Selling Books

Your Guide to Writing, Publishing and Marketing Books and Ebooks

  • Blog
  • Free Newsletter
You are here: Home / Book Business / Top Book Fairs and Book Festivals Authors Should Attend

Top Book Fairs and Book Festivals Authors Should Attend

July 15, 2011 by Scott Lorenz

Authors who want to sell books need to do what anyone else with a product needs to do – find the place in the marketplace where your buyers can be found. And, in the case of authors, readers will be found in largest numbers at book fairs, festivals and conferences.

Book fairs and festivals are held every season around the world so it’s a fairly easy task to locate one to promote your book. As an internet book marketing specialist, I am the first to impress on authors the new and powerful marketing avenues open to all authors on the Internet – from book websites to book trailers to social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. While these are fantastic tools when used properly, authors should never overlook opportunities to meet the reading public face-to-face.

Book fairs usually want speakers. By volunteering to speak, the author not only gains great exposure but can also add that appearance to their resume and press releases. But plan ahead; dates for panel participants, speakers and autograph sessions are arranged months in advance.

Book fairs are excellent places to interact with fellow authors, publishers, network with book industry leaders, locate the help you need such as a publicist or book editor, and learn what’s new in the marketplace. For more information about book marketing visit http://www.book-marketing-expert.com and for upcoming book events on C-SPAN2 visit: http://www.BookTV.org. For a great blog about book fairs by the LA Times go to http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/book-festivals/

Here’s a list of upcoming book fairs and events that are worthy of your attendance in 2011.

  1. Harlem Book Festival, July 23, 2011, West 135th Street, NYC www.qbr.com/
  1. The Atlanta Black Book Expo, August 6, 2011 at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, GA. http://www.abbexpo.com
  1. Decatur Book Festival, Sept. 2-5, 2011, Decatur, GA,  largest independent book festival in the country. Since its launch, more than 600 authors and 190,000 attendees have attended this event in downtown Decatur. http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/Community/index.php
  1. Fall For the Book Festival, Sept. 18-23, 2011, George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus, Fairfax, VA., sponsored by George Mason University, Fairfax County Public Library and Barnes & Noble. Attended by more than 150 authors. http://www.fallforthebook.org
  1. Baltimore Book Festival, Sept. 23-25, 2011, attracts more than 100 authors.  www.baltimorebookfestival.com/
  1. Sonoma County Book Festival, September 24, 2011, Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, CA. attended by thousands of book lovers. http://www.socobookfest.org
  1. West Hollywood Book Fair, October 1, 2011, at West Hollywood Park, more than 180 exhibitors expected. http://www.westhollywoodbookfair.org
  1. Frankfurt Book Fair, October 12-16, 2011 in Frankfort, Germany. Considered the biggest book show in the world. www.book-fair.com
  1. Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word October 14-16, 2011, War Memorial Plaza, Nashville, TN, attracts more than 200 authors from throughout the U.S. http://www.humanitiestennessee.org/festival/current.php
  1. Texas Book Fair, October 22-23, 2011, State Capitol Building, Austin, TX, established in 1995 by First Lady Laura Bush, a former librarian, more than 45,000 attend. www.texasbookfestival.org/
  1. Kentucky Book Fair, Saturday, November 12, 2011, Frankfort Convention Center, attended by up to 5,000 people including 150 authors http://kybookfair.org/

The bottom line: Make it a priority to visit a book fair in the coming weeks and months. You’ll be glad you did!

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few. Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at http://www.book-marketing-expert.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist

Related Posts :

Top Book Fairs & Festivals for Fall 2015
Jewish Book Fairs & Festivals Authors Can Att...
Top Book Fairs & Festivals for Authors for 20...
Attend an International Book Exhibit this Yea...

Filed Under: Book Business, Book Marketing Tagged With: book expo, book fairs, book festivals

Sell More Books!

FREE! Sign up Cathy Stucker's Selling Books newsletter. You will get useful tips and techniques for writing, publishing and selling books, plus member-only exclusives such as free webinars.

BONUS! Get instant access to Cathy's audio program on how to Build an Effective Author Platform!

I respect your privacy & will NEVER sell, rent or share your email address. More than a policy, it's my Privacy Pledge.

Recent Articles

  • FAQs About Children’s Book Illustrations
  • 5 Posts Every Author Should Write on their Website
  • Reducing Everyday Distractions So You Can Get More Writing Done
  • E.S.Danon – Moon in Bastet
  • Nicole Higginbotham-Hogue – Complicated Heart
  • OLUWAmuyiwa Omole – Re.Think CULTURE
  • Dale S. Rogers – Lighthouse on Tortola
  • What’s in a Name?
  • Sebastian Schug – A Guide to Exploring Abandoned Churches
  • Camille Cabrera – Catalina’s Tide

Pages

Contact
Contribute Articles
Contributing Authors
Free Newsletter to Help You Sell More Books
Get Interviewed
Publishing Resources
Subscribe/RSS
Privacy/Disclosure Policies

Categories

Agents Amazon.com Article Marketing Author Interviews Author Platform Blogging Book Business Book Design Book Marketing Book Proposals Book Publicity Book Publishing Book Reviews Book Signings Bookstore Book Titles Book Tours Cathy's Blog Children's Books Content Marketing Copyright Copy Writing Ebooks Editing Fiction Writing Freelance Writing Get Published Ghostwriters Internet Marketing Marketing Fiction Motivation Networking Non-Fiction Writing Oprah Winfrey POD Publishing Public Speaking Research Resources for Writers Running Your Publishing Company Self Publishing Social Media Special Sales Video Marketing Writers Block Writing

Return to top of page

Copyright © 2006 - 2021 Cathy Stucker · All Rights Reserved

Log in to your account