Strategies for Indie Authors to Discover Book Events

When I first started my author journey, I did not know what I was doing beyond writing my story. I wasn’t alone in this, as the indie market was a new thing nearly a decade ago. Gods, I feel old. I’ve learned a lot along the way. I’ve made thousands of mistakes and successes and undoubtedly will continue to do so as I stay on this path. A few years ago, I took the leap I’d been fearing since I released my first book….author/book events.

I knew I needed more visibility if I wanted people to learn about my book and read it. But the thought of putting myself out there to sell my book made me physically ill and set my anxiety into overdrive. My hubby supported me through my first author event that turned out to be a disaster, but I still had a good time. And then a few years ago I met Chelsea at GalaxyCon, and a whole new world opened up to me. Not only did she, and the other amazing authors, help me find my method of selling books to potential readers, but I learned a lot about what it takes to draw people to your table and what it takes to plan for a market/convention. So let me break it down for you and hopefully you can adapt it to meet your needs.

Part One: Harsh Truths

You will have events that are a total bust to where you don’t even make up the price of the table.

It is hard to not feel disparaged when this happens, but trust me when I say, it happens to everyone. Buyers are a fickle breed, and no one can definitively gauge where they will spend their money.

And with that being said...

Another’s success doesn’t mean what you have isn’t good.

You should always write what you want to write, but also be aware of the current market. Romantacy, smutty reads, and fantasy are hot commodities at the moment — but that could always change. If you’re in one of these genres, you will have to work harder to make yourself stand out. I’ll touch more on that later when I talk about table setups.

Lastly, these things are exhausting.

Between finding events, getting your merch and advertisement, and then actually being there, they will wear you out. Many of these events happen on the weekend, and after working all week, you won’t have anytime to rest and refill your cup. The larger and longer the event, the more exhausted you’ll be. Now all this is for one event, imagine doing two or three a month like many of us indies do….

But that’s enough of that, let’s get onto the lighter bits.

Part Two: Stock and Payments

This will probably be the easiest thing you will have to worry about. I recommend keeping at least 20 copies of your book at home at all times. That amount should get you through most single day events. Once you find organizers (more on this later) sometimes they will reach out if there’s a cancellation. By keeping a small stash at home, you can quickly get in on the event and make some sales while engaging with potential readers. If you have other merch like stickers, candles, ect., the same practice applies. The more you do, the better handle you’ll have on what you need and how much.

When it comes to accepting payments, it all boils down to what you’re more comfortable with. I use a Square reader because I can add the tax, and if the card’s tap isn’t working they can insert their card. Some other ways I’ve seen are QR codes for Venmo or PayPal. I’ve even seen one with codes for just about every method of payment. I would also recommend a small box or bag for cash. There will always be one or two people who prefer to pay with cash. After each event, you can take the $20s to your local grocery store and have them broken down into smaller bills.

Part Three: The Set Up

This is probably the part that everyone stresses over the most. Everyone wants a table that showcases their amazing books and draws in readers. Let me fill you in on a little secret….every author changes the setup for every event. Sure, we may have a general layout plan, but we’re constantly tweaking the look, adding and taking away while making note of what drew people in and what didn’t. However, there are a few things that are constant, no matter what.

1. Folding table

2. Tablecloth (I highly recommend the ones that slip under the table legs as most events are outdoors)

3. Book stands

4. Signage

5. 10x10 tent (try to get one with attachable sides or get them separately)

6. Waggon

7. Heavy duty crates

Here are a few examples from my previous events. It’s a good idea to take a photo of how things are arranged every time. That way you can remember how it looks and what changes you made.

It was so rainy for the second photo that I have a new list of things I need to have on stand by. When it comes to your table, I recommend starting with the bare minimum and then adding as you go. Firstly, that will spread out the cost a touch more evenly. Secondly you can see what the other authors/vendors are doing and see what you like or don’t like.

Part Four: Bits of Advice

I highly recommed you develop an event bag that you take with you for each event. You may not need everything but when you do, you'll be glad you have it. Wipes and sanitizers are a must, especially when you have outdoor events. Other personal items are sunscreen, chapstick, gum, cough drops, hair ties, feminine products, etc. On the functional side bring battery chargers and cords, zip ties are a must, safety pins, gallon ziplock bags (a bit of genius I saw during a rainy ren faire), and extra weights.

Part Five: The Search

Now that we have talked just about everything else, how in the world do you get to sign up for these markets, book fairs, etc? The way I got started was by googling it. You can also check out Evently. The best part is that once you fill out all the information once, you won't have to again. You can search just about everything and can get in on some pretty big events like conventions and ren faires. Also don't be afraid to dig through Facebook, Tiktok, or Instagram. Discord is another good option and if you're a North Carolina author you can join our server and this is where I get most of my events from these days. There is also Front Paige Media who travel across NC, SC, and GA. I also do several events with Oak and Ink and Bibliobeans who both have a ton of pop-up markets.

But what if I find out about an event as it's happening?

Easy, just ask how you can get in on it for the next time. That's how I got to do Festival of Legends which is like a small ren faire.

Also, don't forget to talk to the other authors and vendors at the events that you go to. Most of us try to have at least one or two events a month and can typically point you toward who you need to talk to.

Well my darlings, that is all the time I have for you today. I hope that this will help you branch out into the wide world a touch more to share your stories with people who want to read them. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter for exclusive information, freebies, and know about things before the wider internet. Or at the very least, follow me on all my socials @timofeev_books.

Until next time my dears!