| There was so much talk about how this years BEA | | | | but they didn't know where they were and would |
| was going to be smaller, less attended by industry | | | | walk away. I am still trying to figure out why they |
| vendors and visitors and so much less of a | | | | were there, maybe to get a day out of the office, |
| networking experience than previous years because | | | | or to network with other publishers, but certainly not |
| of the smaller size. It is true that there was only one | | | | to meet new authors or look for new talent. |
| floor of the Javits Center this year and less people | | | | This surprised me since the economy is still in the |
| but I found that to be to my advantage. Less | | | | toilet and the publishing industry seems to be |
| booths to visit, so more time talking to the folks I | | | | suffering but maybe not enough for them to focus |
| wanted to talk to, less crowds to get through and a | | | | and really try to get the most out of the Expo. On |
| much more relaxed atmosphere. | | | | the other hand the folks in the digital publishing sector |
| According to the Book Expo of America website | | | | were outgoing, friendly and helpful. Maybe because |
| there were 21,919 people that attended the book | | | | they know this is the wave of the future. |
| expo this year, and there were over 29,000 industry | | | | So, what did I learn from attending my 6th year at |
| professionals in attendance in 2009 and 20,000 in | | | | the Book Expo? |
| 2008, though the 2009 and 2008 numbers include | | | | 1. It works! It is important to go to the expo with a |
| vendors. | | | | clear purpose in mind and to be prepared. If you are |
| I came prepared to meet publishers I had been | | | | going to look for a publisher (like I did) make sure |
| published by, that I had met at other networking | | | | you research BEFORE you go, bring relevant business |
| events and to speak to publishers who might be | | | | cards and a few press kits. Know what your talking |
| interested in my book ideas. I brought business cards | | | | about and present yourself in a professional manner. |
| I had made up especially for the BEA with pertinent | | | | You have to stand out and have a relevant book |
| information that publishers would be interested in | | | | idea, as well as information about how you market, |
| (how many on my mailing lists, my platform | | | | your platform and your previous writing experience. |
| information etc) and a few press kits. I did very well | | | | 2. No matter what the size of the expo, it can be |
| meeting and talking with publishers all day on | | | | worthwhile. It was for me, the publishers that did not |
| Wednesday and found 4 publishers interested in my | | | | attend did not affect my purpose. I focused on |
| work that took my press kits and cards. I have | | | | business publishers, made sure I visited their booths, |
| already had 2 publishers calling me about my book | | | | asked relevant questions and spoke to the editors |
| idea since I have been back! I landed my first book | | | | and people that could help me get published. |
| deal by attending the BEA so that was my goal this | | | | 3. Do your research! Check out the publishers |
| year as well. | | | | websites before the expo, be familiar with how they |
| I really enjoyed the book expo being smaller, less | | | | work. When they are talking with you make sure to |
| crowds, less waiting to talk to people you want to | | | | mention that you have researched their company, |
| meet and talk to and less walking! I received a | | | | talked to other authors that have worked with them |
| newsletter that had a review of this years BEA and | | | | and know their background. This is impressive and |
| they called it "boring" and said "that it was not a | | | | extremely helpful. The publishers and editors I spoke |
| venue for doing business and that if you hear | | | | with were much more receptive to me, knowing that |
| differently it is simply propaganda from the BEA | | | | I had done my research. |
| folks". | | | | 4. Stop in to say hello to anyone who is there that |
| I am not affiliated with the BEA and in my opinion it | | | | you know. Networking with these folks and just |
| WAS a venue for doing business and that is not at all | | | | saying hello goes a long way. Especially if you have |
| propaganda for the BEA. I definitely found some | | | | only corresponded by email, putting a face to the |
| publishers interested in my work and am sure I will | | | | email is key in networking. For example, If you are a |
| get another book deal out of the contacts I made | | | | member of a writers association or subscribe to |
| there. In my opinion if you go to the BEA with a | | | | Writers Digest magazine, you would want to stop by |
| clear goal, set up appointments and present yourself | | | | and introduce yourself. I like meeting the folks that |
| in a professional way you can make good contacts | | | | put out the magazines I read, and meeting the folks |
| and do business attending the BEA. I have attended | | | | that run the writing associations I belong to and they |
| for the last 6 years and have always had good luck | | | | do as well. Make an effort and it will come back to |
| in gaining work and meeting and networking with | | | | you in a positive way. |
| people that I keep in touch with in the industry. | | | | 5. Bring a "helper". I have always brought an assistant |
| Some things I noticed at the expo this year was that | | | | with me to the book expo, I have this person carry |
| some of the vendors were late in setting up their | | | | extra business cards, my press kits and approach the |
| booths and when I tried to talk to them, they were | | | | next person I am going to speak with while I am |
| to "busy" setting up and asked me to come back | | | | finishing up with my current conversations. Having |
| later. Others were so busy talking among themselves | | | | someone give an introduction about you, what you |
| they would literally just ignore you while chatting or | | | | write and how successful you have been is a very |
| texting or just walk away from the booth leaving it | | | | professional way to present yourself and you have |
| unmanned. This is fine, I take that to mean they are | | | | help carrying your materials and any books you pick |
| not serious and if that is how they approach their | | | | up! |
| business, I am not interested in working with them | | | | In closing I want to say that the publishers I did |
| anyway. So by doing this they really did me a favor | | | | speak with were very open and friendly, spent time |
| and saved me from wasting time with them. | | | | talking with me to see if I was worth their time and |
| I was looking to talk to publishers of business books | | | | could be an author that would write a book that was |
| since that is what I write and in some cases the | | | | relevant to their company and asking about my |
| representatives that I approached at a publishers | | | | platform, other writing and marketing experience. |
| booth didn't know who was in charge of the business | | | | Attending the Book Expo was once again, a |
| books, or just didn't know where they were but | | | | rewarding experience for me that will result in a |
| they weren't worried about it. They would ask me to | | | | paying job and hopefully in getting to know more |
| come back later or would just tell me that someone | | | | people in the industry that I met at the expo and |
| was there that was in charge of the business books | | | | now email with and work with in the future. |