Promoting your work at cons

[sartorias]

Worldcon is coming up, and a lot of new writers, or writers who've been around a while and who've found times bumpy due to the economy, are going to be anxious about using this opportunity because received wisdom says that cons are for:

making deals

meeting editors and agents

and most of all

selling your work.

Steve Miller passed along this

Comments

[mroctober]

Yes, I have never forgotten when Caitlin K. did the umpteen books in front of her--as if the only reason to do panels was to sell her books.

Another problem is when authors are rude to people in panels or con events. I think of Bear treating Peter Dube like crap at a Readercon.

[sartorias]

There are some who are rude, definitely, and other times, people get so tired, and so blinkered from having to crank their social volume to high for so many hours that encounters end up being abrupt, words misunderstood, gazes that are actually blank from exhaustion being perceived as the cut direct.

I'm sorry that Peter Dube (who is an astoundingly good writer) had this experience with Bear, who in my own experience has been inclusive and friendly. But this is the downside of so many people pressed together for a short number of days: the intensity can shortcircuit.

[akirlu]

Just as a point of order, I wonder if both of you mean the same Bear? I can think of two (Elizabeth and Greg) and there may well be others.

[sartorias]

Good question.

[sartorias]

It's not just the self=pubbed who build the Wall o'Books, or figure the panel is really their pimp platform.

[sartorias]

Oh yes, the inflated creds or fame doll. Yowzers!

I get that people are anxious. I am anxious. We all are more or less anxious beings. Upfrontness goes a long way, at least for me.

[ambyr]

I have pretty much given up attending writing/book-focused panels at my Beloved Local Con because this stuff is so rampant. (I still go to the science panels, and some of the costuming and art ones.)

If I want to hear authors talk about their own books, I will go to their readings and kaffeklatches, or look for where they're holding court at the bar. Panels ain't the place for it.

[akirlu]

It's possibly worth noting that the received wisdom is wrong, here. Conventions may be good places to make deals, meet with editors, and sell your work, sometimes, for some people, but with rare exceptions, it's not at all what they're for. They're a convening of fandom, and as such they are by, of, and most especially for fans. Some of those fans happen to be professionals in the field, and that's fine too, but if someone consider themselves a pro and not a fan, they might do better not going to conventions. It's just as easy to turn people off you and your work as turn them on, if you bring the attitude that you're different from and somehow better than the fans.

And in my experience the best way to sell your work at conventions is to sell yourself, pretty much the same way you sell yourself when you are flirting with a potential partner or interviewing for a job: be interesting, competent, funny, knowledgeable, and a good listener as much as a good talker. Be apposite to the point, and provide valuable contributions to the

[sartorias]

I've met a number of writers who had never been to a con, and wouldn't think of going to one, but feel it necessary as part of their publicity campaign.

A couple times I have pointed out that most writers at most sell a copy or two--the ones who sell stacks and bags of copies are authors the fans are already coming to the con to see, but I've been blown off as an old hasbeen who doesn't know anything about How To Market, so I don't say anything anymore. People are going to do what they've decided to do. (And, hey, someone with charisma can make anything work.)

[akirlu]

People are going to do what they've decided to do.

True that. Not suggesting that you should put yourself out there offering unsolicited advice in person, but since we were talking about it here, I thought I'd make the point explicit about the received wisdom not being all it's quacked up to be.

And I think Scalzi is a great example of marketing oneself and one's work by being interesting and being out there, and he can make that work, so your point about charisma is well taken.

[monissaw]

And there I was thinking cons were for:

catching up with online friends
talking about reading & writing with people who did the same
flogging books/magazines in the dealers room
having an excuse to do a bit of touristing

I am so out of date on these things ;)

[sartorias]

Heh! Yep, that's what cons are for for us fans.