It's Okay to be Choosy!

When I had my first short stories published, I was excited to be a part of every writing and book event that came along. For the first two anthologies, our group did about fifty events a year to promote the books. Some of these events were wildly successful, and others were less than stellar. As I go along my writing journey, I've found it's okay to be selective about the events you attend. Here's what I've learned...

1. Your time is valuable. You need to guard your writing time and ensure that you are writing the next book. 

2. Look at the event. Is it inside or outside? (I sunburn easily!) Look at the logistics. Do you have to bring your own tent and table? Look at the schedule. When do you have to be there and how long are you expected to stay?

3. Is this the first time for the event? It's exciting to be a part of an inaugural event. Just make sure the host publicizes the event. It's fun to be on the cutting edge, but keep in mind that there my be some snags since this is the first time for everyone.

4. Is there a cost to participate? Make sure that the spend can be covered by your sales. I've split a table with other authors before. We shared the cost and the schedules. Book sales are unpredictable. Sometimes, you sell 50 books, and other times, you'll sell 2. The latter is more disappointing if you invested a lot of money in the entrance fee.

5. What is your purpose for attending the event? If it is only to sell books, then you need to evaluate your return on your investment of time and money. If you're there to support the library or to network, then sales may not be your first concern. I've given away hundreds of bookmarks at events, and many of those interactions turn into online book sales.

6. Consider the travel, meals, and overnight stays when you budget for an event. 

7. I keep a calendar, so I can look at what I did last year and also see what's on the horizon. I have a little paper one that I carry around with me. And I record everything -- in person events as well as social media ones.

8. It is okay to say no. If you're lucky, you'll be approached to participate in a lot of events. If you have a conflict (and you're interested), ask the organizers to keep you on the list for next year. Your time is valuable, and you need to consider how much time will be needed to prepare for a panel, workshop, or class.

9. How are books sold at the event? Is there a book seller, or are you responsible for sales? I have some author friends who don't do events where they have to sell books.  Make sure you know the logistics ahead of time. Also if the books are sold on consignment, make sure you know how/when you'll be paid. (And even if there is a book seller, I always have a stack of books in my car. I've been to events where there were book mix ups.)

Don't feel guilty that you turn down events? You need to make the best decision for you, and if you're stressed or too busy, then you're not writing your next book. What else would you add to my list?

ROI Can Mean More Than Book Sales

It would really be nice if I could trace all of my author and book activities to book sales. Sometimes, it's very clear that you did a marketing event and had a certain number of sales. But then there are other times that you'll do events and promotions, and it's hard to tell if they had any impact at all. I'd like to suggest that sometimes book marketing can have different types of returns on your investments. I would challenge you as an author to think of your investments of time and money in a broader sense. And here are some examples...

1. I have attended book events where I didn't sell many books, but I made contacts that led to other collaborations, interviews, or paid speaking engagements.

2. Networking is key for writers, and there is value in participating in events where you get to talk to readers and other writers. And if feels good to know that you're not alone in your writing journey.

3. I give everyone I talk to a bookmark or whatever promotional give-away I have (e.g. pens, pencils, etc.). I have seen my ebook sales spike after events. I may not have sold a book when I talked to them face to face, but they bought one later in a format they prefer.

4. I attend library events and speak to school groups to support libraries, teachers, readers, and future writers. I know that at a lot of these events I won't sell books. But sometimes, I'm surprised. I spoke to a high school group once about mysteries, and many of the students brought their copies of the book for me to sign. 

5. The time I spend on social media doesn't transfer to book sales. But I do meet people, share ideas, and build relationships. Your activity on your social media sites also helps with where you appear in search engine results. The more active you and your sites are; the more you appear at the top of searches.

Your time and money are valuable. And it's important to balance your writing life with the other things you have going on. But I challenge you to look for other benefits as you plan your event calendar and your marketing promotions. If you plan everything in terms of how many books you'll sell, you may miss out on some other benefits.