Over the course of the average year, I attend more than a dozen conventions as a professional author. I travel up and down the East Coast, venture across the border to Canada and maybe the UK, foray West to Arizona and parts in between. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also expensive in terms of money and time, and exhausting. Why do I do it? The answer goes beyond mere visibility, although that’s part of the pay-off.
Reason #1: I was a fan before I became a pro. I’ve been going to conventions since I was in high school. Back then, I sat in the audience and dreamed of the day when I would be a writer and sit on the other side of the panel table. Now, I am that writer, with an audience full of aspiring authors, and it’s a wonderful feeling. I enjoy conventions because I love the genre, the shows, the chance to meet celebrities and cosplayers. I enjoy the filk and the art, the panel topics and the whole excitement of people with a passion coming together to share what they love. That still works for me, and I hope it always will.
Reason #2: It’s good visibility. Authors today aren’t at risk from obscurity; their biggest risk is being lost in the clutter. A million or so books are now published a year, counting all channels. How do you get people to notice yours? Meeting them in person is a good start. I talk with a lot of readers at conventions, and encounter even more through my panels. My hope is that if I entertain them, make them think, add to their knowledge, they will remember my name and my books and buy a copy or two the next time they need something to read.
Reason #3: I meet other pros and do business. Did we fool you into thinking that we’re only hanging out at the bar for the beer? Writers do like to socialize, but you might be surprised at the number of book deals that get done at convention bars. Writers meet agents and editors, get invited to participate in anthologies and cross-promotion events, find artists and collaborators and a whole lot more. We also hear a lot of industry news and gossip, which is essential in a rapidly-shifting marketplace. Yes, we’re having a good time, but we go to conventions to work.
Reason #4: A lot of the other authors and many of the attendees and con-runners are my friends and I like to see them. Conventions often have a sense about them of a family reunion, if that reunion was made up of the family you choose not the family you inherit genetically. For most of us, that’s trading up. I honestly enjoy getting together with old friends, meeting new people and trading stories. And if there’s some wine or single malt scotch involved, all the better.
Reason #5: Readers have short memories. Sure, someone may have read and really liked my book, but in a year when the second volume comes out, will he/she remember me? I read about a hundred books a year, and many of my readers tell me they read twice that or more. Even favorites blur with that kind of volume. So seeing me at a convention and hearing that I’ve got a new book or two or three coming out is a reminder to catch up with the series or find out what’s new.
I try to vary the conventions I attend so that I get to visit different regions of the country. Some conventions I do my best to attend every year, and some I hit on a rotating basis, because the truth is, nearly every weekend has multiple conventions scheduled, and without a TARDIS, I can’t be in two places at once. I’m also very grateful for the hard-working people who run conventions (and especially the con suite volunteers and programming folks) because it’s a hard job and they do it for the love of the genre. They don’t get enough appreciation, so make sure you tell them thank you.
There are other, less important things I love about conventions, like buying a really cool item in the dealers’ room, running into an author or celebrity who is one of my favorites (squee!) or listening to fun music. Did I mention room parties? Those, too. See you at a con!
Check out my new Steampunk novel Iron and Blood, co-written with Larry N. Martin, set in an alternative history Pittsburgh in 1898. In stores July 7!
The Hawthorn Moon Sneak Peek Event includes book giveaways, free excerpts and readings, all-new guest blog posts and author Q&A on 28 awesome partner sites around the globe. For a full list of where to go to get the goodies, visit www.AscendantKingdoms.com.
Gail Z. Martin writes epic fantasy, urban fantasy and steampunk for Solaris Books and Orbit Books. In addition to Iron and Blood, she is the author of Deadly Curiosities and the upcoming Vendetta in her urban fantasy series;The Chronicles of The Necromancer series (The Summoner, The Blood King, Dark Haven, Dark Lady’s Chosen) from Solaris Books and The Fallen Kings Cycle (The Sworn, The Dread) as well as Ice Forged, Reign of Ash, and War of Shadows in The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga from Orbit Books. Gail writes two series of ebook short stories: The Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures and the Deadly Curiosities Adventures and her work has appeared in over 20 US/UK anthologies.
Larry N. Martin fell in love with fantasy and science fiction when he was a teenager. After a twenty-five year career in Corporate America, Larry started working full-time with his wife, author Gail Z. Martin and discovered that he had a knack for storytelling, plotting and character development, as well as being a darn fine editor. Iron and Blood is their first official collaboration. On the rare occasions when Larry isn’t working on book-related things, he enjoys pottery, cooking and reading.
Find them at www.JakeDesmet.com, on Twitter @GailZMartin or @LNMartinauthor, on Facebook.com/WinterKingdoms, at DisquietingVisions.com blog and GhostInTheMachinePodcast.com, on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/GailZMartin free excerpts, Wattpad http://wattpad.com/GailZMartin.
Do you ever do any writing while you’re on the road at conventions? I’m guessing there are a lot of distractions to keep you busy instead.