This was excellent, Cat. If I ever manage to get one of my YA novels published, I would adore the opportunity to pedal network at these kind of events. The BookTok craze (is it still a craze?) feels so painfully inauthentic for me, personally. I'm sure it works for a certain brand of person, but I'd much rather have the chance to banter and gush about my love stories in person. I'll check out the directory link you provided, but wonder if you know of any YA book cons in the greater Boston area off the top of your head. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words, Meg. Rooting for you and your YA novels!
With you on Booktok. I keep trying to force myself to get on there, but I just don't really like video even to watch for my personal leisure, you know? Not short form video, anyway.
I don't know any Boston cons off the top of my head, but I am guessing there's a huge number. Will look around...
Okay, I just did a brief search and there are a billion of them over here. 😂 Will have to dig a little further to find a scene that's a good genre fit for me, but nice to know I don't have to travel too far before I run into one of these things. 🥂
Ah, you got to it first. Yes, I'm guessing Boston is a big market for these and that you'd be pretty much spoiled for choice. YA could do really well at cons, I'm thinking. It seems underrepresented, at least in my limited experience, and this when, as I mentioned in the post, there are a LOT of kids at these things, of all ages, and lots of families traipsing through, too. Could be a really good move, down the line.
Some bookstores do Meet&Greet events. Start with your local indies. Barnes &Noble COLLEGE Bookstores [different company!] is more enthusiastic about them. B&N Inc./retail varies from store to store.
But first (and I'm leading somewhere with that): Are you coming to Dragon-Con this year? We have a sci-fi writer doing a meet&greet Sept. 1. This will likely be my last event in Atlanta.
My leading point: Uranus-Pluto-in-Virgo late-boomer/gen X tribute/cover bands are the musical equivalent of fanfic, and the NEW opera/classical music. And that's what my pic at left tells you. And why I'm leaving.
It's always Labor Day weekend in downtown ATL. Aug 31 to Sept 4. We get a lot of traffic to our store two train stops away. I have a lot of your books--and Edgar!--as well as manga and sci-fi.
Have you read Mystery Of Mysteries yet? I'm trying to!
I love this! I sell my book at a lot of markets, and I’ve always felt like kind of a weirdo because mine is also a traditionally published book and a lot of authors don’t do this kind of thing unless they published their books themselves. But I really enjoy getting to talk to people and do that kind of hand-selling. My publisher printed stickers and I give those away for free which is also a nice way to get people to stop and chat, and it’s an ad for the book, too.
Likewise! I love your newsletter (I'm signed in with a different account than the one I follow with, I think). I'm in New Jersey, and my book is an anthology about the state so I really only do markets in my area--a lot of punk rock fleas, local book fairs, things like that. I do well at the punk rock markets because there aren't a lot of other books there and it stands out.
The essay on freelancing is interesting. I don't view writing for Substack as writing for free. I'm writing to build an email list. That said, I do freelance because I think it's a good way for an emerging writer to get in front of new people.
Thank you for this post! I feel like I have a How-to guide for something I never thought I would do. I love all of your ideas and it got me thinking about other ways to engage people. Thanks again!
While I am not currently in a Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" (I forgot they went all la-di-da with the spelling) life phase, I am currently enjoying your practical advice. Is there anything that introverts enjoy more than talking one-on-one? This is such a great idea.
This was excellent, Cat. If I ever manage to get one of my YA novels published, I would adore the opportunity to pedal network at these kind of events. The BookTok craze (is it still a craze?) feels so painfully inauthentic for me, personally. I'm sure it works for a certain brand of person, but I'd much rather have the chance to banter and gush about my love stories in person. I'll check out the directory link you provided, but wonder if you know of any YA book cons in the greater Boston area off the top of your head. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words, Meg. Rooting for you and your YA novels!
With you on Booktok. I keep trying to force myself to get on there, but I just don't really like video even to watch for my personal leisure, you know? Not short form video, anyway.
I don't know any Boston cons off the top of my head, but I am guessing there's a huge number. Will look around...
Okay, I just did a brief search and there are a billion of them over here. 😂 Will have to dig a little further to find a scene that's a good genre fit for me, but nice to know I don't have to travel too far before I run into one of these things. 🥂
Ah, you got to it first. Yes, I'm guessing Boston is a big market for these and that you'd be pretty much spoiled for choice. YA could do really well at cons, I'm thinking. It seems underrepresented, at least in my limited experience, and this when, as I mentioned in the post, there are a LOT of kids at these things, of all ages, and lots of families traipsing through, too. Could be a really good move, down the line.
Some bookstores do Meet&Greet events. Start with your local indies. Barnes &Noble COLLEGE Bookstores [different company!] is more enthusiastic about them. B&N Inc./retail varies from store to store.
Excellent advice all around. Thank you!!!
But first (and I'm leading somewhere with that): Are you coming to Dragon-Con this year? We have a sci-fi writer doing a meet&greet Sept. 1. This will likely be my last event in Atlanta.
My leading point: Uranus-Pluto-in-Virgo late-boomer/gen X tribute/cover bands are the musical equivalent of fanfic, and the NEW opera/classical music. And that's what my pic at left tells you. And why I'm leaving.
I LOVE that point :)
Need to get to Dragon Con. Did you see dates?
It's always Labor Day weekend in downtown ATL. Aug 31 to Sept 4. We get a lot of traffic to our store two train stops away. I have a lot of your books--and Edgar!--as well as manga and sci-fi.
Have you read Mystery Of Mysteries yet? I'm trying to!
I love this! I sell my book at a lot of markets, and I’ve always felt like kind of a weirdo because mine is also a traditionally published book and a lot of authors don’t do this kind of thing unless they published their books themselves. But I really enjoy getting to talk to people and do that kind of hand-selling. My publisher printed stickers and I give those away for free which is also a nice way to get people to stop and chat, and it’s an ad for the book, too.
Wow, yes, I'm so glad to hear of another trad author doing it, too! Good to meet you. Good idea on the stickers. What part of the country are you in?
Likewise! I love your newsletter (I'm signed in with a different account than the one I follow with, I think). I'm in New Jersey, and my book is an anthology about the state so I really only do markets in my area--a lot of punk rock fleas, local book fairs, things like that. I do well at the punk rock markets because there aren't a lot of other books there and it stands out.
The essay on freelancing is interesting. I don't view writing for Substack as writing for free. I'm writing to build an email list. That said, I do freelance because I think it's a good way for an emerging writer to get in front of new people.
Thank you for this post! I feel like I have a How-to guide for something I never thought I would do. I love all of your ideas and it got me thinking about other ways to engage people. Thanks again!
You're so welcome, Mary! Thanks for reading.
While I am not currently in a Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" (I forgot they went all la-di-da with the spelling) life phase, I am currently enjoying your practical advice. Is there anything that introverts enjoy more than talking one-on-one? This is such a great idea.
P.S. I did have a "Rumours" phase, just for the record. Which, in fact, it was.
How fascinating! Thank you for sharing your behind-the-scenes experiences, Cat. I saved your post for future reference 😊