairs and festivals host multiple authors for their visitors to meet and speak with, but that means competition. The authors there are likely (politely) competing for attention and book sales, attempting to attract buyers with decorative tables, large signs and free gifts in a room or building with multiple other authors, and they often only get a small window of opportunity to hook a buyer. Having so many books in various genres for buyers to choose from makes an author’s sales much more difficult, especially if an author doesn’t have the ability to offer credit card sales and other non-cash methods of payment.

The Value of Selling Oneself

Book fairs and festivals offer many terrific benefits, like promoting an author’s hard work and meeting other book lovers. When one creates a product, he must also have an outlet in which to sell it and, for an author, a book fair is a great place to do it. Authors can put their work on display for all to see and talk to them about. It is an opportunity to attract buyers to one’s table for a peek at his/her book. Some authors will say, “if I can get their attention, I can sell them my book.” Whether true or not, it is always a wonderful opportunity to introduce oneself personally to readers, which offers a huge advantage over them finding the book online with so many others being offered in the same genre there. Many readers are more likely to buy from an author they have met or one who is local to their community and will even share it on their social media platforms.

The Pleasure of Meeting Other People

The most enjoyable part of a book fair or festival, in my own opinion, is meeting other authors and readers. My years of participating in the fairs and festivals have gifted me many other author friends to share experiences and knowledge with. I relish meeting and speaking with other people who share my passion for writing and storytelling. They are some of the most intriguing people in my life. I love hearing their ideas and experiences as they’ve traveled down the same literary path that I have. It fascinates me to compare marketing methods and ideas – what things have and haven’t worked for them – and their ingenious products and advertising avenues. I enjoy hearing about the experiences they’ve had and the people they have met along their journey. Authors, no matter what they write, are always in my realm of interesting people, and I learn so much from each and every one I meet. Book fairs and festivals often lend the time to connect with and get to know other authors, and I have swapped books with many of them, each of us writing book reviews for the other.

With so many platforms available for authors to promote their work, like social media, signings, book trailers and flyers, each must decide what avenues work best for them. For some, book fairs and festivals fall to the bottom of their lists but for others, they prove invaluable.